India

This smelled pretty darn good

This past February marked the beginning of a new year in the Chinese zodiac, so Kung Hei Fat Choi and happy year of the dog! Chinese New Year also brings the added bonus of some time off for me. After procrastinating on booking the flight (which cost a pretty penny considering everyone and their mother is travelling in this part of the world), and procrastinating even longer to submit my visa application (which only arrived on the morning of my departure), I took ten days to explore a country I've had a desire to see for a long time. 

That's what India looks like. There
you go. 

On the recommendation of a colleague, and spurred on by the popular Top Gear special (Season 17 Episode 7), I took a trip to the bustling metropolis of Hyderabad and the warm beaches of Goa, both of which are found in the South-ish part of India. The country is a place that smells different (scents which can change every several meters), looks different (devout instagrammers would have a field day with the patterns and colours) and tastes different than the more well known Asian tourist destinations (China, Japan, Thailand, Vietnam, etc). For me, the main attraction was hunting down as many different dishes as my appetite would allow me. If I have to explain how Indian food is superior to all others, then please follow the link below...

http://bfy.tw/GgaG

Hey look, I did see a thing though!
A whole thing! 

Before I get started properly, India is not a country of which I am very knowledgeable. I don't know much about its history, I didn't put in much effort to explore its culture, nor did I read about or research much before my trip. As such, I am not a very good tourist, and most of my travelling nowadays will be spent eating, napping, reading and infrequently socializing because I'm a lazy bum. I may not offer the most useful observations or tips. You're welcome to find another person who writes a more culturally appropriate, politically correct, or otherwise 'hip' travel diary.

For those of you who are still with me. This is what I've got.

Beaches in Goa. Strategically excluded
from the picture was the food on my shirt 

India is a big country. Lots of people, lots of languages, lots of foods, lots of religions,
India is so stupendously big and diverse that it's difficult to paint a single portrait of the country without leaving major parts out. India is in many ways still a very raw country, and while my trip won't portray things that way, the bigger cities of Delhi, Mumbai (Bombay), Kolkata (Calcutta) or provinces of Kerala, Rajastan, or Punjab may give you a better picture of what's going on in this neck of the woods. 

This hostel was in the neighbourhood
of $11/night. I paid a bit more for a
room with A/C. 

For me, I chose a tiny province of India that is more well known for its beaches and Portuguese influence, Goa. Most of my time was spent hanging out in hostels, reading books in shady spots, and letting my appetite dictate what I do next.  Between reading sessions, I hit the road to visit nearby towns, and just to enjoy the experience of riding a bike without the silly rules like having proper 'licenses' and such. More on that later. 

Hoda & I. She showed me around
Hyderabad. Note the touristy
sunburn and floral shirt. 

The visit to Hyderabad showed me what urban India is really like. Dirty, bustling, constantly exuding both noise and movement all times of day and night. Millions of people of dozens of cultures into jammed communities between crowded streets of vehicles, street stalls, families, workers, livestock and the occasional large hole in the ground. 

Hoda and I had a plate of chicken
that was too big and too tasty

It's also a place where people will speak to you with a genuine tone, asking where you are travelling from and what you've seen. Hyderabad-er-ians (?) had asked to take pictures with me on occasion, later learning that foreigners are very much an anomaly, despite the city's size. 

Through the welcoming chaos, I was guided by my friend and former boss, visiting the historic Muslim city center, the former Nizam's palace, and a particularly interesting city park & marketplace. Aside from the sightseeing, we had a comforting chat about being conscious of one's sense of community and home. It put a lot more confidence and clarity into my final decision to return to Ontario after three very satisfying years in Macau. 

This ISN'T Shantaram, but another
neat book about going places and stuff

Like I said before, I didn't really take myself to the more internationally-known places. No Taj Mahals, or long, crowded train journeys. I did all these things vicariously through one of the novels I was reading at the time. Shantaram is a fantastic adventure novel that also happens to be true. The most adventurous thing I DID do was to eat with my hands, like you're supposed to do with Indian food. They say each finger represents one of the elements, and brings about a connection between mind and body as you eat. The most frequent connections I made was between my meals and my clothing, in my haste to devour everything and anything that I had read about beforehand. Something else I had researched prior to my trip was India's love affair with a particular motorcycle that I had the privilege of renting. 
 

My iron horse for the week

Comfortable, crimson and clumsy.
Like me on vacation with a sunburn. 

The Enfield bike is the darling of India. It's a British design that continues to be manufactured in India to this day (which is remarkable given how far automotive technology has progressed). Perhaps you are intrigued by motorcycles as I am, or perhaps you are wagering which type I will be riding when I'm found in nine pieces under a tanker truck. Either way, here's my take on 2.5 years of bike trips in Asia. 

Chinese New Year 2016. First time
on a real bike. 

A Vietnamese re-manufacturing of a
rugged Honda design.

Like old cars, motorcycles have thrilled me with their charms. If I'm travelling during a school break, I'll likely pick a destination where I can get my hands on some wheels and go exploring on my own. Even better is the opportunity to share the experience with friends and encourage them to give riding a try. I'm entirely self-taught, starting on simple scooters, and slowly working myself towards riding a proper bike with a clutch and manual transmission. 

Taiwanese bike. 150cc is barely enough
for winding country roads. 

I've ridden small engined Suzukis, aged Vietnamese Hondas, and a charming but gutless Taiwanese brand called a 'Sym'. The Enfield handles more like a Buick than a bicycle: wide, heavy, loud and slow to respond to the driver's various orders. On one hand, this makes for some creative handling in rush hour traffic and crowded side streets, not to mention a considerable amount of embarrassing effort to reverse the bike when backing out of parking spots and attempting 3 point turns. 

I actually own this bike in Canada.
Only I don't have the paperwork, or a
licence, and it hasn't run in 12 years

On the other hand, it produces a comfortable and endearing ride on open roads, much like a rusty-yet-handsome mid-90's Park Avenue might. Between the different types of vehicles, the roads turn into a sea of slow moving exhaust, honking and rumbling of engines, packed with goats, cattle, car parts, potholes, lanes that suddenly end, and vehicles travelling in the wrong direction, driving in India can be quite the eye-opening experience. In fact, I thought the experience of learning how to ride a clumsy bike in an extra-chaotic place warranted a little comparison to how things are done back home. 

State of the art public transportation

On Indian roads, you will have to navigate around an array of vehicles that range between ancient, erratic and animal-powered. One of my favourite sights were the antiquated city buses that would look more at home in a Mad Max movie than in public service. These are machines with re-re-repaired and re-re-painted body panels, belching out black soot when pulling away from each stop. 

This means honk if you want to pass

A taxi driver explained to me the culture of truck drivers to decorate their vehicles. Since drivers spend most of their days on the road, they conspicuously paint and affix things to their trucks to make them feel more at home, and also because it's awesome. At home, we just have boring regular trucks with no tassels or flags or fun bits. BORING. 

I. Want. This.

In the West, we have a very organized and regulated system of operating motor vehicles. We stay in between the painted lines, use our blinkers to tell others our intent, and maintain a constant speed within the stated legal limit. We even go so far as to ridicule and shame our friends and family who are unfortunate enough to be caught committing any discrepancies (google tells me indiscrepancy isn't a word so don't even think about ridiculing me either). Driving, once the basics are learned and peripheral vision is utilized, is more akin to watching pain dry than the interactive operation of a big metal toy.  

Relaxed rural riding

You may claim that that is simply  'defensive', 'cautious', or even so far as 'safe'. However, it is not necessarily 'good'. I believe that our Western style of driving is lazy. Not in a bad way, mind you. No no no no! Of COURSE not in a bad way! Just in a domesticated, mindless, privileged and inefficient way. You understand, of course. 

No? Well, while we may not realize it, we have an extremely entitled attitude when behind the wheels of our five-figure, air conditioned chariots. I will give you a few examples using this handy chart: (You could even go so far as to call this a graphic organizer. THAT, ladies and gentlemen, is what an education degree will get you. Yessim)

	India	Canada
Improper blinker use	Who uses a blinker? What's a blinker even for? I'm watching out for livestock and truck parts, not blinkers.	Other drivers will be shocked to see that you're not an octogenarian, just an idiot who hasn't refilled his car with blinker fluid.
Honking	Constantly necessary for every pass, merge, turn or 'DON'T HIT ME PLEASE' situation. Definitely the most useful tool of your vehicle	Only acceptable in the most extreme of situations, such as infringements on your personal space.  Maximum duration allowed: 1.4 full seconds
Driving into other lanes of traffic	People are going to use whatever damn lane they can to fit themselves through, even if it's not a lane. Yield to the larger vehicles and watch out!	Considered 'Illegal'. Apparently, you're supposed to remember what country you're in BEFORE you set off.
Infringing on another vehicle's personal space	Traffic represents the randomness of the universe, drive according to the ever-changing conditions.	Drivers and passengers alike will even take their eyes off the road to incredulously  stare into and scream at the offender's face, thereby putting themselves in harms way.
Driving between moving or stationary vehicles	Called 'Lane Splitting', considered a necessary behaviour in a country with 1.3 billion people.	Called 'Being a F*&king Maniac', considered to be harmful to a driver's sense of personal space and delicate feelings.
Gently coming in contact with another vehicle with your bumper	The most effective way of both asserting yourself and maintaining some degree of personal space. Wave! Say hello! This happens several times a day. After all, what are bumpers for?	UNFORGIVABLE

There you have it. I encourage you to try your hand at driving in a new setting, so you too can have an enlightened opinion on the operation of motor vehicles.

Please ignore the fact that wikipedia quotes India as 'generally considered to be one of the most dangerous countries in the world in which to drive', as well as the other scathing and completely factual sources of information. 

Teaching Overseas

My classroom

Hi. It's a smoggy afternoon so I suppose this is a good time to catch up on my writing. Thanks again for stopping by to read.It's dawned on me that I haven't really touched on about what my job is much like. You may find this helpful or neat, but if not, that's too bad because this is one topic I know at least a little about, so here goes. 

I'm not a smart fellow who planned this ahead of time. There was no long term goal that brought me here. Most of the things that worked out for me have been due to a combination of coincidence, opportunity, and luck. But don't let that dissuade you. If someone like me can do it, you'll be golden! 

Look at this idiot. A jazz degree, a dad shirt and an
armful of cheeses. What kind of priorities are those?

A little background knowledge about me, I got my degree in music because it was something I enjoyed and was decent at, knowing full-well that it probably wouldn't provide me with immediate and steady work. I pursued teachers college because I liked (and still do like) working with kids & teenagers, but I struggled through my classroom placements for a number of reasons (organization and diligence probably being the main ones). I didn't know if I would enjoy or be good at teaching, mostly due to the constant problems I was encountering in my practicums (practice teaching). I accumulated a handsome amount of student debt, and seriously doubted my ability to survive in the field. Yikes. 

Now I'm in my third year of a full-time contract teaching English, Math, Science & Social Studies to 10 year-olds in a former Portuguese colony turned casino-land in China. Not too shabby eh? Also, not exactly where I thought I'd end up. Heck! I even wear ties to work and shine my shoes, like a professional!

Organization is key

The first year of the job was by and far the most strenuous. I'd like to think that teaching is a mental work-out routine, so to say. It was a trial-by-fire, but it was definitely good for me. Your mind struggles under the weight of each day's new challenges, but by the end, it gets a little stronger, smarter, more efficient. Whether it's dealing with an arbitrary conflict, planning a unit from scratch, managing a rowdy bunch of kids on a field trip, creating better resources to make a lesson interesting, marking a small mountain of projects (I could go on...), I found myself better able to meet the needs being asked of me. I also had a lot of support and guidance from my colleagues. A LOT of support Thank you Hoda, Hope, Marion & quite a few others! I'm glad the first year was a big kick in the head, I wouldn't have got my shit together had it been anything but. So, this whole Macau thing kind of worked out in my favour. It's full time work in my field, it's challenging yet rewarding, and it's been good for me (both the ups and the downs). But it's rude for me to only talk about myself, so here's how this might apply to you. 

Kids are both fun and funny 

Thinking about teaching?Whether you've got some training or experience in education or not, you can find work. Schools will come in all shapes and sizes. Some adopt a culture/nationality for the basis of their staff & teaching content, mostly from Western countries with prominent education programs. Scattered around the globe, you can find British institutes, American Academies, and even a few Canadian international schools. Some schools will be secular, while others are religious-oriented. Many schools have been founded by those wishing to spread their faith, and make up a larger number than schools at home. International schools will likely hire you as a full-time teacher, teaching multiple subjects or grade levels simultaneously, much like you'd do in a full-time position at home. Local or specialty schools might hire you specifically to teach English to students with varying levels of English abilities. Pay, benefits, vacation time and the workload will all vary, but there's lots of opportunity out there for those whether you have official certification (B of Ed, TEFL, etc) or not. 

(I've got to say that I feel like a bit of a domesticated professional using all these terms) 

From my experience, there are strong pros and cons for leaving your home country to find work elsewhere. 

"Ewwww, foreign countries. Those are the ones on the news that have stuff going on all the time, and they don't have Tim Hortons..., and they're just... different..."

Did you find that comment sarcastic? Maybe a little offensive? And yet, did it still strike a chord of truth somewhere deep inside you? That's because that's what I myself thought.

Well, I wasn't that bad, but I knew it'd be different. Also, I realize that a positive aspect for one person could certainly be a negative aspect for another, so I'll try to outline the most significant ones without categorizing them, and you can decide for yourself. 

This is HK but that's close enough

Living in a different country has been a challenging, interesting and awakening experience. For many people, it's the initial put-off that may dissuade them from even considering leaving home (For instance, what kind of thoughts come to mind when you think about moving to China? Or the Middle-East?). For me, it was a process of being intrigued, frustrated, bored and finally comfortable with the stark contrasts to life at home. I could probably do a whole other post on how Macau is so different to Canada, and I'd probably forget to leave out the things I'm used to by now. If you have the gusto to move to a new country in the first place, you'll get used to the differences and find your own way to keep yourself happy. 

Go to Taiwan. DO IT.

If you enjoy travelling, there's excellent potential for adventure. I've been able to visit a number of countries and try new things, although I find it better to do it with a friend than strike out on my own. Learning how to ride a motorcycle and going on multi-day excursions is probably my single favourite thing to do. The next expedition will likely take place over Chinese new year if anyone would like to come to Goa (India) for some great food, beaches, nature and riding. 

As with any job,
it's important to get feedback

Opportunity. If you grew up in an English-speaking country, you have the enormous benefit of being eligible for opportunities in places high and low. I left Canada because of the crappy teacher job situation there. The land of opportunity is out there, and there are jobs and countries that need the next batch of teachers for the coming school year. You can search these out online (TeachAway, SeekTeachers, etc) or at a job fair if you want to take things to the next level. It's a pretty unique ability to rock up at the doorstep of almost any country and find some work. 

Make sure to bring essential items to
foreign lands, for your mental health.  

Being away from home, and the things that go with home, is probably the biggest difference. I came here to chase and opportunity and scratch out a bit of a living. If you've heard of the saying "Go West, young man", I went as West as one could go. I missed (and still do miss) many of the things that I had or could pursue in Canada, and coming to a new place forced me to strike out on my own to seek out people, hobbies, and satisfying uses for my time to keep me from going crazy. As a wiser man said, "There is no growth without change, no change without loss or fear, and no loss without pain". 

There are other fields to find employment and explore the world. A buddy of mine has been doing the same thing, only as a musician. He signs on for hotel/cruise ship venues in various countries and has been doing that successfully for about 10 years. If this is an intriguing prospect for you, or if you have other questions you think I'd somehow be able to address, you can leave a little message down below or contact me some other way. In all likelihood this is being read by someone who I've met in person already (and if it's not, how the heck did you make your way here?). 

Hopefully this thing still works...

As for me, Macau has been good both to me and for me. I'd like to think that I learned a lot and did a good job where I could. A big part of me would like to stick around for another year or two, or hunt for another school/country to continue what I'm doing now. Writing this blog, appreciating the little things and and reflecting on general stuff has led me to make a decision. After a lot of consideration, I will be returning to Canada in July of this year to make my home in Hamilton. Another year, I may yet disappear and chase another overseas opportunity, but for the foreseeable future I will be fussing over old broken cars, hosting backyard parties and trying to recover the remnants of my jazz chops in the Hammer (and maybe find a high school music teaching job?).

Shit. I'm going to have to find a new name for this blog....  

I went to Japan

Before I go and complain that I only had a mere 5 days of vacation, I realize this is an opportunity that not many get to have, and so I will not be salty about the amount of time I am able to spend travelling. 

Our school calendar is designed in such a way that at the end of each school term (there being four in total), a number of days off are designated to allow the teachers to rest and recover. I usually take advantage of this time to explore little parts of the continent that I  have not yet explored, or that I might find a few friends in. In this case, the end of our first term allowed me 5 days to get a small taste of the land of the rising sun, THE EMPIRE OF Japan.

(just regular Japan)

There are some people I know that idolize and revere this country for its various qualities. I'm not one of those people.Unless it's got a selection of antiquated motorcycles for rent, or an insured 23 year old Buick waiting within its borders, I go into these things with minimal standards and an apathetic attitude.

I'll skip the details of the things said and done there, because pictures , and also because things ran so smoothly that I didn't even embarrass myself ONCE.

There were two things about Japan that were especially evident. Foremost, Japan is a SILENT COUNTRY. You don't speak on the train. You don't speak in the streets. You don't  speak too loudly indoors because the country is inhabited completely by church mice. This is difficult for me. Perhaps I did embarrass myself a few times. I couldn't even roll my small suitcase down most streets because the gentle rumbling noise of the wheels on the pavement was too harsh and disturbing for the tone of the neighbourhood. It was a unique quality that was not all that easy to adapt to. 

Secondly, Japan impressed me with its astounding cleanliness. While this may come as something taken for granted for those who live in Canada, Macau is not a clean place. China is not a clean place. But in Japan, everything of human creation: sidewalks, streets, parks, subway stations, EVERYTHING, was kept in meticulously tidy order. Even the hanging handles on the trains that usually feel greasy, moist or smutzy were sanitary to a level usually reserved for your dinner plate.

The other things you may have thought about the country are also true. Yes, the trains run on time, religiously so. Yes, the people are polite, less than 2 thank you's in an interaction would be surprising. Japan is as thoroughly organized and civilized a country as one could possibly be. I am now back in Macau to begin another term of teaching, and it is just now that I realize the certain things I appreciate most about Japan. Only now, days after my return, that I have realize that I miss the manners, and respect for the environment. 

Hey, also. Thanks for reading this blog. I have a hard time keeping up with what everyone's doing, especially as we all wander off down our own paths and do adult things. I wish I could better track what's going on with everyone, but it's nice to see a few people check out what I've written and posted cause that's neat. Makes the whole thing worth doing, ya know?

September

It's been a whole month. I left Canada on a plane a good 30-some days ago and now it's been an entire month. I feel like it's been a lot longer, but that could be my hazy memory and poor attention to detail. I'm back in Macau for another year of 4th grade teaching. 

I'm really grateful to have seen so many cool people, both new and old since the school year has begun. New staff at our school, other teachers from around town, locals, Portuguese, the lot. There are some pretty cool cats in this city/country, and lots of opportunities to hang out. Best part of it all is they encourage me (directly or indirectly) to break free of my miserable habits and try new stuff. I'm  dressing much better due to the persistent good advice of my room mate, and now playing squash due to the insistence of a buddy of mine. 

Look at those charming characters 

Yup, that's a sport. I play sports, because I own active wear and a water bottle and throw the towel around my neck like an athlete who does sports in active wear. But with the passing of time, contracts expire and we lose a few friends too. I suppose that happens no matter where you go, I'm no special snowflake. 

This year's new batch of kids may be the best yet, although that may just be my perspective, as these students haven't been tarnished by my bad manners and excessive volume. That may yet change yet. Each new year brings new challenges and rewards, but you can read that on an inspirational poster with an artsy cursive font. As you can see by my impeccable MS paint skills, I've protected their privacy and enhanced the photograph simultaneously. 

This isn't Japan. These are steaks.

In a few weeks, I have a period of time off that I'll be using to go to Japan for the first time. I've heard good things about it but I will have to go there for myself to see if it's a country I'm fond of. That should be neat. If you have any recommendations I'll take 'em. 

What a MESS

Macau is still about the same, although with a little less foliage. Now that it's the beginning of year #3, I suppose it would be a good idea to do a little self-improvement since I've got this teacher thing down. Health, creativity, number of neat shirts with cool patterns, who knows. Maybe I'll do some redecorating I still have some lovely framed maps & paintings I'd like to put up, which means drilling holes in walls, putting studs in holes, and hanging pictures securely enough to inflate my ego and assure myself that I can fix anything (the same feeling you get when changing light bulbs and tightening pot lids or cabinet handles). Gotta get ready for a Canadian Thanksgiving extravaganza after all. 

A bunch of pals

While it's only the beginning of the school year, I've been constantly thinking about if and when it's time to leave Asia and return home. Ideas of home loom in my head, ideas of rooming with pals from back home, having chili nights & board games hangs, and driving that Buick of mine in rain, sleet, snow or shine. MMMM-MM. Yessir. Every summer/Christmas I return, I'm reminded of so many of the things I took for granted that I now enjoy so much. 

A mom-cooked meal

It's a decision I'll have to make soon, as applications for teaching positions will open and close relatively quickly. But you're not concerned about that, you're here to see if I screwed up another seemingly simple aspect of life. How rude!

Well, it just so happens that I recently did...  

On the penultimate full day of my summer vacation, after packing my things and paying the collection of parking tickets that I had accumulated, I decided to pull an all-nighter to combat the jet lag and time difference in Macau. I arrived at the airport in Toronto with luggage packed to the limit, and a cozy outfit to make sleeping on the plane a breeze. I arrived at Pearson airport and sat in the lobby to allow my flight's excessively long check-in line to dissipate (this is also part of my scheme to get bumped to business class). Unfortunately, my outfit was a little too cozy, as when I rested my eyes for only a short moment, I slipped out of consciousness for almost two hours.... 
It's in these 'Oh Shit' moments that I lose the arrogance and cavalier attitude towards the things I can and cannot do. You can strategically be the last one to board an airplane in order to plunk yourself down in a business seat, but you cannot get on said airplane if you haven't checked in before the desks close. A very gracious Air Canada employee allowed me to purchase a ticket on the following day's flight for a mere $100, when it could have been ten-times that amount. Perhaps I will take this as a sign to respect the check-in process. Or perhaps not, time will tell. 

It only cost me an extra hundo to do this again

And in a short time, perhaps I'll have more disgraceful experiences to share, who knows.

Take care

Typhoon Hato

What used to be the scaffolding next to our school

Hello again! It's been quite the long absence from writing. I suppose I didn't really put the time aside to keep it up,  perhaps I was content with my surroundings and didn't think to share any new happenings of China-not-China. I would say sorry, but I'm an adult and owe an apology to no one but myself so just be lucky with what you get. 

Wind was strong enough to push this over

In the world of a teacher's head, September is the start of a brand new year. New students, new school policies, new colleagues, and new stories to tell about each of them. Unfortunately, this story is less of the silly type and more of the serious type. 

And knock this down

And rip down trees

And twist this like a stick 

Or just take most of them away completely

This is the north end of town

As a disclaimer - This was a significant natural disaster - There are photos and videos below that represent the intensity of the storm, and accordingly may be uncomfortable to see.Typhoon Hato was the most powerful storm to hit Macau in half a century. Here in Asia, they have a different system to categorize storms. Typhoons, Hurricanes and Cyclones are all the same thing, just with different names. I was not present for the storm, a story I will explain in a later, more light-hearted post. However, the vast majority of my colleagues and friends were in Macau, some at work or away from their homes when it hit. 

In a bit of political dissent (something I don't often do on public forums), the Macau government was very late in issuing a serious storm warning to residents. If you follow local news at home, you may recall forecasters tracking storms and predicting their landfall and intensity, usually giving lots of warning time. For whatever reason, that didn't take place in the South China sea last week. 

On the morning of Wednesday, August 23rd, even after Hong Kong and mainland China had emergency warnings issued that closed businesses, schools & government offices, in Macau there was no serious warning until the storm was almost upon the city. Locals were ill-prepared, some people were even caught at work, out running errands or even in the streets. You might notice buses & vehicles still travelling the roads, and pedestrians trying to make their way to their homes/shelter. This is the consequence of such a late warning being issued. There is still some debate over why things transpired the way that they did (indecisive weather services, a reluctance on the part of the many casinos to provide typhoon weather overtime pay to its many employees, etc.), I hear different things as I watch my facebook feed. Ultimately, a very embarrassing and shameful job on the part of the government. (Let's hope I don't lose my work visa for saying that...)

Here is a link to Time's report of the storm
http://time.com/4917981/typhoon-hato-macau-aftermath/

I'll have to find a new place to get lunch now...

Just a few of the knocked in windows

During the actual chaos (as you can see from the video), the winds were kind of very nuts. Blowing trucks over, ripping trees apart & out of the ground, and sending debris soaring through the air. One particular apartment complex (where quite a few of my friends live) had the vast majority of its windows on all its south-facing buildings blown in (as in, the wind pushed the large panes of glass so hard they shattered and blew into the apartments. I've heard a few funny stories of the shoddy build quality at what presents itself as an upscale living community, but that is the most surprising (and concerning) bit of news I've heard in that respect. I've been told stories by friends & colleagues of having to sit in the bathrooms/corridors of their apartments to stay away from potentially harmful blow-ins. The fact that the wind also carries chunks of trees, garbage, shop signs, and random rusty metal bits (courtesy of the construction sites which leave them lying around), I'm not surprised that a lot of people were worried about their buildings being peppered with not-so-fun surprises.

You may have heard about Hurricane Harvey that recently hit Texas and the Caribbean. In comparison, wind speeds and intensity was similar (Harvey was a little stronger), while damage costs were much higher in the U.S. & Central America largely due to the more widespread flooding. Nasty stuff.

Macau is now looking quite a bite more bare and ravaged. Trees have been largely torn down or dismembered, many shops are missing their large metal hanging signs, vehicles (especially buses) have lost a lot of glass, and there is of course the flood damage to neighbourhoods in the north end of town. 

I'm grateful that those I know in Macau stayed safe and were unhurt by the storm, although I can't say that about all the locals. Definitely a powerful and humbling force of nature that is not often seen.

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