After two weeks of waiting, I got to pick up my visa! It is pretty cool; just a sticker that has some Chinese words and English words on it and it is on a page in my passport. I am still waiting to get my Hong Kong student visa: that should be coming “by courier” any day now.
So two days after we booked our plane tickets to LAX, Megan realized that our flight to Hong Kong actually flies out of San Francisco! We went online to change our tickets and saw that if you do not change them within 24 hours of purchasing them, you get charged $75 to change each ticket! We had only missed this deadline by eight hours! I ended up calling the airline and they changed our tickets for free, but it did take some tears. Now, we are flying out of SeaTac on December 24 at 12:20pm and arriving in San Francisco 2:34pm.
I called Regence and found out that my insurance plan is international so that is one less thing I have to worry about! Tuesday was my day for going to the doctor though! I learned a lot about possible sickness and diseases I could get and what to do and where to go if that happens. However, I don’t have to worry about getting polio, influenza, H1N1/swine flu, tetanus, or hepatitis A because I got immunized for all of them. My arms are still are pretty sore from all of those shots. Right now, I am working on getting immune to typhoid and started a sequence of four pills (one every other day) tonight. The doctor also prescribed to me two different types of anti diarrhea medicine and some medicine to protect me from malaria if I travel to any area where that is present.
Tonight, Megan and I booked our hotel for the time we will be in Hong Kong before I start school. We are staying at the YWCA in Kowloon where we have a private room with two twin beds and share a bathroom on an all female floor. We are both used to sharing a bathroom having lived in a sorority, and used to uncleanliness having both lived in a fraternity—hopefully the bathrooms will be clean though. Megan will be leaving on January 1 because she has to be back at the UW to start school, and I will not be able to check into my dorm until January 4. This means I will have a few days in Hong Kong all alone! I have never been anywhere by myself where I was unfamiliar with the area and didn’t know anyone. It is going to be exciting! Don’t worry Mom and Dad, I will be safe: if I get too scared I will probably just end up staying in my hotel room for three days straight.
A few hours ago, I received my tri-weekly newsletter from CUHK! It had some information about some fun attractions in the city, orientation, and a link to the site that lists all of our vacation days! If any of you are interest, the link is http://rgsntl.rgs.cuhk.edu.hk/rws_prd_life/re_menu/gn_00007052.asp . I had no idea that Chinese get a vacation day for Buddha’s birthday!
I have posted some pictures below of what my campus looks like. Also, the CUHK logo—which I think is pretty cool that their school colors are purple and gold, just like the UW!
Tasha!!! :)
ReplyDeleteDawn here from your FIG the past Autumn quarter!
No worries! You will be just fine and good job on getting everything done!
I am going to check up on your blog every now and then so I am expecting updates!
You are going to fall in love with Hong Kong real quickly!
The second picture of the garden, you are going to love it there! I went there this summer and that place is amazing. Though, I suggest going there when it's warmer when everything starts blooming!
I don't know if you'll make it there on time, but Hong Kong is beautiful around christmas because the city is literally decorated in lights! Oh! And try watching the laser light show that starts around 8PM at night. Go to Tsim Sha Tsui waterfront and you'll have the best view!! Here some more info: http://www.tourism.gov.hk/symphony/english/details/details.html.
And take advantage being there for three days!!! Try going to Tsim Sha Tsui! It has everything! AMAZING food and shopping galore! But go there at night, Nightlife in Hong Kong is the best!
And if you miss home and need a place less "asian" go to the SOHO district. Most tourists go there because you'll come to find it looks familar. It's very modern!
:) Hope it helps! And keep me posted! I want to do exactly this one day! :)
Oh! And when you really have time, like a WHOLE day, go see the Tian Tan Buddha (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tian_Tan_Buddha).(It's like the Statue of Liberty except Buddha.) You'll really dive deep into the culture and experience a really great attraction! :)
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