Exploring Community and Culture Through Exchange

Classes are over, and I'm already beginning to prep for final exams. It still feels like I'm just getting my bearings in Hong Kong, but the year is already half-way over!

Anyway, I really wanted to take this opportunity to explain how influential the humanities course has been. Community and Cultural Identity (HUMA 3630) was, by far, my favorite class this semester, and possibly one of the most interesting courses I've taken throughout my university experience. The objective of the course is to provide students (mostly locals in the School of Humanities and Social Science) with the analytical skills to study how we create and differentiate groups, communities, and cultures. However, in reality, this class forces students to consider how they identify themselves and interact with others.

Lectures/Tutorials: Twice a week, for two hours, we would have traditional lectures on social theories, historical context, and different methods of analyzing social groups. For the most part, these were my least favorite part of the class... but I generally dislike long lectures. However, the professor went out of his way to make sure we were paying attention and participating. Everyone was expected to answer at least one question per lecture, and provide some comments or questions during discussions. Our professor also included specific, local examples to show how these theories can be applied to local concepts. We talked a lot about Hong Kong history, specifically examining South Asian minorities, distinct groups of Chinese immigrants like the Hakka, modern trans-national families, and, of course, the student protests.

Our professor even participated in an on-campus forum about the protests.

Additionally, it was really interesting to get a Chinese perspective on Western history, philosophy, and sociological theories. You know how in high school, we covered Chinese history in about one week, rushing through a couple of dynasties, the Opium wars, and the Communist revolution? In this class we covered all of Western civilization in two days. The important bits are apparently the Greeks, the Romans, the Middle Ages, and Modernity. It's a weird portrait, and it really forced me to put my knowledge of Chinese history into perspective. This also placed me under a lot of pressure throughout the class. As a Genetics major, I can say with confidence that I'm no expert on Greco-Roman history, America's 20th century anti-Chinese immigration policies, or current movements of Chinese businessmen abroad, but I was frequently called out to explain historical backgrounds or current Western perspectives. It is really difficult to sum up several centuries of Western racism in three sentences, but I tried.

Field Trips: Throughout the semester, there were three planned field trips for the class. We all needed to attend at least one, but we were welcome to all. Unfortunately, I was only able to attend one of these trips, nonetheless I learned a lot. Each field trip focused on a different minority group around Hong Kong; the Hakka, Pakistanis & Indians, and a unique rural village in the New Territories. By studying each group's cultural event, conducting on-site interviews, and doing a little independent research, we were to piece together an idea of how these groups maintain their identity within the larger Hong Kong community.

Way back when, before Hong Kong was taken as a British colony, but after most of the Chinese residents had already settled, a group of Hakka Chinese migrated to Hong Kong island. Together they established a small fishing and farming community and managed relatively well. According to legend, one year, before the Mid-Autumn festival, there was a huge typhoon. Along with the waves of water, a giant python appeared in the village, eating livestock and threatening the villagers. The brave villagers managed to kill the python, but soon afterwards, a mysterious plague began killing many of the Hakka. A priest declared that the python had been the son of the Dragon King of the Ocean, and he had sent the plague as punishment. The only way to save the village was to perform an elaborate fire dragon dance. A huge straw dragon, studded with thousands of sticks of burning incense was carried by the Hakka men all throughout the village for three days, until the plague was gone. The ritual is repeated every year by the Hakka community.

Now, the old Hakka village has been replaced with high rises, as central Hong Kong has been built up over the years. The area has become gentrified with western restaurants and luxury apartment building. Nearly all of the Hakka people have been forced out of the area, and are now scattered throughout the New Territories. However, with the support of the Hong Kong government, the Jockey Club charities, and, most importantly, the strong communal ties that continue to bond these people, the ritual continues as an important cultural tourism event. Government officials are invited to the lighting of the dragon while expats and mainland tourists eagerly flock to watch the spectacle. Despite this, the Hakka community still maintains ownership over the ritual. A religious ceremony takes place at the local temple, where only Hakka community leaders are invited to participate. The majority of the volunteer  organizers, musicians, and dragon-runners are Hakka. And the ceremony continues to be a source of strength and pride for the Hakka community.

Community Service: The third component of the class was, to me at least, the most interesting. Everyone was required to complete at least 15 hours of service with an organization that works with South Asian minorities in Hong Kong. I was selected to work with Caritas Ngau Tau Kok on a number of different projects within their Ethnic Minorities (EM) outreach program. South Asian minorities, particularly Pakistani, Nepalese, and certain ethnic groups from India, face discrimination, lower socio-economic status, and little or no access to Chinese-language education, disconnecting them from the majority Hong Kong society. Caritas works with these minority groups to address a few key problems; Chinese language lessons, after-school tutoring for children, public housing assistance, and connection to the Chinese community.

Our first project focused on the dearth of large, affordable housing for large immigrant families. In shifts, we visited an apartment compound with a large number of Pakistani immigrants. The compound was being systematically bought out by a developer, and Caritas estimates that all of the tenants will be forced to leave sometime next year. We administered questionnaires to the residents to get a better idea of their awareness of the issue and identify their needs. Pakistani families are generally larger than local Chinese families (averaging four to five children per household, as opposed to one or two) and have significantly lower income levels, due to the lack of job opportunities for minorities and that the wife traditionally stays at home. It is, therefore, very difficult for these families to find adequate housing. Many of the families we interviewed had been waiting for public housing for five to seven years, and didn't know where they would go if they were forced out of their current apartments.

Our second project was to host a town-hall style meeting for both the Chinese and EM residents to attend. There, the two graduate students led a discussion about the current situation, future options for the residents, and they attempted to answer the residents' questions. From the beginning, the group self-segregated, EM women in the back, Chinese families to the left, and EM men to the right. The gap between the two groups only continued to widen throughout the meeting, as the graduate students slowly translated conversations for each group to understand. It was interesting to watch how these two groups interacted. While they all shared the same concerns, there was no sense that the two sides were at all connected by this issue.

The third project was to attend weekly tutoring sessions for Pakistani high schoolers at the Caritas community center. They mostly focus on Chinese and math tutoring, as these are two key areas where EM students traditionally fall behind, but on the day I attended, I worked with a couple of female students to draft an English essay about teen pregnancy. The students were basically like all students everywhere; fun to talk with, curious about me and the United States, and willing to do almost anything to distract themselves from their homework. I had a lot of fun. While I'm obviously useless as a Chinese tutor, I have been invited back to continue helping students with their writing and math homework.

Our final project was a community and cultural fair for local Chinese residents to learn more about South Asian culture and to interact with EM people. Visitors stopped by different stations to learn about different foods from around the region, receive a name in Urdu, practice their cricket skills, and get a henna tattoo! The children had a lot of fun running around playing the games, and it was nice to see the locals and minorities interacting more than they usually did. Of course, it wasn't a complete success, there were a fair number of people racing to get through each of the stations to to get their final prize, but overall in some small way I think we contributed a little bit the the greater understanding between these two groups of people. At the very least, I gained many new friends and memories from the experience.

A Day in My Life at HKUST

7:00 My alarm jars me awake, and I slowly climb down from my lofted bed. My two roommates are still asleep, so I try not to make too much noise as I clumsily assemble the ingredients for coffee. My French press is perhaps the most valuable thing I own here, as coffee options on campus are pretty bleak.

This is my bed/desk! 

There's not a whole lot of room, but it's enough for me.

8:30 After I drain two cups of coffee, read through my emails, and catch up on what everyone on the other side of the world has been up to (thank you Facebook and Twitter!), I pack my bag and head out to school.

 Watching the sun rise over the bay is never disappointing!

8:45 The entire campus is set on a mountainside, meaning everything is arranged vertically. In theory, you could walk along the sidewalk to get to the main academic building, but no one actually does this. There is a series of walkways and elevators that runs up the center of campus that everyone uses instead. They are convenient, but crowded during passing times.  At 9:00 they usually aren’t too bad, and you can generally get into an elevator pretty quickly.

One of two sections of the bridge linking the dorms to the academic building.

9:00 I sit down to enjoy some breakfast… er, dim sum.  HKUST is pretty isolated, so there are no real off-campus food options. On campus there are a few major food options, and unfortunately they are mostly less than ideal. For western (ish) food there is Einstein’s café, Milano Fresh, Ebenezer’s, or McDonalds. They are building a Starbucks on campus, but that won’t be finished until next year. For Chinese food there is Seafront Cafe, Asia Pacific Catering, Golden Rice bowl, the fancy Chinese restaurant on the ground floor, or the cafeteria on LG1. The LG1 cafeteria is widely considered the best on campus, so that’s where I eat most of the time. The baos are usually served around 8:30 or 9:00, and they sell out quickly, so hurry in.

I missed the baos today, but did manage to snag some fried noodles... Don't forget the chili sauce!

9:30 First lecture of the day; Plant Biotechnology.  This is a pretty large class, with roughly 70 students, and the professors move through material very quickly.  Attendance isn’t recorded, but the lecture slides are mostly composed of excerpts from actual research paper and require some serious interpretation. There are no breakout discussion sessions, and the weekly tutorial session usually ends up being another lecture.  Raising your hand to ask question during lecture is not actively discouraged, but the professor will get frustrated if lecture is frequently interrupted, and most of the local students never speak up during class. Instead, office hours and meetings outside of class are the best way to get your questions answered.

10:30 After lecture, I head to the library’s study space in LG4. I have ninety minutes before my next class, which I mainly used to study for the Foreign Service Officer Test, catches up on lecture notes, or looking up cat videos.

LG4 is quiet, has comfy chairs, floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking the bay,  and plenty of outlets... what more could you ask for

12:00 Chinese for Non-Chinese Background Students level 7 begins.  HKUST’s Language Department is working on adapting the Chinese language classes for non-local students. It’s a bit of a work in progress, because students from the US generally have very different experience from Indonesian or Korean students. At times, this class is incredibly frustrating; lectures are only twice a week, there is very little opportunity to speak in class, we are responsible for learning roughly one hundred vocabulary words a week, and I often feel like I’m in over my head. However, my classmates are absolutely wonderful and friendly, our professor is a sweetheart and funny, and I am slowly growing my Chinese vocabulary. Hong Kong isn’t the ideal place to study Chinese for a number of reasons, but I keep sticking with it because language classes are a fantastic ways to connect to a culture and make new friends!

2:00 Depending on what day of the week it is, I generally have several hours off in the afternoon. In addition to a quick workout and/or nap, this is the main period I use to work on some of my class projects. In addition to the midterm and final exams (which are slightly terrifying and nearly always graded on a bell-curve), most classes assign a long-term group project or a paper, or sometimes both. In my Personalized Medicine course, student groups are responsible for diagnosing patients in weekly case studies and presenting the genetic origins of the disease.  Additionally, we were individually assigned a genetic disease that we needed to characterize and identify a series of five SNPs that could be used as a genetic test for the disease. Similarly to Madison, professors emphasize using primary research, interpreting technical data, and presenting your findings in a clear and informative way. Ooh! And lunch! I tend to spring for a nice lunch, because by this point I'm ravenous. I recommend Ebenezer's falafel gyro or Milano's create your own salad.

I'm usually also knitting during class. As long as you are in lecture and paying attention, the professors don't seem to mind. Also, I've heard rumors that there isn't really central heating in Hong Kong... so I need to prepare. 

5:00 I head out to evening lecture. On Wednesdays, this is my Community & Cultural Identity class, which is by far my favorite class I’ve taken so far. The professor is knowledgeable, funny, and really tries to engage the class. Using different perspectives from each of the social sciences, the course analyzes what how community and culture have evolved over time, and in particular how it impacts minorities in Hong Kong. It’s been interesting to get the Hong Kong perspective on migration, race relations, US immigration policy, and the recent protests. As one of two American students in the class, it’s been especially challenging. Trying to condense hundreds of years of racism down to three sentences is tough, as is explaining the background to anti-Chinese laws in the 20^th century, and the limitations of the current US political system, but it has definitely been rewarding.  If you want a deeper look at Hong Kong history, culture, and identity definitely take this course!

We were also required to complete some volunteer work for this class. I worked with Caritas, a Catholic charity that works with underprivileged locals and Pakistani immigrants to increase access to resources and education. Above is a picture of the apartment complex that many Pakistani families lived in, but are now being forced out of. We helped with an education campaign to help these families find new housing.

6:30-7:00 Dinner time! Or, if it is Wednesday, I run to catch a bus to get to the subway to head to the IFC in Central to grab some coffee and chat with other knitters. Every other weeknight I usually head back down towards the dorms and stop by Seafront for a bowl of noodles. I'm not a fan of their rice-based foods, but the noodles are pretty good, especially with a liberal dose of chili sauce. 

8:00 Back in the room, for some more FSOT studying. I'm a big fan of the Hong Kong Public Library, and usually have a stack of books on various topics to choose from. Also, the Dane County Public Library System has an e-book lending program, which has been a fantastic resource for me while I'm abroad. I really enjoyed reading Why Nations Fail by Daron Acemoglu and James Robinson, and found it pretty helpful on the exam. 

I'm also trying to catch up on some classics... college really cuts into your reading time.

9:30 Depending on how my week has been going (and how hungry I am) I may go on a half-price sushi run. In the Hang Hau mall, there is a sushi restaurant/ vendor that marks down all of their products after 9pm. Given that Hong Kong is a former fishing village, that the shop is only a fifteen minute bus ride away, and that I can get a full platter of good sushi for less than $10, its a pretty good deal.

11:00 Get ready to go to sleep... this usually involves more cat videos. 

1:00 AM Some group of students outside our dorm begins yelling/singing/chanting. This happens nearly every night without fail. I'm not really sure why... some times its obviously exchange students coming back from a night out, but other times it is student organizations calling out slogans in Cantonese. At any rate, once this dies down, it is quiet for the rest of the night, and I can rest up for the next day's adventures.

Group cheers are strangely popular on campus. In this video, three business student associations battle in a clap off. 

Not every day is a huge adventure or pilgrimage to some far-flung island, but I'm really enjoying my little routine here in Hong Kong. Some things are familiar and remind me of home, but everything is just different enough to remind me how far I've come, and how little time I have. It feels like midterms just finished, and now I'm rushing to finish a variety of final projects. Truly, time flies when you are having fun!

Hiking in Hong Kong

When I first imagined life in Hong Kong, I pictured a huge modern city, endless baskets of dim sum, and malls every few blocks. When I arrived, I was pleasantly surprised at how much green space is built into the city.  

HKUST campus is especially beautiful, as it is built on a wooded mountainside overlooking Clearwater Bay. The picture below is was taken just down the hill from my dorm. It's wonderful!

There are lots of parks scattered about the city too! Victoria Park is one of the largest, and is frequented by elderly people practicing Tai-chi, Indonesian domestic workers relaxing and having picnics on their day off, and is frequently decorated for Chinese holidays. Tamar Park (pictured below) is also frequented by locals, especially during the Occupy Central protests because it is right next to the government offices. 

Beyond hedges and public parks, Hong Kong also has dozens of gorgeous beaches, which are perfect for a day of napping and studying. I like visiting Discovery Bay on Lantau Island on days when I don't have class. 

When I need to escape the crowds and head further afield, I love journeying to Sai Kung and hiking through the Sai Kung East County Park. The hikes vary from easy hour jaunts through the woods, to all day mountain trekking around the reservoir. 

Last week I joined up with a group of exchange students and did an epic 6 hour hike to the Tai Shing Stream. I don't think we ever actually found the stream, but we did run into some feral cows, gorgeous mountaintop views of Shenzhen, and a waterfall, so it was worth it. 

One of my favorite things about being here for a year is that I know I've got plenty of time to see and do anything I want.  I appreciate having the opportunity to explore at my own pace, not being afraid to get temporarily misplaced (because you are never truly lost), and finding adventure in unexpected places. I'm already a quarter of the way through my time in Hong Kong, and already it has been such an enriching experience. I cannot wait to see what the future brings!

The Umbrella Movement

As a reminder, my internship with the U.S. State Department ended two months ago.  The following is my own personal assessment, I am in no way associated with the U.S. government, and do not speak on their behalf.

If you had told me that during my first few months abroad, Hong Kong would erupt in protest, I would have laughed at you. And yet, here we are, thirty days after the initial outcries, with both sides showing no sign of giving up.  There are many fantastic reports providing blow-by-blow analysis and historical context (I recommend this, this, and this), so I won’t write about that.

Instead, I want to focus on what my anthropology professor calls the “Civic Awakening of Hong Kong’s Youth.” For HKUST students, simply being a student is difficult. Courses are designed in a hybrid East-meets-West education system; lots of lectures and memorization, but then complex application of knowledge on exams and in projects. Compounding this, most, if not all, classes are graded on a curve, adding a competitive edge to achievement. The most popular hangout on weekends and holidays is the library. These are perhaps some of the least politically minded people I have ever met; a HKUST newspaper politely called the student population “politically apathetic”, most others at Hong Kong University or City University simply say that UST students care more about their grades than anything else.

And yet, slowly, over the course of several days, my classrooms began emptying, hallways were littered with posters, and it seemed like every other person was wearing a yellow ribbon. And, to their credit, each of my professors took this in stride. Everyone issued warnings about safety, especially after tear gas was used, relaxed attendance policies, and began recording lectures. Everyone in class were constantly checking their phones, eagerly looking at the latest news on Whatsapp or Twitter. Protesters armed with phone holders to #protestselfies with abandon. My Facebook feed is now a three-way tie between pictures of parties, babies, and protests. What began as some dissatisfied students sitting in a park doing homework has risen to the level of international news, at a time when Ebola was (is) raging over West Africa. This is no mean feat.

Most of my classmates are not members of the Hong Kong super-elite. They struggle to pay rent, survive on instant noodles and disgusting cafeteria food, and are working hard to prepare for what is likely to be a tough future. They were born in Hong Kong. They grew up in post-handover Hong Kong. They will battle corruption, crony-capitalism, and fierce competition from peers all over the world. They are, first and foremost, Hong Kong-ers. They are good kids, struggling in a time of transition, both for Hong Kong and Mainland China. For the past month, they have shown their strength.

My personal opinion doesn’t really matter here. As many times as I’ve gone out to interview students and citizens at protest sites, as many news articles and twitter feeds I follow, I’m still not getting the complete picture. And that’s okay. It’s not my fight.  Whether or not the Beijing government will allow Hong Kong residents to freely elect their representatives is, ultimately, one small piece of a much larger trend. Ripple effects are being felt in Mainland-Taiwan relations. Mainland visitors in Hong Kong have a variety of views, which they will bring back to their hometowns. China faces many challenges in the coming years, which will undoubtedly have global consequences. Watch this space, because these young students have potentially kicked-off a global phenomenon.

加油科大！

University of Stress & Tension: 5 Ways to Make Life at HKUST Easier

Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (also known as the University of Stress and Tension) is one of the world's leading academic institutions, and is widely recognized as one of the top universities in Asia. Their science, engineering, and business programs are incredibly well respected, and anyone admitted to the school should be proud. That being said, there is absolutely no reason that any UW-Madison student should feel unprepared or unwelcome on this campus. Below are five tips I've learned during my transition into life at HKUST.


1. Don't stress over enrollment. 

Unlike Madison, where you have the ability to select courses months ahead of the beginning of the semester, here at HKUST, everyone enrolls the week before classes start. Seats are often limited, but throughout the enrollment period and first two weeks of class, students are constantly adding and dropping courses, so don't worry if you end up on the wait list. However, I have heard that laboratory classes and math courses are especially difficult to get into, so plan accordingly. Additionally, if you are planning on enrolling in any upper level courses, be prepared to submit special enrollment authorization requests proving that you have completed the necessary prerequisites. For example, I needed to explain that I have already taken courses in molecular biology (biochemistry), microbiology, and introductory genetics to enroll in my 4000-level plant biotechnology course. Also, while HKUST officially states that all courses are taught in English, I ran into a number of courses offered by the Humanities Department that were only taught in Cantonese or Mandarin, so double check the requirements before enrolling!

 
2. Don't stress about transferring your credits. 

I recommend talking with your advisor(s) before you leave for HKUST, and creating a general plan for the types of courses you hope to take while abroad. While course offerings differ from semester to semester, and sometimes you need to make last-minute changes, it is nice to know some general requirements for courses within your major. If, for whatever reason your first advisor doesn't seem willing or able to help, don't be afraid to reach out to other advisors within the department. Remember, everyone at UW-Madison wants you to succeed, and it is generally recognized that the courses offered at HKUST are roughly equivalent to UW-Madison courses. However, if you are really worried, take a look at list of previously approved course transfers on the IAP website.


3. Remember: English is the official language, not the first language.

HKUST is a wonderfully diverse campus with students and faculty from around the world. Everyone has different backgrounds, perspectives, and strengths, and I think that adds a lot to the campus community. And, while English is the official classroom language, it is pretty much everyone's second (or third or fourth) language. All of the professors are proficient in English, however, the can get flustered in front of a classroom of 70 students. Be patient, and don't be afraid to ask for clarification. Outside of class, it seems like most conversations are conducted in a variety of languages, including, but not limited to, English. Emails, event advertisements, meetings in the dorms, and casual conversations will always be in Chinese (usually Cantonese), but often include English translations. I try to remember that this is all a part of the Hong Kong experience, and don't allow it to affect my mood. No one is intentionally excluding me, they are simply more comfortable speaking in Chinese.


4. Get over the awkwardness and talk to people.

Yes, it is weird to get up and introduce yourself to a stranger. I get it. There are a few tricks to making this less awkward (open with a question, ask for a suggestion, comment on the weather, etc) but by and large I find the entire process of making new friends uncomfortable, and that's okay. I don't need to be best friends with everyone, but having one or two friends in each class makes my life much easier and less stressful. Of course, HKUST has some unique challenges: the dorm room doors are too heavy to block open, it is difficult to break join a Cantonese conversation, and there isn't really a good coffee shop hangout on campus, however none of these are insurmountable. I find that a smile, a bit of humor, and an honest desire to hear about other peoples' lives works wonders. Also, if you are looking to make local friends, you aren't going to find them at Lan Kwai Fong, go explore some other neighborhoods!

5. Schedule time for yourself. 

Being an exchange student is stressful. Adjusting to a new culture (along with taking challenging courses, keeping up with all of the administrative requirements, applying for internships and jobs, and trying to develop a social life!) is difficult. I try to keep all of the craziness in balance by taking time to relax, reflect, and renew my energy. For me, this could be an half-hour work out mid-day to psych myself up for my 5 PM class, a fresh cup of fair trade coffee from my french press in the morning, sitting down to write a journal entry (or blog post!), or taking a book out to the beach for some reading. I also limit my time spent on social media or skyping with friends back home. I find that if I am constantly checking Facebook or calling home more than once or twice a week, I become homesick and stress myself out more.

That's it for now! I'm still learning as I go along, but I'm having a wonderful time. People have been wonderful and welcoming, I'm excited about a number of my classes, and Hong Kong is a fascinating place to be living right now.

Welcome to Hong Kong!

So... I should have probably written this last week, or the week before. Its nearly a month into the school year, and already I don't know where the time has gone. It is insane. Anyway... I'm going to try to capture some of my favorite moments and first impressions of the city this week, and next week post more about my school.

1. Arriving in Guangzhou after a 40 hour train ride was... difficult. I was exhausted, smelly, unable to communicate with anyone, and incredibly frustrated. Thankfully, within a couple of hours I was on a quiet, clean, and spacious bullet train to Hong Kong. I love bullet trains... this felt like heaven.

2. My joy was made complete after arriving at HKUST, taking a shower, and finally having a bed that was not only not on a moving train, but was also far enough away from the ceiling so I can sit up in bed. Its the little things.

3. There are restaurants, coffee shops, and malls EVERYWHERE! It is kind of glorious. At any given moment, I have access to caffein, air conditioning, and all kinds of food. One thing I've really missed in past trips to the mainland is having access to a variety of cuisines. The ability to eat authentic and local Chinese food AND tacos AND Pad Thai AND hipster salads AND Italian pasta AND fusion food is amazing.

4. While I came here knowing that Cantonese is the main dialect, I wasn't expecting Cantonese to be so completely incomprehensible, Mandarin Chinese to be so little spoken, and for English to be so wide spread. Locals (with the major exception of cab drivers) are very likely going to be able to speak excellent English.

5. If you need to interact with someone who doesn't speak English (or Mandarin) always fall back on pointing, body language, smiling, and laughing. Even if you don't get your point across, you will at least make a positive (if strange) impression.

6. You can usually guess at how wealthy someone is by their watch. No one has cars, apartments are small, so lots of wealthy Hong Kong natives spend a significant amount of money on watches and jewelry. On campus, backpacks and shoes usually are a good proxy.

7. While the library on campus is nice for quick study/AC breaks, the Central Public Library is absolutely stunning. It is centrally located, near a subway (MTR) station, has lots of books, computers, magazines, tables, seats, and outlets! Best of all, if you are like me, it is almost completely silent, despite being very busy.

8. The subway! This is, hands down, the best public transportation system I have ever experienced. While I do wish that the buses that connect the campus to the city ran more frequently, the subway is flawless... even during rush hour.

9. At first, I wasn't sold on Cantonese food. But I think that had more to do with the poorly prepared cafeteria food than the cuisine itself. Out it the city, I am overwhelmed by all of the amazing smells and foods that I want to try.

10. However, I have found some unexpected (and rather unpleasant) surprises. On campus there is a cafeteria that lets you choose what ingredients to put into a bowl of noodle soup, and usually I order a handful of fish balls, some zucchini, some bok choi, and maybe some tofu. Except, I don't know any Cantonese... so I usually point at the small sample displayed on the counter. Unfortunately, I didn't point at the fish balls (which are like ping pong balls, small and white), I pointed at the cheese balls. In my defense, they look nearly identical, except for the small orange speckles. But they definitely don't taste the same.

11. Hong Kong milk tea is significantly less sweet than the Taiwanese milk tea (with tapioca pearls) served in the mainland. I'm guessing the British influence has something to do with this.

12. Paying for things with coins is weird.  I am constantly forgetting about my coins, and now I have a pretty good stockpile. Hong Kong has a different currency than the mainland, and so they issue different bills and coins, which seem to be (surprise!) modeled after British currency.

13. One more colonial leftover: they drive on the left side of the road! I am always forgetting about this, and looking the wrong way before crossing the street. Fortunately, the Hong Kong city planners have prepared for foreign tourists by helpfully panting "Look Left" or "Look Right" on nearly every crosswalk.

14. Hong Kong covers a relatively small, mountainous area, so everything is built vertically instead of horizontally. There are lots and lots of stairs and elevators to navigate every day.

15. People actually wait in lines here! It is amazing, one of those small things that I didn't really appreciate before.
16. No one pays any attention to me! I'm not called out, no one stares, and I have yet to hear anyone call me a lao wai.

17. This is a fantastic city to explore on any budget, but it is very easy to go over budget. I'm trying hard to be aware of my own limits... and avoiding most of the cool stationary stores or yarn stores around town.

18. There is so much to see and do here! I've been "station hopping", i.e. picking a random subway station, getting off, and exploring new neighborhoods. Thus far, I've covered a lot of central Hong Kong Island and a bit of Kowloon, but I hope to begin venturing out into the New Territories this weekend.

19. Monsoons are pretty common this time of year, so the weather seems to jump from beautiful, sunny and warm, to pouring rain and wicked winds pretty quickly. You need a good rain jacket or a sturdy umbrella to stay dry.

20. I've also begun switching over from using my nice (but bulky) camera to my iPod. Logistically, in a city as crowded as Hong Kong, this is easier. I also want to try and make a point of distinguishing myself from the tourists. I enjoy doing tourist-y things, but I also want to be respectful of the others around me as I begin venturing out into less well-known areas. That being said, feel free to follow me on Instagram and take a more informal view of the city.