Dear Diary.... ah.  I'm the kind of person that gets tired easily or so... like I need 7-8 hours to function optimally.  Otherwise, I might get cranky.  Plus, I think I just don't have the energy that other people my age have.  I don't know... it's a self-fulfilling prophecy of my mom's perhaps, she's always telling me to sleep earlier.

I-House is like the FT of CUHK.  There are two towers, it's far from everything else, and people are known for their partying.  No floods lol.  It kinda sucks that we have to buy our own toilet paper and soap.  What I really wish was that there was a fan in the room.  Yesterday night I sweated like I was in a low-grade sauna.  It's gross to think that basically I was in contact with damp clothes for many, many hours.  Honestly every surface of me that touched my pillow, the mattress, whatever, became more damp.  What didn't touch anything was sticky and ughhh OK I will stop.  I don't know if the a/c's even cold.

Complaints over.  So today I went to the canteens on central campus to eat with Helen.  Afterwards, we got on the coach bus for orientation's City Tour.  We hit Stanley Market, Victoria's Peak, and the Avenue of Stars.  Stanley Market was cool... I liked seeing the water, as well as walking on the sidewalk and the place feeling less HK-y and more like Catalina Island.. though that was brief.  Stanley Market's just like the winding market in Chinatown that I went to with San, Wes, Adam, Jen, and Jamie.  Victoria's Peak was alright.  We took a few pictures and Helen bumped into a friend.  Mm.  Apparently there are only three Burger Kings in HK.  Two are at the airport, and the third is on Victoria's Peak....  Afterwards, we were driven to Tsim Sha Tsui (again) and we only had a half hour so I'm guessing a lot of people stayed and just went back by themselves.  I stayed with Helen, and made friends with Katrina, Adrienne, and Jennifer.  We walked down the Avenue of Stars, then circled back and went to New World Centre where we ate dinner and went to the "Needs" supermarket to buy stuff.  I think I was being socially awkward.  Anyway... at least it got better later on.  We then took some nighttime pictures outside, took the MTR (but i think it's a different name).  It was about 20 minutes from East Tsim Sha Tsui station to University station.  From there it was a bus to United then walking to lift and to I-House.

Thank goodness it's Sunday tomorrow!

Maybe I'll invest in some a/c tonight.  I need to do laundry... I haven't met my roommate yet.  I want to keep writing but I don't know what I have to write that is substantial... a lot of Cantonese friends are excited to find out I'm in HK, wishing they were here, I don't quite feel the same, though it has only been 6 days.  While shopping at the supermarket today, I realized to my disappointment that I don't have the luxuries I have in my small SB apartment.  A cup.  Cookingware.  You know, all the little things that now require me to go out of my way to find and buy.  I miss the comfort and convenience in America.  ahh... i should not be so resentful.

Yesterday was a good day.  Let's see... first of all, I got to sleep in because my academic advising time was today.  I don't remember if I did anything before College Time.  Basically, we're all assigned to one of four colleges and mine is "Shaw College."  I took the bus to Kuo Mou Hall and went to the canteen where we were served lunch.  This was really fun actually, even though when I first arrived and went to my table, there was the awkward who says hi to who first situation :X  But I made some new friends... I talked mostly with a girl from England, who sat next to me.  She's actually doing an internship because their university (Cambridge) has a link with CUHK, and she's leaving soon.  She just wanted to join in welcoming the exchange students.  They had staff and students from Shaw College scattered throughout the different tables.  The Ms. Kam at our table made me feel at ease, hehee.  Afterwards, we toured Kuo Mou Hall, the dorm area, and it was time to go to Esther Lee Building for those living in I-House to meet their Warden.  aka RD.  I got there without a hitch, thank goodness, and he seems to be a humorous, laid-back and relaxed guy-- but only if you don't break any of the rules.  I had to leave for my "Meeting with Law faculty" meeting... in Mong Man Wai Building.  I like this building.  The name sounds cool haha.  Anyway, I got off at Sir Run Run Shaw building (same guy as the college) and walked to MMW.  I took the "lift" to the 3rd floor to find the moot court building... but it was locked.  3:45 came and went.  I met several other exchange students and we talked and waited together outside the door... then a professor and a staffperson showed up.  What followed was an interesting exchange.  There were 8 of us, though there was supposed to be 10.  So Professor S. took "register" (roll call?) and one of the guys, from Netherland, wasn't even on the list.  The rest of the time was taken up with wondering where to place him, whether he was an undergraduate or a postgraduate.. apparently in Europe they have bachelor-master's degrees or something, so you can be in your fifth year and have just a thesis to write, and once you graduate, you have a master's degree... I don't really know, but that's what I grasped from the guy from the Netherlands and the two from Helsinki talking... there was also something about the Bologna school of law degree... LLB and LLM as opposed to J.D. in America... Anyway, aside from me and this guy from Japan, 6 of them thought the course selection was too small.  Unlike me, they are here only for law courses (I'm taking g.e., elective, language, and just one law course for my major).  They also had concerns that the undergraduate courses were below their level, and wanted to look into getting postgraduate courses.  Long story short, I sat there the whole time, not saying much but finding the back and forth very interesting to listen to... then I signed up for a tutorial.  Oh, the photo with the vice-chancellor of CUHK was supposed to take place at 4:45, but I didn't go.  So if anyone ever sees the picture of the exchange students under the CUHK emblem, I'm not in it!  and i know at least 7 other people who weren't there, either, lol.  Mm.  I took the bus to Sports Centre to get to the orientation dorm.  I changed into more formal clothes for the Welcoming Dinner.  I thought the bus was going to pick us up downstairs, but at 5:28 I looked at the schedule and it said John Fulton Centre.  I was like oh no.  Luckily, I caught up with a few other girls who also were running late, and we took the bus to Sir Run Run Shaw Hall, walked this stretch of campus, went down some stairs, and caught one of the last buses leaving John Fulton Centre.  *relief*  We were bussed to Tsim Sha Tsui where we ate a really long dinner, lasting many hours.  I sat next to the two from Helsinki that I was at the meeting with, and reintroduced myself.  There was a guy from Singapore, a girl born in mainland but studying at UCSD, and two Korean students on my right.  I had fun... I didn't see the lightshow but I may see it another time.

Today I had to wake up bright and early, still with a tickle in my throat... got shipped to I-House where I unpacked before heading to Chung Chi campus to run errands.  My room is small, but I'll get used to it.  I really wish there was a fan though.  We have to pay for a/c.  Oh, and our bathrooms don't have any toilet paper or soap!!  :X  I ate the rest of the bread I brought with me from the U.S., from a Chinese bakery in L.A. and the orange from last night's dinner.  Took the bus to Shaw College and then to Chung Chi campus.  I went to OAL, then Hang Seng Bank where I opened an account, but could not cash my traveler's checks.  I have to watch my money so it will last to Monday.  Starving college student.. I also bought some stuff from the supermarket as well as looseleaf paper.  I was going to get a binder and pencil but I thought against it, in case I needed the cash before Monday.

Afterwards, I took the bus to Wong Foo Yuen Building for Academic Advising.  Not too bad.  I hope I can get my desired schedule.

After that, I went to get the add/drop form signed by the department of the LAW course I wanted to drop.  I decided to walk; bad idea.  I climbed up this steep and long road, and then realized I wasn't where I wanted to be, and had to walk some more... before I finally got there, sweaty and face red.  No surprise.  Getting the form stamped was easy.  Then I had to make it to I-House and looking at the distance on the map I was getting really tired.  A genial university worker told me it was less than 10 minutes to walk, so I set out... this was after trying to find a closer route and not finding it.. and I finally got home.

Oh goodness... so yea, I think I've been soaked in sweat ever since.  And tired.  Lower-body workout..

The only other girl in my flat right now happens to be a Stuy grad, too... what are the chances?  She gave me a banana to eat, which I was thankful for... I haven't eaten real fruit beside the orange earlier.  I also haven't drunk anything except water and tea, though I had a complimentary can of Sprite yesterday.

Oh and two women accosted me while I walked through campus today about joining their Bible study.  Not sure about it..

The thought of walking more to get dinner was painful... and I'm really tired, so I waited till 8 to go.  The nearest canteen is a looming flight of stairs and an uphill climb, then an elevator ride, and some more walking.  It wasn't as bad as I thought it would be, thank goodness.

i haven't been doing too hot today.  not that it isn't hot, although the humidity isn't as bad today.  I was indoors most of the day though.  Today I woke up, still could use more sleep, but our orientation sessions started today so off we went... I ate breakfast in my room because I had food leftover from yesterday.

We were ferried to Shaw College where we sat through tons of speakers with topics ranging from health and transport to internet connection and course registration.  I'm pleased I got all the courses I registered for, but I want to make a few changes.  In between we got a break for an hour for lunch.  OH, I got to see Helen today!!!  She dropped by my room before we headed downstairs.  It felt overwhelming and great to see a familiar face.  Hehee.  Helen and I decided to head over to the Office of Academic Links to get paperwork done.  Then we went to a canteen and grabbed some lunch.  A $1USD ham and egg sandwich on white bread with no crusts, lol.  We went to Hang Seng Bank but the line was long.  We decided to head back but we'd missed the last bus, and I, being unfamiliar with the schedule/routes, thought there would be a bus on the other side of the street for every bus stop on this side of the street, but there isn't... it's a circular route.  To top that off, we got on the bus whose last stop is the Train Station, and waited 20 minutes for the bus going back to Shaw College to take us there... in actuality we could have walked a short distance to a different stop along the route and would not have needed to transfer buses or to wait...

We had a session with the U.S. Consulate, and it was really comforting, by that time in the day, to hear him talk to us, not sure why.. maybe it was the "American" accent.  People here, I think, have a Cantonese accent sometimes tinged with a British accent.

edit/
Anyway, after the session with the U.S. Consulate, I took the bus home by myself, and I got off at the right stop (yay) and walked back to the Orientation dorm.  I really wanted to just wind down from the feelings of being out of control of things I guess is how to describe it, by myself in my room... my roommate wasn't there, so I was able to just relax by myself.

We're moving into our permanent hostels on Friday, and after that I need to stop by the supermarket on campus to buy a few necessary items.  I hope it works out..

I didn't expect the campus to be this hilly.  I thought it would be largely flat.

I'm working on getting my cell phone to work.  So far it hasn't been too bad not having one but I think I'll need it.  Also, I'm still trying to shake the cough and the stuffy nose.

With every meal I eat, I feel like I'm getting enough sodium intake to last me 4 days, but it starts again the next meal.. today I had some steamed bok choy, no salt, just water + vegetable and it felt soo good to eat.  Thank goodness for Helen who ate with me or else I would probably have gone alone.

Tired..

I am in Hong Kong.  I had a greatt time at LAX hahaha!  We got a parking space right across from the international terminal, got checked in via e-ticket pretty quickly, sent my bag on to TSA, and then sat around with my parents on the second level food court.  ahhh I love airports.  We took a few pictures... then I went in to the security checkpoint, parents left, and I made it to the other side...

I exchanged $100 USD (traveler's check) for HKD.  Was ripped off, but it was necessary.. I should mention I'd gotten sick on Tuesday, and have been trying to shake it ever since.  My throat doesn't hurt anymore, but I have a stuffy nose... Anyway, the international terminal has a lot less stores and eye-catching pit stops, basically... so it was boring.  Usually I like stopping in airport bookstores, but there weren't any.  I had a coughing fit at one point, and I thought my flight was going to be 14 hours of torture, if it was spent trying to hold back a coughing fit.  I had to do that on a subway ride to school once for roughly 45 minutes, and it wasn't fun.  I prayed and thankfully I did not have a coughing fit at all!

I was in the aisle, and a guy was at the window seat, with the seat in-between us empty - yay!  It was a decent flight though I hadn't been on one this long for a while, and have probably never been on one this long traveling by myself.  I didn't get a lot of sleep but was feeling alright when I exited.

I found my way (following the "Arrivals" sign all the way) through customs to baggage claim then to the "Olympic clock" where CUHK student helpers were.  First one!  hahaha if only this were the Amazing Race.  We stood around for a long time before we got to the bus stand area, then we waited still more before we got on.  From there it was about 40 minutes to get to CUHK campus.

Drivers here sit on the right side.  That means the "Look right" sign from England applies here, too.  I thought I would have a higher chance of arriving in HK on a gloomy, gray day but it's blue skies so far.  The apartments are really tall and people hang their clothes on the outside.  The campus is on a hill, which means a lot of exercise is coming my way.  The campus seems fairly big...

I hope those who want to be updated see this!  Keep me updated, I miss you all already!

edit/
After I got to the CUHK campus I went on a campus tour but I couldn't tell you where we were half the time because the campus is full of roads, staircases, and buildings, all interwined around a hill, and it's just confusing.  It's the first day though.. My group was led by a girl named Sophia and she was a good tour guide.  We got our packets at OAL, I bought a travel converter (aka plug adapter) there, got my ID card at another building, then saw the University Library from the outside.  We somehow ended up at a canteen, and then we were taken upstairs to two other canteens and a dimsum restaurant mostly serving faculty and staff.  We ended up eating lunch at Coffee Corner.  Flat noodle soup with chicken and cabbage cost me $2.25 USD.  After a moderately long hike we returned to the orientation dorm.

Our tour guide told us about shortcuts but they seem complicated to remember.  One of them involves going into the engineering building to take the express shuttle (an elevator that stops only on the ground floor, fourth floor, and ninth floor) up or down, depending on which direction you're going-- toward or away from Central campus.

I'm glad I got Internet set up.  Afterwards, I went on a Shatin tour, but several of us separated from the group and went our own way.  Basically we took the MTR two stops toward East Tsim Tsai Tsui (?) and got off at Shatin.  We wandered around New Town Plaza.  I had bought a SIM card at the airport, but my phone wasn't letting me make any calls, whether I had service or not, and I went to a cell phone shop where they told me it's my phone that's the problem because the SIM card worked in another phone.  Booo.. I ended up taking the MTR back to the University stop by myself, much like taking the NY subway except it's a much smoother ride, and walking the distance back to the dorm.  I walked up these stairs before I found out it was the wrong set of stairs.  So I headed all the way down again and had to climb the real set of stairs and goodness gracious they were interminable!  I really don't know how I'm going to do this.

Mishaps of late.  On Tues I got sick, a couple of days later I hit my right hand against the table and bruised it, on Saturday I scalded the corners of my lips with hot tea (as in burned).  Now add on to me, a Claritin-dosing, hoping-hand-heals, lacking sleep person with soon-to-be-ointment-laced-lips, bouts of dizziness.. I've been feeling dizzy ever since stepping outside of the airport.  It stopped for a while when we started the Shatin tour, and then it started again.  I think I just need more sleep, but part of it appears to be the intense humidity, as well.

I caught cold overnight and there's a dull pain in the back of my throat.  Only the right side of my throat/ear/nose passages seems to be affected, though.  I hope I recover soon..

i listen to kelly clarkson (recent album) and/or avril lavigne when i'm frustrated and in disbelief kind of mad.

I have to have better posture.  And stop sitting like this:

(drawn in MS Paint by yours truly)

Or else I'll need a chiropractor!!

I was watching TV tonight, and it was amazing all the stuff
I felt/thought.

I saw George Bush multiple times on TV tonight and ever
since the Olympics began – he was at the opening ceremony as well along with
other political luminaries.  (Is “luminary”
the right word?)  Anyway—and I don’t
think I’ve felt more favorable to him than right now.  I don’t know why, but I suddenly realize what
a tough job being a President is, as if before now, I painted an almost
villanous picture of him, it’s been reversed and though he sure isn’t
environmentally friendly, there’s a feeling like he’s actually a harmless guy,
with his wife, his daughter, just being the political head of state of the
U.S., carrying the weight of different decisions on his shoulders, needing to
delegate and run a bureaucracy of government officials.. I think it comes from
having been an intern at the D.A.’s office and at EDC, and it brings a less
mechanical feel to the typical bureaucratic, office, cubicle, secretary,
administration, scene… like, I can understand why things have to be done a
certain way, with the memos and the emails and the back and forth and
conference calls… it’s a good way, even, a better way than I’d imagined.  I always held bureaucracy in contempt because
it seemed a slow-moving process, one that caused more trouble for the people who
access it for help than help… one that must be a sour job to work at, and how
could anyone feel like they’ve accomplished anything by processing paperwork at
a desk… but I can understand it now.

I also wonder about me, going into politics. =P

Oh, and I enjoyed watching George Bush’s interview with Bob
Costas, had to go Googling for his name there – and according to wikipedia, he’s
from Queens!  yea!!  which was unexpected and delightful.

Another thing was the Olympics athletes.  I have an impression of Chinese athletes as
starting training as young as 3, 4 and really just spending their lives
shooting for Olympic gold, which isn’t unusual given the authoritarian culture/parental
authority/national pride and the high pressure for success that comes with
competition, whether that’s school exams, gymnastics, or whatever.  I never thought that American athletes could
put their nose to the grindstone, so to say, in the same way.  One US gymnast, a synchronized diver, they did
a short clip on her and her background, and she apparently doesn’t see her
family often, moved away to a different state for training two years ago, and
said she has no friends.  No
friends.  Plus she didn’t go to high
school.  She’s 19.  She was candid when she said she had no
friends.  And it made me realize the
stark reality of being an Olympic competitor, that it’s not just talent that
puts them there but practice and more practice, and it isn’t easy to be in the
line-up for a possible gold and still have the life that well, I, an average
American girl, have.  She said, I have the
rest of my life to do what I want to do, and I’m doing what I want to do right
now.  And sure maybe some may pity her
because she’s “missing out,” but at the same time, props to her for knowing
what she wants and excelling at it.

Then, they did another short clip on another athlete, a
swimmer, Natalie Coughlin, and she’s already an Olympic gold medalist but she’s
back in Beijing.
 She’s a little older, 25 years old
Wikipedia reports, and what I loved about the clip was her talking about how
she doesn’t let swimming take up all of her time, and she has other interests
like photography and cooking as well.  They
showed her surfing a bit, and she talked about how she loves going to Farmer’s
Markets and buying food and that her friends expect good food when they come
over to her house.  She’s also a UCB
graduate.  How awesome, I thought, that
she’s learned one of the secrets in life, and that’s to spread yourself out a
little, don’t be like the Chinese athletes who are brought up to chase one
dream and one dream only because what happens when the crowning moment passes,
and don’t just be someone who doesn’t go to high school because she’s bent on
training, and never sees her family or has any friends, (I will allow that for
some people, this unbridled determination to achieve a goal works for them and
not having that social bubble is OK) but to soak life in.

I've never been to many of New York's tourist attractions, like the Statue of Liberty, Ellis Island, Empire State Building, etc. and suspect other New Yorkers haven't done so either, unless it was to show friends or relatives around.

For me, it was kind of a, "They're always there if I want to visit them" deal.

Where are you from, and what famous landmarks have you yet to visit from there?

Article here: Mr. Darcy Comes Courting

I just read a Maureen Dowd column on Mr. Obama and
analogizing him to Mr. Darcy from P&P.  I was taken over by the allusion but her
commenters seem less impressed.  I guess
they have a problem with her feminizing Obama/her being a feminist/her hating
on Hillary Clinton/her reduction of Obama into nothing more than a human being
infused with excess pride?  I can’t quite
figure out the angles they’re coming from. 
That said, I want to recount my voting preference… first I was a Hillary
supporter b/c I felt she was an intelligent woman who spoke of tangible
plans.  Obama is hard to pin down, and
seems to have the handshake but not the touch.  She didn’t win the primary, Obama won the
nomination, I was in disbelief because I felt Clinton was the best candidate.  After a while, I decided Obama is a better
choice than say, McCain.  I even started
to appreciate that he is the Democratic Party’s nominee.  But when it comes up, I notice myself wavering
and wishing for a third person I could vote for that’s not either of them,
because Obama still has the potential to represent to me as the equivocating,
doesn’t have a solid platform candidate.