conversations to be had

Before arriving in Hong Kong, my knowledge of Cantonese and Putonghua [Mandarin] was minimal at best. Hong Kong is a unique place because so many cultures meet in the context of this ever growing city. For the most part, maneuvering around can be accomplished if English is your only means to understand signs/MTR stops. But there are times when I am become so frustrated with myself that I am not able to communicate well with those I'm interacting with. A couple positive thoughts have stemmed from this frustration with myself: the first is a fresh eagerness to learn the language well and to practice languages I already have some knowledge of; the second is an excitement for today, and for the future, for conversations that could be had after learning a language. And in the midst of my frustration stemming some seemingly propelling thoughts, Cat and I caught a glimpse of the language barrier breaking down. We were on the way to a photo-taking-excursion and we saw our friend Ling. She stopped us to show her latest investment: a translator. If the first picture that popped in your mind was Ling flipping through the pages of a handheld dictionary, you have far underestimated Ling. Her translator is nothing short of fancy. I would try to explain to you the intricate features and seamless way it works, but my lack of technological lingo would most certainly fall short to do it justice. But the point is not the technologically advanced gadget we used to communicate, it is Ling's desire to communicate well and her initiative in that desire. The tiny blips of sound that echoed through the lobby as we typed back and forth will be etched in my memory for a long time to come. As we waited for her to respond to questions, it was exciting to see the look on her face as she read our words in her native language. Her eagerness to communicate beyond simple greetings gave me a new perspective on connecting with people here. Perhaps if you find yourself in HK one day I'll have the joy of introducing you to this sweet friend. All that to say, I'm looking forward to conversations to be had.