Small opportunities can lead to a bigger one

Well...

First I want to apologize that I haven't been really active here. I checked that the last post was from March 2016. Since then loads of things have happened. Everything went amazingly well in HKU and so on in Hongkong. I ended my first semester (the spring semester) in HKU and managed to pass all my courses. Also I worked in the laboratory the whole semester as ever I had some spare time as I mentioned in the second blog post in January and actually, that is why I am back in Hong Kong now. Small opportunities can lead to a bigger one!

I'm deeply grateful for everyone who made my exchange memorable in Hong Kong. 

So I am back in Hong Kong with my fiance, Hany, since we got an opportunity to do our master's thesis in HKU. To be precise, we are here to complete the experimental part. We have already started it since we got here almost two weeks ago. Actually, we started to process it during the summer since we got freedom to define what to focus on our thesis around the given topic (the topics were given). It required and it still requires many, many, many hours of reading the articles relating to our topics. Freedom comes always with responsibility so there is loads of things that should be taken into consideration. I hope I can put my faith in this phrase: small opportunities are often the beginning of great achievements.

Perhaps you are thinking why Hong Kong and HKU. To fresh your memory, our home uni, the University of Eastern Finland (UEF) work in close cooperation with the University of Hong Kong (HKU), I mean the schools, Clinical nutrition and Biological Sciencies. I don't know all the details but I just know that there has been a close cooperation for several years by now including our projects.

Now it is time to end this post since I have other things to do. I try to keep you updated here as long as I have time. As I said I have tons of other things to do right now including writing the study plan of the thesis. In addition I took Chinese language course to keep myself busy and that will take several hours per week. It seems really demanding! :D

Yours,

Veera

Ps. I am sitting in our tiny flat in the area called Sheung Wan. We didn't get the opportunity to apply for the residential halls (student dorms) since they don't offer rooms for couples. We were required to find privately rented accommodation. It was pain in the ass! So hard to find a decent one in such a crowded place as Hong Kong is. The hardest thing was to find a flat that suits the budget.. Hong Kong is the most expensive place to live in the world. No words are needed when it is described in numbers: 200 sqf (20 m2), 11,5k HKD/month (1300 €/month).

Clinical Nutrition

Dear all

I almost gave up on this blog but never is too late..

Now I had chance to sit down. As I remember, I promised you to tell something about my current studies here. Let me start with the course called Clinical Nutrition. 

Clinical Nutrition. What it says to you?

Well, the course objective is to provide understanding about diseases associated with diet and dietetics. After the course students should be able to describe the role of diet in the development and prevention of common chronic diseases. When we are talking about chronic diseases here, it includes diabetes, obesity, cardiovascular diseases, cancer, renal failure, anorexia and immune deficiency. The course consist of lectures, laboratory practicals, assignments and not to forget to mention the examination. In my point of view the course doesn't differ much from courses in UEF expect we don't have practicals with patients here as we do have in UEF, we have practicals in laboratory. Also I feel like the assignments are more demanding here because the weighting in final course grade is large. And yes, occasionally the professor speaks in Cantonese although she isn't allowed. They have a really strict rule about speaking English while teaching in HKU. 

Laboratory practicals relating course topics makes it very interesting. Surprisingly I really have enjoyed working in the laboratory. I think I like it because the topics are interesting and you really want to understand the background for your assignments. It is not only mixing a compounds and look what happens but it is also to convert the results in a bigger perspective. Practicals consist of four different experiments and those are carried out by group of three or four person so it is a teamwork. I like my group because I really got an ideal group; they are so smart, helpful and hard-working. After approximately two or three weeks when the practical is carried out we need to submit our laboratory reports for out demonstrator. Demonstrator is usually PhD student who demonstrates and helps with the experiments.

The list of our practical topics

1. Nutrients Interaction and Nutrients Deficiency

• Practical 1a: Determination of phytate in food
• Practical 1b: Effect of phytic acid on calcium absorption

2. Nutrition and Liver Disorders

• Effect of Red yeast rice extract on serum Glutamate pyruvate transaminase (GPT)/Alanine aminotransferase (ALT) levels in rats fed high-cholesterol diets 

3. Nutrition and Kidneys Disorders

• Protective effect of Chinese herbs in dietary adenine-induced chronic renal failure in rats

4. Nutrition and Cancer

• Evaluation of the anticancer mechanism of camptothecin (CPT) on human promyelocytic leukemia HL-60 cells
• Practical 4a: Annexin V/PI apoptosis analysis
• Practical 4b: Cell cycle analysis

Interesting, isn't it?

In the end of the semester we will have our final exams and the exam of Clinical Nutrition is also held then. No need to panic yet! :)

Don't hesitate to ask anything related to my studies in HKU! :)

Now I better rush with my readings..

I have Nutrigenomics midterm  on Monday. It is another story to tell.. I promise, next time I will explain to you what Nutrigenomics exactly is.

I hope you are enjoying the beginning of spring!

Yours

Veera

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

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