Hi!

A week ago I arrived in Hong Kong. Time is running!

Now I'm lying in my bed and I don't really know where to start..

JCSV3

Maybe you have been wondering where I'm staying. As you might know here are a lot of inhabitants per square kilometer so people are living in the skyscrapers in order to fit. I'm staying at one of the residence halls of the University of Hong Kong and it has 26 floors. I have a nice little douple-room with my French roommate on the 10th floor. The name of this residence complex is Jockey Club Student Village 3 with four block of flats which are called Shung Hing Gollege, Chi Shun Gollege, Lap-Chee Gollege and New Gollege. I'm lucky to stay at here thus the building is quite new. In addition there are guardians on two floors to check that nobody outsider enters the buildings. No wonder why they say that Hong Kong is one of the safest places in the world.

JCSV3

The entrance to my residence

I have met local students and a lot of exchange students from around the world but only one of them is from Finland and she is studying law. I also met my HKU buddy right after I arrived. She helps me to settle in Hong Kong. For example she taught me how to hold the chopsticks. Also one of my teachers who is an Associate Professor of Food Toxicology in the School of Biological Sciences helps me with any enqueries. Everybody is so kind to me! First week was the orientation week (Weeks of Welcome - WoW) so I didn't have any classes yet. I took part in several orientation events for example the Campus Tour, the Peak Walk and the main orientation. After the orientation week it's easier to start the semester and live here as an exchange student. 

Me and my buddy Hayley

The view from the University of Hong Kong

Steamed rice

Dim Sum

Now I'm a little bit exhausted because I caught a cold and I have a fever. Also I had really bad jet lag and it was difficult to fall asleep: on Thursday I woke up at 6 pm because I couldn't sleep until 6 am. It's very cold at nights since they don't have heaters here like we have in Finland. It's around 16-19 degrees in the daytime but it's hardly 10 degrees at nights. Yeah I know, I should stop complaining.. It's -27 degrees in some parts of Finland. 

Weeks of Welcome

To summarize, I'm doing very well and everything is fine!

If you have any questions don't hesitate to ask! :)

Selfie in Kennedy Town's MTR station

Yours

Veera

Dear all

The adventure of my life is about to begin in one day. I'm going to spend my spring semester 2016 in Hong Kong as an exchange student. This is going to be my first big adventure from cosy and safe home to the strange and great world. Wish me luck!

To begin with, here is briefly something about my incoming studies. I'm going to study in the University of Hong Kong (HKU) which is ranked 1st in Hong Kong, 3rd in Asia, 43rd in the world (The World University Rankings 2014). Uh, it's going to be tough. Anyway, my main subject is Food and Nutritional Science in the department of Biological Science. I have selected courses which includes for example clinical nutrition, nutrigenomics, food and nutritional toxicology. I'm so excited but at the same time very nervous!

Sorry, I almost forgot to introduce myself! I'm a 24-year-old girl who is originally from Äetsä (tiny town in Pirkanmaa region) but afterwards moved to Kuopio throughout Turku to study Clinical Nutrition in the University of Eastern Finland (UEF). I live with my spouse in our nice little flat in the centre of Kuopio. While I'm having my adventure in Hong Kong my spouse tries to study hard. Or maybe he just has made me believe so.. Even so, I hope he will have a nice spring in Kuopio. I will truly miss him!

I'll keep you posted!

Yours,
Veera