Merry Christmas from Hong Kong!

I hope that wherever life finds you this holiday season that you are embracing the decor, and season changes that are going on all around.  It seems that everywhere I go in Hong Kong I see new decorations...some of which are quite out of place in the subtropics.  For instance, the snow that I found in the IFC mall surrounding the giant reindeer.  I've read that they are also going to make it snow inside the mall a few times a day starting this weekend.  Snow in the subtropics, that will be worth the ding-ding (aka the tram) ride to Central.  

I love this time of year.  I miss the seasonal changes that living in a four seasons climate bring but at least the randomly placed poinsettias finally make sense.  Hong Kong gets all dolled up to celebrate in style with lights, trees and music everywhere you go.  

Wishing you a very merry Christmas!!!!

Angie

Thanksgiving

Fall has arrived quite nicely in Hong Kong.  With the slightly lower temps & much needed lower humidity levels, this makes for one happy girl.  It's difficult for a girl who grew up with four seasons to think about things like decorating & dressing for fall & even Christmas when the weather still calls for flip flops in November.  

Though I will be missing my family and friends this year for Thanksgiving Stateside, I have been enjoying the little posts about being grateful that I've seen on FB.  This year I decided to join the masses in giving thanks for the 30 days of November.  And I have to say it is easier said than done to stop and focus in on the little & big things that I am appreciative of in my life.  It is much easier to complain than stop to reflect on the good things in life.  But it is much calmer and gratifying to take a moment each day to be thankful.  

So as we look forward to the yummy treats that the holidays bring our way, I hope that you too take a moment each day to be thankful for the good things in your life.

Blessings,
Angie

Happy Friday!

So the end of summer, or at least the official end of summer is here.  The temps in HK haven't yet convinced me that autumn is right around the corner but I'm sure my friends and family in the US, Canada and Europe will agree that it is.  For those of us in HK or an even warmer climate we'll have to wait a bit to unpack our boots & sweaters but the signs of the mid-autumn festival are all around to remind us of the yummy treats to come.

Change of seasons are difficult at times but always good for us.  As we leave the lazy days of summer behind and turn our focus back to a more normal schedule, whether it be back to school or back from holiday, let's prepare for all that the new season is bringing our way.  Personally and professionally I am ready for the seasons of change that are coming.  I am anticipating great things to come.  And as I wait, I am going to read, practice being patient and study so that I am prepared for whatever comes next.  I am pretty sure that waiting is one of the toughest things we do in life.  But experience and history tell us that waiting is necessary in order to be prepared for the next season.  So to quote a favorite movie of mine, "I'm preparing for rain."--Facing the Giants

Have a great weekend!  And happy Labor Day to my Stateside peeps!!!

Blessings,

Angie

Past the two year mark...

A little over two years ago I moved to Hong Kong with my husband.  It seems like just yesterday that I was stuffing things into my suitcases...and yet at times it seems like we've been here longer than two years.  I have been told that it is significant to reach the two year mark...or at least that it takes two years to get use to living in Hong Kong.  I'd say that I'm probably on the five year plan when it comes to acclimating.  I have days when I'm in love with this city, the culture, the food & the people...And I have days when I'm dying to board a plane heading away from the chaos, stress & city life.

I know that there is no perfect place to live but I am sure that it isn't easy to re-adjust your entire life in a new culture, very far from home.  I am hopeful though of the things to come in this city.  HK is an every changing, growing and vibrant city.

How about you guys?  Any advice for acclimating in a new place, new culture, new city?

Blessings,
Angie

 

Repositioning

Recently I picked up a book that was given to me as a huge trial was unraveling my world.  I started but never finished reading the book as life got busy & the book ended up on collecting dust on a bookshelf.  I must have known that 2 years into my Asian adventures that I would need to read it as I packed it up w/ a few belongs that I had shipped to Hong Kong.  The book is all about repositioning yourself to live an abundant life, not just a run of the mill, average life.  I'm about half way through "Reposition Yourself, Living Life Without Limits" by T. D. Jakes.  Even if life seems to be going okay, I fully believe that life without limits is achievable.  Attaining said life however requires some out of the box thinking and putting yourself out there.  And opening yourself up to the possibility that life really does have more to it than this.

All this being said, I am learning allot from T. D. Jakes' book.  I am hopeful that the next two years will be more prosperous, blessed and full of new adventures than I can even begin to dream about right now.  I am also hopeful that the real estate, relocation and design business that I own with my husband and our partner will grow into a full time, consistent income business.  And that my Mary Kay business will also grow.

So on that note, I will leave you with this quote from the book.  "If you don't like the way your life is going, redesign it."--T. D. Jakes

Blessings,
Angie
www.xpatlogistics.com

Summer has more than arrived here in Hong Kong.  Yesterday my husband and I celebrated Independence Day with some fellow American's at Deep Water Bay beach.  Based on the lobster-like look that all of us are sporting today I'd say that summer is here!  Not quite the same festivities that we might have enjoyed if we were still living in the US but Thai food by the gorgeous South China Sea is a good way to spend an afternoon.

So no matter what part of the globe you call home, enjoy the trips to the beach, BBQ's and fireworks of summer!

Xx,
Angie

Happy Easter!!!

Easter is always a wonderful time to celebrate!  New life, resurrection and new beginnings....are ya sensing my theme for 2012?  New!!!!  I fully believe in new beginnings, new blessings and new paths.  And I trust that the Creator of Heaven & earth has good things in store for me, and for you.  

I hope that your Easter celebration was blessed.  It was a bit cloudy and a bit cooler than I had hoped but that is okay.  The past two days of sun shine have made up for it.  

On the business side of things, a few prospects in our real estate business have given me new hope.  I am still looking to start some design projects but until then I will throw myself fully into our real estate business.  And continue to seek out the best route to grow our business in all directions.  

Blessings,

Angie