Wow, oh wow. Sunday was maybe my most favorite day in Hong Kong so far. I woke up a little early to make sure that I got time to go through some emails (and facebook) and catch up but then I called up Sumana and Andrew and Sung to see if they wanted to come to a day in Hong Kong that my buddy, Sharon and her friends, Chris and Michelle had come up with. The three of them decided that they would join us in the Atrium (which I have yet to post a picture of) at 11:50 where we were going to meet Chris to take the minibus and MTR to meet up with Sharon and Michelle. At around 11:15, I remember that I told Ray the day before that I would call him if I was heading into town with my buddies. He sleepily agrees to come with us.
We probably finally left for the minibus and then MTR station at around 12:20 after everything was said and done. There was alot of plan shuffling but we got every straightened out and we headed out for a day in the City. We went down Sheung Wan and walked around the city where we got to see the awesome Tram (which Hong Kong peoples used before the MTR was built. It cost 2 HKD to go from one end of the line to the other..cheappp!) and we found a local HK restaurant where Sumana and I decided that we can't see food go to waste anymore so we should start splitting meals (more practical and cost efficient!). So Sumana and I had fried rice (what else) and it was actually pretty good. I am getting pretty good at using chopsticks and I was told that I have good "posture" when I hold them...as opposed to some of the people here who cross their chopsticks when holding them (to me, it looks cooler to cross them but whatever).
We had some great conversations about alot of things. On the MTR, I started to learn more about South Korea from Sung and he was telling me that maybe 600,000 people may still have their families split but the border between North and South Korea but for the most part families are in either one side or the other side. While at dinner, there was definitely a lot of cross culture talking. People were asking about Hinduism (there is a Hindu temple in Hong Kong!) and about India and such. And we were all discussing the various dialects and languages in China and who speaks what. It was really cool.
After a long chat during we started walking around the city (which locals call Central) and we went into these older streets where there were some awesome stalls selling all sorts of things. I can definitely see myself getting some sort of dragon to take back to the US with me. The way they are so intricately carved is just phenomenal.
The streets, in some parts, were very, very steep and very narrow. I think Andrew almost fell up and down steps more than a few times. It was just one of the coolest things to see highrises in the mountains. Its an indescribable view. I don't know that I have very good pictures of that but I will try and post some, for sure.
Anywho, Chris was a very good "tour guide" and he explained the significance of alot of things around Hong Kong. We got to see the awesome HSBC building, which is kind of built like legos...and Chris was saying that they built it as such so that if they every felt the need to more that headquarters/building (maybe in times of political instability?) that they would be able to do so by unlegofying the building. Yes, I did make up that word.
We walked some more around the city and took the tram for a little bit so that we could experience a more historic part of Hong Kong culture and then we made our way down to the convention center area and were able to see the Golden Flower (?) which signifies the return to a sovereign HK. It was really pretty, right on the water and you could see Central skyline in the background. After we took pictures there, we went on the Star Ferry and crossed the Harbour to Tsim Sha Tsui to see the "Symphony of Lights" laser show that they have on the highrises of HK. It was probably the coolest thing that I have ever seen. The lights and the skyline and everything combined was unbelievable.
While we were waiting for the show to begin, Ray, Sumana and I were talking with Michelle and Chris and they were telling us how they want to speak American English. I thought this was really interesting because for some reason, I always thought that most people want to speak British English because its more proper or widely understood? Atleast from my experience thus far, with HK locals (which is admittedly, minimal), I am pretty much mistaken.
After the show, we went off through Tsim Sha Tsui and we went to dinner at this Hong Kong style steakhouse where I had eggs and talked talked all about Korean Culture. In South Korea, it is mandatory that all men go to the armed forces for approximately 2 years. From what I gather, they can choose what they would like to be in but then its up to that particular area on whether or not they would like to accept them and if not, then they try something else. Most Koreans go to the army around their first of second year of college unless they are studying to be a Lawyer or Doctor, in which case they wait until after their board exams.
One interesting story that Andrew told us was that the Koreans are required to go through training where they have to be exposed to biological weapons without their gas masks and what not. I guess they are exposed to, I think, tear gas and they are required to endure it for 3 minutes a bunch of times. Craziness. I don't know that I would be able to do that.
After talking for a long time, we headed back to HKUST by MTR and then minibus. It was probably the best of the days in HK so far. Soo much learning and listening and talking.
Good Company, Good Food and Good Conversation. :)
I could really get used to this.
Monday, August 31, 2009
Sunday
Sunday, August 30, 2009
Tai O, Tsim Sha Tsui, Avenue of the Stars!
Tsim Sha Tsui (Below)
I'll get stuff posted of HKUST otherwise I'll post the link for pictures on facebook. Have a good day!
Saturday, August 29, 2009
Lantau and GIGANTIC BUDDHA!
Oh goodness. Was it HOT. It felt like a 100 degrees out with humidity and all. It was ridiculous. So I woke up super early, at like 6 am or something ridiculous because I couldn't sleep and came out of my room. I walked down the hall and passed the common room and was absolutely in AWE of the view. I'll post it but it was amazing. Then I went down to the lobby to go on the internet. I met this Aussie, Carmen, there and we started walking towards the atrium where we would were supposed to meet up with everyone. We were early so we headed over to the cafeteria type thing (I can't remember which one...maybe LG 7 (Stands for Lower Ground 7)...I'll explain that when I post pictures of campus. They had a more western style breakfast with eggs and toast and some carnivore stuff. I didn't get breakfast but we met a couple of germans there and we had breakfast with them.
We got to the atrium and it was really cool because people were really trying to mingle with one another and get to know each other. Freshman year all over again. It was especially cool, though, because you could hear so many different languages with people talking to other people from their schools and then translating to new people. I met people from Korea, mainland China, Singapore, Germans, Austrians, Americans, Australians, Sweeds, Indians, Finish, Brits, Canadians and Italian people. I think that covers it? haha. It was amazing. A pretty spectacular day of meeting people.
We got on the bus and it felt like FOREVER until we reached Lantau Island. We switched buses like 20 times during the day (exaggeration!) and it took about an hour and a half of winding roads and major hill climbing until we got to the Buddha. It was hilarious because we turned the corner and you could just hear everyone gasp at the giganticness of it. It was beautiful up there. Indescribable. It was serene and quite up there and just beautiful. It was interesting to see peeoples interactions. I was really into looking around and absorbing it all but it seemed like alot of other people weren't as interested in that. They were just talking to each other and not really paying attention to the people walking around the base of the Buddha, praying or anything. Maybe a little bit disrespectful of us but maybe locals are used to it? Maybe people don't realize the importance of the Buddha to a lot of people. Who knows.
Anywho, we went to this monastery to have lunch. VEGETARIAN FOOD!!!! Oh my goodness, I hadn't even been in Hong Kong and I was already missing my ease of access to herbivore food. We had lunch at this monastery and there were 3 other herbivores at my table! Its awesome that I met other people in the same situation. I really thought that I would be the only one causing problems for all of my new friends. Two of the veggie eaters are Indian girls from the US (one that goes to UIUC, Trisha, and one that goes to Northeastern, Sumana) the other girl is also from UIUC and her name is Kaitlyn (that is how I imagine she spells her name). Other people that were at my table include a Brit whose family is Armenian, Erebouni, some other Americans, Rahul (a full time UST student from India) and Amanda( also a full time student, born in the US and raised in HK).
We then got on the bus and went to Tai O, a fishermen's village. Its called the Venice of Hong Kong. Its not as pretty as Venice but I still really cool. We stopped there and we went on this dolphin watching tour thing that was like 20 HKD (a little less than 3 USD) and we actually did see some, though I didn't get a picture of any of them. We explored the village a little and then went back on the boat to go to a little amusement park by the name of Noah's Ark that was kinda funny.
We got to this park and people were falling asleep on the bus and once we got there people were a little reluctant to be outside since it was so hot. I hung out with a cool group of people that included a couple girls from NYU (Ashley and Emmy), a couple Koreans, a German named Steven, Sumana and some local students. One of the best parts of this part of the trip was when we were playing with this skin crayon thing and people were writing each other's names in whatever language they spoke. So I got my name written, on my arms, in Korean and Japanese. Then we wrote things on this chalkboard in different languages (I wrote some stuff in Gujarati and Spanish...) It was surprisingly fun even though I was a little bit put off by the heat.
We got back on the bus and people kept asking me if I was going on tonight and things like that. By this time, I was EXHAUSTED-definitely a combination of jetlag and heat exhaustion and the like. So I told them just that, "I don't know just quite yet. Maybe, but I am not sure because I am really jet-lagged and so we will just have to see if I don't pass out before then" and they kept trying to get me to go and go and go. And finally the kid let go or whatever. What's funny is that, today, I found out that that specific kid, from the states, actually had fell asleep in the AC and didn't go out. Meanwhile, I went exploring with some new friends. How ironic.
Anywho, I met and hung out with my roommate when I got back and then left with Sumana, and two Koreans, Sung and Andrew, to go to Tsim Sha Tsui (TST) to find atms for them, to find adapters, to grab some dinner and see a bit of the city. We went roaming around and found that the area was slightly dodgy but it was a little early to get too dodgy. We were in a group so it was a little better.
We met up with a local UST student, Koko, and we went on this wild goose chase to find an Indian restaurant which was in Chung King Mansions or whatnot. We eventually found it and it was closed so we went to this place called Skushy's Pizza place (definitely not what I anticipated eating on only the second day that I was in HK but whatever).
What was really cool was that Sumana and I found that were not only trying to learn more about Hong Kong culture and Korean culture but that they were also asking about the meanings of different things. For example, Koko asked Sumana and I what the proper etiquette for using a fork and knife (where to place it when you are finished) and we were asked what the meaning of the phrase "We have made a deal with the bank. Skushy won't cash checks and the Bank won't make pizzas" or something like that..some sort of advertisment in the restaurant.
After we finished dinner, we made our way toward the Avenue of the Stars, which has HKs famous stars and their footprints and what not. Its along Victoria Harbour and you can see the Hong Kong skyline and it was BEAUTIFUL. I took a couple pictures but they weren't that great. I am not quite sure about the settings on my camera but hopefully I can figure it out.
We got back super late and I asked Andrew to add money to my air conditioner (its a pre-pay AC..which apparently the rest of the world calls the Air Con..in case you were wondering) and then I went to sleep around 2:30.
Today, Saturday, I got up super late and uploaded pictures and then went with Sumana to get some lunch. She ended up with some sort of fish in her dish so we split mine (it was huge) which had some sort of rice in it with a sort of water soup with veggies..not the most appetizing thing in the world but it worked out. And we wandered around campus which is absolutely gorgeous and then we checked out the grocery store on campus (which I think I will be frequenting) and then played cards with Carmen, Andrew and Sung in my dorm.
We played for awhile and then went to dinner where we met up with this kid named Ray. Whats funny about this meeting is that we were walking for awhile and he had talked to just about everyone else and he got to me and he asked me where I was from and all and I said where I was from and all and had a contemplative look on his face and I asked him if he new my friend, Christina and he was flabergasted. It was really funny because I had heard, from Christina, all about Ray and how I need to meet him and all and he had heard the same so it was funny how we randomly met and were able to have common connection.
Anyway we had dinner for awhile and I met some people from Singapore who were really really nice and then here I am..starting this blog and posting and all!
I am going to go ahead and post a couple pictures on here from the last few days' adventures and then I am going to call it a night!
That was a crazy long post. Props to you if you read it all!
Miss you all!
Neesha
Flight and Dia numero uno!
So I left Pittsburgh feeling nervous and yet excited for this amazing adventure that I was about to leave for. I couldn't even begin to explain to you how nervous I was about this trip and how much I questioned what I was doing and the timing and all. On the Wednesday, the day I left for JFK and eventually Hong Kong, I felt energized and excited to go.
My parents came to JFK to drop me off and I think that helped alot. I made some phone calls while we were sitting and having lunch but for the most part it was really wonderful to have company while I was sitting in the airport. They helped me with my luggage, which were both over 50 pounds, and that was definitely the best part.
Anywho, the flight over was pretty long but pretty nice. The flight from JFK to HKG is around 15.5 hours. I definitely passed out for the first 8 hours and watched the movie The Soloist and then about 7 episodes of Friends (Season 7). There weren't very many people on the flight so I got to spread out and really take advantage of my non-standby ticket. It went pretty fast, which I did not expect at all.
I got to HK on Thursday evening around 7pm. My first thought when I got into the jetway and then outside of the airport was "Ahhh. Its Hot and Humid!" My Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST, or UST as people here call it) buddy met me outside of arrivals and helped me get a Octopus card (MTR (like metro) and Bus card) HKUST. We went by bus to school which included one transfer and we stopped at a 7-11 on the way so I could get a new sim card (THANKS for the phone, Vijay!) and then continued on to the school! It took like 1.5 hours but not that much money, so definitely worth it. I couldn't really get my bearings when I first got here but I got to my room and pretty much immediately unpacked and quickly went online in the lobby to let my family (and friends!) know that I had arrived safely.
Here are a few pictures from flying over NYC and then the view as we were landing in Hong Kong.
NYC
And..on to HK!
These pictures don't do either place justice but it was absolutely gorgeous.
I'll post about my first full day and our Lantau Island tour soon!
Ni Hao!
So this blog is, clearly, because I want to be able to let you all know what I am doing here in Hong Kong! I miss you all and I am gonna start posting what I have been up to in the next post! :D
Bear with me because I don't know my way around this whole blogging thing just yet.
Gracias! And on to my adventures!
Neesha
