Global citizens

My paternal grandfather passed away 30 years ago in Vancouver, a few weeks short of his 72nd birthday, and was buried in Vancouver a week later as per his instructions. He was born into a wealthy family in northern China in 1912. He was well educated and led a privileged life until 1949 when the communists took over the rule of China. He managed to escape to Hong Kong with his teenage son (my father). He never returned to Mainland China after taking refuge in Hong Kong. When he visited Vancouver for holidays, he fell in love with the place right away. He decided to stay and bought a vegetable farm in the suburbs. He made every effort to assimilate into the mainstream culture. Even though he only lived in Vancouver for 13 years, he always considered Canada as his final home.

My maternal great aunt was the direct opposite of my grandfather. At age 17, she was forced to marry an older man in her village in Southern China. She ran away to the nearest port and hid in a cargo ship heading for Singapore. She worked as a domestic servant or nanny all her life since she was illiterate and never married. When I visited her in Singapore in 1985, she had already lived in Singapore for 51 years. She lived very frugally and sent all her earnings back to her relatives in China. After she passed away, her adopted daughter brought her ashes back to a temple near her hometown in southern China. My great aunt had a lot of deep-rooted ties with Singapore where she had lived for 62 years; however, her heart and soul never left China.

In my travels, locals often ask me where I am from. I used to say that I am from Canada. For remote areas, people simply could not accept the answer of an outwardly Chinese looking visitor coming from Canada. For urban dwellers, the answer usually suffices when I say “Vancouver, Canada”. Then they would reply, “My uncle lives in Toronto…” I am very grateful to have the best of both worlds. My Chinese heritage makes me pragmatic, resourceful and organised. My Canadian upbringing makes me compassionate, open and trusting. Moreover, unlike my grandfather and great aunt, I would not insist to be buried in Canada or China for I am a citizen of the world.

As air travel becomes more and more prolific, people move around more frequently and widely. Not just the rich and famous would have homes all over the globe. I often hear Canadian seniors telling me that they “rotate” around the world to stay with their grown-up children all over the world. National boundaries are fading. Inter-racial marriages are common in developed countries. It would be almost impossible to classify ethnicities in a hundred years or so. We might not be far away from the benchmark of living in a truly global village.

Farewell Cook Islands

The following letter was sent to the editor of Cook Islands News on March 18th; however, it was never published and was replaced by several letters from bogus Canadian tourists subsequently.

As I bid farewell to the Cook Islands after a four and a half month stay, I would like to share my reflections with the Cook Islands News readers. This newspaper has been my main source of local information in the past few months.

I came to the Cook Islands with one specific purpose - to see for myself the way of life on an outer island, especially in the Northern Group. Well, I waited for a cargo boat for a couple months only to find out that there was no boat that would take me to Pukapuka or Penrhyn until the middle of March at the earliest. The cost of flying with Air Rarotonga to either island is almost $1500 NZD one-way and there is no guarantee that I could catch a plane or a boat to return to Rarotonga in time for my return to Canada in mid-April when my tourist visa expires. Well, my initial frustration with the shipping company and the lack of inter-island transportation options have turned into deep admiration for the residents of the outer islands for their patience and perseverance. I could imagine how isolated and neglected from the rest of the country these residents must have felt at times.

In spite of the relatively high cost of living and the numerous resorts, holiday rental buildings, souvenir shops, bars and restaurants situated all around the island of Rarotonga, there is still a lot of nature, gorgeous beaches and landscape to qualify Rarotonga as paradise. For instance, after I take a second look of the clear turquoise water, I would have almost forgotten how expensive lunch was. (chuckles) For North American tourists like myself, Cook Islands are probably not at the top of our list of sunny destinations because there are other "paradises" which are far more attractive in terms of value and notoriety. I hate to think how your economy would be adversely affected should the Euro or British Pound drop, say by 10%. I understand 75% of the GDP in the Cooks is attributed to the tourism industry. In general, excessive dependency on any single industry is never a good thing for any economy, particularly when the tourism industry is so price-elastic and there is already an over-supply of tourist accommodation and services in Rarotonga.

A few days ago, I read the telephone directory of the Cook Islands, cover to cover, and had a revelation. The majority of the communities in the Southern group of islands are of mixed descent, namely European and Polynesian. It would appear to me that Cook Islanders, especially the younger generation, are not clear what their core values and belief systems are. The proliferation of internet access appears to accentuate external influences on the residents' choices and lifestyles. Unfortunately, when the "going gets tough", it is human nature to take the easiest way out without attempts to remain steadfast to the original culture and practices. Perhaps the issue of depopulation best illustrates the points that I am trying to make. The danger of this "rite of passage" is that these emigrants might never return if the quality of life does not improve in the Cook Islands.

I don't think any foreign consultants and scholars can prepare a comprehensive plan to rectify the socio-economic problems and improve the quality of life for Cook Islanders. You already have the answers and solutions, be it tax, legal and legislative reforms, or being self-sufficient in terms of food supply, or health care improvements. God has blessed the Cook Islands with all the necessary ingredients for building sustainable, healthy and happy communities. The task at hand is to find the right recipe that utilize these ingredients. What works in developed countries might not be appropriate for the Cook Islands. Be careful with the deployment of your resources and capital when fulfilling your community needs. The key to a brighter future is in your hands. May you thrive as a truly sovereign nation in the near future. In closing, I would like to leave you with the following quote:

Self-reverence, self-knowledge, self-control. These three alone lead to sovereign power.- Lord Alfred Tennyson

A Simple Life

Day 75 in Rarotonga, Cook Islands.

It has been a long while that I am actually taking a break from urban life and people. The last time I did a similar thing was when I took up a summer job in Northern BC. I only stayed there for a little less than three months. Even though the population of Muncho Lake was only 22 people, I was constantly surrounded by co-workers and tourists. I used to have long talks about anything and everything - troubles, dreams, hopes and aspirations. When I wanted solitude, I could always retreat to the vast forests and mountains on my days off. There was no internet or satellite TV. VHS player had just started becoming a common home appliance.

Then life got more complicated and people were more weary of each other. Fewer heart-to-heart talks happened and they were far in between. It got to a point that people would only contact me because they needed something from me or to reproach me. I might be living in a city of half a million people but I was more isolated than ever. Travelling was my only escape; I would forget the unworthiness that other people made me feel about myself. Maybe by chance, I would find my Shangri-la in my travels. Well, after my Trans-Siberian journey in 2011, I knew I was going to take more drastic actions to lead a simpler life in my golden years. I then developed a list of things that I was searching for.

The list of criteria for my utopia is as follows:
1) Warm all year-round, 18 - 32 degrees Celsius.
2) Not too dry or too humid. I prefer storms over continuous rainfalls.
3) Population density not higher than 100 people per sq. km.
4) At least 100 metres above sea level because global warming is real.
5) Not in the hot zone of natural disasters e.g. Ring of Fire
6) Average education level of residents not lower than high school graduation.
7) Cost of living similar to that of the Canadian average. If not, I should be able to live off the land.
8) Most locals can speak or understand English.
9) If religion is mandatory, I would prefer to be residing in a Christian community.
10) Reliable and cost-effective transportation is available to access the closest international airport.

Equipped with my list, I set out to find my heaven on earth in January 2013. I thought my final destination would be Cook Islands because it checked off almost all my criteria. After the setback in March 2013, I thought maybe I should also visit other islands that did not meet my basic requirements. I took a detour to visit South India, Sri Lanka, Malaysia and Indonesia in the fall of 2013. I am glad I took the time to check them out. I saw some amazing things and places, and was welcome by some of the warmest people in the world. However, I just could not deal with crowded, chaotic places on a daily basis.

Back to present time...There are roughly 13,000 people on the island of Rarotonga including locals, foreign workers and tourists. Even though the island is geographically remote, residents and visitors are not completely cut off from the rest of the world and enjoy modern conveniences. If it weren't for the constant sound of the waves, I felt like I was back in Vancouver in the summertime. Perhaps because tourism is the chief industry here, tourists are no strangers to the locals. Polynesians generally are friendly and caring. Well, the Rarotongans are the exception. They are only interested in the $$$ that the tourists bring into their economy. I have yet to find a Rarotongan who has taken time to chitchat with me.

I had hoped to settle on one of the outer islands in the Cooks. About three weeks ago, I realized that my dream of living here would not materialize because there is no reliable and/or scheduled inter-island transportation between Rarotonga and the other 11 islands. Item #10 on my list of criteria ,therefore, cannot be checked off. Cook Islands might have looked ideal on paper for a retirement place; the country is nonetheless riddled with a large number of deep-rooted socio-economic issues even additional foreign aid and grants could not resolve in the near future. Sadly though, the reality is that there will be less foreign aid and grants.

Joy has left Rarotonga

It has been seven weeks since I arrived in Rarotonga, Cook Islands. For some strange reason, I have sensed little or no joy on this beautiful and supposedly "the happiest island in the South Pacific". At first I thought it could be because people were stressed out by the hype of the holiday season. Perhaps the locals would be happier after New Year's. Well, it is more than three weeks into 2014, and there is no sign of cheerfulness on the island.

On the day before Christmas Eve, I went to extend my visa at the Immigration Office, the lady on the other side of the counter told me about her oldest daughter's suicide two years ago. I asked my hostess about the incident. She replied that teenage suicides are very common in Rarotonga. Even the adults often feel "hopeless" living on this island. Most residents do not consider living here as a special gift from God. They want to live in New Zealand or Australia. As the saying goes, "The grass is always greener on the other side of the septic tank".

During many of my conversations with local papas and mamas, they have repeatedly raised concerns about their offspring resenting physical work, and turning to the bottle or other addictive habits for "relief". A week ago, the 10-year old girl next door let out blood-hurdling cries when her grandparents asked her to mow the lawn with a motorized lawn mower.This girl would otherwise play video games and/or watch movies 24/7 during her 6-week school break. Subsequently, the older generation is still toiling on their farms, yards and households while the younger generation pursues a hedonistic lifestyle.

Even though religion has a strong hold on the communities on Rarotonga, petty theft is prevalent. Lying and stealing are not being frowned upon. What could have been an island paradise is contaminated with greed, immorality and contempt for authority. Unless the young Rarotongans realize that the future is in their hands, build stronger work ethics, and shape up instead of ship out, social problems are going to plague this once "happiest island in the South Pacific".

2013 in Review

Sapi Island, Malaysia

At the beginning of this year, as I embarked on my Oceania journey, I had high expectations of the Land Down Under. I was looking forward to visit the mystical Ayer’s rock and one of the natural wonders of the world, The Great Barrier Reef. My Australian visit turned out to be rather disappointing, mainly because of the intense heat and high cost of living everywhere in Oz. Then it rained pretty much the whole time for the week that I visited Fiji. As a result, cruising around off-shore islands appeared to be totally out of the question. By the time that I got to ‘Eua, an island 45 km from the main island of Tongatapu in Tonga, I rode on a rented bicycle with no hand brakes without assessing the possible risks and dangers beforehand.

In a way, the bicycle accident in ‘Eua was a blessing in disguise. The Tongans restored my faith in mankind. During the week that I was hospitalized in Vaiola Hospital, I witnessed genuine love and concern for sick family members. I laughed and cried with the Tongans who became my family at a time of need. When I arrived in Auckland, the Kiwi nurses treated me with a sweetness that I could never forget. Returning to Vancouver on St. Patrick Day was a brutal reminder why I had planned for the departure from Canada. Even though I stayed in Vancouver for six months to recuperate, and enjoyed the modern conveniences of living in a metropolitan city, I did not change my mind about leaving Canada. As a matter of fact, I was more resolved than ever to make a permanent move.

In June, I was able to book an inexpensive flight from Vancouver to Mumbai, India via London by chance. I thought I could tour South India, Sri Lanka and SE Asia on my way back to the South Pacific. My first visit to India was ten years ago and I have longed to go back because India has so much to offer in terms of architecture, history and culture. I hoped to spend about 2-3 weeks in each country except for India which would require at least 4 weeks to visit most of the UNESCO sites.

For three months, I was an international nomad who did not carry any travel guide books. I did, however, carry my trusty netbook and a smartphone with me. Every night I would just plan out the next day’s itinerary. My onward flights would only be booked on line a few days before departure. My travel style took an 180 degree turn from tightly scheduled to spur of the moment hopping on any transportation means that I could get hold of. Hiccups became more opportunities to mingle with the locals. Another change is the worldwide presence of Facebook. Even when we don’t know each other’s language well, on line translation of FB posts makes it possible for people to connect.

At midnight on Dec 6th, 2013, I finally arrived on the island of Rarotonga in the Cook Islands. Life is so laid back and simple here. I would like to go to one of the islands in the Northern Group. A couple days ago, I went down to the main harbour and was informed that no boat would be going up there until after New Years. And I shall wait patiently. It would be interesting to spend a tropical Christmas here on Rarotonga. I look forward to hearing the choirs from different churches with guitar and ukulele accompaniment. 

My Indonesian Journey - Temples, smoking, shopping and other things...

Indonesia Nov 12 - Dec 5, 2013

I have always thought Indonesia is just a group of islands that are constantly under the threat of natural disasters and civil unrests. When the tsunami hit Banda Aceh on Boxing Day 2004, I could not help but asked God why such catastrophe should fall upon these people. Well, my visit to Banda Aceh provided answers to questions in my mind.

Banda Aceh had a lot of social problems and power struggles before the disaster. This port city had been on an economical decline for the last couple hundred years. Because of all the fighting going on, the city was already crumbling except for the mosques in pre-Tsunami times. I was informed by the staff at the Tsunami Museum that most of the city was rebuilt after the disaster. The government and NGO's also built houses for the homeless people. Reconstruction of roads and houses are still evident everywhere in the city. Because there were few resources left behind to fuel the in-fights after the tsunami, talks of being an independent state ceased too.

The three islands that I visited during my Indonesian journey are Sumatra, Java and Bali. Sumatra is the second largest island of the 1700 islands in the Indonesian territories. Sumatra is now the chief producer of Indonesian coffee. Java is the most populous island where 100,000 year old Java Man skeleton was discovered. I visited the Sangiran Museum and learned much about the Java Man in relation to Homo Erectus and Homo Sapiens. The other two important historic sites on Java island are the Borobudur (Buddhist) Temple which is some 40 km west of Yogyakarta. About 17 km east of Yogyakarta is the Prambanan (Hindu) Temples. Other than being a UNESCO site, Bali is a world class vacation spot, renowned for its unique Hindu temples and beautiful beaches. The other four UNESCO sites in Indonesia, that I did not visit, (from West to East) are Tropical Rainforest of Sumatra, Ujung Kulon National Park, Komodo National Park and Lorentz National Park respectively.

The foreign exchange rates are quite different from the international currency markets. When I received 10,950 IDR for every 1 CAD in the first licensed money changer office that I went into in Jakarta, I was already very happy because I could only get 10,800 IDR per 1 CAD in Canada. You could imagine how delighted I was when I changed more CAD's in a local bank in Banda Aceh, and the exchange rate was 1 CAD to 13,000 IDR minus a 3% commission. The Indonesian government could lose a lot of money when they buy the foreign currencies from the banks.

Just when I thought smoking is prevalent in Malaysia, smoking is an integral part of Indonesian life. A pack of cigarettes costs less than $1.00 USD in Indonesia. In all my travels, I have not seen as many chain smoker drivers as in Indonesia. I should know because I was always assigned the front seats right behind the driver. Even though Philip Morris bought the leading cigarette company, Sempoerna out a few years back, the national brand, Dji Sam Soe still has the majority market share. The unfiltered, hand rolled, cut and packaged kredit cigarettes remain the most popular choice of the older Indonesian smokers. Kredit cigarettes are tobacco blended with cloves and other secret spices.

Bali has always been in the TOP TEN list for having the most beautiful beaches in the world. In spite of the onslaught of tourists, most places on the island are kept pretty intact from the outside world. I was swarmed by aggressive taxi drivers when I arrived in the bus terminal in Mengwi around 10 p.m. I walked to the nearest police station and asked for assistance. A handsome policeman drove me to my guesthouse in Kuta. Prices in Kuta are still relatively low given that there are so many world class resorts and 5-star hotels. Transportation is a major issue in Bali. Unless you rent a car, your travels are limited by the sporadic bus schedules.

In many ways, Indonesia has exceeded my expectations. Even though I have sworn not to buy any souvenirs on this trip, I could not help but bought 4 tops, 1 batik jacket, 1 batik sarong and 1 pair of leather sandals in Indonesia because they are so beautiful and inexpensive. One of these days, I will return and travel to the eastern islands of Indonesia.

The Kingdom of Tonga

It would have been a typical South Pacific vacation in Tonga if a bicycle accident did not happen on the island of 'Eua on March 1st, 2013. My rented bike crashed to the side of a gravel road at the edge of a rainforest. The rest is history...

Tonga is made up of four groups of islands, with Tongatapu group in the South, Ha'apai in the middle, Vava'u in the north and Niuas in the far north. The capital is Nuku'alofa on the main island of Tongatapu. There are weekly ferries looping around Tongatapu, Ha'apai and Vava'u. The remote group of Niuas islands is only accessible from Nuku'alofa 3 times a year.

One of the reasons why I choose Tonga as one of my destinations is that it is a nation that was never colonised. However, it became a "protected state" of the British Empire. The reigning monarchy has absolute power over the parliament in the rule of the country. Even though majority of the young Tongans carry mobile phones these days, everyday life is still imbued in traditions.

I have jokingly coined the term "I-forgot-nation" for Tonga. Because religion is a great part of Tongan life, it is also an "I-for-God" nation. Unlike the rest of the world, there are no schedules and deadlines in their world. If things can happen, they will happen and there is no real push for anything to happen on time. If things don't happen, the typical response is "Sorry, I forgot."

Tongans might not be rich in monetary terms; however, they more than make up for it in "heart". Where would you see family members sleeping on the floor around the bed of a sick family member in a hospital overnight? Nurses encourage visits at all times and death is taken as seriously as birth. Tongans have shown me humanity at its best. May God protect and keep these wonderful people.