Reading on the Subway

Today was really comfortable. I slept in for the first time in a while, video chatted with family and friends back home, and worked on my oral presentation for Thursday. Staying on campus and relaxing for the majority of the day felt really great, as it was a good time to reflect on my time here and the people I’ve met. I was also able to read some of the book I picked up at the wet market a week or so ago on the subway, and I learned more about domestic helpers in the process. The author touched on a really good point, in that domestic helpers live and work at the same place. Essentially, there is no break for them except a few precious hours on the weekend, because they are always eating and sleeping in the workplace. I found this angle very thoughtful, and also difficult to grapple with. The money that domestic helpers make is much better than the salary that they would receive in their home countries, but much lower than the average Hong Konger. Does this make the system acceptable, particularly considering the difficult work environment? After reading for a bit, I headed to Victoria Harbor to meet a friend for dinner. I arrived really early, and found a nice spot in the lobby to submit an application I have been working on, and also reply to some emails quickly. The meal tonight was really fantastic (check wechat for some food pictures), and the service was also great. Today made me feel like my family would really like this city, with the beautiful harbor and warm people that call this place home.