Saturday, March 21, 2009
Monday, March 9, 2009
List of Foods I Have Eaten in the Past Week:
- Cow Stomach
- Ox Tail
- Chicken Feet
- Pork Cartilage
- Pig Ear
- Goose
- Duck
- Oyster Omelets
- Beef Tendons
- Prawn Chips
- Red Bean Soup
- Eel
- Tapioca soup with coconut milk
- Ramen Noodles
Thursday, March 5, 2009
Mosquito Pond
There have been construction crews right outside of the dorms every morning (VERY early) working to clean out the entire pond that sits between Hall IV and Hall VI.. a pond that the locals call "Mosquito Pond" and other names that embody its grossness and smell. Apparently. I didn't notice if it smelled or not before they started draining it, but it was definitely solid brown. On good days you could see the poor koi fish in it. A local told me they didn't take the fish out before they drained it either :(
So after the pond was completely drained, they brought in dump trucks and loaders to shovel out all the muck and mud that was at the bottom. I think the whole project took about 3 weeks but was still not quite finished.
We enjoyed a monsoon today, all day.
So after the pond was completely drained, they brought in dump trucks and loaders to shovel out all the muck and mud that was at the bottom. I think the whole project took about 3 weeks but was still not quite finished.
We enjoyed a monsoon today, all day.
Monday, March 2, 2009
I Need to Learn to Bring My Camera Everywhere
So of all the bizarre things that happen on campus at the most obscure times, yesterday there was a full-out fashion show with a runway and wedding gowns and evening gowns in the middle of campus. I stood and watched about 15 minutes of the elaborate display of tiny models (which were students) carefully walking in these enormous dresses and then as soon as they stepped backstage we could see them sprint off to go change, heels and all, with someone carrying their train behind them.
My friend Harley and I stood in disbelief at the whole ordeal, and we were both angry we didn't have cameras or something because how could we even explain this to friends back home?? Still not completely sure of the whole purpose of the show, but it was put on by the Accounting Society Cabinet called "Accent," so I think all the models were accounting students and all the dresses were sponsored by different companies and there was a vote for the best one at the end of the show. I had to go to class...
So after a month into the semester, I am still unable to completely explain or understand the extent of student involvement here. So I will do my best to explain what I got the privilege to experience (and if it sounds weird or confusing, then it was to me as well.. but I promise I am not exagerrating anything).
There are a ton of student organizations that do so much work for their groups. The first weeks of school were called "Promotion Period," where each "nominated cabinet" of the groups built enormous displays (practically parade floats) at which they stood every day to promote their group. For the Fourster Army (Hall IV's student cabinet), they built a huge army tank and marched all around campus in their green suits, rubber boots, guns, and helmets, chanting different things.
Rosa, Yi, and me with two of the 20 Fourster members. One of their many green outfits (green plastic pants). The best was big furry green onesies decorated to the Fourster theme. Again, so much time involved in making these costumes for each day.
Every other student group had something similar or even more ridiculous. The atrium of campus was filled with screaming and chanting every single day from these students passing out free food and prizes and folders and promoting their group. Every day it got more and more ridiculous as it got closer to the "polling dates" where students voted for the groups? Still don't fully understand how the polling worked.. but okay.
One day that I actually had my camera on me but I didn't take nearly enough pictures to do the whole scene justice.
Here is one of the chants going. Still have no idea of what Chinese words are being yelled out, but I got the hand motions down:
I found out from various sources that these students neither sleep nor go to any of their classes for at least the first 2-3 weeks because they are up all night either making crazy supplies for the next day, or having meetings, or practicing their cheers and chants outside.. it usually STARTS at midnight and goes well into the night.. 3 or 4am. I have learned every night to fall asleep to the soothing Cantonese shouts. They also get up well before 6am, if they even slept at all, to get back onto campus for the next day's festivities of promoting. And there was never a lull in the day where the groups weren't out there. Someone also told me that they rotated shifts of guarding the tank, so it was never left unattended throughout the day and night.
They organize all this events like hall breakfasts, vodka nights, pub nights.... I have no idea. So talk about something consuming your life! I thought my job this summer with Orientation was tough!
Just when we thought it was winding down about the 3rd week in, the yelling in the atrium was a constant roar of battling violently choerographed cheers and stomping back and forth among the groups, and then suddenly all at the same time. I took a video on my phone of it as I dodged through the madness on my effort to get to class.. but I think others got much better video of it.
Here are just a couple that I found from this year that are pretty good:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zXMUQTSZOjM
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oDyNTbZFX3Q&feature=related
What they say, I will probably never know, but it is so unbelievable how intense it was.
Although some of the groups are past their polling dates and have begun coming to class, Fourster and the Accounting Society are still at it every night and day. So fun, but I have talked to many of the local students about and they are absolutely exhausted and they are all sick. :( Then they ask us if we do anything like this at our schools.. lol.
My friend Harley and I stood in disbelief at the whole ordeal, and we were both angry we didn't have cameras or something because how could we even explain this to friends back home?? Still not completely sure of the whole purpose of the show, but it was put on by the Accounting Society Cabinet called "Accent," so I think all the models were accounting students and all the dresses were sponsored by different companies and there was a vote for the best one at the end of the show. I had to go to class...
So after a month into the semester, I am still unable to completely explain or understand the extent of student involvement here. So I will do my best to explain what I got the privilege to experience (and if it sounds weird or confusing, then it was to me as well.. but I promise I am not exagerrating anything).
There are a ton of student organizations that do so much work for their groups. The first weeks of school were called "Promotion Period," where each "nominated cabinet" of the groups built enormous displays (practically parade floats) at which they stood every day to promote their group. For the Fourster Army (Hall IV's student cabinet), they built a huge army tank and marched all around campus in their green suits, rubber boots, guns, and helmets, chanting different things.
Rosa, Yi, and me with two of the 20 Fourster members. One of their many green outfits (green plastic pants). The best was big furry green onesies decorated to the Fourster theme. Again, so much time involved in making these costumes for each day.
One day that I actually had my camera on me but I didn't take nearly enough pictures to do the whole scene justice.
Here is one of the chants going. Still have no idea of what Chinese words are being yelled out, but I got the hand motions down:
I found out from various sources that these students neither sleep nor go to any of their classes for at least the first 2-3 weeks because they are up all night either making crazy supplies for the next day, or having meetings, or practicing their cheers and chants outside.. it usually STARTS at midnight and goes well into the night.. 3 or 4am. I have learned every night to fall asleep to the soothing Cantonese shouts. They also get up well before 6am, if they even slept at all, to get back onto campus for the next day's festivities of promoting. And there was never a lull in the day where the groups weren't out there. Someone also told me that they rotated shifts of guarding the tank, so it was never left unattended throughout the day and night.
They organize all this events like hall breakfasts, vodka nights, pub nights.... I have no idea. So talk about something consuming your life! I thought my job this summer with Orientation was tough!
Just when we thought it was winding down about the 3rd week in, the yelling in the atrium was a constant roar of battling violently choerographed cheers and stomping back and forth among the groups, and then suddenly all at the same time. I took a video on my phone of it as I dodged through the madness on my effort to get to class.. but I think others got much better video of it.
Here are just a couple that I found from this year that are pretty good:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zXMUQTSZOjM
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oDyNTbZFX3Q&feature=related
What they say, I will probably never know, but it is so unbelievable how intense it was.
Although some of the groups are past their polling dates and have begun coming to class, Fourster and the Accounting Society are still at it every night and day. So fun, but I have talked to many of the local students about and they are absolutely exhausted and they are all sick. :( Then they ask us if we do anything like this at our schools.. lol.
Wednesday, February 25, 2009
UST Track
I have make a good group of local friends on the HKUST track team, and they gave me the Chinese name Yan once they found out my last name is Young. Yan means happy.
This is really the only place I have made good friends with the locals. They don't seem to like to talk to the exchange students because they think we are lazy when it comes to schoolwork. So I haven't met too many locals in my classes.
But track has been going great here. The coach is fantastic and he coaches both the men's and women's teams. At our last meet he yelled at me every time I tried to talk to him and told me that I was wasting his time. So when I needed to ask him a question about my race, he would just ask if I was going to continue wasting his time. I stood up to him (perhaps sassed) and the rest of the team got a great kick out of watching it.
At the meet I learned that to cheer the runners on you have to yell "Gai yau Sarah!" which literally translates to "add oil" .... so get moving!! The locals think it is hilarious when I start yelling this to people during their races. :)
Our 4x4 team!
Saturday, February 21, 2009
Chinese New Year
The Chinese New Year started on Jan 26, and it was such a sweet thing to experience. The first day of the Lunar New Year was the "World's Happiest Party" celebration... basically a 3-hour parade.
We went with a huge group of exchange students to see the parade in Tsim Sha Tsui, but we only went 2 hours early.. which was not early enough to get a decent spot to see from. I actually had more fun mingling around with all the exchange students since I really couldn't see much of the parade anyway. I got a few good pictures of it though. There were a lot of dancers and dragons and not too many large floats.
They passed out these disco ball globes that say "The World's Happiest Party 2009" on them.
The crowd at the parade definitely made it a little frustrating to be there, but at least now I can say I experienced it!!
The next day of the new year brought on the greatest fireworks presentation I have ever seen in my life. My new group of Norwegian friends and I returned to TST on Jan 27 to see the show. We got to the city pretty early so we ate dinner first at Fridays.
Dinner took a lot longer than expected, and it was cutting it close to the time the fireworks were starting. Suddenly as we were scrambling to figure out the bill, we heard a big boom and everyone in the restaurant rushed out onto the convenient balcony that no one knew was there. So we actually ended up watching the half-hour long show from way up off the side of a skyscraper, avoiding the millions of cramped people down below. The only disadvantage of our spot was that we missed the syncronized music that went along perfectly with the fireworks (I watched someone's video of it later), and some of it was hidden behind buildings. But it was still GREAT! After the show we were fascinated by watching the floods of people streaming all towards the MTR station down below, and watched them for a good 20 minutes. So then we were really glad we avoided that.
The next day of the new year brought on the greatest fireworks presentation I have ever seen in my life. My new group of Norwegian friends and I returned to TST on Jan 27 to see the show. We got to the city pretty early so we ate dinner first at Fridays.
Dinner took a lot longer than expected, and it was cutting it close to the time the fireworks were starting. Suddenly as we were scrambling to figure out the bill, we heard a big boom and everyone in the restaurant rushed out onto the convenient balcony that no one knew was there. So we actually ended up watching the half-hour long show from way up off the side of a skyscraper, avoiding the millions of cramped people down below. The only disadvantage of our spot was that we missed the syncronized music that went along perfectly with the fireworks (I watched someone's video of it later), and some of it was hidden behind buildings. But it was still GREAT! After the show we were fascinated by watching the floods of people streaming all towards the MTR station down below, and watched them for a good 20 minutes. So then we were really glad we avoided that.
Looking at the crowd below!
Another Chinese tradition for the new year is to give out "Red Pockets" with money in them. I got one from the track coach with $20 HKD! Woohoo!
Sunday, February 1, 2009
Sik Sik Yuen Temple and the Avenue of Stars
Sik Sik Yuen Temple in Wong Tai Sin
On January 24th, two friends--Tor (from Norway) and Sally (from Virginia)--and I took a tourist visit to see the big Sik Sik Yuen Temple. This is a major temple that the Hong Kongers travel to seek good fortune before the Lunar New Year (which was on the 26th). The main religions housed there are Taoist, Buddhist, and Confucianist.
We had to curve through this elaborate maze of gates and crowds of people to get to the temple, each curve asking for a $2 donation. All the while we had to hold our breath because of the thick clouds of incense smoke EVERYWHERE. People would carry a clump of 50 incense sticks to bring up to the troughs to place them. They had workers constantly sweeping up all the ashes on the ground. You could definitely tell who was a tourist because there would be a random person in the line who was carrying one lonely stick of incense. We did NOT buy any. Maybe if they had been sparklers I would have been persuaded to join in.
Pictures weren't allowed inside the temple, but there was a large "display" of statues and tons of flowers and fruits. It was really noisy because the people knelt on cushions and vigorously shaking out chim from a can and the rattling sound echoed ridiculously loud through the hall. The chim are wooden sticks with fortunes on them, and whichever one drops out from the bottom slot is your fortune. BUT the catch is that you have to pay a fortune teller or "interpreters" to explain the fortune for you. All of them are apparently bad fortunes, so people have to try for hours. We didn't try.
Behind the temple is the Good Wish Garden, which we liked a lot better than the temple (Much clearer air). There was a koi pond and a waterfall. So pretty!
We had to curve through this elaborate maze of gates and crowds of people to get to the temple, each curve asking for a $2 donation. All the while we had to hold our breath because of the thick clouds of incense smoke EVERYWHERE. People would carry a clump of 50 incense sticks to bring up to the troughs to place them. They had workers constantly sweeping up all the ashes on the ground. You could definitely tell who was a tourist because there would be a random person in the line who was carrying one lonely stick of incense. We did NOT buy any. Maybe if they had been sparklers I would have been persuaded to join in.
Pictures weren't allowed inside the temple, but there was a large "display" of statues and tons of flowers and fruits. It was really noisy because the people knelt on cushions and vigorously shaking out chim from a can and the rattling sound echoed ridiculously loud through the hall. The chim are wooden sticks with fortunes on them, and whichever one drops out from the bottom slot is your fortune. BUT the catch is that you have to pay a fortune teller or "interpreters" to explain the fortune for you. All of them are apparently bad fortunes, so people have to try for hours. We didn't try.
Behind the temple is the Good Wish Garden, which we liked a lot better than the temple (Much clearer air). There was a koi pond and a waterfall. So pretty!
Avenue of the Stars in Tsim Sha Tsui
Our next touristy destination was the Avenue of the Stars in TST. So we had to take the MTR (train/subway) from Wong Tai Sin to TST. The Avenue was right near the Peninsula Hotel (super expensive, luxury area of TST)... there are Rolls-Royce taxis in front. The Ave was pretty fun, although we were pretty cold walking near the bay. There are tons of stars for local film stars. We found Jackie Chan's and Bruce Lee's handprints.. but didn't recognize any of the other names. (Except there were two Hui stars.. so I told Alyssa Hui I found her famous relatives!) There were also gift shops dedicated to both Jackie Chan and Bruce Lee.
Had to take the cheesy tourist photo!
Michael has been tagged on Facebook as the Bruce Lee statue.
An Indian guy approached Tor and read his mind for like 5 minutes. Sally and I stood uncomfortable watching this guy guess how many siblings Tor has and what he wrote on a piece of paper. Then when he was finished, he gave him a "lucky bead" and then asked for some "lucky money" for his wallet. When Tor said no, sorry, and we started walking away, the guy followed us and kept saying it was "Good money..It's good!" Tor continued saying no, sorry, no... and then suddenly the money became a charity for children.. and then for homeless children, and then for handicapped children. Yeah. We quickened our pace and he ran after us yelling to give him his lucky bead back!! It was awful!
After we escaped the crazy man, we met up with Alex and his friend and decided to go to an Irish Pub for dinner. Of all the strange, new things I could have had for a meal in Hong Kong, I ordered an appetizer of garlic cheese bread in an Irish Pub. It was pretty good and greasy cheese bread, and we were all having good conversations when suddenly I noticed my neck and face to be really itchy. After an abnormal amount of scratching my neck and face, I went to the bathroom to find I had broken out in huge, welty hives all over. I have NEVER had allergic reactions to food before (except apparently pineapple when I was 3)... so this was ridiculous! Maybe if I had eaten some exotic, authentic seafood dish with a million foreign animals and plants all thrown together, an allergic reaction would have been a little bit more understandable. But no, garlic cheese bread. I figured maybe it was time to go home.
Had to take the cheesy tourist photo!
Michael has been tagged on Facebook as the Bruce Lee statue.
An Indian guy approached Tor and read his mind for like 5 minutes. Sally and I stood uncomfortable watching this guy guess how many siblings Tor has and what he wrote on a piece of paper. Then when he was finished, he gave him a "lucky bead" and then asked for some "lucky money" for his wallet. When Tor said no, sorry, and we started walking away, the guy followed us and kept saying it was "Good money..It's good!" Tor continued saying no, sorry, no... and then suddenly the money became a charity for children.. and then for homeless children, and then for handicapped children. Yeah. We quickened our pace and he ran after us yelling to give him his lucky bead back!! It was awful!
After we escaped the crazy man, we met up with Alex and his friend and decided to go to an Irish Pub for dinner. Of all the strange, new things I could have had for a meal in Hong Kong, I ordered an appetizer of garlic cheese bread in an Irish Pub. It was pretty good and greasy cheese bread, and we were all having good conversations when suddenly I noticed my neck and face to be really itchy. After an abnormal amount of scratching my neck and face, I went to the bathroom to find I had broken out in huge, welty hives all over. I have NEVER had allergic reactions to food before (except apparently pineapple when I was 3)... so this was ridiculous! Maybe if I had eaten some exotic, authentic seafood dish with a million foreign animals and plants all thrown together, an allergic reaction would have been a little bit more understandable. But no, garlic cheese bread. I figured maybe it was time to go home.
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