August 14th, 2019
Hong Kong is a city I hold dear to my heart. This sense of appreciation only developed during the summer of 2017. I realized I didn’t know much about Hong Kong, despite growing up here. I was so embarrassed to even call myself a local. I finally decided to step out of my comfort zone and explore the place I call home. Upon discovery, I realized that Hong Kong is like an intersection between polar opposites. The rich and poor, the old and new, the local and the foreign. This diverse city is beautiful, but like all other beautiful things, it has its flaws. In my humble opinion, one of Hong Kong’s weaknesses is its government.
You might think “Woah Woah calm down there Tianne! Don’t get all political and stir up controversy!” Well guess what, this is MY paper and I get to decide what I write in MY paper. My contrary opinion of the Hong Kong government first developed when Typhoon Mangkhuk hit, and the government did not properly tend to the city’s needs. There were many apartments, stores, and beaches that suffered greatly from the natural disaster. The reason why there were so many fallen trees, to begin with, was because the government did not plant trees in city areas according to the given law. We had to suffer from the poor decisions of our government. While political leaders sat in air-conditioned rooms, many Hong Kong citizens sacrificed their time, trying their best to patch up the city. Upon many beach cleanups, I finally realized that all our government cares about is money. They have minimal concerns about the environment of the city they are living in and its people.
Another thing that happened quite recently and has also shaken me were the protests or should I say the “riots” in Hong Kong. There has been so much happening these past two months. Many are still in shock and are processing the events that had been happening. It breaks my heart to see how our supposedly reliable, safe, and just community is slowly turning into a corrupt, toxic, and biased society. No matter which side you’re on, I think we can agree on this statement: Both protesters and police have had their moments where they have gone too far. The government knows what it has to do to stop or at least calm the people down, yet they have chosen to close all discussion with the citizens. The once vibrant, lively, dynamic city has reached its lowest valley. Nobody knows how long or what will be of this “revolution”.
One thing is for certain: Hong Kong will never be the same. I may walk through the streets that separate the rotten slums and the soaring skyscrapers, but it will never be the same. I may hike up a mountain on Lantau Island or go kayaking in Sai Kung, but it will never be the same. Although physical or mental, there are scars left behind that are possibly irreversible. I believe this does not apply to me alone, but to many others that call this place their home. These scars will live within our generation until the next generation comes along and forgets all about it.
So, to properly answer the prompt: What Makes You Come Alive? The thing that makes me come alive is to be connected and involved in the community I live in or identify with. I think it is so important to know what is happening around you. I simply cannot accept letting myself be ignorant and clueless. Especially in times of crisis, I think it is very important to know where you stand and why. This gives me a full sense of belonging and keeps my head clear. To me, this clarity is proof that I am alive.
Process: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1nEdi4TQ1UvyE-ThuHKJKj7KzreVsXCsrUtniEyWpdGM/edit?usp=sharing
Reflection:
Personally, I think this paper was pretty easy to start writing because I knew what I was passionate about. Once I had brainstormed and organised my ideas, it was easy to start writing. But what I struggled with was how much of my opinion do I want to include in the paper. I didn’t want to make it sound like I was ranting too much, but from the comments of my teacher, I wasn’t too successful. Overall, this paper is something pretty personal to me, since it’s about what I really care about. Also this paper was helpful in organising my thoughts about things I was passionate about.
Hi Tianne, I loved this piece of writing! Your voice and personality was able to shine through this piece. Although…
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This is probably one of my favorite works of yours because I was able to hear so much of your voice through this piece. Your love for Hong Kong can clearly be seen through this piece of work. I hope you will continue to express your thoughts to improve this place!
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Your voice is so strong in this piece, especially when you highlighted that the essay was YOURS. This piece was so interesting to read because it’s very personal and intimate. The subject of this writing is very unique as well – instead of writing about a materialistic thing that makes you come alive, you wrote about a sense of belonging. I really enjoyed reading this!
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