Jeff came to work with me for a year as a Young Trainee/Volunteer ..... some20 years ago
and last week - he returned .. .. .. ............
Jeff was from Hong Kong and now does a big job in a youth work project out on that crowded and special place
Desmond was with Jeff and we all went out and hit the town last week.
It was great to catch up on each other - work - family - purpose - life and rock and roll.
We walked and talked - he remembers so much from his year and me so little.
He told me little stories of what I was like and he said some nice things too.
He told me that he once apologised for not doing the list of jobs I had given him and how I told him I did not expect him to do them all that day!
It was great being with him and Desmond in the New Piccadilly Restaurant
and the
Apple Mac Store and
Maison Bertaux and a wonderful little art gallery in Greek Street.
We walked to the very place where George Williams founded the YMCA in 1844 - it is just by the side of St Paul's Cathedral. The little Drapers shop is now replaced by a city tower block - but there is a plaque......
The walking and the talking was great and it all ended at Platform 18!
This is the Liverpool Street Station meeting Place for the little tribe to walk to Brick Lane for a beautiful Curry - the best in town.
They had the pleasure of meeting Steve and Richard and, in Jeff's case, seeing Joan again.
We talked so much about the relationship between Hong Kong and the rest of China. He said it is so poor in contrast with HK. Also, I was so ignorant about all this, that HK people like to be known as 'Hong Kong People' or 'Hongese' rather than Chinese!
He said that they are free to travel to China at any time but the Chinese cannot enter HK!
I would love to go..
I have a Level Five friend there, Annabel, and Mr Yip (not pip) who leads the Asian Alliance of YMCA's.
........ maybe Jeff will fix me up with some training work there too hey hey ........
Walking and talking ......... loveitloveit ...........
What a fab time we had .........
