So Much to Share

I'm sorry that I haven't updated in a couple of days, but I've been off having adventures here, some a little more crazier than the others. Would you believe me if I told you that I've already had 3 run-ins with Security/Police? The first night one of the other girls tripped and fell off a curb. She cute her head and the Police wanted to call an ambulance and I spent a good deal of time convincing them not too. She's perfectly fine, with just a little bruising. The next time I had an encounter was when we came back late, and Security followed us back to our hostels. Then the next day I tried to go down the outside stairwell, but apparently you can't do that and no one thought to tell me. So I was locked out, and trying to get back in on every floor. (Keep in mind that I live on the 7th floor, and that the 1st floor is not the ground floor) I got down to the ground floor, and still couldn't get out. Then when I called one of the other girls who lives in my building, she told me that she was at the beach, and that I should just run out the emergency exit. Just as I was about to do that, security slams the door open and starts yelling at me in Chinese, demanding to see my passport and acceptance letter. I was ready to cry because the one guy wouldn't stop yelling at me. Once he said all he wanted to say, the other guard lead me inside and took my name down, so now I'm on a list somewhere.


But I have been having some pretty awesome times outside of locking myself out of places. A huge group of Lingnan students took a bunch of us exchange students out to a hot pot dinner which is where you put whatever you want in this boiling water in the middle of the table and everyone eats, a little bit like fondue. We took a lot of pictures, and I made a huge group of friends. I even tried octopus ball stuffed with pork and it was damn good- this coming from the girl who never eats seafood. It was such a fun night.

We've also been taken out in smaller groups by the International Buddies who are Lingnan students who volunteer to look after/help exchange students. Our guides, Sofia and Bobo took us down to the ladies market in Mongkok and Avenue of Stars where the statue of Bruce Lee is. I took plenty of pictures of Bruce Lee too, because, lets just face it, he is the man. Bobo and Sofia, my guides, even helped me to pick out a cheap cell phone. I made my first attempt at bargaining on the street and I did pretty well. Granted that it was just for an alarm clock, but I am still pretty proud of myself.

The other day Megan and I spent all day on Lantau Island, and I am in love with the place. Lantau is the island where the world's largest outdoor bronze Buddha is. And let me tell you, it is freaking huge! First you have to walk up all these steps, because everything in Hong Kong is on the side of a mountain, and then Buddha just towers over you. On the platform there are other smaller statues that are just as beautiful. We picked a beautiful day to go because it was slightly misty, and since its all on the top of a mountain, the clouds come rolling in and its just so lovely, quiet, and still. You get the feeling that you are the only person in the world. The Po Lin Monastary is on the mountain as well, so we headed over there for lunch and also more picture-taking. I acidently walked into a courtyard that I shouldn't of, and some monks looked very surprised to see me. They just smiled and pointed me in the right direction. I also took some pictures of the gold Buddhas inside the temple, and then I saw the sign about no picture-taking. So as of now, I am probably going to Buddha-hell for that one. There were flowers everywhere, and incense burning in big metal containers.

After the monastary, we took a short walk up a side of another mountain to the Wisedom Trail. The Wisedom Trail is sutras carved on giant logs and erected in the symbol for infinity. The logs that they are carved on are so big that I can't even get my arms around one side. We walked around it and up to the very top of the mountian it sits on. The clouds kept rolling in and the path below us was getting hard to see through the clouds. It was just amazing. We managed to spend all day on the island and I took about 135 photos. (All of the good ones are online) Then it was back on one of the craziest bus rides I've ever been on, and another hour back to school.

Yesterday was spent at Ocean Park with Megan, Ashley, Jessica, Christine, and our guides Carol and Pamela. Ocean Park is a combination zoo, aquarium, and amusment park. Its also the place in Hong Kong where the only pandas are. They only have 2 pandas in Ocean Park, and I took lots of photos of them both. They have some crazy rollar coasters there as well. My favorite was the one that drops you from about 10 stories and then bounces you a couple of times. We also saw the dolphin show and the bird show. Ocean Park has a great aquarium, and I got plenty of pictures there too. While we were in the aqaurium a sea turtle sawm up and bit one of the sting rays. Thats one mean sea turtle! We also had to take a tram car across a mountain to get to the other side of the park. It had such a gorgeous veiw. Almost everywhere in Hong Kong has a great view of something whether it be mountians or water or both. Its fabulous. On the other side of the park are the pandas and some other attractions. Once again, we managed to spend all day there. Those are my big adventures so far.

Other places I have been:

• Mongkok
• Ladies Market
• Night Market
• Yuen Long
• Central/ Lan Kwai Fong

All I did today was head into Mongkok to do a little shopping and just to get out. The weather kinda sucks today so I really haven't felt like going out. So thats the updates for all my adventures so far. I have dinner at a professors house tomorrow night and I am going to have breakfast with the President of Lingnan this month as well. Apparently in Hong Kong he is a very famous economist. Not my cup of tea, but I am really interested in meeting him and possibly getting some New Year money out of him. Chinese New Year is going to be crazy! I am going to have so many more pictures to share. I miss everyone but I'm not getting too homesick right now. Hong Kong is just amazing right now.