Please stand back from the door.....beepbeepbeep

There are few things that I just have not gotten comfortable with here in Hong Kong:
-It is dark by 6pm
-Everything smells Chinese
-The stupid people that jump the metro at the last minute causing the doors to open and close just so they can push themselves into the car which causes the lady to come on the intercom and say: Please stand back from the door, several times
-People do not flush every time they use the toilet
-Steps are everywhere!
-Time difference between home and HK (it is quite difficult to talk to people)
-Running for the bus (I had to do it myself)
-No stars....ever
-3/4 of people have never seen snow

On a happier note....here are a few pictures from the past few days :-)









J and I headed to Stanley Market for some much needing shopping. We ended up chilling at the waters edge for most of the afternoon. It was beautiful and full of people from so many ethnicity's!

Just a side note: I tried cabbage and pork dumplings tonight....and I liked them! Leave it to Jamie to find some Asian food that I like!!

A Tour of My "Home."

This is the front of campus. In this quad there is a bank, the student affairs office, the post office, the clinic (doctor), the police, etc.

The view from the fountain area near the entrance to campus.

My dorm building....Grantham Hall.

The stairs leading up to our dorm room.

My dorm room, nice and cosy. Each side has a small closet, a bed, and a desk.

The dorm buildings are terraced as a result of being built on a hill. The building is divided into sections (so that elevators could be installed) - floors 1-3, floors 4-6, floors 7-11.

The view from my dorm room!

The large announcement screen near the bus stop.

My first morning in HK.

My life, in map form.

This may give an idea of what HK looks like in relation to my life....
HKiEd (Tai Po) = Where I sleep
Renaissance College (Ma On Shan) = Where I teach
Church of All Nations (Repulse Bay) = Where I go to church

Night Life.

Saturday night Eric took J and I to Victoria Harbor. This is my favorite part of Hong Kong. It is right at the main island by the Hong Kong Cultural Center. We parked ourselves at the water's edge and waited for 8pm, then the city came to "light"!
A 15 minute light show set to music. It was incredible, and something that Eric nor I had ever seen.

A day at the beach....sandy and warm.

Friday was filled with music!! J's CT took several primary students to Discovery College for an "Orchestra Jam." Upon arrival we were whisked to sections where I got to lead the violin 3's. It was an awesome experience of being thrown into a situation, not knowing all the kids, and being successful. I had fun and the kids were successful!!
Saturday Eric took J and I to Mong Kok. We bargained our way through the Ladies Market buying many authentic and touristy things. We also go to browse the Hong Kong Professional Teacher's Union Store. It reminded me of bradburns, walgreens, and borders in one. I bought some folders for A4 paper as the paper here is longer than in the states. I also bought a children's book with pictures and Cantonese for basic items.
After our 3 hour excursion to church on Sunday morning we met Kaitlin and headed for the Hap Mun Bay Beach, a short boat ride from the Sai Kung Public Pier. It was November 1st and the 3 of us were in swim suits, covered in sun screen, and swimming in the ocean. It was a fabulous way to end the week!!

Chicken feet and Mac & Cheese.

My first week in HK has flown by! I cannot believe that just 8 days ago I was packing my last items and worrying about flying 1/2 way around the world. I have been super busy being an explorer and though I promised I would blog more, life has just gotten the best me.
Here are a few highlights from the past week:

Jamie and I have met our fellow Butler student! Her name is Kaitlin and she is tons of fun to be around. The 2 of us have tons in common and is has been a pleasure to spend time with these awesome teachers!! The night we met we headed to Tai Po Centre for steak.

On Monday J and I met up with Eric and Cherry for a day of hiking around Central. There was a carnival for the elderly to show them healthy/safe habits (put on by the HK Red Cross). We got to mean genuine HK firemen!

On our way up to "The Peak", we came across this mini-car. It is an electric car that actually fits 2 people. It amazes me how little space people survive with here. There are no walk-in closets, they have no idea what a pantry is, and no one has a personal bubble. It has been something to get used to. I have my personal bubble, however, when on the MTR going to and from school, that bubble is quickly popped! To put this whole space thing in persective, Hong Kong has 7X's more people than Indiana, but in the same size space. Space is a valuable thing. Schools have 6 floors, apartment buildings have 20+ floors, and backyards are nonexistent.

A "wet market". This place is a one-in-a-lifetime experience! J, K, and I went shopping after school on Wednesday and we happened upon this place. When we walked in all was normal, fruits, veggies, toys, etc. However, as we walked further through the market we found whole ducks (with the head), live fish that they would catch and cut for you, and my favorite....chicken feet! This is something I do not that I will ever get used to!!


J and I have found a real treat.....Mac & Cheese (for $1.50 US per box)!! We were ecstatic and of course bought 4 boxes. Wednesday evening we decided to make some and share with Eric who has never tried Mac & Cheese. We could not find a pot nor a metal spoon so we ended up cooking with a rice cooker and a plastic knife....quite the combination. In the end, we were thankful for our little taste of home!!

Missing everyone....send my hugs across the ocean :-)

Yao lok!

J and I have officially survived our first experience navigating our way around HK (with a little help from the always trusty map). We have gone on many adventures the past few days and I have many stories and pictures to share!! I am thoroughly enjoying being in Hong Kong....I love the people, the mountains, the weather, the culture, and some of the food. We begin our student teaching Tuesday. In talking with Gigi this morning, J and I found out that HKiEd students call it TP, or teaching practice. We had a great laugh about "TP" being toilet paper in the states. I have grown up putting TP and PT on the grocery list whenever I needed toilet paper or paper towels. But, for now I will be the ST (student teacher) doing my TP (teaching practice) in HK (Hong Kong) with my CT (cooperating teacher). Sometimes I feel as though I need a key at the top of my blog for all the acronyms! Nevertheless, J and I have been filling our time with one-in-a-lifetime opportunities!

With the help of our fearless leader, Eric, we went to the Festival Walk shopping mall in the early afternoon Saturday for some shopping and lunch. I am so THANKFUL for my friendship with Eric. He has given us many tips and I am not sure how I would survive without him! He is very good about tricking Jamie and I as well as forcing us to figure out where to go. For example, yesterday on our way home he walked us into the MTR station and said, "Emily, I do not know how to get home...where should I go?" And J and I had to figure out which line to take, how to get there, and explain why/how we knew. It was a scary and helpful experience to say the least! I believe it helped us feel more confident and secure in our travels Sunday.

As we traveled around Kowloon Tong and Sha Tin I was continually amazed at the shear number of people! I have pictures from previous trips, but it never really hits me until I am trying to navigate my way around and feel as though I am drowning in a maze of unfamiliar faces. It is not a scary thing, just a nervous thing. People have a different sense of personal space in HK....they don't have any. In the US we are used to space and a personal bubble. Here, people bump into each other and move on. There is no "excuse me" or "sorry". Eric said that the volumes of people will increase as the holidays draw near...look out!

Our day of shopping ended with a trip to IKEA! It is fairly new in HK and people here think it is just the "cats meow"! They come here for dinner at the cafe, come to shop, go on dates in the furniture section, and even come to purchase the blue/yellow plastic bags that IKEA is famous for. It was a cultural experience to see some many people in one place but not purchasing anything!!

Inside the Festival Walk mall there is an AMC movie theater, a food court, music store, full salon, and a skating rink!






After we dropped off our many purchases of the day back at campus we decided to go to the Pack 'n Shop at the Tao Po Centre (next to the police headquarters). To get there you have to ride the GREEN mini bus to Tai Po Centre. When you get close you have to hit the RED stop button and yell to the driver, "Yao lok, mm goi" (Stop, thank you!). He then lets you out at the appropriate stop. At the centre I was fascinated by the large amounts of pastries. There were sweet ones, tart ones, big ones, small ones, chocolate, coffee flavored, etc. One of my favorites is the egg tart. It looks like a mini quiche but the filling is a sweeter egg mix. They serve this pastry at corner stands, grocery stores, and even KFC. However, the one that caught my eye were the cream puffs! I thought of mom and how she could have eaten the whole case :-)

There are vending machines EVERYWHERE! This one fascinates me and I really want to try one. The drink may look like a regular bottle of coke, however, when you open the bottle the drink turns to ice crystals (or so Eric says). Hopefully I can try one and share this caffiene experience!
It amazes me how many "new" items are in HK that we do not have in the states. Starbucks, and even McDonalds have items that would just blow Americans away...because they are so tasty and unusual.

More to come SOON :-)
sending my love across the ocean...