School started a few weeks back and we are finally feeling like we have some sort of routine. However, if you know anything about us - we like our life busy, busy, busy. We find ourselves a little bored at times without work, AKPsi and our many extra-curricular activities. But, this is the perfect chance to enjoy the culture and relax before heading into the real world in the next few months.
Classes are quite a bit different than back at ASU. The courses are very heavily weighted on a final examination and also give many points for English proficiency (which is great for us!). Amanda is taking courses in Financial Planning, Mandarin, Financial Systems in China, and Management. Caitlin is taking HK-China Business, Operations Management, Quality Management, Financial Planning, and some Cantonese lessons. The Chinese language is extremely difficult. There are many tones, and quite frankly, they all sound so similar. Caitlin has only had one class, hopefully she will pick up more as time goes on. It has been so interesting learning about the history of China and I (Caitlin) am really beginning to understand how China has made such huge strides in business over the past few decades. I am becoming more and more grateful to have chosen to come to Asia!
To give some insights into the teaching style here in HK, here is a lesson from Amanda's Management course. The teacher apparently posted this photo (left) and said, "Manage people so they do not become human meat."Let's just say that people are much more blunt here than in the US.
Last week we attended a horse race at the Happy Valley Raceway in Hong Kong Island. There are weekly horse races held on Wednesdays and Sundays. You can bet on the horses for HKD 10 (a little more than USD 1). We placed a few bets but were very unsuccessful. The race was incredibly crowded with onlookers, but was filled with many expats, tourists, exchange students, and a few HK locals. We were enjoying the night until it started down pouring. After reaching shelter and finding our way to the tram, we went out in Wan Chai and enjoyed the rest of the night.
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| Placing bets... go #5!!! |
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| Happy Valley Raceway |
Last Friday Amanda and I went on a boat trip around Victoria Harbor. Sounds nice right? Have you ever heard of a bad boat trip? That's what we thought.....
There is a student at one of the universities that plans events for all HK exchange students. He actually planned the very interesting dinner with the duck feet and Greek decor. We found out that he is a "professional" event planner and actually turns a profit from our events. Anyways, on to the story... We met at the harbor at 6pm Friday night for our nice, relaxing tour around the harbor. After waiting until 8pm for the boats to arrive and drinks/refreshments to be loaded onto the boat, we finally were able to choose which boat we wanted to take. So, we chose the last boat thinking that we would enjoy our company on the boat - they looked pretty chill, nice students and a few locals. While many of the people on our boat were very nice, there were a few sour apples (to say the least).
So the boat finally takes off, we are touring the harbor - it's a little warm and muggy, but we had a beautiful view of the light show. Then, a gentleman comes over to join our conversation. Of course he has had a few drinks, feeling very open to sharing interesting details about himself and not opposed to leaning into everyone's personal space. After he shared with us his desire to pole and lap dance, we finally convinced him to head downstairs on the boat to grab a drink (...the drinks were terrible). And he was gone.... "phew," we thought. But then the unimaginable happened - lightening, thunder, and pouring rain. Amanda and I have collected 4 umbrellas so far - each time it rains, we NEVER have an umbrella. Typical.
We ran downstairs to get shelter as the boat was rocking back and forth with the unhappy tide. Finding a spot next to our friends from PolyU we anticipated that driver would head back to harbor given the terrible storm. But we were wrong. The boat kept on it's track around the harbor for about 20 minutes while Amanda and I (we are going to be quite worrisome mothers...) were grabbing eachothers arms for our life.
By this time, the local students AND the organizer of the trip have had a few drinks (it was probably only two..., but anyways...) and they are incredibly intoxicated. In fact, a local student fell down the stairs from the top of the boat before hanging off the side of the boat to puke. It was awful. Amanda and I were worried for his life, however the rest of the boat seemed to think that it was OK to lean over the boat, feet off the ground, in the middle of a lightening storm. Now we know why many Asians do not drink...
Some more time passes and the driver realizes that maybe it's not good to be in the middle of the harbor at this time and decides to pick up speed. And... the boat starts smoking. Oh jeez. We are even more freaked out but are headed in the right direction and can see the harbor at this point. But to top off the night, a highly intoxicated man was running around asking any and every girl to dance with him - and we can tell he is not a good dancer. He even said to the gentleman sitting with 5 of us ladies, "Dude, you have 5 women around you - share the love. Let's dance!" Looking back, it was hilarious but at the time we were really not having it.
After finally making it back to shore safe and sound, Amanda and I were so happy to have be back on solid ground. What an interesting trip, we are thankful to have survived. Perhaps we overreacted - but it was unreal.
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| Sailing away... |
Well, I think that's all to share for now. Plans for this week include a Black and White party, hiking and seafood on Lantau Island and a trip to see the Big Budda. We are headed to Thailand next week from Wednesday (9/22) through Monday (9/27). Check back sometime next week!
