Rugrat ramblings

Here comes the sun, and I say it’s alright Our youngest team member catches his first wave of Summer

Iwas born in Winter. So for me, the cold in Hong Kong at that time was a little more extreme as I’d just spent nine months cooking in a cosy one bed one bath (mummy’s tummy).

I remember my parents would dress me up in layers and layers of clothing, top it off with a beanie and then swaddle me up tight so that I wouldn’t freeze and essentially become a baby popsicle. But now, oh how things have changed. Layer by layer, the clothes have started to come off. The beanie, the socks, the singlet... until now, as I type this wearing nothing but a nappy, because baby - Summer is here.

Summer in Hong Kong, I’m starting to learn, is sort of intense. It’s bold, it’s unforgiving and it will turn your baby mop of hair - if you have any - into one giant fuzz ball that cannot be tamed. Each morning when I look in the mirror I gasp a little because I swear our neighbour’s cat has just found a spot to nap on my noggin’.

That all being said, there’s still something quite lovely about this time of year in Hong Kong. The sun is shining, the streets are filling up post-Covid restrictions and people are getting pumped up with a much needed dose of vitamin D (the ‘D’ stands for delightful). People are happy and sun-kissed and I am loving it. So when I was set to go out on my first beach trip since... well, I first ever existed, I was pretty convinced that I would not be disappointed.

The morning of, mum encourages me to eat all my breakfast. “You’ll need your energy for today,” she tells me. Still, I make the rules and decide to eat half and throw the rest on the floor and into mums hair. “Great” she

Thoughts and perceptions from the mind of an expat baby

comments. Seems she liked her morning gift.

Now, at the time of writing, Hong Kong was still limiting social gatherings to eight people. Lucky for me, I only know two, so I head to the beach with my housemates... fine - my mum and dad - and we find a spot to set down our things. “Here looks good”, dad says. Dad, I love you, but if you hadn’t noticed, that patch of sand looks like the rest of the sand on this beach. Anyway, I go with it.

Dad carries me towards the water, and

I get this sinking feeling. No, that’s not a water joke, I actually feel my stomach churn. This is not like my bath, this is not even close. I open my mouth to freak out and something happens. My feet feel nice. Why do my feet suddenly feel nice? I look down and there’s sand between all my tiny toes. This. Is.

Amazing.

As I stop a moment to take it all in, I realise something. There’s water in front of me and sand below me, but that’s not all. My eyes flutter as light wind whips against them. The sound of flowing water drowns my hearing. The sun against my skin feels like a big warm cuddle. And not only does the sun beam, but so does my smile. Summer really is about more than just the temperature. It’s the little things that all work together to make me feel just incredibly happy to be here.

In the months to come, I have given myself a task. While Hong Kong does it’s best to get back on its feet, I will not rush. I will not be in a hurry to do the things I’ve so far missed out on. I’ll remember to take it all in, sit with it, process it and not take a second of it for granted.