Ok. So I’m writing this in word and will post it once I get internet in my room. Monday is gonna be my magic day – I’ll get a student card which will get me air conditioning and internet access and dennis will arrive! Ooh – Kelly from across the hall just came by and refreshed my air-con credits. She uses her card to give me credits and I give her cash (1 hk dollar/hour - .15 canadian dollars)… not super convenient since it means I have to ration it. Now that I have three more blessed hours, I can stay up a bit later tonight!
got to my residence yesterday around lunchtime – the cabdriver and I had a heck of a time finding the place. Much easier by train. My room is on the fifth floor and overlooks the track. I’m right beside the lounge which has nothing but two plastic couches and an instant noodles vending machine. The other side of the building overlooks tolo harbour, which is quite scenic. My room is pretty small, though bigger than a totem park single. I even have a little sink area! The rules here are very strict – no boys in my room with the door closed, no boys after curfew, no booze, no overnight visitors of any kind…. All of the international students are in shock – there are cameras in the hallways and elevators that prevent any sort of shenanigans or tomfoolery.
Walked down to the train station to get my octopus card… it’s a card upon which I put credit and can buy tickets for any sort of public transit or make small purchases with a 7-11 and such. The train is great – gets me into the heart of kowloon in 20 minutes and the station is only a five minute walk from the dorm. I can already tell that it’s gonna be a lifesaver! First matter of business once I got the card – hit the mall in shatin (pronounced saa-teen…much like Nicole kidman in Moulin rouge). Other than the crowds, it’s paradise!!! I’m gonna hit up ikea after the seminar tomorrow.
The welcome dinner was delish. Turns out the 1st year class of mbas is only 23 students! They seem nice enough – they just got back from an outward bound trip and are all nicely bonded. Most of the foreign students (5 germans, 2 americans and some Taiwanese) live in my building. So far, only four exchange students have arrived; a Danish girl, a French girl, a Chinese girl and myself. We seem to get along well so far, but are a little out of sorts at orientation since we are second years, and all of the other participants are new students. I’m excited to meet the second years in class.
This morning we had a continental breakfast at the intercontinental hotel where the orientation is being held. I had forgotten about awesome asian continentals – real cake! Mmm…. Had two great speakers; Bernard chan and CK Chow. CK Chow spoke about MTR, and building new railways. He also used a lot of concepts that we worked with this summer – it was pretty cool to see a very well-respected (and knighted) CEO going all leadership vs. management on us. Lunch was dim sum and was 9 courses long! It’s now 9 hours later and I’m not even hungry yet!!! We had 4 assorted dumplings, scallop dumplings, grouper, chicken, seaweed salad, soup with tofu, fried rice, anko with dango (but the Chinese version) and petit fours. We then had to do exercises with a sports psychologist. Seriously. Now, none of you are going to believe this, but you should – it’s too absurd for me to make up. I was called up onto the stage today to demonstrate bicep curls. I apparently have perfect form. Turns out I also do fantastic oblique stretches…. I knew it!
Went wandering about tsim sha tsui after orientation. Granville street/Chatham street area down by the golden miles and chungking mansions (which still scare me). So many great shops full of weird Japanese clothes! And it’s all dirt cheap! I can’t wait to go back alone and spend some time actually looking at stuff. There were four of us tonight, and only two real shoppers. Not a super dynamic. i really could have used some of my Vancouver ladies tonight.
Tomorrow I get the results of the weird personality test. Everyone is super excited but at the same time half expecting to have secret police start following us around.
So, essentially (haha), I’m surviving in a slightly-maladjusted but pretty much expected kind of way.
Also, erin should be credited for the sleeps on a plane title.
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