We Are the World

Well, it's very interesting to hear, from a dedicated reader, that the blog music works back there in the U.S... Very strange. I hope you like the song, "Horse with No Name," because that's probably the last song you'll hear for blog eternity since I can't add anymore songs from Playlist. I'll have to see what I can do.

Yesterday was National Day, and it happened to be the 60th since Mao christened The People's Republic of China. I heard about the kerfuffle regarding The Empire State building going red in honor. I do think the decision was questionable. Overall, the day is celebrated in Hong Kong, but even here, there are protests. It seemed like the U.S. was kind of kissing up to China, as if they owe them money or something. Oh, wait...

We watched the fireworks display from the 41st floor lounge of our building. You can only see about half of them from our angle, but they looked impressive enough. Do you remember when I wrote about the fireworks we watched for Chinese New Year? I said that we couldn't see much other than smoke. I though it was poor weather conditions but I read some time since that two fireworks barges caught on fire, hence the smoke. Aha. At least there was a reason behind the disappointing display, and this one was much clearer. They were also offering wine in the lounge last night. Not too shabby for free entertainment that we didn't have to leave the building for.

They also had a big screen showing the celebration taking place in Beijing. It was of Olympic opening ceremony proportions. The Chinese certainly know how to create a spectacle. I got the message: Pay attention, World. Were not peasants anymore. I read that they seeded the clouds in Beijing prior to National Day so it would rain before and not during the festivities. The government really goes all out for appearances. What would they do if there were dissident clouds?

So there Paul and I were, watching fireworks in Hong Kong to celebrate China's National Day. We have been here over a year and a half, but sometimes I still look around and wonder how we got here. One thing is certain; it will be difficult to look at the world exactly the way we saw it before we left the comfort of our own.

We always relished our travels, but we now travel in a part of the world that we once hardly imagined. Now, when I read about the hundreds who died and the thousands who lost everything last week as a typhoon hit Manila, or the possibly thousands who died in yesterday's earthquake in Indonesia... it means something more. We've visited The Philippines and Indonesia. When wildfires tore through Australia earlier this year, I thought of panicked Australians because we've been there. Lots of Aussies live here too.

I think this is a condition of human nature. We care about what we know, what has a name and a face that we recognize. It's too much to carry the sadness of the world; the news would just be too overwhelming, but traveling spurs a greater consciousness. It's a willing participation. It makes it harder to be ignorant. It forces me to read the news. This must be a positive thing, somehow. As the world becomes smaller, our embrace of it grows larger. And the more familiar we all are with one another, the more likely the embrace is mutual.