First Blog From Hong Kong!
Ok, ok, so am I all talk and no game? It's been awhile since my last blog, I know, but after two crazy weeks in Hong Kong I am finally feeling "normal" in this new world. After figuring out the technical kinks of blogging, and slowing down after orientation and my first week of class-scheduling-madness, I find myself overwhelmed with how much I have done in the past two weeks. All of last semester, up until this point, is a blur in the mass of preparation I did to get here, and now that I’m here, it just finally feels right.
You ready to go?
I guess the easiest way to begin my first official blog is from the beginning. Or at least, my new beginning here in Hong Kong. I feel that I've had many new beginnings since I decided to take the journey of studying abroad.
DAY ONE
After an increeeeeaaaadibly long flight wedged between two strangers, I was here! I leaned across my neighbor in the window seat to open the window. WOW! I literally jumped back and gasped (hard to do when you’re buckled on an airplane.) This huge 747 was flying in between the most intense mountains I had ever seen! And against this massive dark backdrop I could see that we were flying over a vast ocean, littered with wooden fishing boats. To top it off, directly ahead I could see lights from a city that made New York look like it was still using training wheels! Little did I know that this landing would pale in comparison to all I had yet to see.
I arrived jet-lagged and exhausted, overwhelmed with anticipation but desperate for sleep. I got to the airport around 7pm local time and was greeted by some representatives from Lingnan University. They helped me with my bags and into a van for the 45 min trip to campus. That 45 mins was kind of a blur of indoctrination into this new society. Strange languages were being spoken around me, and the night scenes as we flew by in the van were overwhelming. At campus I was greeted by night guards in cool uniforms who handed me some bedding, said something in Cantonese, to which I smiled. I met my roommate and some local students and talked for awhile. Then, I realized how late it was, and the fact that out of delirium I was having trouble remembering my name. So, I bid everyone good night and dove into bed...only to realize that my mattress was made out of one inch of tightly packed straw. Apparently, in Hong Kong it's cool to sleep on concrete. Who knew?!
I woke up at 7am to a strange, almost musical sound. I followed it to the window and realized it was two women speaking Cantonese and hiking up the enormous mountains outside my window. In every direction I looked, there was towering greenery and rocks, and in the midst of it all were tiny wooden houses. This was not at all what I expected to see outside of my tiny dorm. I threw on my shoes and went out to explore.
Here are a few pictures I snapped, but, its really hard to catch the grandeur of simply being on campus.
Front view of campus
I wandered around until orientation began.
I met all the other exchange students
and was treated to a bizzare but yummy breakfast.
Then I went on through a mass of orientation stuff, and the best part was lunch. I had Dim Sum for the first time. There was a big rotating plate in the middle of the table. Everyone next to you pours you tea, a very polite Chinese custom. Dishes are brought out and shared. I tried so many AMAZING things, one of which was chicken claws (something very normal compared to the food I've encountered since.)
Orientation was great; I met the president of Lingnan, and all of the helpful staff here. I get along really well with the other exchange students, I feel like we are already so close. Everyone is so interesting; many are from different countries and speak many languages. Once again I feel like the dumb American. Here’s to many great adventurous and the changing of that stereotype!
