Mongolia

There are experiences in life that could never be explained to someone that did not share that, or some derivative therein, of that experience. At the beginning of the month, each-and-every HKIS student began an epic journey. For some, this journey led to an increased understanding of not only those around them (the interim group as it stands) but a deeper understanding of themselves and the role they could play in the HKIS community. For several people, their journey spurred the development of cross clique friendship, or the consolidation of an old connection. For a couple-of lucky dogs, it provided the opportunity for romance and seduction. Unfortunately, for several close-minded people, the experience rendered little more than a break from the endless march that is school. For me, interim meant a complete rediscovery of all those things that once defined me, all those things that I had lost sight of amidst the hell of culture shock and depression.

I miss so many elements of the interim experience, but I miss most the openness that our group elected to embrace from the first five minutes in Hong Kong Airports to the potential end of our closeness. The pervasive close-minded troubles of a high school so consumed by gossip and bullshit, melted on the freezing mongolian tundra as the group huddled together for heat. That togetherness transcended every clique, from the "drama geeks" to the popular jocks, as everyone realized that any difference amongst us could never over come the mutual experience of being human. The human condition is such that unity is inevitable in the absence of negative, pervasive, social influences. Our shared humanity brought us closer-and-closer as the days moved into infinity.

I ran into someone from my interim today. In fact, I have spent the last 2 saturdays hanging around my interim and have planned to spend the coming Saturday maintaining that trend, but I cannot help but perceive even the slightest of changes in our dynamic. Underneath the judgmental eyes of a student body that did not share those moments amongst the orphans of the VCC, that did not come to the same realization of mutual experience and understanding that Mongolia 2010 did, I can feel society pulling us apart as the behemoth that is social acceptance pulls us back to our predesignated social groups. A group that, honestly, I could not feel much less comfortable as a part of. I cling onto those cold moments, hoping to huddle for some protection from the ice-cold social scene.

Sometimes I cannot help but feel a little hopeless.