Gone skiing

Peter's conference with the Youth Business International (Peter is a trustee of the Barbados Youth Business Trust, which is what we are doing here) has been most interesting with participants from the 40 countries that now make up YBI He has been involved for 10 years, and the organization has grown world wide in that time. It has been quite special to have been around for the start up as it were. What distinguishes YBI from other loan for young business schemes, is that each person who receives a loan also gets a mentor from the business community. The success rate for these little businesses is really quite high, mentorship being a big part of that. Last evening the Chinese business community hosted the banquet as Trusts have been started here and in mainline China. We watched a very good video showing the young people and their first little businesses in in Beijing And we heard from their mentors talking about how the volunteering had enriched their lives. Communist China would not have had a lot of this sort of thing--fascinating times.
The dinner was held at the Shangrala Hotel HK..quite the most beautiful hotel you could imagine. SEVEN HUNDRED crystal Chandeliers so we all looked quite smashing in that lovely light! Each evening with the participants has seen us all together eating at one restaurant more fun that the last.
Yestereday I had a great adventure. I figured out how to find the Metro, then how to USE the Metro and took myself off the a Feng Shui class sponsored by the Hong Kong tourist board. The class was in an old office building off the Argyle Road. It was great fun and the teacher was very encouraging in saying if the chi is bad in your house, you do not have to move, simply move the furniture! I loved the neighbourhood.. not a Chanel Dior, Fendi sign in site.
If it weren't so interesting above ground, one would be tempted to spend alot of time riding around on the metro system. It is very bright, and clean. In fact I have found HK very clean this visit. I have yet to see one person spit which used to be the fashion (suppose Bird flu and SARS my have helped on that score). All forms of transportation have instructions in Chinese and in English. All the metro cars air conditoned, have little maps that light up each station as you go along and a CLEAR voice announces each station in both languages.
All for now..time to walk off that dinner, along the harbour front. cheers Katie