Tuesday, September 20, 2011
Hi from Manchester! I just came back from dinner with almost 100 Singaporeans in Chinatown. I was happy to meet so many people but I think I returned more sad than before. The meal was pretty nice, made some new friends and had good conversations. Thereafter, we adjourned to a KTV cum club next door. and so I decided to follow the group as I was itching for some Karaoke. However, when we reached, me and another two friends gawked at the price we had to pay per person. The rooms had a spending minimum of 288 pounds, split probably between 10ish people, making it a good 40SGD for drinks and karaoke. The other two were not prepared to spend, neither was I, although I did consider. But when I realised they were really going to party hard, I decided to leave as well. (sidetrack): the cute girl that I showed Soo, who joined me and others for dinner a few days back, joined too. boo =( We walked back from Chinatown to our accommodation which was 30mins walk away. The three of us (one girl and two guys) talked a lot about the lifestyle here - the partying, the clubs, the drinking - I just feel quite out of place, likewise for the two of them as well. Along the way, there were queues to enter clubs, vomit on the pavements (at 10pm mind you), girls with ridiculously short skirts and just so many young people ready to party. But here we are, three Singaporeans walking back to our accommodation. Perhaps I've taken the place of someone else who would fit in better here? But I am glad I came for exchange here with like minded people like me - exchange will be travelling, cooking, being independent and not so much clubbing. It was much better when I came back to my flat and found my Chinese friends still here talking. Joining in their conversation about how they enjoyed the party last night was much better for me. They left at 11pm, so they probably didn't see much crazy stuff so I guess its pretty decent. I'm guessing back in China, they don't get much chance to let go too. Its funny how I feel so much more comfortable with them. But my greatest sadness didn't come from me being such a misfit here in Manchester, I feel sorrowful... I attended the feast of Our Lady of Sorrow here in Manchester on the day I arrived and I was so happy to have done so. I first came across the statue on the pilgrimage in Los Arcos if I remember correctly. (see it here - http://tinyurl.com/6jfcrby) As I looked at the statue, Our Lady's eyes stared into me and seemingly stared into my soul. At that moment, I felt like crying and I kept telling Shaun Liu that the statue looked so sorrowful and I feel like I can feel it too. Then I saw it again on my travels and realize that whenever I keep silent in front of it, it isn't peace I feel but sorrow. I assumed that the sorrow Our Lady felt was for the world, for sinners but on the feast celebration in Manchester, the priest preached about it more. (picture of it in the Parish of the Holy Name of Jesus in Manchester - http://tinyurl.com/6dzr4tq) Here you see Mother Mary holding the body of Jesus and is visibly very sad about the death of her son - how He had been insulted, unjustly accused, tortured and died. Yet, with her Immaculate Heart, Our Lady is also sorrowful for the people and the sins that Jesus had taken upon himself; she was feeling the sorrow for Christ's body - the Church. Our Lady, though human, has become one with Jesus in feeling the sorrow for the people here on earth. I think I need to praise God for giving me this ability to feel that sorrow as well but I also feel that it is really quite heavy a feeling sometimes. I find myself constantly asking the question of so what happened to Christianity here? Well, even though there are many Christian denominations and also the Catholic chaplaincy which set up booths on the main street alongside people advertising for clubs, the faith and the Church is very much absent here. My next question would be, so when will these people find the Truth? Does it really require something big to happen to shake people out of the confusion? My conclusion was that, faith requires an open heart and really, I think this is in God's hands. I decided to write this post instead of many other sharing that I have conceptualized about my travels but this one bothered me so much tonight so I wish to share it first! On a separate note, I'm settling in pretty well. Quite sure I will find some other form of entertainment around here! And lastly, I would like to leave the community with a few questions. Do we feel that sorrow? Do we concern ourselves with the happenings of the universal Church?
Hi from Manchester! I just came back from dinner with almost 100 Singaporeans in Chinatown. I was happy to meet so many people but I think I returned more sad than before. The meal was pretty nice, made some new friends and had good conversations. Thereafter, we adjourned to a KTV cum club next door. and so I decided to follow the group as I was itching for some Karaoke. However, when we reached, me and another two friends gawked at the price we had to pay per person. The rooms had a spending minimum of 288 pounds, split probably between 10ish people, making it a good 40SGD for drinks and karaoke. The other two were not prepared to spend, neither was I, although I did consider. But when I realised they were really going to party hard, I decided to leave as well. (sidetrack): the cute girl that I showed Soo, who joined me and others for dinner a few days back, joined too. boo =( We walked back from Chinatown to our accommodation which was 30mins walk away. The three of us (one girl and two guys) talked a lot about the lifestyle here - the partying, the clubs, the drinking - I just feel quite out of place, likewise for the two of them as well. Along the way, there were queues to enter clubs, vomit on the pavements (at 10pm mind you), girls with ridiculously short skirts and just so many young people ready to party. But here we are, three Singaporeans walking back to our accommodation. Perhaps I've taken the place of someone else who would fit in better here? But I am glad I came for exchange here with like minded people like me - exchange will be travelling, cooking, being independent and not so much clubbing. It was much better when I came back to my flat and found my Chinese friends still here talking. Joining in their conversation about how they enjoyed the party last night was much better for me. They left at 11pm, so they probably didn't see much crazy stuff so I guess its pretty decent. I'm guessing back in China, they don't get much chance to let go too. Its funny how I feel so much more comfortable with them. But my greatest sadness didn't come from me being such a misfit here in Manchester, I feel sorrowful... I attended the feast of Our Lady of Sorrow here in Manchester on the day I arrived and I was so happy to have done so. I first came across the statue on the pilgrimage in Los Arcos if I remember correctly. (see it here - http://tinyurl.com/6jfcrby) As I looked at the statue, Our Lady's eyes stared into me and seemingly stared into my soul. At that moment, I felt like crying and I kept telling Shaun Liu that the statue looked so sorrowful and I feel like I can feel it too. Then I saw it again on my travels and realize that whenever I keep silent in front of it, it isn't peace I feel but sorrow. I assumed that the sorrow Our Lady felt was for the world, for sinners but on the feast celebration in Manchester, the priest preached about it more. (picture of it in the Parish of the Holy Name of Jesus in Manchester - http://tinyurl.com/6dzr4tq) Here you see Mother Mary holding the body of Jesus and is visibly very sad about the death of her son - how He had been insulted, unjustly accused, tortured and died. Yet, with her Immaculate Heart, Our Lady is also sorrowful for the people and the sins that Jesus had taken upon himself; she was feeling the sorrow for Christ's body - the Church. Our Lady, though human, has become one with Jesus in feeling the sorrow for the people here on earth. I think I need to praise God for giving me this ability to feel that sorrow as well but I also feel that it is really quite heavy a feeling sometimes. I find myself constantly asking the question of so what happened to Christianity here? Well, even though there are many Christian denominations and also the Catholic chaplaincy which set up booths on the main street alongside people advertising for clubs, the faith and the Church is very much absent here. My next question would be, so when will these people find the Truth? Does it really require something big to happen to shake people out of the confusion? My conclusion was that, faith requires an open heart and really, I think this is in God's hands. I decided to write this post instead of many other sharing that I have conceptualized about my travels but this one bothered me so much tonight so I wish to share it first! On a separate note, I'm settling in pretty well. Quite sure I will find some other form of entertainment around here! And lastly, I would like to leave the community with a few questions. Do we feel that sorrow? Do we concern ourselves with the happenings of the universal Church?