Do you know that Bees are one of the symbols of Manchester City? I haven’t bothered to find it out until now I’m sitting down to write. I was not a fan of animals or insects of any kind, more precisely, I just liked what other people did — worked like a bee. I was just too busy to stop and look at those creatures around me.
Working more than nine hours a day is a norm of the restless city, Hong Kong. Dads and Mums going to work and leaving their kids and chores to maids, while working adults taking part-time courses for the sake of career advancement are very common. Hence, we all go home late and have no chance to talk to our family members even though we live under the same roof. We then rush to bed, and rush to leave home the following day. This is our lives. HK People are as busy as bees.
After relocating to Manchester, my life changed. I have no more deadlines to meet. Instead, I got plenty of time to focus on little things. I often look on the street from my home on the 24th floor to search if there is anything interesting. One day when I was watching a tram passing by, I was so surprised to realize how similar it was to a flying bee. They both had the same colours, yellow and black. I couldn’t control myself not to shout to my husband, “look at the tram, it must be the reason why bees are used as the emblem of the city!”
Today when I did a fact-check, I found out the truth. According to Manchester City Council, “the bee denotes Mancunians’ hard work ethic and the city being a hive of activity”. Wow…. I am now loving the city and the Mancinians more. They deserve to be called bees. I was once told by a supermarket’s delivery driver that he started to work from five o’clock in the morning!!! How can you imagine what it is like in Winter!!! When most of us are still in bed, there are many people who have already gone to work in the dark and the cold weather.
No wonder why I was attracted by Manchester and chose her as my second home. It must be the same value – “hardworking” that we share. I take my hat off to all hardworking people. You are the ones who made your place different, and your children can be so proud of you. I won’t say it casually “keep going” to you, as I know you will. But I would say “Take good care of yourself”. Your beloved ones are awaiting you to return home. Fireplace is on, and dinner is ready to serve.
Cheers
Pat
