Rainy day...

It has been raining all day today and still is very warm. I got a little taste of what cool weather feels like in Hong Kong, and now I want more! I am tired of being sweaty all day- yuck! Other than that I never really got to tell any of you about my living situation or what the city has been like for me...

First off I live in a dorm, which they call a hostel. I have a roommate, here name is Lydia, she is from Mainland China. It is a standard dorm with two beds, desks and small cabinets for closets. She is a very nice girl, her English is good, so I can talk to her about things I don't know about campus- she is also very helpful when I am practicing my Mandarin! I think we are a pretty good match, both pretty quiet and to ourselves, but also kind and respectful.There are 4 floors in my hostel and no elevators! Luckily I only live on the second floor :) But move-in day was a pain because I had to carry my 50lb suitcase up the stairs... yay me! It is also very hot in my hostel, so most of the day I have the AC on, which for some STRANGE reason my roommate likes to randomly turn off =/ We had an orientation camp for our hostel, which consisted of icebreaker games and other activities to get to know other girls in the dorm- yes I am in an all girl dorm- and no, not all the dorms are unisex. I have met a lot of nice girls... I've been trying to come out my shell =)  There is this one girl I met, Rachel, she is from Hong Kong and I just love her personality! She, and many other locals, has a British accent when she speaks English!!! That is probably one of my favorite things to do- speak in a wanna be British accent, which ends up sounding Australian haha! She also is IN LOVE with Brittany Spears, so I get a kick out of that also.

Ok so I'll stop blabbing about that... As for the city, I have been to Central, which is where the beautiful Victoria Harbour is. All the skyscrapers light up at night and it's just beautiful! They have a laser light show with music, called Symphony of Lights, but I have not been able to see it yet :( But I still have plenty of time... People don't make me feel uncomfortable here... Sometimes I will see someone staring a bit, but nothing too awkward. Hong Kong is a very unique place... There is culture here don't get me wrong, but it's not like a slap in the face cultural shock. I have learned that personal space does NOT exist here lol. In America, if a table with four seats only has two people, it stays that way... We don't usually have to worry about someone inviting themselves to join our intimate dinner. Here, if the seat is open, it is up for grabs! It took me day or two to get used to what I felt like was intruding on someone's personal space.

I am excited because a traditional Chinese festival called the Mid-Autumn Festival is coming up, it is a big celebration! The festival involves lanterns, food and moon cakes  :) I am eager to see what a traditional celebration is like for Chinese. My roommate, Lydia, tells me its a time for families to get together and celebrate especially since the weather is great. Also celebrate the full moon, which is what the moon cakes represent :) I will be sure to take lots of pictures!!!

Click the link below to see photos I have taken so far!!
 Link to my pics! :-)


With love,
Courtney