into ecstasy. There are no cars, but instead of being an inconvenience, I see the beauty of nature.
The air is fresh and clean, the environment is green and flowers bloom everywhere.
I wish you were here with me.
Love,
Jaime
Kate knew she was being idiotic and stupid. Why was she so obsessed with the idea of the
Western world? She didn’t know why it was all so attractive to her, but her life could change
there. If only she could go there.
With a sigh, she opened her Geography textbook again, opting to take her mind off her
foolish worries.
She remembered her Geography teacher telling her that even though the third world
countries- especially those situated in deserts- were in need of resources and food, helping them
would only result in condemning them. Donations would only cause the people to rely on rich
countries, therefore refusing to work on their own.
It was a bit hard to stomach at first, but eventually it settled in her stubborn mind: they were
to let nature run its course.
And now, she was to let nature run its course.
A sudden thought ran through her mind.
If I could colour Jaime’s black and white world, why can’t I do mine?
She picked up her pen, and it flew across the pages in beautiful calligraphy. She filled in her
dull, dreary world with the colours of her heart.
Dear Jaime,
I used to focus on what was absent, and because of that I missed out on what was present.
I saw the lack of good air quality and I saw the lack of individuality. Yet, I never saw the
diversity and beauty in Hong Kong.
I never noticed that the advertisement signs could shine with such brightness and beauty- I
used to think it was cheap and polluted the darkness. I thought that students here relied too much
on textbooks and teachers, but I never noticed that when students rushed out of the classroom
without looking back after lessons, it was a sign of rebellion and individuality.
I never even noticed the races that existed in Hong Kong. Indian, Caucasian, Chinese,
Pakistan, Korean…
In truth, Hong Kong is a Gobi desert.
But who’s to say that’s not a good thing?
It’s dry and hot and sometimes it’s terrible to live in. However, despite the harsh environment,
there are so many species of unique animals. Black-tailed gazelles, marbled polecats, Bactrian
camels, snow leopards… Don’t you think it’s incredibly unbelievable? How do animals can
live, find water, and food in such a desert so hot and dry, with such an abominable living
environment? Just because of the poor conditions, the people of Hong Kong are survivors, fighting
to live in an otherwise lifeless desert.
And the longer you’ve lived here, the more you realise the beauty and uniqueness. That oasis
at the end of the road, isn’t it beautiful?
* * *
