Cecilie Gamst Berg, a Norwegian by birth, has an abiding love for islands. After spending thirty years in Hong Kong, the tightening political climate led her to look for a new home on the island. “You made it out on time” is something she often hears from people in Hong Kong.
Cecilie chose Mallorca, noting that it “looked big enough and there were fewer typhoons.”
Despite her Norwegian roots, it is Hong Kong and Chinese that Cecilie misses most, especially the Cantonese language seminars she gave in southern China. They were adventurous trips with her students, filled with fascinating conversations with the locals. She also reminisces about her Cantonese radio program, a time marked by careful live broadcasts to avoid political missteps.
A change in lifestyle
The move to Mallorca led to a significant change in lifestyle: “In Palma I feel free to move as I want without being hindered. There are no skyscrapers to crush me and the air is better. I need beauty around me, and I am lucky to live in El Terreno, the best little one neighbourhood in Palma.”
The open spaces and lack of towering skyscrapers offer Cecilie a sense of freedom that she missed in the restrictive environment of Hong Kong – “Over the last few years in Hong Kong, the increasing restrictions, both physical and mental, were driving me crazy.”
However, Cecilie finds the Spanish bureaucracy a challenge compared to the efficiency she experienced in Hong Kong: “The Spanish bureaucracy is so well organized that a whole industry has sprung up around it! There are lawyers and managers and agents, all ready to tackle problems that don't really exist, or shouldn't exist. When I got my permanent residency in Hong Kong, I simply walked into a building with my residency card and came out as a resident a few minutes later. Here in Mallorca I had to pay someone to get an appointment – three months later.”
After mastering Mandarin and Cantonese, Cecilie turned her attention to Spanish. She explains – “I have to admit that after learning Mandarin and Cantonese and teaching myself the very different Chinese characters of the two languages, I don't find Spanish that easy to learn. I can talk, but not well. So I thought: if you want to learn something, write a book about it!”
Plonkers abroad: learning Spanish without really trying is Cecilie's humorous look at language acquisition through the mistakes of foreigners.
Sichuan cooking
Cecilie continues – “In addition to Cantonese, my great Chinese interest is Sichuan cuisine. I wrote one book about that too, liberally sprinkled with photos and anecdotes from my life in Sichuan province.”
Cecilie offers Sichuan dining experiences and cooking classes at El Terreno, giving others the opportunity to experience the rich flavors of what she considers the best food in the world. She also offers Cantonese lessons. Follow Cecilie's Blogging or contact her Facebook For more information.
Cecilie has made Mallorca her home bridging cultural differences by sharing her love for languages and cuisine.
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