Hong Kong Adventure-Journal

Hong Kong Adventure 

Journal By Katarzyna Nedza

Day 1:

Our first day in Hong Kong was amazing. It still hasn't hit me that we are actually here. I will probably realize about a week after we get back where I was. My first impression...Manhattan ten times over. There are building on top of mountains which are on top of bigger buildings which are on top of even bigger buildings. There are even highways going through apartments and department buildings. There are temples and places of worship under them too. To add to all the exciting confusion, there are people everywhere. It is like an evening in Times Square but its all day here. The moment you walk out of the hotel, if you don't start walking, you will get pushed or bumped or run over. Oh, and if you don't run across the street or look where you are going...the taxi's and buses don't stop for you. I have also noticed the smell of the fish markets around our hotel. Personally I don't think I would ever get used to it. There is ever part of a cow you can imagine hanging in the doorways and windows of these stores. It makes you sick just walking past it. A lot of people wear masks here, I think this may be a part of the reason. To finalize my first day impressions and observations, I think that once I got used to it-except for those fish stores- and got used to the flow and speed of life here, it would be exciting and interesting to live here. 

Day 2:

I am still not used to the time change. I woke up around 5 in the morning and just sat around and looked out our window. My roommate and I got lucky with our room. We have a corner room and two of our walls are windows. To bad we cant open them. I also learned that there is no heating. At times I am sure it is colder in our room than it is outside. 

Anyway, traveling around the city by bus is not really a good way to get to know the place, and I have never been a fan of fast moving objects anyway. I would have preferred to walk. However, I think most of the group would have disagreed. I noticed one thing today that I thought was worth mentioning. I noticed that there are a lot of businessmen in Hong Kong. I see many young and old men in business suits with briefcases wherever I go, but I have seen only a handful of women like this. All together, I see more men out in the streets than women.

Another thing I began to wonder about was whether or not the way the building were built, with the Feng Shui concept and all the interesting shapes and designs, whether it has an impact on Hong Kong's position in the business world and whether or not it effects their image in the eyes of other business leaders. 

Finally, I have noticed today that the people here, despite the difficult living situations in some places, live more peaceful and cheerful lives than in the US. Maybe it is because I don't actually live here, but I feel that the atmosphere here is so much more carefree and simple. People take more interest in other people instead of material things. 

Day 3:

Im dying...the food here is nothing, not even remotely like the chinese food back in the states. I don't even think they know what sweet and sour chicken is! I made a mistake and ate everything from yesterdays dinner. I never ever want to see tofu or mushrooms again. Besides my poor condition, the weather here is beautiful. 65 to 75 degrees F. I love it. 

We visited Hong Kong University today. When I was searching for a university to study at I did consider going abroad and even got accepted to a few places, but Hong Kong never entered my mind. I don't think it would be a bad idea though. Maybe I will consider doing a semester here. The students who I met were nice and cheerful and ready to practice there english like I was ready to practice my Mandarin, except for the fact that they didn't speak Mandarin. I saw that there were stairs leading up to a school entrance but all the people I saw going into the school used the elevators. Not one person, except for me used the stairs. Maybe that was because it was easier to use the elevator since I got lost using the stairs. 

Also, I noticed that even elementary students walk to school or take the bus on their own. It is amazing to see haw independent these young children are. In the US I can't even compare the children. A seven year old child in Hong Kong would help his or he parents in the house or at there work and go to school by themselves and do homework that in the states a ten year old child would have trouble with. In the states, all the seven year old children I know are spoiled, dependent on everyone to do there homework for them and do nothing but play games and watch TV. I would be stunned to see even one American child act so independently. I lived in Poland for a short while but I grew up in a Polish family so I had to learn to be independent like those children in Hong Kong but I the level that those children are at is truly impressive. I saw a small girl today, no more than six, helping here mother wash plates in a small restaurant window.She seemed to be enjoying it too. Later I say another young boy helping his grandfather I think run a small video stores. It is heartwarming to see. 

Day 4:

  Today is our first day off. I went to Macau Island with a few other people. I noticed that cars aren't the main transportation here. Buses, trains, and boats are also used just as much. Also, not only are they used more than in the states, they are also faster. Life in general here moves at the speed of a train compared to the states. There just doesn't seem to be enough time in a day to do everything that needs to be done. 

Later, once we were set free on the casino Island, we tours around for a while,  and then we went to look at the casinos. They are so much more confusing then the ones back home, and they are harder to win. Instead of three 7's for the slot machines, you need to get 4 or 5. Its insane. You would have to be really, really lucky to win. I was surprised though that Hong Kong has its own casino island. 

Day 5:

Im getting used to the air and the smells here, a little bit anyway. Our trip to Lantau Island was amazing. I can't believe that there are so many exotic and wild looking places in the middle of such an urban setting. I never imagined that there were palm trees in Hong Kong. Also, everything is so close by too. You can get around all of Hong Kong in one day if you wanted to. Everything seems to be just a few moments or an hour away at the most. 

We went to see the giant buddha and it was giant. From the lift we could see it miles away! I didn't expect the place to be like an amusement park though. It kind of reminded me of a museum/six flags without the rides. Maybe thats just me...

I would have liked to hike up there though. I wonder if anyone actually does that. I did see one person walking with dogs along the path.

It's amazing to see how you could go from a place with so much pollution that it is hard to breath to such a place as this. The mountains and air were refreshing after the smells of fish and gas around our hotel. 

Overall, the buddha was definitely worth seeing.