11/01/14 10:21AM
I can't believe I've already spent over 2 months in HK. Time sure does fly~. Midterm season was quite relaxing for the first time in my college career cuz I only had 1. However, multiple late nights were spent on projects and reports. Now that THAT'S over, I'm glad that I can finally relax and continue to plan trips.
Possible trips:
Singapore 11/27-11/30
Korea 12/19-12/23
Japan 12/24-12/30
Taipei/ Taiwan 12/30-1/2 or 1/5
I'll have to try to fit Beijing and Shanghai somewhere in the 2 months I have left before my return flight. At the moment, my return flight is 1/7 but I can't decide whether I want to extend my stay to 1/22. #struggles
Recently, I've also been looking for more plays and musicals to watch. This is one of my new hobbies after I watched a pretty good musical in Taipei. I had just watched a musical last night, as well, called The Common Cold. It's interesting to see the different styles of plays that each city offers. The one in Taipei was more fun/chickflick-like, whereas the ones offered in HK are more relatable. The Common Cold portrays a city that is infected by a sickness, with "loneliness" as its root cause. They try to create a utopia in hopes of curing this sickness. It was interesting to watch each character develop within this world. Needless to say, I am on the hunt for more plays/musicals to attend.
11/01/14 11:06AM
Friday, October 31, 2014
Monday, October 13, 2014
Taiwan Withdrawals
10.14.14 // 3:41AM
My sleeping cycle has been wayyy off recently. I find myself falling asleep at 5am and having to wake up at 10AM. I'm beginning to miss the days when I first arrived in HK and would fall asleep at 10PM to wake up at 5AM because of jetlag.
Sleeping schedule aside, I miss Taiwan a LOT! It has only been a day since I've been back from my 5-day trip to Taipei, and I'm already missing how convenient everything was. The walk to the closest convenient store would be about 5 minutes, and I'd be able to grab a quick breakfast before starting my day. 7/11's in HK are very different. The most I can probably find would be a quick bun and drink. For two nights, my friend and I visited night markets full of snacks and yummy food such as grilled pork, sushi, etc. We tried a variety of Taiwanese specialties. Next to these markets would be small boutiques that sold clothing for an affordable price. Places like ShiLin (an area in Taipei) felt like heaven. :D
The craziest thing I did during this trip would be attending an outdoors music festival for over five hours whilst it was raining. Don't think I'll ever try that again, but it was definitely worth the experience.
On my second to last day in Taipei, friends and I visited this area in Taiwan where we were able to release Sky Lanterns. It is believed that the wishes we write on these lanterns will come true when we release them into the sky. Not sure how environmental-friendly this is, but it was fun! Each layer/color of the lantern represented different wishes. For example, white stood for success, while purple represented good grades.
My sleeping cycle has been wayyy off recently. I find myself falling asleep at 5am and having to wake up at 10AM. I'm beginning to miss the days when I first arrived in HK and would fall asleep at 10PM to wake up at 5AM because of jetlag.
Sleeping schedule aside, I miss Taiwan a LOT! It has only been a day since I've been back from my 5-day trip to Taipei, and I'm already missing how convenient everything was. The walk to the closest convenient store would be about 5 minutes, and I'd be able to grab a quick breakfast before starting my day. 7/11's in HK are very different. The most I can probably find would be a quick bun and drink. For two nights, my friend and I visited night markets full of snacks and yummy food such as grilled pork, sushi, etc. We tried a variety of Taiwanese specialties. Next to these markets would be small boutiques that sold clothing for an affordable price. Places like ShiLin (an area in Taipei) felt like heaven. :D
The craziest thing I did during this trip would be attending an outdoors music festival for over five hours whilst it was raining. Don't think I'll ever try that again, but it was definitely worth the experience.
On my second to last day in Taipei, friends and I visited this area in Taiwan where we were able to release Sky Lanterns. It is believed that the wishes we write on these lanterns will come true when we release them into the sky. Not sure how environmental-friendly this is, but it was fun! Each layer/color of the lantern represented different wishes. For example, white stood for success, while purple represented good grades.
I really hope I can go back to Taiwan one last time before heading back to the States. This weekend was truly relaxing and fun.
3:58AM // Insomniac
Tuesday, September 30, 2014
Occupy Central
10.01.14 // 1:55AM
Today marks the 4th day of Occupy Central. This protest officially started on Sunday, Sept 28. In the past month, there have been students who would advertise the protest around school in hopes of gaining more supporters. However, I hadn't realized at the time that there were actually participants in the event until this Sunday. Many local students are skipping classes as part of their protest, and bringing resources such as water, masks, umbrellas to protest locations. On Monday, classrooms were practically half-empty, signs regarding the protest could be seen everywhere on campus, and people were giving out yellow ribbons (representing support for democracy). Although I haven't been to protest locations (Central, Admiralty, and Mongkok), I'm surprised by the unity amongst Hong Kong people. Many people are helping each other out during the protest to ensure no one gets hurt. It was truly heart-breaking to hear that policemen would throw tear gas at their own citizens. Many protestors were caught by surprise. Because of the violence sprouting from a non-violent movement, Occupy Central has increased in support.
On the other hand, I've also been keeping up with China's reaction to this movement. When attempting to search for "Occupy Central" through China's popular search engine - Baidu, I've realized that all news regarding this event have been blocked. Furthermore, the government has voiced that they fully support what policemen have done so far to maintain order in Hong Kong.
The main issue behind Occupy Central is that Hong Kong people wish to elect their own chief executives under the Special Administrative Region. The current system is China's central government assigning candidates to Hong Kong, between which Hong Kong people will vote for their chief executive. Because Hong Kongers believe they deserve to select their own pool of candidates, they resulted to this non-violent protest.
It's unfortunate that an agreement had not been reached before citizens were harmed. One can only hope that no one else will get hurt from this movement.
// 2:10AM
Today marks the 4th day of Occupy Central. This protest officially started on Sunday, Sept 28. In the past month, there have been students who would advertise the protest around school in hopes of gaining more supporters. However, I hadn't realized at the time that there were actually participants in the event until this Sunday. Many local students are skipping classes as part of their protest, and bringing resources such as water, masks, umbrellas to protest locations. On Monday, classrooms were practically half-empty, signs regarding the protest could be seen everywhere on campus, and people were giving out yellow ribbons (representing support for democracy). Although I haven't been to protest locations (Central, Admiralty, and Mongkok), I'm surprised by the unity amongst Hong Kong people. Many people are helping each other out during the protest to ensure no one gets hurt. It was truly heart-breaking to hear that policemen would throw tear gas at their own citizens. Many protestors were caught by surprise. Because of the violence sprouting from a non-violent movement, Occupy Central has increased in support.
On the other hand, I've also been keeping up with China's reaction to this movement. When attempting to search for "Occupy Central" through China's popular search engine - Baidu, I've realized that all news regarding this event have been blocked. Furthermore, the government has voiced that they fully support what policemen have done so far to maintain order in Hong Kong.
The main issue behind Occupy Central is that Hong Kong people wish to elect their own chief executives under the Special Administrative Region. The current system is China's central government assigning candidates to Hong Kong, between which Hong Kong people will vote for their chief executive. Because Hong Kongers believe they deserve to select their own pool of candidates, they resulted to this non-violent protest.
It's unfortunate that an agreement had not been reached before citizens were harmed. One can only hope that no one else will get hurt from this movement.
// 2:10AM
Tuesday, September 23, 2014
Innocence is Bliss
09.24.14 // 2:20AM
09.24.14 // 2:50AM
It's been ages since I've blogged. From the time since I last posted til now, I've met a lot more people who have made my experience here more enjoyable. I spend a lot of time with C. and B. whether it be exploring new food places in HK, meeting new people together on the campus lawn, or talking about our career prospects (???). I'm glad that I've met them because they are some of the most down-to-earth and genuinely caring people I know here.
Recently, I've also met a few local students who are fun to talk to. It's always interesting to listen to their point of view, and how they see certain issues. At the same time, they're always curious about the "American" POV, and how we might handle a situation. Although we grew up in different environments, whether it be SF, NYC or HK, I'm beginning to see that there are still certain parts of our backgrounds that make us similar people. At one point, we spent 3 hours discussing our similarities and differences, and how we would react in certain situations. (This was from 12AM to 3AM).
I've been wanting to travel to various tourist attractions- such as Ocean Park (I went on a day where there were thunderstorms T-T), Victoria Peak, famous dessert place (I searched all over but most locations are under construction), and…DISNEYLAND ^_^. One of my lifetime goals is to travel to every Disneyland location: Florida, California, Japan, France, and HK. Honestly, one of my biggest goals in life is to be able to travel to different cities around the world, and really understand others' backgrounds. If the city I'm at happen to have a Disneyland, that would make the journey even more magical! :D
It's been a month since I've been to HK. Throughout this time, I've learned a lot about how others survive, or experiences they've had to go through. There are moments when I feel like my parents have really kept me inside a bubble. They've given me a life where I'm well-protected and worry-free. Even though there are moments when I might complain about little problems in life, I've finally realized that my issues are nothing compared to the harsh reality that some people I've met had to face. I had a conversation with my uncle who lives in ShenZhen. He said that there are people (in China) who are taught at a young age to be quick-witted, cautious, mature, or even coy at times. This isn't because they want to, but because in order to survive, they have to outwit those who may try to harm them. Finally, he said that the children he has met in the States are more innocent and carefree. Because of this, they have genuine smiles and laughs. When he said that, I began to tear up. To me, innocence is bliss, and for some children to not experience that, is almost painful to hear.
So… on that note… here are some pictures I've taken throughout the month.
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| I LOVE this quote! |
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| Replica of Old Hong Kong Streets |
Wednesday, September 10, 2014
09.10.14 // 11:17PM
The past few days have been very relaxing for me. Because of mid-autumn festival, a time when families gather together and look at the moon (?), the school has given us a day off. When visiting my distant relatives, I came across a group of people performing in the middle of the park. Children can be seen holding onto their unique, and super adorable, lanterns. Dinner at my relative's place was pleasant. It's always nice to be able to catch up with family, and understand their lifestyle here in HK. I've learned that some houses can be very small due to limitation of living space in HK.
After dinner, I met up with friends in Mongkok in hopes of finding activities around town. However, everyone seemed to have closed early because of the holiday. We had no choice but to head back to our dorms.
On the next day, we went to Sham Shui Po for lunch. It's an area known to have very cheap electronics. However, people in this area made me feel very uncomfortable. Perhaps they're not used to seeing foreigners. I felt like an alien because pedestrians would STARE as my friends and I walked by. Thankfully, we found a familiar spot in the area — Pizza Hut. Unlike those back in the States, Pizza Hut is an actual restaurant here in Hong Kong. They serve a lot more than just pizza. Also, their pizza toppings are amazingggg.
Pics from our lunch/dinner:
I've been in HK for over 2 weeks now. My experience here has been eye-opening. For one, I never thought I'd be able to survive 8000 miles away from home. I'm slowly learning to adjust to the lifestyle, and learning to accept challenges. Before leaving, I had pictured myself as an independent person. I never realized how much work my parents had put into providing a comfortable living environment for me. Here, I've slowly begun to pick up the little details/ issues that they would've taken care of if I were living at home. To be honest, there are moments when I wish I was home with my family, and in an environment that I'm familiar with. While people here treat me like a local student, I feel like an alien and I get lost everywhere I go. Because the opportunity to study abroad is rare, I have to continue to accept the challenge— adapting. Hopefully everything will work out in a week or two, and I'll get the swing of things here. :)
More pics of food:
The past few days have been very relaxing for me. Because of mid-autumn festival, a time when families gather together and look at the moon (?), the school has given us a day off. When visiting my distant relatives, I came across a group of people performing in the middle of the park. Children can be seen holding onto their unique, and super adorable, lanterns. Dinner at my relative's place was pleasant. It's always nice to be able to catch up with family, and understand their lifestyle here in HK. I've learned that some houses can be very small due to limitation of living space in HK.
After dinner, I met up with friends in Mongkok in hopes of finding activities around town. However, everyone seemed to have closed early because of the holiday. We had no choice but to head back to our dorms.
On the next day, we went to Sham Shui Po for lunch. It's an area known to have very cheap electronics. However, people in this area made me feel very uncomfortable. Perhaps they're not used to seeing foreigners. I felt like an alien because pedestrians would STARE as my friends and I walked by. Thankfully, we found a familiar spot in the area — Pizza Hut. Unlike those back in the States, Pizza Hut is an actual restaurant here in Hong Kong. They serve a lot more than just pizza. Also, their pizza toppings are amazingggg.
Pics from our lunch/dinner:
I've been in HK for over 2 weeks now. My experience here has been eye-opening. For one, I never thought I'd be able to survive 8000 miles away from home. I'm slowly learning to adjust to the lifestyle, and learning to accept challenges. Before leaving, I had pictured myself as an independent person. I never realized how much work my parents had put into providing a comfortable living environment for me. Here, I've slowly begun to pick up the little details/ issues that they would've taken care of if I were living at home. To be honest, there are moments when I wish I was home with my family, and in an environment that I'm familiar with. While people here treat me like a local student, I feel like an alien and I get lost everywhere I go. Because the opportunity to study abroad is rare, I have to continue to accept the challenge— adapting. Hopefully everything will work out in a week or two, and I'll get the swing of things here. :)
More pics of food:
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| Clam Linguine! |
My First Hiking Experience
09.07.14 // 9:56 PM
On Sept. 6, several friends had called me to ask me whether I wanted to go to the Infinity Pool. There would be "minor walking" and an amazing scenery. Upon arriving at Tai O (after an hr-long bus ride), we came across a long bridge. Tai O is a fishing village that is considerably far from the main parts of Hong Kong. As I walked past homes, I couldn't imagine how residents would be able to survive in such a secluded area. However, Tai O is a truly serene location — very different from the bustling city. Now comes the "minor walking," which was NOT minor in any form. The hike to Infinity Pool took about an hour, but the road became increasingly difficult to walk across. For someone with little to no hiking experience, I was scared yet excited to see this pool. But I still can't forget how terrifying the walk to the pool was. When we had finally reached our destination, the sun was about to set. The Infinity Pool can be separated into two parts. The waterfall, located on one side, was fun to be in, as water rushed by. On the other side, people swam/ sat along the edge of the cliff. Unfortunately, we had arrived too late, and most pictures turned out pitch black. While the fishing village was secluded, this natural Infinity Pool felt like it was part of a different world.
Our journey back to the bus stop took a lot longer since our only source of light were from our phones.
Hiking tip: Leave before sunset.
Our journey back to the bus stop took a lot longer since our only source of light were from our phones.
Hiking tip: Leave before sunset.
Wednesday, September 3, 2014
09.04.14 - 12:53AM
My first week of classes is coming to an end. Like many other "first weeks" that I've gone through, professors went over syllabi, classroom requirements, projects, etc. Nothing special.
I've also become friends with a couple of locals here. I'm not sure if it's culture shock, but I find it very difficult for me to speak in Cantonese when communicating with locals. For some reasons, English always comes out first, and then my Cantonese is slurred/ unclear/ soft. When I was home, I used to be able to speak in a way where people would at least understand me. However, locals here have trouble understanding what I say. At times, I find that I don't have the confidence to speak in their dialect. This has been very troublesome, especially when I'm trying to learn how to print from the school's printer. It took me a VERY long time to figure out how and where to print because locals at the IT desk had trouble understanding me.
My goal for the semester is to speak in Cantonese AT ALL TIMES. I really hope this will be successful since I'm only comfortable speaking in this dialect around 20% of the time.
I hope my parents aren't completely disappointed in me.
On the other hand, I've been typing a lot more Chinese when communicating with my relatives. Because many of them don't understand English, I have been typing in Chinese characters. This has improved my writing skills. Now, if only I can type and speak at the same level, then my parents will surely be proud!
I've also been catching up on some reading:
Crazy Rich Asians - by Kevin Kwan (National Bestseller)
Angels & Demons - by Dan Brown
Both are pretty good so far, and I'm looking forward to reading other Dan Brown books. :)
Time to sleep ~
1:03AM
My first week of classes is coming to an end. Like many other "first weeks" that I've gone through, professors went over syllabi, classroom requirements, projects, etc. Nothing special.
I've also become friends with a couple of locals here. I'm not sure if it's culture shock, but I find it very difficult for me to speak in Cantonese when communicating with locals. For some reasons, English always comes out first, and then my Cantonese is slurred/ unclear/ soft. When I was home, I used to be able to speak in a way where people would at least understand me. However, locals here have trouble understanding what I say. At times, I find that I don't have the confidence to speak in their dialect. This has been very troublesome, especially when I'm trying to learn how to print from the school's printer. It took me a VERY long time to figure out how and where to print because locals at the IT desk had trouble understanding me.
My goal for the semester is to speak in Cantonese AT ALL TIMES. I really hope this will be successful since I'm only comfortable speaking in this dialect around 20% of the time.
I hope my parents aren't completely disappointed in me.
On the other hand, I've been typing a lot more Chinese when communicating with my relatives. Because many of them don't understand English, I have been typing in Chinese characters. This has improved my writing skills. Now, if only I can type and speak at the same level, then my parents will surely be proud!
I've also been catching up on some reading:
Crazy Rich Asians - by Kevin Kwan (National Bestseller)
Angels & Demons - by Dan Brown
Both are pretty good so far, and I'm looking forward to reading other Dan Brown books. :)
Time to sleep ~
1:03AM
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