Sometimes, I really do feel like I'm an intern all over again. It's kind of weird but makes me feel young. Haha. For example, right now, I'm actually just pretending to be working because I don't have anything else more substantial to do.
Recently I had an in interesting conversation with the conservator of the museum. First, he mistook Penn State as UPenn. Big no-no. Then, he said that the trainee programme was established to let people gain experience in a museum setting. The way he said it, it seemed like it's for people that had no previous experience. In my honest opinion, I think that's bullshit. If the people that they're hiring, like me or those that have Masters, like my other trainee, then we definitely would've experiences working in this field. If not, then your college didn't teach you well. So please tell me, what kind of people are you hiring exactly?!
I really think my resume is impressive, considering that I picked to work at top notch institutions. In case you don't know, being an intern at the National Gallery of Art is considered an award... I can actually write that on my resume. However, people in HK knew nothing about them, which is sad. Please, seriously, don't think that you're that great because you're not. *sigh* HK still has a long way to go. Conservator and I also talked about West Kowloon, the cultural area that the government had been trying for the past couple of years to get it going. He said they're hiring there, and I just gave an "oh really?" response because 1) there really isn't any concrete plans on anything as of now; and 2) I don't think I'll be staying in HK after my fellowship ends.
Recently I had an in interesting conversation with the conservator of the museum. First, he mistook Penn State as UPenn. Big no-no. Then, he said that the trainee programme was established to let people gain experience in a museum setting. The way he said it, it seemed like it's for people that had no previous experience. In my honest opinion, I think that's bullshit. If the people that they're hiring, like me or those that have Masters, like my other trainee, then we definitely would've experiences working in this field. If not, then your college didn't teach you well. So please tell me, what kind of people are you hiring exactly?!
I really think my resume is impressive, considering that I picked to work at top notch institutions. In case you don't know, being an intern at the National Gallery of Art is considered an award... I can actually write that on my resume. However, people in HK knew nothing about them, which is sad. Please, seriously, don't think that you're that great because you're not. *sigh* HK still has a long way to go. Conservator and I also talked about West Kowloon, the cultural area that the government had been trying for the past couple of years to get it going. He said they're hiring there, and I just gave an "oh really?" response because 1) there really isn't any concrete plans on anything as of now; and 2) I don't think I'll be staying in HK after my fellowship ends.
People in HK know nothing about the prestige of various museums and institutions abroad - even the museum people of HK? Ideally they'd look at your resume and be impressed, but it sounds like you might have to explicitly but elegantly point it out, like "I was an intern at xy, which is considered the leading art gallery in..." Maybe you'll have to assert yourself more to remind them you're not an intern.
ReplyDeleteMy friend wrote an interesting short piece about why West Kowloon, for all its purported grandeur, is going to do very little to help arts and culture in HK, especially at the grassroots level. Without an environment that encourages free expression and original thought, all the buildings and equipment in the world won't help the arts flourish.
Is it possible to give me the link to your friend's insight?
DeleteThe HK government always creates the 'hardware' but neglects the 'software'. It's kind of frustrating sometimes. I recently found out that one of my uncle's friend once designed the now empty 'LegCo' building (the one right in front of HSBC) to become the history museum with underground expansion. How awesome is that? Instead, we now have this building built w/o any historical significance as the museum.
My boss, in general, doesn't care about anyone else other than his work. My coworker likes to call him 'the king of the universe', as in, he's the center of the universe and everything else evolves around him... other people do care about me and that they see me as part of their team, so I guess if I ignore my boss, I'm not as miserable.
In that way the government seems to take a very top-down approach to the arts (and maybe to everything...). Why didn't it end up being the history museum?
ReplyDeleteMy friend posted it on facebook and I'm not sure if it's public, so I'll email it to you.
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