Playing catch up :) The HK is keeping me busy.

Horse Races, another Sunrise, Stanley Market, Party Tram, Nunnery, & More...

First, how about some new fun facts about Hong Kong Culture??

• You know how little kids will wear light up shoes? Well here they wear squeaky shoes (similar to the sound of a dog toy)! At first it was adorable, but gets slightly irritating sometimes. :)
• Water is not served at the dinner table, but hot tea and water is served and is complementary.
• It is rare to find wheat anything here (pastas, bread, rice, etc.).
• Almost all food is served "family style."
• Everything is disinfected multiple times per day, which is nice because most places feel and apear very clean.
• They eat much more dark meat here than white meat.
• There are many British terms or spellings used here: "Lift," "Queue," "Colour..."
• Ladies nights here actually mean free drinks for ladies, rather than "discounted" drinks in America. (Mom you told me to save money...!)
• We have been out on the ocean a couple times, and have yet to see an intertube or water skis -- they most commonly use banana boats and wakeboards.
• Last one: Everyone seems to have gotten sick at some point since being here, when it was my turn to go it was such a bizarre experience. You walk in, pay $150 HK ($19 US) and wait to get sent to a doctors room. When you get to the room the doctor is waiting there for you. Basically they ask you a bunch of questions and 10 mins later you have a list of 7 prescriptions that are filled 10 minutes later in the lobby (and covered in your original $150 HK fee). 

We finallllly made it to the horse races. They have them every Wednesday and Sunday, but the last race of the season happened to be a couple weeks ago. It was such an incredible experience to see, it was filled with many Europeans who dress up and go to socialize and have a good time. It is exciting and thrilling as the thousands of people scream and cheer in hope that the horse they bought money will win. I wish there were more races to go to, but it was still awesome. PLUSSS the first time I went to the races, I bet on #11 and won :)). 

Here is a video of horse #11 winning! You can hear how crazy the crowd gets...

Here is the horse arena. People who come to these races either there to have fun and socialize, or they also could be business executives who "shmooze" their clientele or else hardcore gamblers who are only there to win money-- they sit there with a horse stats and calculators so that they can figure out the best way to win.

Okayyy so we saw the sunrise again, and it was even more breath taking (last time was very overcast). This time we woke up at 3:30 am and we made it to the beach by 4:30 am. You can see the sunrise picture progression in my Facebook Album: More Magical Moments in Hong Kong http://on.fb.me/q3JLah

Around 5:00 am all of a sudden a bunch of older locals came to the beach apparently go to for a morning swim. It was actually very awesome to see because you can tell they do this every morning for the sunrise and it is a time for them to get their work out and also for them to socialize. As much as we tried to appreciate the beauty of the culture, it was a bit comical to see some of their work out routines... For example here is one of the women warming up before taking a swim... 

The beach we spent the day at in Stanley :) It was so relaxing to spend the day by the beach, drinking smoothies, shopping in the market, hiking to temples, and hanging with the BEST FRIENDS EVER. 

That night we were invited to Amanda's co-worker's birthday party which was a "party tram." Apparently going on these party trams is a very popular thing to do, and I understand why because it was truly a blast and such a beautiful way to travel through the city. We started out the night at one of the friend's flats which happened to have a rooftop balcony and an indescribable view of the city.  However, I definitely rediscovered my fear of heights being all the way up on the roof top...  Nonetheless, it was a great time meeting some of the expats who now lived in Hong Kong, we met people from London, Germany, America, Liverpool, etc. It is incredible to hear each of their stories and understand why they fell in love with Hong Kong.

The Four Girls (aka Mayhem) before we went out for the night :)

Us in front of the Party Tram!!!

The next day we spent at the Chi Lin Nunnery and again it was in the middle of the city. Despite the fact, it was silent the entire time and there was an spiritual feeling in the air -- it was so peaceful and beautifully made. Apparently because of the style of architecture that it was built in, there is not one nail in the entire building. 



Here is a video from the nunnery, and you can see the Buddhist monks.  

For Kristen ♥ Rest In Peace.

The most incredible places in HONG KONG.

Since I have taken so long to update my blog, I am definitely going to update you more by pictures rather than writing :) 1. That takes less time for me and 2. You will probably enjoy reading it more!

This next week we some how found some of the most incredible locations in HONG KONG. This city is so unique and absolutely beautiful -- I am just amazed that HK can transform from a high paced, wealthy city rushing with business, to a really cultured, Chinese area, and then to a tropical paradise complete with beaches and boats.

I havent gotten a chance to show you the campus we're staying at yet.... this is the residence at City University. The building behind the big orange thing (our cafeteria) is the dorm!  My roommate from Paris and I are on the 2nd floor!

Our cafeteria is ironically named the "Homey Kitchen" -- I say ironic because it seems to be the exact opposite of  "homey." There are only about 3 meals there that I will eat for dinner and none of them are what I would call "delicious." But ya know what, it's dorm foor and its free, so we can't complain too much I guess. :)

It turns out Amanda's boss owns HUSH, which is a lounge in LKF (Lan Kwai Fong), so one night we went there with the girls and it ended up being a blast, plus they have these incredible drinks (like the one shown here) that are made with dry ice and turn out to look and taste like Dip n' Dots. Greattt NIGHT. 

Later that night we ended up seeing the sunrise in the harbor. That's definitely the first thing I would recommend you do in Hong Kong is to stay up late enough/wake up early enough to see the sunrise... I say this because it is more than a beautiful sunrise in the harbor, but also because it is a great adventure and you get the opportunity to see a new part of the Hong Kong Culture. This is the Hong Kong Harbor around 5:30 am. 

That weekend we went to the Wong Tai Sin Temple, it was absolutely stunning. People from all over the country would come to the temple, light the incense provided and pray to the Gods for what ever was in their hearts. The tradition is to light 9 sticks of incense. I guess 3 is a lucky number so since there were 3 sets of three it was a very good karma that the prayers would  be answered. So anyways it was awesome to see that this temple was more than a tourist attraction, but a place that locals would go to pray. 

I am going to try to add a video, but for now, one thing that is famous at the Wong Tai Sin temple is to get a tube of sticks. Then you knee in front of the temple and shake the sticks until 1 falls out and hits the ground. Each stick has a number on it, so you take this number to the fortune tellers at the temple and then can give you some advice from your number and the Chinese year you were born. A bunch of us did this, including me, the number I got was a 6. I took this to my fortune teller and she told me that I was born in the year of the Horse and that 6 was a really lucky number, and while I couldn't understand half of the thing she said... I thought she said I would have a very fortunate love and family life. So I guess that's good!?! Although she did mention that there are two birth years that I need to stay away from, I'm pretty sure it was the Goat and the Dog...

And side note, I asked to take a picture of the fortune teller and instinctively she held up a peace sign, and I'm telling you that is the go to photo pose here. :) 

Photo I took from the garden outside the temple, it still blows my mind that a temple this old and full of culture can just be in the middle of such a big city.  

Another photograph of the Temple :)

The next day we made our way to Lantau Island as a sponsored activity with Dream Careers.  We started off at a look out point for the Ting Kau Bridge. It was beautiful and such a good place to relax.

Next stop was the fisherman's market. Dried fish and sea animals were lining the streets and the smell was awful, like putrid dog food. Despite the smell, it was actually an incredible area to wander around. You always here about people living on stilt houses on the water, but those were actually here, at first is was hard to see them lead their daily life working with fish and simply trying to make a small amount of money. However, it really seemed like the people there really enjoyed themselves, they had quality time to spend with their family.

Left: Stilt Houses
Above: Local riding around on her bike do errands.

Next stop was the "BIG BUDDAH" aka the Tian Tan Buddah. It sits on top of a big hill  above the Po Lin Monastery and is over 112 ft. tall. It definitely more of a tourist attraction vs. a cultural experience, but something that MUST be seen while you're in Hong Kong.   

Finally to conclude the day, we took a gondola back home. It was about a 45 min ride, and every moment was more breathtaking than the last. From above you could see mile long trails, small towns, the clear water, boats, the city, and so much more.... absolutely stunning.

More weeks to come soon :)))

For Kristen ♥ Rest In Peace.

Living the Life in Hong Kong.

** SORRY I HAVE TAKEN FOREVER TO POST **

I have now officially been out of the city of Tucson longer than I ever have before, in one given trip. The process of adjusting to a new city, a new culture, and a new lifestyle has really been surreal. We have gotten to the point where it is starting to feel like we are no longer on vacation here, but instead really getting quality time to know the city and to go beyond the "touristy" activities. I want to apologize for not updating my blog in a while, but to me that means I have just been too busy having a wonderful time in Hong Kong. There is really so much to do here and each day really brings a new adventure, all you have to do is hop on the MTR and next thing you know you're finding out something incredible about the city.

When I last left off, I was about to head out on the 100+ person boat/yacht trip with some of the best friends I have made since being here! It ended up being an absolutely incredible day on the ocean- it was so surreal to really conceptualize that I was in the middle of Asia on the South China Sea surrounded by nothing but beautiful water, green mountains, and people enjoying their time on the ocean. It was really an amazing day, we met people from all over the world. Each person has their own unique life story, but some how the common thread seemed to be "Well, I came to Hong Kong on vacation, and either 1. I never left and am still here x years later or 2. I immediately fell in love and moved here as soon as I could." Hong Kong really has a way of capturing you because it is so culturally intriguing, plus it has all the perks of a big business city, plus the feel of a small, peaceful, and tropical island with warm water and hot weather. It is strange, but unbelievable transition, to feel like you are in so many different environments at once. Prior to this trip, I had never EVER considered living outside of the United States on a more permanent basis, but now I know I would be capable of moving and living in a foreign country is now something I would definitely do.

Anyways here are some pictures from the boat:

100 Person Yacht (Apparently the organizer of the boat had to book this an year in advanced)

The boat was complete with slides, diving boards, dance floor, karaoke, card room, and so much more. 

We spent about half of the day on the side of the boat it was a great place to hangout and jump from!

The grouppp! Stanley in the front lives in Hong Kong and he has helped us have an incredible time since being here!

First time wake boarding :))) Even though it took a couple tries,  I got up and it was such an adrenaline rush. 

Long story short, it was one of the most memorable days here in Hong Kong, nothing can replace a day out on the ocean with great friends. 

For Kristen ♥ Rest In Peace.

Week 2 in Hong Kong!

This week has been a roller coaster to say the least. There have been lots of hard moments missing Kristen, but also it has been a week full of love and great memories in Hong Kong!!! Everyday I become more and more amazed by the culture here because everything they do here has incredible meaning behind it and these traditions really drive all aspects of their life. For example, most buildings don't have a fourth floor because "fourth" and "death" are pronounced the same in Chinese, so they want to avoid having a "death floor." And buildings must have proper feng shui so that it ensures that those in it will lead healthy and successful lives. Downtown the entrance to major buildings must be to the water, while the back of the building is facing the mountain.

It is incredible that there are a lot of familiar things here in Hong Kong, but there are slight differences that make things so interesting and unique. I'm just going to start blabbing about some of the crazy things I have noticed here... 

• They have an excessive amount of malls here, literally every where you go there is a mall that is usually 6 or 7 floors high and many times you need to walk through a mall in order to get to your next destination. 
• They LOVE to serve us french fries at our dorm, at any meal (especially breakfast) you're guaranteed to be given fries. 
• The language barrier has gotten more difficult in the past few years and we have had some difficulties communicating, especially ordering food or getting directions.
• The marketing and advertisements... I have been so amused at the commercials and posters that are in Hong Kong, they love to use things like anime or cartoons. I need to take more pictures of examples so you can see just how awesome it is... 
• The transportation system here aka the MTR is incredible... so efficient and fast. I don't think I have ever had to wait more than 3 minutes for a metro or bus here, it makes it so easy.
• The humidity here is awful I can deal with 115 degrees in Tucson, but this humidity makes walking outside (even at night) so tough and kinda gross. We have to walk up this huge hill to get back to our dorm and that is killer with the humidity.
• We have been in 2 typhoons here so far... I learned that there are different levels and colors that represent the intensity of the storm. They list either a (T1, T3, T8, T10) out side our dorm and elevator so you know how to prepare for the day. And then they can send out color coordinated warnings Amber (intense storm conditions) Red (no one can go outside) Black (everything shuts down and if you're at work, you have to go home!)
• I expected there to be a lot more Americans here but we've met a lot more people from Europe... France, Britain, Germany, Spain, Ireland, London... etc. 
• Every night they have a light show downtown, where they have lights on all the buildings synced up to music... it's pretty incredible.
• The food has been interesting, especially the meat. They leave the fat, skin, and anything excess on the food... slightly gross and unhealthy. But some of their traditional meals are so delicious, like the dim sum or hot pot. 
• People can be very impatient and not polite here, and most of the time on the MTR... many times people will not give up their seat to the elderly or some one in need.  
• I met this 90 year old lady on the MTR who moved to Hong Kong in 1941 and even though there was a language barrier and you could tell she was getting old, it was awesome to here her story and the coolest thing was is she was on her way to school to take an English class. Very inspiring.

Enough fun facts, now I'll show you some pictures!

And tomorrow I'm going on an all day Junk Boat out on the Hong Kong harbor, I'm so excited!!!

These are the flowers I was given from the program leaders and my roommate, it has been such a rough week, but the little things like this made it so much easier :) Thank you to everyone for being such a great support.

This is Hot Pot which could be compared to a Chinese fondue. Very delicious, but messy and not very filling.

Heading out to Lan Kwai Fong for Ladies Night :) On the MTR.

Glow-in-the-dark and light-up drinks at Club 97.

Some history about Tea in Hong Kong!

Today I met up with Dr. Brown from the UofA who is here for a month this summer teaching and doing research. It was incredible to spend the day with her and some of her fellow professors.

A shot from the Dim Sum restaurant we went to today, probably the best meal I have been to here in Hong Kong.  INCREDIBLE.

For Kristen ♥ Rest In Peace.

Change of Pace...

Kristen Nieves: Best Roommate and Best Friend I Could Ever Ask For ♥

I don't quite know how to go about writing about this or phrasing it, but I am dedicating this post and the remainder of my trip in Hong Kong to my dear friend, Kristen Nieves. On Saturday morning around 4:00 am (2:00 pm in Arizona), I received the news that hours earlier my roommate last year, one of my closest friends, and the most loving, incredible, and funniest girl I know was struck by a car while riding her bike. She was rushed to the hospital, and few hours later she passed away. I know she is in a better place now, she is with God in heaven making everyone up there laugh, sing, smile, and dance. Being half way across the world, it has been extremely difficult to cope with the intense and desolate pain and to really grasp the reality of the tragic situation that took one of God's greatest gifts to me and countless others.

Fab 5.
Prisila, Kristen, Me, Suzi, and Julia. We're missing Ryan Lloyd.

I can't even being to explain what an incredible person Kristen was... but the video below that my incredible friend Amber Richmond created, really captures the essence of her undeniable beauty and contagious personality. You can see why so many people love her and how the void in our hearts may never be fully mended. My deepest thoughts and concerns go out to the Nieves Family... Her beautiful, caring, and passionate parents, Eileen and Ron, her younger brothers A.J. and Timothy, and anyone who was blessed to have Kristen in their life.

As hard as the last couple days have been, I have been blessed to have an incredible support system here in China. Matt Pacheco and Melissa Montoya both knew her because we all lived with Kristen the dorms together so that has been great to share her memories with them. Also everyone I have met here has been more than incredible and such a great support system. I cant thank my friends enough: , Matt, Melissa, Elise, Alexia, Amanda, Chris, Ross, Alex, Ignacio, Mercedes Mike, Michael, Mikey, Steph, and Jocelyn. (I hope I didn't leave anyone out). And beyond that the Dream Career's staff (Bryce, Tatiana, and Maya) here have gone above and beyond and I can emphasize how much they have helped me... whether is was bringing me flowers or going with me to mass, I has been truly amazing. Nothing will make the reality of this situation lessen or go away, but the little things make the process so much easier. ♥

Also a special thank you to my parents, who have been on the phone and on skype at all hours of the day just to be there even for only a short moment. I love them and can't wait to be with them again.

One of the quotes that has helped guide me through the week was given to me by Bryce, the leader of the program... He told me, "Don't cry because it's over, smile because it happened." I might not be at the point where I can contain the tears or the haunting sadness, but I am smiling because I am so blessed to have had Kristen in my life. She will always be a part of me and I will never forget the endless amount of memories she blessed me with. I am so happy I had taken so many pictures over the last two years of knowing her because I can look back at all the wonderful moments. Take as many pictures as possible, they are truly worth more than 1,000 words.

And in a way, if it is at all possible, to conclude this post's sadness... Kristen is all about celebration, she lived and thrived when people were around and when she could share her DIVA love and passion. So my thoughts and prayers go out her family and friends during this time of mourning and heartache... but I hope this time is also a celebration for Kristen and the beautiful and incredible life she led! I know Kristen would want me to enjoy this trip and to really embrace the opportunities here in Hong Kong. So I am making my promise to here that I will live out every moment to it's fullest and enjoy it all. I miss you so much, but Kristen Nieves... this trip is for you.

Kristen: Since I can't be in Arizona with all the people whose life you touched, and now I no longer can physically be with you... I had your name written on a grain of rice so you will always be on my heart. It's a small little thing, but it means more than words to know you are with me. I love you and miss you so much, keep being your Diva self up there, your laugh, your smile, your personality is infectious and contagious. You are the true DIVA and no one will ever compare. I love you best friend, roommie, Eunice, Kridden Krunk... L230 L♥ve.

Photo Credit: Melissa Montoya

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I do need to fill you in on how the trip is going other than the recent events. Last time I talked with you, I had just finished my first day of work and another great meal. But now we are really getting a feel of the city and embracing the culture, because we are beginning to adjust to all the differences and transporting from one place to another is a lot easier now. And we officially finished our first week of work. I'll break the past events down more by pictures this time instead of a lot of writing, but would be happy to explain too, just leave some comments or email me if you want to know more...

Night time in Mong Kok

Dessert in Mong Kok... It was like a combination of Gelato and Ice Cream, and it was DELICIOUS.

We went to see the Light Show at the Hong Kong Skyline... but unfortunately it was POURING that night... I still need to see it in clear weather conditions.

Dessert at Sweet Dynasty Restaurant. It is basically a tofu pudding with strawberries and they brought it out with Dry Ice in the Bowl below!

More tofu pudding, sweet syrup topping and a Dim Sum dessert with poppy seeds inside.

Night out on the town. We went to Sky Bar/Azure and Liquid. Great friends, great times.

First Hong Kong Tour!!!

Temple Street Night Market, Jumbo Floating Restaurant, and Victoria's Peak!

Walking through The Night Market, and you can see some interesting food... enjoy ;)

The girls on the Jumbo boat for dinner!!!

Our hilarious, yet adorable tour guide!

Dinner at JUMBO! This giant, floating, yet stationary boat.

Video of the Hong Kong Skyline.

Magical view of the Skyline from Victoria's Peak! Unbelievable, my camera doesn't do this justice.

For Kristen ♥ Rest In Peace.

First Day of Work and The Temple Street Night Market

The internship officially began today, and I am so excited for this coming summer at Intuitive Automata. We arrived professionally early the first day and met Cory Kidd, our boss and founder of Intuitive Automata was such smart mentor who has so much enthusiasm in his company. It is a relatively small office, with not many people on staff, but everyone we met was so welcoming and very talented in their fields.






Ross and I will be able to work on various methods of marketing the company online and in the press so that their product will be ready to launch. I know this summer is going to be a great experience and I know I am going to learn so much. Although the company is an American based company, we will also get a chance to learn about Chinese and international business practices. And hopefully we will have the opportunity to visit the factory where the robots are made!

Here are some other views of the Science and Technology Park!










After work, we all met up to go to a Dream Careers event at the Temple Street Night Market! It was a blast, check out the Cuisine Tab for more :)