High Table Dinner

Each floor in our student residence is considered a different hall. Each hall acts independently to plan events etc, just as if it was an entirely different residence building. Throughout the course of the year, every hall has one thing in common which is their own high table dinner. This is an opportunity for the hall members to dress up and experience a higher class western meal, complete with some wine and guest speakers. Formal attire is required, so what a more perfect time to try out our new suits from Shenzhen.

Mark and Jasper

The Swedes

Introductions (Some people are really shy)

Going out for some drinks after the dinner...

SOoo, We've been walking for a while, it's beautiful and all, but are we going to eat soon?

A village on STILTS!!! The Venice of Asia!!! Tai O!! is a small fishing village on Lantau island about 15 min away by bus from the Big Buddha. This post comes about a month after the trip... we've been busy with school... so... sorry? But anyway, it was a great trip and we got to finally explore a village that seemed more or less untouched by a lot of the modernization around Hong Kong. I'll make this post short and let the pictures speak for themselves (I hope). I will just mention that while we were there we took a boat tour for $2.50US around the village and did a full circle around the area and out to the ocean. We also met on our way back an old man named Binky who gave us some kumquats he had picked and processed, and then proceeded to give us a 2 hour personal tour throughout the village even though we had just asked him where a good restaurant was. He was very nice, and spoke a lot about the history and future of the area and about his life in the village. He eventually led us to a small local restaurant where we ate some good food and relaxed after a lot of walking that day. We grabbed a late night bus and headed back home to head back to the reality of 10 hrs of school a day, away from this .

Campus Life is Crazy

Here are some photo's to give you a little glimpse into our life on campus. Although our actual studio is underground, this still can give you an idea of the school itself. Their grassy area seems like a Chia pet compared to the oval at Ohio State, but honestly Im surprised that they even have even that much.

(Not) Just Another Night at Karaoke

Since being in Hong Kong, we have had the fortune of being able to experience the phenomenon that is karaoke on multiple occasions. Yes, they do love it here. Our experiences have involved karaoke while eating lunch or dinner (called K-Lunch/Dinner), and other times while just enjoying it over some drinks at a local bar. This experience in particular was in celebration of one of our classmate's birthday. We call him Chu, but you can call him Jack.

We went along with 15 of our classmates to this local karaoke place called California Red. The only way that I can describe the interior is to say that it looks a lot like what I would imagine the inside of some sort of Amsterdam sex club to look like. Hallway after hallway of small soundproof rooms, each with their own TV screen and seating area, complete with dim lighting and glowing colorful walls. It is really a sight to see. There is even a small army of workers bustling between rooms to deliver food and clean the tables.

After we arrived, we all partook in the buffet dinner and let the festivities begin. They had quite a good English song selection, and Mark and I definitely tried our hands at some old classics like "Purple Rain" and "Desperado" and "In the Air Tonight", much to the displeasure of our local friends who had to endure our pitchless wailing until their songs could come back on. But just because their songs were in cantonese didn't mean they could keep the microphones from us, or keep us quiet. One of the highlights of the night came when the live Michael Jackson song, "Beat It", from one of his tours came on. Something went wrong, and no words showed up on the screen so that nobody could sing along...but nobody seemed to want to switch to the next song. Everyone in the room just became captured by the performance, even without much of Michael's vocal volume, just because it was that cool.

Needless to say, the night was pretty fun. We got to connect with our classmates even more, and I would say we will probably do it again before we leave.

Big Buddha and Ngong Ping

Last week we went to Lantau Island to explore, it's about an hour away by ferry from the student halls so we dragged ourselves out of bed and headed out.. tired.

We made it to a small town that was full of bicycles called Mui Wo (wanted to ride them), but didn't stay to explore and instead hopped on a bus to head to the top of the mountain to see the world's largest Buddha statue. The bus rides are almost like riding roller coasters, it is as if they took taxi drivers and just stuck them in buses, but did not tell them they were driving buses. They take these tiny winding roads at 60 or 70 km/hr, weaving between bicyclists and often trying to pass other cars all the while swerving up and down these tiny roads with cliffs on the side. Sometimes we drive straight through low hanging trees and the branches smack the bus like thunder or you go over bumps and are almost thrown from your seat.. very fun stuff. After about an hour bus ride we made it to the top and piled on out to see the big guy.

Walking up the 268 steps to the top he really is an impressive site as he just seems impossibly large. In fact, there is a museum beneath him and you can walk up stairs to reach him and walk out of his hip and get a great 360 deg view of the surrounding area. Just near the Big Buddha is a temple that we walked over to where people were burning incense outside of, and nearby a small vegetarian restaurant. We ended up having a nice meal there with some friends we met up with and just enjoyed the clean air and great weather and views.

Afterwards we decided to head to Tai O, a small fishing village on the southern tip of the island, but we stopped off in a little Chopstick Gallery first. The post on Tai O will come a little later.

Meeting new people

Back home it always seems forced when you try to strike up a conversation with a stranger. Too often there is some ulterior motive and not enough genuine interest or curiosity. In Hong Kong we have met loads of people through just strange and often very rewarding coincidences. Whether it is sitting in a coffee shop and someone walks up and joins you at the table to talk and learn more about you, or sitting in restaurants with a bunch of locals. Restaurants here do not divide up the seating based on groups of people, if there is a table that seats 4 and only 2 people are sitting there, you will join them. We've met handfuls of locals that once we are introduced and talk for a little often will volunteer walking us around or exploring the surrounding area. Everyone is extremely nice and helpful and just have an abundance of curiosity as well as pride for their city.

Meeting other westerners is strange too, often because their seems to be an unconscious assumption that you should already know them because they are a westerner in HK. All too often we meet new exchange students simply by waiting for an elevator or eating in a restaurant. At one point during someone will turn and in fewer words say, "You don't look like you are from here, what's your name, where are you from, we should hang out some time." And we usually agree, especially if they are girls (what?).

A good example of the randomness of meeting people was the other week when we were out during some festivities in the city with our swedish roommates. As is the custom I believe in all international friendships you first learn each others foul language and then move on to the more, I don't want to say useful... but maybe appropriate language. Anyway, we had just learned 'Visa tuttarna' or 'show me your boobs' in swedish and believed it to be hilarious. So of course we needed to practice saying it aloud or else we have a hard time remembering it and much to our surprise after saying it we saw some heads turn. There was a group of westerners sitting on some steps having some drinks and I walked over apprehensively, pointed and said, "....Swedish?" They nodded and everyone laughed realizing the situation and we ended up talking for a while and giving them suggestions for travel around Hong Kong, they were just visiting for a few days seeing the sights.

Hong Kong has been great, we are meeting fantastic and interesting people who love meeting new people, trying new foods and activities, and being in a new or old place.

Multicultural or "Multi-Culti" Night

Our hall does a very good job at planning events every week for the residents. There are posters in the elevators advertising beach BBQ trips, hotpot dinners, tea receptions, etc - none of which we have ever had time to attend.

However, one of the most popular events each semester is Multicultural night. This is when all the exchange students from each country are invited to set up a booth and bring some native food to share with the visitors. There is a competition for the best booth, and after the food tasting is somewhat of a "talent show" where each country can perform something for the audience.

Some of the highlights were...
Meatballs and Absolut Vodka at the Swedish booth
Homemade apple pies and a Jeopardy game at the USA booth
Homemade Sangria served out of a giant tub for Spain
The French had crepes and wine (of course)

Mark and I had no affiliation with the USA booth, and really didn't even know who was organizing it. So much for staying involved with the homeland.