Comments for Susan Blumberg-Kason

Comment on Chinese University of Hong Kong, 1991 by Susan Blumberg-Kason

Susan Blumberg-Kason — Wed, 25 Aug 2010 20:52:47 +0000

That’s so funny! I went onto Europe with those outfits, too (and Russia). The sweater was a life-saver in Moscow (it was July, but it wasn’t warm). You certainly got to see the world, which is all that matters

Comment on Chinese University of Hong Kong, 1991 by Cara Lopez Lee

Cara Lopez Lee — Wed, 25 Aug 2010 16:10:37 +0000

Makes me wish I had studied abroad during college, Susan. BTW, I did the 3 outfits bit in Asia, too… and on into Europe. They were mix-and-match, but I don’t think I fooled anyone who spent more than 3 days with me. After 5 months I threw out a shirt, and after 6, I broke down and bought a cheap dress at a flea market. Even with my clunky hiking sandals, I almost felt feminine again.

Comment on Boarding passes to/from Cambodia by Susan Blumberg-Kason

Susan Blumberg-Kason — Wed, 18 Aug 2010 20:30:08 +0000

I love that about Vietnamese, too. It’s almost like French, but on steroids! Oh, my. I took a Cantonese class once and it was hard! Plus, no one really agreed on how many tones Cantonese has. Is it 7 or 9?!

Comment on Boarding passes to/from Cambodia by vanessa

vanessa — Wed, 18 Aug 2010 20:22:22 +0000

they are both very decorative. i love the way the vietnamese put all those accents over the letters.. if the cantonese did that, we would need a further decade of study to work out the tones! (i have seen it in some learning methods and believe you me it is very confusing)

Comment on The miracle of fragrant harbor by Susan Blumberg-Kason

Susan Blumberg-Kason — Tue, 17 Aug 2010 13:24:53 +0000

They probably heard the airplanes fly overhead during Sunday school. That would be quite an experience, I’m sure! I’d love to see the Shek Kip Mei museum. It makes sense that it would be there, since the whole public housing initiative started with Shek Kip Mei. I never really spent much time in Shek Kip Mei, although I did ride the bus past there sometimes. People still talked about the 1953 fire, so that’s how I always remembered SKM.

Comment on The miracle of fragrant harbor by vanessa

vanessa — Mon, 16 Aug 2010 12:38:48 +0000

i don’t remember, but there were several of these estates built beyond boundary street. the parents of an american girl from my class were missionaries and they held sunday school on top of one of these blocks (no lifts). her little sister, a blondie, didn’t like being touched on the head like a lucky charm – who could blame her? the block that has been preserved as a hostel and museum is in shek kip mei, lot 41 (not wong tai sin) – i wonder how far along the project has got
http://www.housingauthority.gov.hk/hdw/en/aboutus/events/community/heritage/about.html

Comment on The miracle of fragrant harbor by Susan Blumberg-Kason

Susan Blumberg-Kason — Sat, 14 Aug 2010 12:20:15 +0000

Was that rainbow estate at Choi Hung? My roommate at CU lived in Wah Fu with three generations. I ate at their flat once. It’s really amazing that kids could study in such loud, cramped conditions. No wonder Kai Tak became a favorite place to study–at night when few flights were scheduled.

Comment on The miracle of fragrant harbor by vanessa

vanessa — Sat, 14 Aug 2010 08:35:59 +0000

I remember these first resettlement blocks so well, painted in all the colours of the rainbow. they deteriorated quite fast and some were replaced, within a 20 year span, with other taller but better equipped buildings. i read somewhere that one last standing block in wong tai sin is to be turned into a museum of sorts. wah fu estate was the first mega complex to be built, we had a 5 min infomertial on tv extolling its virtues after inauguration – 68/69. housing has always been a major issue in hong kong – you pay so much for so little. no wonder so many people i know who stayed in hong kong moved out to sai kung, kam tin or discovery bay, a few extra square feet for your investment

Comment on The miracle of fragrant harbor by Susan Blumberg-Kason

Susan Blumberg-Kason — Sat, 14 Aug 2010 03:11:42 +0000

Thanks! Poor Haiti. A friend just came back from there and it looks like nothing has been repaired. Their corruption is killing them. Chicago has had a disastrous history of public housing. You’d think it wouldn’t be so difficult!

Comment on The miracle of fragrant harbor by Cara Lopez Lee

Cara Lopez Lee — Sat, 14 Aug 2010 01:44:06 +0000

Sounds as if those in charge of resettlement in Haiti might want to rip a page from this bit of Hong Kong history, Susan. The Chinese can often be quite efficient about solving a problem.