Hi everyone!

My name is Charlie, and I am a environmental science and geology student at the lawrenceville campus. This trip is very exciting for me because the Chinese culture has always been a subject I wanted to experience. I am also very excited because Buhhism is apart of my life. Throughout school, I have been on several trips and traveling is something I always want to do. Last semester I went to the Galapagos and Ecquador which was great, and I am expecting Hong Kong to leave me with the same experience. I also expect to gain an in depth understanding of a another culture across the world and try as much exotic food as I can. My favorite part of traveling is communicating with the people and trying as much as I can. I can't wait to go! See you soon!

New Year's Fireworks in Hong Kong 2009

I am not sure this is better than last year's displacy, but it's certainly different. Here's the video:

Hello

Hi Everyone,

My name is Clarissa and I am a senior biology major at the Lawrenceville campus. I also play softballl for Rider. When I first heard about this trip I was ecstatic and knew I had to go. I too have been studying the martial arts for many years now and have always admired the Asian culture. Last January I was able to study abroad for sixteen days in Jamaica. It was my first time out of the US and I vowed that it would not be my last. I had an amazing time and met some amazing people. This summer I was fortunate enough to spend some time in the Dutch Caribbean playing softball in Curacao, an island 40 miles of the coast of Venezuela. Twas wonderful to say the least! Although books are nice (ha ha), there is nothing like emerging yourself into a culture and experiencing it first hand. I have been talking about this trip to China for months now and cannot believe that it is a week and a half away. I am looking forward to seeing the Buddha, eating the food, learning from the people, shopping and making memories.

If You Have a Lot of Money...

You can go to Aqua Restaurant, which is serving a special menu that costs HK$10,000 (US$1,200) per person. Yikes!
http://link.brightcove.com/services/link/bcpid3469159001/bctid3484252001

Hello from Gillian!

Hi fellow world travelers! I'm looking forward to reading everyone's blogs and introductions on here.

I'm Gillian, a senior on the Princeton campus, Westminster Choir College. I studied in Italy this past Fall semester and my friends and family think I'm crazy for basically jumping off one plane and getting on another, but I couldn't pass up this amazing opportunity (and maybe I am a little crazy, too!). I love traveling and experiencing different cultures firsthand - I believe this is the best way to learn. Because I will be witnessing so many cultures in such a short period of time, I am interested in comparing them, learning about what sets them apart from one another, and also discovering how they may be surprisingly similar!

Looking forward to meeting you next week! :)
Gillian

FIreworks

One of the things that the Hong Kong government spends a lot of money on is fireworks displays. To bring in the New Year, they do a fireworks display on IFC2, the tallest building in the city. Here is a video of last year's celebration (sorry...shaky camera).



Tomorrow, they are promising a more elaborate and longer show, and I am trying to find a live webcast of it. I'll let you know if I am able to find it. In Hong Kong, the New Year will begin at 11:00am our time tomorrow (Dec. 31).

Hi everyone! My name is Liz and I'm a senior English major on the Lawrenceville campus. I'm so excited to be going to Hong Kong. I'm determined to set foot on every continent in my lifetime and this trip puts me one step closer to completing my goal. I have traveled to other countries before, France and Italy, but never some place that has a such a different culture from ours. The one thing I regret about my college years is not traveling as much as I could have over the nice long winter breaks and long summers, so when the opportunity for this trip came up I was really excited. Aside from it being warmer than here, I am most looking forward to seeing the Big Buddha as well as Victoria Peak. I have seen these places both on tv and in pictures and I'm happy I finally get to see them in person. I also hope to visit the 10,000 Buddha Monastery in Sha Tin on our free day. If anyone is insterested let me know. I'm really looking forward to experiencing all the different aspects of the Chinese culture and to see how it is mixed with its British roots. I also cannot wait to put my new digital camera to use! I'm going to need a large memory card! See you all soon!

Introduction

Hey! 

My name is Emma Basilone, and I am a junior Biology Major on the Lawrenceville campus of Rider University. I never thought I would be venturing out to Asia at 20 years old, but I am very excited! I have traveled to Italy with my family but I expect Hong Kong to be quite a different experience. I am also planning to travel to New Zealand during spring break, Costa Rica in May for community service, and Italy to visit family this summer. I have always been interested in fashion and diversity in different cultures and I can't wait so see what Hong Kong has to offer. There is so much to do and see it will be awesome. I am looking forward to being completely submerged in the Chinese culture and getting as much out of this trip as possible. I am really looking forward to seeing the Buddha, going to the Tea House, experiencing the light shows and orchestras. The markets at night will be interesting and I plan on getting lots of souvenirs to share my experiences with my family and friends. 

Enjoy the rest of the break! See you all soon! 

Hong Kong!

Hi everybody! I'm Valentina and I am a Global Business and Marketing double major on the Lawrenceville campus. I am so excited to go on this trip because I have always wanted to travel to Asia. I have been practicing the Chinese martial art of Kung- Fu for almost 20 years now and I would really like to experience Chinese culture first-hand. Traveling to Hong Kong is 100 times better than just going to Chinatown! =P I can't wait to get to know all of you and spend 10 days of pure BLISS in Hong Kong!

Hi everyone! My name is Faina and I'm a senior PR journalism major at Rider. I absolutely love to travel and experience new cultures. I originally wasn't born in the states and we moved around from country to country a lot when I was younger, so I was introduced to many different cultures as a kid and now it's my passion. After studying abroad in Athens, Greece last year and traveling all around Europe, I got the travel bug and now and I take every opportunity I can to see the world. I think everything is becoming globalized these days, especially in communications fields. Being able to relate to other people and integrate yourself in other cultures will gives you an edge in the job market and hopefully will put me ahead when I start looking for jobs in May. I've never traveled to Asia before and I don't really know a lot about Hong Kong, which is exactly why I'm so excited about this trip. I love to learn and experience things that I know nothing about and I just want to go into this with an open mind and open eyes. With every other country I have traveled to I've noticed that the people are all incredibly different and react to newcomers in completely different ways. I am interested to see how the Hong Kong natives react to foreigner. I am really excited about this trip and I can't wait to leave. Hope you all have a Happy New Year and I will see you all next year.

Hong Kong City Festival

Our tour coincides with the Hong Kong City Festival. Run by the Hong Kong Fringe Club, the City Festival presents a wide variety of interesting artists, musicians and dancers from around the world. Some of these events are really good and they are quite affordable. I have not booked any City Festival events for the entire group, partially because we have different interests and partially because the venues are generally small (70-100 seats). The Fringe Club is also within a couple blocks of a number of interesting restaurants. So, it's perfect for a dinner and show. Have a look at the schedule here: http://www.hkfringe.com.hk/cf2009/prog_list.html.

Introduction

Hello everyone!  Hope your break is going well.  Mine has been busy (we hosted Christmas dinner at my house for 36 of our family members about a week after moving into a remodeled kitchen.  Yikes!) but it's been nice.  Anyway, just a quick introduction to start things off.  My name is Tamara (rhymes with "camera") and I'm a senior Music Education major on the Princeton campus.  We never had much money to travel, but it's always been something I've wanted to do, so I've been trying to grab every opportunity I can.  When I heard about this trip, the price, and the fact that it counted for credits for a class that I still needed to take, it was a no brainer.  But there's more to it than just a well-priced trip.  Coming from a really Ukrainian family, culture has been a huge part off my life, but I've realized that as a kid I spent so much time stuck in my own culture and not enough time learning about others' cultures.  In the past few years I've almost become obsessed with culture and wonder why I didn't major in multicultural studies!  :-P  Anyway, through this trip I'm hoping to learn a lot about a place I really know nothing about.  I've already learned a ton before even going!  Anyhow, looking forward to going on this adventure with all of you!

Happy packing!

Tamara

Hong Kong Adventure

Katarzyna Nedza  Nedza1

Hong Kong Trip

Dr. Eric Hong & Shunzhu Wang

December 10, 2008

Hong Kong

Officially known as the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, or 香港特別行政區 in Chinese, Hong Kong is located on China's south coast on the Pearl River Delta. Bordering Guangdong province in the north and facing the South China Sea to the east, west, and south, this mysterious land is full of history and hidden secrets. Also one of the wolds most densely populated areas today, Hong Kong began as a trading port under the rule of the United Kingdom. Today, it is renowned for its expansive skyline and natural setting. 

A dependent territory of the United Kingdom in 1842 until the transfer of sovereignty to the People's Republic of China in 1997, Hong Kong, although not considered part of mainland China, it is one on the world's leading financial capitals and a major business and cultural center. Its status as a cosmopolitan metropolis where east meets west is reflected in its cuisine, cinema, music, and traditions, as well as its residents, who though are predominantly Chinese, also are composed of a small but significant population of various ethnicities. 

In my lifetime I have so far traveled to a number of various countries, each one unique and exciting in its own way. Along with my Europe expeditions, I have also visited Korea and experienced the asian lifestyles and cultures which are significantly different than those of the 

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Europeans. Tough I have never been to China, I have read books and seen movies of its wide terrain and mountainous sloops. In my minds eye I envision that much of Hong Kong's terrain is similar. Hilly to mountainous with steep slopes. From what I know, Hong Kong is only about 25% developed, and about 40% of the land is reserved as country parks and nature reserves. Most of the urban establishments exist in Kowloon peninsula, along the northern edge of Hong Kong Island and in scattered settlements in the New Territories. With its long and curvaceous coastline, Hong Kong is also home to numerous bays, rivers, and beaches. 

Despite the fact that it is becoming more aware of its environment, Hong Kong is suffering from increasing pollution, most of which comes from other parts of the Pearl River Delta. Due to this, I expect to see darker skies and more smog. As a result of the huge number of people who inhabit this area and because it is one of the world's leading technological centers, Hong Kong must be constantly overcrowded and the air must be thick with pollutants. In addition, with the current government, life must be harder for the people there than it is here. I am sure that the Chinese people are more independent individually than the American people. Nevertheless, I think that the Chinese are a very proud people especially due to their history and legacy and I expect to find the atmosphere of wherever I go to be nothing less than proud, full of excitement, and lively.

Another aspect of Hong Kong that I hope to become acquainted with is its culture. Hong Kong is frequently described as a place where East meets West, reflecting the mixture of Chinese roots along with the culture brought to it during its time as a British colony. Though over a decade has passed since the handover, Western culture remains a huge part of Chinese life. One of the more noticeable contradictions in its cultures is the balancing of a modernized way of life with 

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traditional superstitious Chinese practices. Concepts such as Fung Shui, for example, are seen everywhere from a simple painting in a living room to the tall skyscrapers of the cities and are taken very seriously. On the other hand, it is said to be a very common occurrence to see a Burger King or McDonald's next to a traditional Chinese restaurant. 

Discussing the concept of food more thoughtfully, it holds an important place in Hong Kong culture. The fusion of east and west makes the cuisine there unique, especially in the close proximity where anyone find the style they want any time. In this sense, Hong Kong carries the reputable name of "Gourmet Paradise" and "World's Fair of Foods". 

In respect to the cinema, the industry has become ne of the most successful worldwide. Martial artists and Chinese stars such as Jackie Chan and Bruce Leeare know globally and have become idols for many oversees. As a result, it has gained international recognition for many directors including Wong Kar Wai.

Along with these few facts, there are many more thing I do not know about and would like to learn about China and Hong Kong. For instance, what is the business environment and what is it like to do business in Hong Kong. It is my gaol to one day live and work at a top asian business or market. In this respect, for my post-trip essay, although it is still undecided, I plan on discussing and understanding the culture, language, and etiquette of the Chinese people and there life styles in order to more fully understand their way of thinking. 

Hong Kong Tourism Promotional Video

Embedded below is a two-minute video produced by the Hong Kong Tourism Board. Think about how the Tourism Board is presenting Hong Kong to the world. According to this video, what type of town is Hong Kong? What types of identities do Hong Kong possess? Is it traditional, modern, Chinese, multicultural, fast-paced, relaxed, etc.? This is a video you can respond to in your pre-trip paper or as a journal entry.

Hello! from Lauren

Looks like I'll be the first to make an introduction, so here goes. ;)

My name is Lauren Fenimore and I'm a Global/Multinational Studies major at Rider. I'm taking part in this trip for several reasons. I love learning about different cultures and countries and I love to travel, so this trip not only piqued my interest because it works with my major, but also because I've never had the opportunity to travel to Asia before. I've had Japan and Thailand on my list of places to travel to, but hadn't ever thought much about Hong Kong or mainland China, so I'm excited to explore what the city has to offer. Although not a music major, I grew up in a musical household and have been a part of various choirs and concert bands throughout my highschool years. In college I took some comparative religion classes and learned a lot about Buddhism and other Eastern philosophies, so I'm also interested in actually being in the place where those belief systems originated. I'm especially looking forward to climbing up to the Big Buddha on Lantau Island. In addition to all that I'm also curious to see how Western culture has been blended into Hong Kong and what influence the surrounding countries have had on the culture and landscape. Admittedly, a lot of what I know about Asian culture and music I've learned through watching anime as well. I know anime is primarily a Japanese thing, so I'm wondering what (if any) types of media there are in Hong Kong that may be similar. I think that covers everything for me. Hope everyone had Happy Holidays and is enjoying their break!

The Trip

From January 9,2009, thirty-five people will embark on Rider University's first faculty-led study tour to Hong Kong. This tour is led by Dr. Shunzhu Wang and me, and participants include one Rider faculty member, 27 current Rider students, two Rider alums, and three community members. The theme of the course is Hong Kong Identity, and we will explore it through visits to museums and key sites, lectures/panels with university professors and musicians, concerts and shows, field research by participants, and a variety of other activities. This blog will contain the thoughts and reflections of the participants before, during and after the trip.