Week One In Hong Kong

Music: I'm Yours- Jason Mraz
Mood: Exhausted

Ahhhh! I've been so busy that I've barely had time to get my bearings and just settle down. It's been non-stop action. Before classes started, I had tours of Hong Kong from last Tuesday to Saturday. We saw the giant Buddha statue on Lantau Island; we saw a Taoist temple and a Buddist nunery built without any nails; we've enjoyed a night on the town; we gone up to victoria peak to see the beautiful skyline; we've gone on a cruise on victoria harbor; we've enjoyed the specatular light show.

Classes started on Sept. 1. I got all the classes I wanted, but I've been so tired that some of the classes have been putting me to sleep. Let me say this: I'm in classes with classes sizes that i've never seen at McCombs. My finance class is like 150 people and my operations mgnt class is 280. My chinese lit class is like 8 people though. I'm thinking to myself.. what the heck is going on. I've never had a class of 280 nor of 8, so it's like everything here is extreme. Also, I know I've mentioned that I've been worried about my grades transfering back to UT. The grades still transfer, but I'm pretty confident I can do well in the classes. The univ. has a policy that only 15 to 20% of the class can get A's, so That stinks, but I like all my classes so far, so I think I can do well.

Having class everyday of the week is messing with my travel plans (though it's making me just want to go to class and do well in class and not really travel). Planning travel is such a pain. Today, I went to the travel agent to figure out prices and available destinations. I'm sort of not very familiar with Asia at all. I pretty much went in and was like, where can I go for cheap??! I feel like I have no idea what I'm going to do there once I get there. I'm looking to travel Sept 11 to Sept 15 (as sept 15 is a public holiday). I think once I get my first trip in, I'll become better at handling travel agents etc. Tomorrow some friends and I plan to go and book a trip to either the Philippnes or Korea. I'll let y'all know.

So also, I must say that my cantonese has improved (but only a bit). I've become more confident in speaking and can get by talking with the cafeteria workers, etc. One interesting mishap that really stinks is with a taxi driver. We had to take a taxi to Lan Kwai Fong (LKF is like the night life area of Hong Kong, similar to 6th but maybe a bit smaller). Apparently I told the guy to take us to the New Territory to a place with a similar name. So after a 170 HKD taxi ride, we realized we were in the wrong place. We had to find another cabbie and take another 100 HKD cab ride to the correct place. It took like 1.5 hrs and 270 HKD to get us to the right place. What a crazy miscommunication.

Well, tomorrow I have a 10:30 class, and i want to get up earlier to purchase my books and get a clicker for my auditing class. Here are some of the photos I've taken... I've taken over 550 photos since I arrive on Aug 23rd. I've been so exhausted because I havent been getting that much sleep. I've woke up at like 5AM every day freezing because the AC is too cold. I don't know how to set it... it's so fustrating. Oh, and I've come to the conclusion that I will not be able to eat healthy at all this semester. I love asian food, but every day..... I don't know how healthy it is. Many of the pasta and rice dishes are heavy on the sauces.. It's always mystery brown or white sauces. I've been also trying to go to the gym often, but I'm always so drained by the end of the day, and on the days I have gone, I haven't gotten in the whole workout. The gym's AC isn't that strong, so I sweat a lot more, drink a lot more water, and then feel bloated before I can get a whole workout in. (haha. sorry, maybe a bit TMI, but sorry, whatever.) I've used the outdoor track too but it's too hot outside.

Oh, haha, and I think i have a new mosquito bite everyday.. it's so annoying.. mosquito's love me, and whenever I stop to talk to someone, I get bitten. I don't know why. it's so annoying. I got one on my right foot, pinkey toe. haha.

okay, seriously.. off to bed.

Enjoy these photos (click on the photos to enlarge them)!

Greetings from Hong Kong!

Music: One Step at A Time- Jordin Sparks
Mood: Adapting & Excited

So I haven't had internet access in Hong Kong for 6 days, so instead, I was keeping video blogs. Here are blogs from the last 4 days. I promise I will actually write when I get settled in and everything.

August 23, 2008 (running time 1:01)


August, 24, 2008 (2:41)


August 25, 2009 (4:23)


August 26, 2008 (2:45)

Studying *domestically

I got stranded in San Francisco for one night because of Typhoon Nuri. After checking into the hotel, I went exploring the city.

I think I'm going to do more video blogs because they're fun! (and I have a web cam, but that's checked in right now with United, so I just used my camera).

Hong Kong Bound

Music: Lot of Leavin' Left To Do- Dierks Bentley
Mood: Traveling

I'm Hong Kong Bound! I'm leaving for the airport at 4am. I won't be in Hong Kong until 6pm on Friday! I'll catch y'all soon!

Remember that I'm still on Skype (search my name in the directory). If you want to know what time it is in Hong Kong, take the current time, add an hour, and then flip the AM to PM or vice versa. (eg. it's 10:39PM in Houston, that means it's 11:39AM in Hong Kong). If you want a postcard, send me your mailing address, and I'll do my best to send you one!

Cheers, and Have a Great Semester!

Volunteering

Music: Paper Planes- MIA
Mood: Humble

Today was my time volunteering the at the women's shelter in Dallas. I volunteered every Tuesday from 6 to 8 at the shelter, interacting with the kids and mentoring them. I mention that I do this not to score brownie points in a club or sound very noble, but I mention it because the experience has been truly moving.

I've learned so many things first hand from interacting with the kids and just hearing their stories.

• I've learned to be humble. I am so fortunate for everything I have in life that I take for granted. Having a car, a stable family, means to provide for my basic needs and occasional wants. I'm going to freaking Hong Kong for goodness sakes. I didn't realize how fortunate I am to be able to go abroad for a whole semester until one of the other volunteers asked me how I was going to pay for all of that. The fact that I am/my parents are/scholarships are allowing me to pay for this abroad trip truly humbles me. This trip will open up so many doors. It'll open my eyes and challenge me with experiences beyond my wildest dreams. They say that money can't buy happiness, but in truth, it does buy experiences and open up opportunities to enjoy yourself.
• I've learned to be proud of my heritage. I have no idea why I chose to go to Hong Kong. Honestly, my parents wanted me to go to Europe. I was stubborn and chose Hong Kong. I think internally, I wanted to connect back with my roots and really live the culture. Being Chinese American is different. I'm not just American. I live with the stigma and the stereotype that comes with being Chinese. The culture, the language, and the customs are often misunderstood, and often times, when I was younger, I was secretive if not almost ashamed of my heritage. I think that choosing to go abroad in the city my parents and their parents and my ancestors grew up in will help me better identify and uncover my heritage. Working at the women's shelter, I found many blacks, hispanics, and whites, but very few asians. I think that my volunteering at the shelter was some of these kid's first exposure to a Chinese person. At one time, I was asked say something in Chinese (Cantonese) and I taught the kids how to say mosquito in Chinese (woo-ying). Obviously Chinese is a hard language, but the kids couldn't even remember that word and started mocking the language (saying like ching chang chong chong.) Though I wasn't offended, I think I learned to be proud of who I am and of my heritage. And though others may not understand it, I can be my role to help others understand it. The only way you fight ignorance is with truth.
• I learned the value of family. The reason these kids were at the shelter with their mothers is because their mothers were all in domestic violence of some sort. Both mothers and childern are victims of violence- some physical, others mental and emotional, others sexual. It is sad to see back backgrounds these kids came from. When they first come into the shelter, they are always shy and quite. They stick to themselves and are reserved. But as the weeks pass by and the kids get comfortable in the shelter, the kids start to open up. They interact with you and enjoy seeing you week after week. One little kid always said "What's up Mr. Eric! How are you today?" and then beg me to through the football with him or push him on the swings. I learned the value of family and the simplicity (yet complexity) of childhood.
• I learned the importance of education. Sometimes, during these group activities, we tested the kids knowledge (states and capitals, spelling, math). Some of these kids, for their age, don't know much general knowledge. It was heartbreaking that some kids couldn't name the capital of Texas or what the seven continents of the world are. Education for all has always been a passion of mine, but volunteering at the shelter rempahized this passion. I always made an effort to stress to these kids how important it was to get good grades. I talked to this one girl about how her younger brother makes fun of her because she likes to read. I can't stand how being "nerdy" or "scholastic" is seen as uncool. I told her to keep it up and to set an example by engaging with her brother and showing him the joys of playing outside and also of reading. I also always stressed that I go to school at UT-Austin, not to boast about the longhorns or anything like that, but to motivate them to strive to go to college. This one girl set the goal to go to Princeton, and I hope she makes it there! I know that eventually, I want to be able to start a scholarship fund to enable underprivileged and economically-disadvantaged kids to go to college.

I'm really going to miss the kids and going to the shelter. I have no regrets of signing up to volunteer. I think I got more out of the experience than the kids got from me being there. I am truly humbled.

Oh, and one kid wrote this in the thank you note: "Thank you! Trend setter!! You set your own style!" I thought this was funny. I don't think this girl knew me that well or was really referring to me when she wrote this, but I think it's pretty clever.

The FINAL COUNTDOWN

Music: The Final Countdown- Europa
Mood: Jovial

I've learned/encountered several things this weekend (my last weekend in Dallas, I'll have you know!)

1. I lost my sunglasses on Friday night. UGH. At NIGHT! Seriously? Most of y'all know I always have my sunglasses (and they're mostly on top of my head when it's not bright outside). Somehow, they ran away from my head and I can't find them. I know there at one of three places we went to on Friday, but I called each one and they've found nothing. SAD FACE, right?? Now I need to find sunglasses in 10 days, because that's when I go to Hong Kong, but I'm pretty particular about my sunglasses. It took me like 2 months to find the previoius pair I had.


2. I have a mosquito bite on my left eye. YES, on the eyelid itself. and again, I'll retort, Seriously??? I had a mosquito bite on my left eye when I was like 5 and kept scratching it so it swole up really big, and I think that's why my left eye is significantly smaller than my right eye. And here we go again?!?! I'm resisting the urge not to scratch, and I'm doing well holding off but whenever I go into rub my eyes because I'm tired of looking at the computer screen or something like that, it makes my eye itch even more. On top of that, I have like 3 other bites on my arms. I have no idea why there are mosquitoes in the apartment....-- oh wait, one of my roommates slept with the window open at night all week... I think that's why. And always attract mosquitoes. I think I got this one on my eye last night, because I was wrapped in my sheets and only my head was exposed. UGH
   


3. Did you know that the currency of Liechtenstein is CHF, the Swiss franc? I just came across this right now from dealing with a trade in that currency, and I was like.. what's that???
   


4. The Dark Knight is number 1 again??? For the 4th straight week/ That is INSANE. I was planning on seeing the movie again but have found the strength,, time, willpower, whatever, to see it again. I'll probably see it again when it comes out on DVD. Or better yet, I'll probably buy it when it comes out on DVD.


5. I actually ended up getting those Cole Haan Howland Pennyloafers this weekend at Macy's! (They're more of a driving shoe than a pennyloafer, and I'm wearing them right now!) They are sooo nice, and I got them for a really good deal. I call on Friday at work to have them reserve my size for me, and then I knew that they were 50% off full price. On Sat and Sunday, I was able to use a 20% off additional sales for shoes. And then since the pair the put on hold for me was their last pair and it was a bit scuff, I convinced him to take an additional 10% off for me, so I walked out with a new pair of sweet Cole Haan's for $57!! Holla! The salesman even shined the shoes for me so you can't even see the scuffs at all!



So pretty! Tehehe




6. I also went to Dillards to try on the Polo Ralph Lauren Olympic polos. You know the ones team USA wore during the opening ceremony? Yea, they're $125 full price. WOW. I know, right? Overpriced. I think they're really nice looking, but not nice enough for me to pay $125. I tried the jacket on too, and that looks really good as well, but not $165 good. Look at these though? How cool is that? Maybe they'll go on sale, but I doubt it. While I was there, 2 college-looking kids bought a polo for themselves.. DANG!
   
   

   The Jacket
   

   
   
   The Front of the Polo (white version)
   
   The back of the Polo! (in blue; I personally like white better)
   


7. Haha. Ok, so enough rambling about clothing. (But I feel that's all there is to do in dallas, shop and eat.) Oh, and finally at Dillard's, they have this line of clothing made of Italian cloth called TreVero. I absolutely love this brand. The clothes fits very nicely and it's very comfortable. The only thing is that it's pretty pricey. I found some pants (casual ones, kind of a creme color) on sale, and in my size, so I snagged them. They were 75% off!
   


8. Also, this weekend, Olympic crazy has been going on. Since one of my roommates move out (he took his TV with him), so I've been TV-less. I've managed to watch the highlights on NBC's website, but I've missed a lot. =( I went to Chili's and other sports bars to watch some of the action with Steven K. (my other roommate)


9. On Friday, while out, I met a Dallas Regional Manager of WashingtonMutual and a branch manager of the Highland Park WaMu. That was pretty crazy, and I asked them, just randomly, if WaMu were going down, and they said heck no! (of course, and I hope so too). For all y'all ppl interested in savings, WaMu as an online savings acct giving out 3.75% APY, which is absurd right now. They need the cash though, badly.


10. Internship-wise, I'm done on Friday. Wow. Only 4 days left! That is insane! 13 weeks in Dallas. The money was good, the experience is good, but now I'm still uncertain of what I want to do when I grow up... (Insert the PCD song here now.. when i grow up, I wanna be famous, wanna be a star, wanna make movies.... so true! haha that'd be cool to be discovered and become a start. but my chances of that are zilch).


11. I fly to Hong Kong in 10 days.. That's right.. TEN days. I fly to SFO (san francisco) at 6:30 AM, landing at like 9:30. Then I catch a 1PM flight from SFO to Hong Kong, landing at 6pm on August 22nd, after starting my journey on August 21st at 6:30AM... that's a whole lot of flying and jet lag! CRAZY! I will being collecting addresses soon so I can send everyone postcards.


12. Lastly, I discovered the site http://www.tumblr.com/ by watching a Money.com video about it. It's a blogger site like blogspot, but it seems easier to use. I was going through the editor's picks of cool sites, and i came across two-- one is of a Starbucks barista, and I really like what she writes (http://147xxxx.tumblr.com/).


13. The other one was pretty cool too, esp for being bored at work so much.. i could really relate to the cartoons. http://www.mylifeinacube.com/ He makes cartoons of everything that's pretty much true.. Here are some samples. I laughed my head off!
    (Confession: I love Big Brother! hahaha. It's sooo full of Drama but so much fun to watch!)
    And I can TOTALLY relate to this one.. like a lot! haha. And with that, I am leaving, as it's 5pm! =)
    

The Countdown Begins

Music: Money, Money, Money by ABBA
Mood: Indifferent

I officially have two weeks left of my internship, and I'm definitely ready to be finished. My goal for these next two weeks is to save, save, save. I'm done learning pretty much all that I can learn or get out of of this internship. I've had a lot of exposure to finance and corporate America (even at a hedge fund). If I were to finish today, I don't think either I or the company would win or lose out on anything. I'm flying out to Hong Kong on Thursday, August 21st... exactly 17 days after today. Obviously, going abroad is going to be expensive, so my goal is to spend as little as possible and save up for Hong Kong. This means eating out and going out as little as possible. (I have no reason to spend money eating out if I have food at home.) And going out on the weekends, I figure I can do that on a budget. As for shopping, I need to cut that out entirely as well. I did a lot better for the month of July, coming off of my June shopping ban. Hehe. All I'm eyeing now are some Cole Hann driving moccasins which I probably won't buy anyways because their too pricey. I was wanting to get a new iPod because my current one (from high school) keeps dying on me occasionally, but I'm waiting for the new iPod updates which are expected to come out around the holiday season. Oh, and one other item I was looking to buy that I'm so upset I didn't get earlier is a UT track jacket. I bought one for my brother back in June and I really wanted one for myself but couldn't get one because of my June shopping ban. Now I can't find one I want for the price I'm willing to pay. Bummer, huh? Or I suppose that means I'm saving money! =)

In other news, I didn't spend a single weekend in Dallas for the month of July. July 4th- I went home. July 11th, I went to Austin (on what was supposed to be my last weekend in Austin before January). Then July 18th, I was planning on spending in Dallas, but my mom suggested that I go to Austin again and I did. (Oh, the power of suggestion.) This past weekend, July 25h, I went to Houston. A chemical company I recruited with in the Fall, got an internship offer, but turned down for the internship in Dallas, invited me back to visit the company on Friday to attend a leadership conference. They flew me down on Friday morning to attend the all-day leadership forum. Then after dinner, they took us out to an Astros game, my first for the summer. I can't believe my first Astros game for this season was in August. Boy, has the summer flown by. We ended up winning the game in the 8th off a grand slam by Loretta. It's only the 2nd grand slam I've seen in person at Minute Maid Park. Also, Backe, the pitcher, had a homer! It was an overall good game. After the game, the company put me up in the Four Seasons, which was a really nice hotel in downtown Houston. The next morning (Saturday), my parents picked me up from the hotel and we had lunch in Chinatown. I spent the weekend at home, just relaxing. reading, and enjoying home. My flight was to leave Houston for Dallas at 4:30, it was delayed because of weather and we didn't end up taking off until like 6 and didn't land until about 7pm. It was a long travel day, but I actually able to just sit and finish reading my book (White Teeth), which didn't bother me at all. Now I'm starting Pigs in Heaven and I also want to start the Kite Runner.

This summer has flown by so qucikly! I can't believe I've already been here at the company for 11 weeks. A 13 week internship is killing me, and it's sad that the only thing motivating me is the money. It's horrible. I was having a conversation at lunch on Sunday with my parents about going full-time. I know in my mind that full-time work stinks. It absolutely stinks. It's sort of like my schedule right now, except there is no end in sight. That's a scary thought. I couldn't ever do that. That's what my parents do, that's what most everyone else does after graduation-- go to work to make money, pay the bills, and live for the weekends. That's so fustrating, who wants to live for the weekends? I certainly don't, but I don't know what job will allow me to do what I want, have fun, and still earn money. That's the big delimia that I'm supposed to solve by the time I graduate, and I fear that I'm running out of time. I've narrowed down my choices to a few large cateogries-- consulting (I won't be chained to a cublice, but at the same time, I'll have no life outside of the firm); PhD program in business (a lot of research and pressure to peform, but the rewards are great); law school (but that means having to study for the LSAT, studying a lot more, etc); or just be normal and go into the regular corporate finance positions open.

Well, that's it for now, I guess. I hope this week goes by smoothly and painlessly. I'm ready to jet-set, but not ready to leave Austin behind. I feel junior year is so much more fun. My friends got season tickets and are planning a trip up to Dallas for OU Weekend. I hope I don't miss out on a lot, but I know I've got so much ahead of me myself. I'm excited yet nervous, and I have NO idea how much money the trip is going to cost, either. Oh, and a final note: I'm thinking of going abroad again next summer... I really want to go to Europe, and if I can fit that in along with a 10week internship, I'd be cool with that. So the countdown till the end of my internship and my leaving for Hong Kong ensues. T-minus 17 days. Eeek.