Exploring

Classes start tomorrow...and I'm concluding my first week of Orientation and exploring in Hong Kong.

The past three days have been dedicated to exploring different areas of Hong Kong. I've realized that all the different parts of Hong Kong have a few similarities...they are really crowded, there are tons and tons of shops and buildings and neon lights and all the signs are in Chinese. So unless you know where you are or have a map, you could easily confuse all of the different areas!

The first night we went to "Central" on Hong Kong Island. Hong Kong is truly a "melting pot" of people! There were so many international tourist and local business men and women from tons of different places around the globe. Passing by a crowd, you are sure to hear dozens of languages being spoke and many different faces.  

Then to Kowloon...we spent the evening in Kowloon and stoped at a restraunt/hotel that overlooked the water and city! It was really gorgeous.

Mongkok...today we went to "Ladies Market", "Temple Street" and the "Jade Market" in Mongkok. The "Ladies Market" was a strip of vendors that sold traditional Chinese silks, scarves, souvenirs...everything for a really good price, where you could bargain with vendors. At "Temple Street" I experienced my first Buddhist Temple. I'm sure there are many more of temples to be seen. Then to the "Jade Market" where there were tons of earrings, bracelets, statues, carvings, rings, key chains...and everything was made out of jade. 

This morning I also also went to church for the first time in Hong Kong. I was invited to go to church with a local lady who had invited me. She said that the church was a small "fellowship" of 20 to 30 people. This morning there were only 9 people there, including myself and a friend that I had invited...it really was small! The friend that I invited was another international student from Mainland China, today was her first day EVER attending a church! 

I have been loving living in the Hostel here! I realized that I never really got the "full college experience" because I've always lived at home and never in a dorm. It's been fun having a roommate, living two minutes away from everywhere on campus, the community bathroom, being so hungry and having nothing to eat so you resort to Raman Noodles (haha yes that did happen today, Raman Chinese Style...slightly pathetic). 

More exploring ahead...

Strangely Normal

I realized today, that strange things just really don't phase me anymore. Like...

*On a regular basis the text on my computer comes up and everything is in Chinese characters and I have to find the "English" button so I can read my screen again.

*People wearing surgical masks. Because of the SARS outbreak a few years back and now with the Swine Flu scare, people are extremely cautious of sanitzing everything! There are always workers cleaning handrails and elevator buttons. Tons of people just wear surgical masks around town. 

*Stray cats and dogs everywhere. A local student here told me that there are over 200 cats on campus! 

*Getting used to the fact that I never really knowing where I am or where I'm going. 

*The fact that when I pay $100HK for something, it's really only $20USD.

*Feeling completely comfortable with literally 100's of people surrounding me all the time...on the train, the bus, the streets...everywhere!

*Looking up and seeing 100's of high-rise buildings and apartments. 

I'm sure there is so much more...but like I said, strange things are becoming strangely normal. 

More than SURVIVING...I'm LIVING!

I talked to my mom on Skype for the first time last night and I’ve gotten Facebook messages and comments from lots of friends and everyone is asking, “How are you? Are you are surviving”.

I just wanted to assure everyone that I am more than surviving here, I’m truly LIVING! Hong Kong is way, way more cultured and “Westernized” than I had expected. Compared to where I was in China last summer, this is NOTHING! Sure there are differences, like the food and it’s really crowded, and I don’t look like anyone here, so I stick out like a sore thumb. The signs are mostly in Chinese and everyone speaks Cantonese casually, even if they can understand and speak English. But just because Hong Kong is different, that doesn’t mean that it is bad! It’s been an adventure everyday! With every new conversation, place, friend…comes so much to be learned and to experience!

Fun little things that have happened: I had the most delicious Chinese dessert here that was like a fresh watermelon slushie, with chunks of watermelon! And yesterday I had the MOST DELICIOUS sushi I have ever had. Crab with mango…MmmmMm so good! The sell yogurt at the grocery store, post it notes, and Diet Coke – some of my very favorite things. Oh…and I ate chicken elbow! Didn’t know what it was at the time, until one of my friends told me after!

The worst thing I can think of here is the heat, it’s just really humid! HaHa…I also fried my hair straightener, because even with a converter the voltage was too high. So no straightener + humidity like crazy = never a good hair day in Hong Kong! So excuse my ridiculous hair in all the pictures! It’s so funny because I’m the tall, blond, curly, frizzy haired, American…among tons of people with dark, straight hair! When I go running in the morning, everyone just stares at me like some kind of crazy creature! Not that I can blame them…HaHa I look so different and I’m hot and disgusting when I run here!

So rest assured, I’m really enjoying my time here in Hong Kong! Everyone should study abroad!

New Student Orientation and Newest Member of...

About my home, Lingnan University: 2,300 Students – compared to the 28,500 at WVU. 75% of students live on campus, so all the students are like family! Lingnan is the only Liberal Arts College in Hong Kong, and I am currently just 1 of 114 exchange students!

It is nice to be at a smaller university, considering there are 7 MILLION people in Hong Kong!

Yesterday was the end of the three day “NSO – New Student Orientation”. In the past three days I’ve attended seminars and lectures, tours and assemblies, I’ve played crazy Chinese games and I’ve eaten strange boxed Chinese food. I also got to know the students in my hostel really well – all of the girls in my hostel are so sweet! They are all fascinated by my blond hair, my height, and American culture!

The best part of New Student Orientation was a Student Organization Fair, where all the Student Organizations set up decorative informational booths and you could go around and learn more about all the activities the University had to offer, as well as meet the people in the organizations!

I am excited to say that I am the newest member of the Lingnan University Rowing Team! I even have a T-Shirt, a water bottle, and a lanyard that says so! The Rowing Team practices every Monday and Wednesday night on land on the rowing machines in the gym at the University, and then every Sunday the team takes a trip to a river in Hong Kong and practices on water! I’m really excited to start practicing with the team! More to details to come on this for sure…

Perhaps the most encouraging and unexpected thing happened right before joining the Rowing Team…I was walking among the hundreds of students promoting their organizations and I noticed there were a group of students providing information about Christian organizations on campus. Lots of things here are in Chinese characters, including the names of many of the organizations the students were promoting…so in many occasions I had no idea which organizations where which until I talked to someone.

Then it happened…I was handed a pamphlet that said “Our Vision...Our Mission…Turn Lost students into Life long Spiritual multipliers for global harvest”. That sounded a lot like the Campus Crusade for Christ mission statement in America?? Sure enough, there is Campus Crusade for Christ at Lingnan University! I didn’t believe it at first! I got the contact information for some of the students who are involved here and met a husband and wife who are on staff and work for Campus Crusade. I also got information about some churches in Hong Kong that speak English!

I’m so excited for the next four months here in Lingnan. Right now that seems like a really long time, but I know it’s going to fly by. I’m itching to become familiar with this place, I feel like there is so much “unknown”, I can’t wait to explore Hong Kong and all the opportunities it has to offer! I’m looking forward to more strange food, making life long and global friendships and making the most of every unexpected situation!

Since New Student Orientation is over, my schedule is pretty much free to explore until classes start on Monday. Today, I’m off to explore “Central” which is in the main city of Hong Kong, on Hong Kong Island…wish me luck! 

Address in Lingnan

"JCF, JCF, J - C - Hostel F... F, F, F, F...(some words in Cantonese I can't pronounce) HOSTEL F!" 

This is my "Hostel Cheer"! If you want to send me mail while I am studying abroad, here is my address...

Sarah Perry

Hostel F Room 117B 

8 Castle Peak Rd. 

Lingnan University, Tuen Mun 

New Territories, Hong Kong

There is so much that is happening here! I just finished a 3 day orientation to the University. It has been a whirlwind of information, new friends, exploring, adjusting...probably the most exciting and exhausting 5 days I've had in a while!

Ni Hao Hong Kong

I’m here! I arrived safely to the University yesterday at around 10PM.

So first impressions of Hong Kong and how it’s different/same as my experience in China…

1) Way different from where I was in China last year! So much more “city” like and I can tell it is definitely more “Westernized”.

2) I went for a run this morning, and it was extremely humid at 6AM in the morning, that is something to look forward to ALL summer! But, when I was running I was reminded of a familiar flowery smell, that brings back memories from my time in China last summer! It was great and for a while I forgot about the humidity!

3) Like in China, there are stray cats everywhere!

4) Everyone is super hospitable. I was given a “Welcoming Packet” upon arrival with water and information and a University postcard. The University even has an entire Orientation just for International Students and organized tours of Hong Kong for the next two weekends. Tomorrow we have breakfast with the President of the University!

5) My room is extremely small! I have a “closet” that is really a cupboard, a bed that is perfectly 6 feet long, with the addition of the thinnest mattress ever invented, and a desk that wraps around the back of the room that I’ll share with my roommate (who is not here yet). There is a window in the back of the room and when I look out I can see a huge bush, that kind of looks like a rhododendron bush, and lots of trees! I would say the room is 12ft x 10ft. There is a community bathroom just down the hall that I’ll share with 11 other girls! Even though the room is not that big, I really think it’s going to be okay! The best asset to my room is the air conditioner!

6) Coke LIGHT! Yes! Praise the Lord! They even have Coke Light in vending machines. In China I could barely ever find Coke Light.

7) People stare and occasionally laugh at us – same as in China. There was a group of 10 International Students, plus myself, who went shopping today! We caused quite a bit of attention.

I’m looking forward to meeting new people. There seems to be a lot of International Students. At the airport, there were students from New York, Maryland, Massachusetts, Connecticut, Switzerland, Austria, France, Germany, Great Britain…and New Student Orientation hasn’t even started yet! 

Life Update

One more life update...

This past week I had an interview for the Rotary Ambassadorial Scholarship - it is a scholarship to study internationally for a year for up to $25,000. 

Long story really short, is that I got the scholarship! So next year I will be getting my Masters in Business Administration! 

The next step is to now apply to the colleges I put on my scholarship application and get accepted...my first preference was Manchester Business College in Manchester, England! 

So this same time next year - 2010, I'll be off to another foreign land! 

In the words of a good friend..."this is the time of your life to EXPERIENCE"...and I'm experiencing! 

 

Fun WV To-Do's

I LOVE making LISTS...so here is my list of things that I want all of you who read my blog TO-DO, because I am missing out on all of this:

1.   1. Go to Fall Fest and enjoy Kelly Pickler, Akon, and Girl Talk

2.   2. Welcome all the freshmen and international students to WVU!

3.   3. Invite all the freshmen and international students to CRU meetings at 9pm G-24 Eiesland every Thursday night!

4.   4. Admire the West Virginia MOUNTAINS! You don’t realize how AMAZING they are until you leave!

5.   5. Go to a WVU Football Game and have TONS of fun!

6.   6. Eat Stuffing and Mashed Potatoes on Thanksgiving or just because you can!

7.   7. Dress up for Halloween…

8.   8. Go sit in Ming Heish Hall inside Ogleby and pretend like you’re in Hong Kong

9.   9. Go to my favorite place at WVU – the Rec Center…and workout/lift/run around the track!

1010. Use a fork to eat…

That’s my TOP 10 for now…but more are sure to come later… and if you have anything you want me to do in HONG KONG, I would love to know about it, and if humanly possible...I'll do it! 

TOP Hong Kong Questions and Answers...

I’m giving “blogging” one more go, as I head off to Hong Kong in 14 hours. Apparently friends and family like to be updated?! LOVE my friends and family!

TOP Hong Kong Questions and Answers

Question: When do I leave? How long will I be there?

Answer: TOMORROW (Aug 21) and I’ll be there 4 Months!

Question: Are you going with anyone?

Answer: Um…not really. Only one other student from WVU is studying at the University in Hong Kong that I’m going to. I’ve met him once and we’re Facebook friends! Haha

Question: Are you nervous/excited/have you cried?

Answer: I’m nervously excited and really, really anxious to GO! I’m so ready, and can’t wait to make the most of every opportunity and travel, not study that much, and make new friends. No, I’ll probably cry in about 2 weeks when I realize I’m in Hong Kong and this isn’t a joke.

Question: Are you going to marry an Asian man?

Answer: Um…probably not. I’m 5 foot 10, please keep this in mind.

Question: Where are you living?

Answer: I’m living in a student dorm on campus, and I’ll live with a national, so that means I’ll live with one other girl from Hong Kong or China.

Question: What are you studying?

Answer: The University has a business program that is basically the same as WVU, so I’ll be in upper level marketing and business classes. I might also take a history class and a Chinese language class.

Question: Can you speak Chinese?

Answer: Boo – haha that means “no” in Chinese! I know some basics, from being in China last summer, but I’m ready to learn more! Thankfully, so many people speak English there, that I should be fine.

Question: What is the weather like?

Answer: HUMIDDDD! 80% everyday!

Question: How do I talk to you?

Answer: Skype! SarahMariePerry is my Skype name. Or Facebook, add me as a friend! I won’t have my American cell phone to use in Hong Kong!