What a week!

It was week for the Chinese Lunar New Year and now I am back to business! I should write more often but sadly, I don't have just enough time to write as often I like to. I am so sorry! Happy Valentine's day!

Tai Mei Tuk

Now some news briefly. Instead of hanging out with my computer I had a lovely week with my exchange friends. Last weekend we had a cycling tour in New Territories. The weather couldn't be better! We cycled about 26 km near the sea from Tai Wai to Tai Mei Tuk. I was so excited to have a good exercise but it turned out to be more like leisure cycling but that's fine - I am not here for the sports, I am having time of my life! So no any pressure to be in shape after this exchange! :D

Cycling path

After the weekend we had a trip to Macau with Louise, Victoria, Francesca and Duncan. Louise and Victoria are from Canada, Francesca from Italy and Duncan from France. We enjoyed our trip although everything went more or less as we had planned. First in the morning we missed our ferry from Hong Kong island to Macau but luckily we got another one for free. Then because of the delay we missed Macau's New Year Parade.  We took a moment to get it over with and we made it! But that's not all! Initially we planned to visit Macau on Monday since we had heard that there is amazing fireworks then. Well, the fireworks turned out to hold on Tuesday so we didn't have any parade or any fireworks.. However we still decided to make our trip memorable by trowing a party and going to gamble! We had a few drinks, a good music and so on.. Suddenly we found ourselves in front of the Casino and someone nameless (:D) couldn't get in to Wynn Casino so nameless guy went back to our hotel to sleep tight. The rest of us got in and we spent there for over four hours gambling! And quess what, we lost everything! The day after we visited the portugese area of Macau which is called Taipa. It was a lovely village with a hint of Portugese styled things for example portugese styled egg tarts, streets with the Portugese names! After a long day with headache we finally got in back to Hong Kong to watch the Chinese New Year fireworks in Kowloon, Tsim Sha Tsui.

Soo all in all we made our trip memorable! High 5!

The fireworks

Casinos in Macau

Portugese style

Portugese eggtart

Macanese food and beer

On Wednesday I work a bit so there is nothing to tell you guys now. For the weekend we just made small trips around Hong Kong. For example we went to the Jade Market where they sell jewelries made of Jade stone which are really expensive if you want a real one. Also we did some hike on the Mount Davis that is located right behind our hall. That was fun! Also I was really excited, it was almost +30 degrees because of the humidity here! Ah, sooo warm! <3

The view from Mount Davis

Now it is time to go to bed! Good night, sleep tight! 

Yours

Veera

你好! Hi!

你好嗎! How are you? 

Everything has been so amazing here in Hong Kong! I am really happy with my decision to come here and to have this great opportunity to expand my view of the world. This adventure is new way to learn new things about myself because here I am all alone without my darling Hany, without my dearest twin sister Noora, without my loving family (other sister, brother, mom, dad) and without my lovely Finnish friends. I miss you all but I need to experience this by myself. I am enjoying it for real! Still I can't wait until you come to visit me in oder to share this with you. Hany is coming during Easter and also my mom, sister and brother are coming in April.

The past three weeks has been really busy. In HKU we have add/drop period for our course enrollments. We can add and drop as much courses as we like during the period and check if the course is interesting (read: if the teacher is nice). It was really hard to decide what courses to drop and add. Actually some of the five courses that I selected back in Finland before I even arrived here appeared to be impossible to enroll since the lectures and practicals were running at the same time. And so I had to drop one or two of the courses. Now I have selected Nutrigenomics, Food and Nutritional Toxicology and Clinical Nutrition which are really interesting with the Asian way of thinking. Maybe in next blog text I will tell you more details about my studies after I know more about the topics, practicals etc. I am also really lucky to have a chance to work at the Food and Toxicology Laboratory which is led by the Associate Professor of Food and Toxicology who I mentioned in the previous blog text. I am hooked up with one of professor's PhD student who is doing research and I am helping her. The laboratory is located in the School of Biological Sciences.

School of Biological Sciences

But let's talk about something funnier for example my freetime habbits! I want to visit as many places in Hong Kong as I have time to visit during my exchange. Hong Kong is divided into three different areas which are called the Hong Kong Island, the Kowloon Peninsula and the New Territories which reaches the borders of China. The University of Hong Kong and my residence are located in the Hong Kong Island. So last Saturday we had time to explore Kowloon with my exchange friends, Louise from Canada, Simon and Vivien from Germany. We visited Chi Lin Nunnery Temple in Diamond Hill and Sik Sik Yuen Wong Tai Sin Temple in Wong Tai Sin. The second one is home for Taoism, Buddhism and Confuciasim and the first one is Buddhist temple. Below you can check out some pictures of the temples and areas. Also we had enough time to go shopping in the Ladies Market which is also really popular attraction in Kowloon. At the end of the day we went to watch the Symphony of Lights show in Tsim Sta Tsui. They say it is the World's Largest Permanent Light and Sound Show. We enjoyed it! 

Chi Lin Nunnery

Chi Lin Nunnery

Chi Lin Nunnery

Chi Lin Nunnery

Sik Sik Yuen Wong Tai Sin Temple

Sik Sik Yuen Wong Tai Sin Temple

Chinese Lunar New Year is celebrated next week so the whole week is free from schools and works. We are planning to explore more Hong Kong and the islands around it for example Lantau Island. Also we will visit Macau which is known for its casinos and gampling. There is interesting places for example Macau's Portugese area, Taipa and Coloane. I am really excited but I will also work hard with my studies during the break. Can't wait!

Hong Kong Breakfast

Maybe you are also curious to know something about the food that I have eaten here. First it was really hard to know what to eat and what is safe etc. I don't want to take any of my diarrhea beverages which I got from my teacher back in Finland - ahah. After few tasting times I found food is usually actually really good and I have tried several cuisines for now. And everything has been really delicious. I have tried for example Hong Kong styled breakfast, Hot Pot, Dim Sum, Dumpling and Japanese cuisine. There is a lot of different ways to eat your dish - with tea, with chopsticks, with hot water.. But no lactose-free milk for me! *sadface* Maybe I will tell you later more about the dishes - after I have became more like real Hong Konger! 

Dim Sum

Dim Sum

Hot Pot

Japanese cuisine

Btw. I beat the cold! I am feeling very well now and I also fall asleep easily - no more jet lag!

Sik Sik Yuen Wong Tai Sin Temple

Yours
Veera