How Great

So I'm sitting here, in the Internet Corner of Express by Holiday Inn in Hong Kong. Family holiday, you see. Well, in using the last of four computers, I've got a little cubicle all to myself, back against the wall. It's nearly lunch time, and traffic is buzzing outside. In the seeming silence of the room - broken only by the rhythmic sound of fingers hitting away at the keyboards, and the filtering in of noise from the streets just beyond - I'm...blogging. Yes, blogging. Of all things. Such an environment, you'd think, would facilitate a lot more than what is often seen to be a mindless activity. And yet. I've slipped once again into thoughtful, reflective mode. Just one of those things that tends to happen to me, when I'm all alone, and the surroundings permit it.

Late the night before I left, my dad and I were sitting in our car, headed home, when for obvious reasons (such as, maybe, the fact that we were homeward bound to pack our bags in time for a flight at eight the next morning), we began talking about holidays we've taken together and those to come. And I said something, which at the time, didn't quite stick, but as I think about it now, really says something. The basic gist of it? Hmm. Background first. It's been a year since I last came to Hong Kong, and last December was my first visit. This will probably be the final one for a while, because for some reason, that's the way my family works. We're forever going to the same few destinations, but we'll rotate and alternate and plan in such a way that we don't end up over visiting places, so it's unlikely we'll ever tire of them. Right, well. Back to my one liner. ...It's only been but a year since I was last here, but goodness. So much has changed with me, for me, that it's almost impossible to believe. Just one year, and such a great deal is different. Personality and character wise, I don't think I've changed a lot, but everything in and about my life is...wow. (Yes, I also see the need to build up a stronger vocabulary before I hit the A levels next year. But for now, 'wow' will have to do.) Of course family's still here, and friends remain by my side, but JC life is now in full swing, new friendships have been forged, then there's ACSian Theatre and AC Dance, all the good and not so good experiences in the past twelve months that have moulded the person I've come to be. I mean, pose to me a question like what I remember most about two thousand and seven? In a word. Everything. It's quite insane how quickly a year flies by, and looking back, I'm inclined to wonder how I survived it all. But hey, I did.

Now by right, this is where I should go into a whole thanking people thing, post lots of photos about my fantabulous JC One year, shed a couple of tears as I attempt to put the gratitude and other mixed emotions into words, etc. And you know, maybe I will. ...Well, okay. Not quite as described in the aforementioned, but definitely, the final few days of a year always call for serious reflection, so that's what I'll do. When those final few days actually come. Not for a few weeks now though, so we'll go back a bit. And yup, it'll have to be some serious reflection about that thing my life's been centred around for a while. Probably rather monumental and all that, but to me, just really, a great experience that I'll never forget.

ACSian Theatre's Arabian Nights!

Alright. You know, by 'great', I don't mean that the rehearsals and performances we had were all smiles and smooth sailing. Certainly, there were ups and downs. What's that - emotional peaks and troughs! Yes. Every one of us experienced those, I'm sure. And yet, I wouldn't have traded any of that for anything in the world. Honest.

After watching the performance (the second of four), my mom was asking me about whether I thought I'd get withdrawal symptoms when it was over. My thoughts flew back to West Side Story, where, if one refers to a blog post in April this year, I got terribly bad withdrawals. So of course, I said yes. But when Arabian Nights did end. Even after the post production party, when it all died down. Sure, I felt sad somewhat, but I wasn't dying to relive everything. At first, I thought that perhaps, for some very strange reason, I wasn't as attached to this production as I'd been to West Side Story. Strange indeed, because if you talk about stage time and lines and all...well. No lines in West Side Story versus some lines in Arabian Nights...one would think differently. But now, as I look back and think again, I realise that that really isn't the case at all. In fact, I loved Arabian Nights. For the fellow friends that were involved, more than anything else. This production gave me a chance to meet new people, get to know friends better than I did previously, bond as a JC One batch...so much came out of it. But a year's gone by since West Side Story, and I think I've matured in a way. Become more stable too. Like, I know. I know that despite the fact that the production has come to an end, nothing that developed as a result of, or in the process of, has. With West Side Story, I think I nearly got the feeling of this is it. That I'd never get to be a part of something so wonderful ever again. But with Arabian Nights, it's so extremely important to me, yet it's but one small part of what I trust will be a fantastic journey. Not just with ACSian Theatre, not just with my fellow drama kids and amazing friends, not just with people I've met and will meet in my as of now incomplete JC life, but as a whole. I now have faith in the idea of lifelong, forever and ever. I believe - maybe blindly, but still - that years from now, I'll continue to remain tied to these people somehow, whether merely by what we call memories, or more than that. Either way, it comforts me to know that the end of a lovely production, didn't and doesn't signal the end of shared bonds. And I suppose it'd be apt here for me to express thanks to everyone involved in Arabian Nights, because each and every person made the experience special and entirely unforgettable. So thanks, to you, you, you and you. And you too, of course. And you. Yes, and I didn't forget you, so yup, you too. You as well. And you over there.

Ah, okay. You get the idea.

But well. Most importantly, and definitely above all, I have to give thanks to God. For blessing me with this truly amazing experience, placing all these wonderful people in my life, a supportive family, friends, fellow sufferers of long rehearsal hours and doubly long theatre days (haha, just kidding), for giving me an unbelievable year gone by, and for being with me through everything.

How great is our God, sing with me
How great is our God, and all will see
How great, how great is our God

Thanks, you guys.

And well, what can I say?

Thank God.