HKUST International Summer Program 2012: [Enrichment Tour - Leisure Trip to Lantau Island]

Meeting Time: 8.30 am
Meeting Point: Atrium
Itinerary: Ngong Ping 360 via cable car, Po Lin Monastery, Giant Buddha, Tai O Fishing Village, scenic point in Tsing-Ma Bridge / Vegetarian lunch at Po Lin Monastery / drop-off at HKUST before 6 pm

So today is the last day we have trip, next week Friday gonna be the farewell lunch which I decided not to go.

Top: With Doris :)
Below: With Lina and Joy

So, we begin our journey with cable car ride~

HKUST International Summer Program 2012: [1st July]

Take photo in front of the iconic structure of HKUST before going. =)
It is a sundial.
Some sort like the sun clock.
But it looks like a turkey!
(From Kah Wai's camera)

1st July.
What so special about this date for Hong Kong?

1st July is Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Establishment Day
(HKSAR establishment day) where on this day two things happen. 
One is the protest, and at night, there will be fireworks display held in Victoria Harbour.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hong_Kong_Special_Administrative_Region_Establishment_Day

" The Hong Kong 1 July protests (Chinese: 七一遊行) is an annual protest rally originally led by the Civil Human Rights Front since the 1997 handover on the HKSAR establishment day. However, it was not until 2003 that the march drew large public attention by opposing the legislation of Basic Law Article 23.........The introduction of Article 23 legislation was temporarily shelved because of the protest. Since then, the 1 July marches have been held every year as a channel to demand for democracy, universal suffrage, rights of minorities, protection of freedom of speech and a variety of other political concerns." 

Source: Wikipedia http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hong_Kong_1_July_marches

It is a special day for me to experience this and I will try to documented it here.
It is a very memorable day and unforgettable as it is eventful and meaningful day.
In short, it is the day I'll never forget.

Since this post got a lots of photos, please click read more to see them =)

I choose to wear bright yellow =D
The bright colour stand out in the picture.lol

We're heading to the HK city center.

HKUST International Summer Program 2012: [A taste of local food @ Hang Hau]

From right: My room mate, me, Kah Wai and Andy.
(From Kah Wai's camera)

That day we went to the ISP trip, the typhoon warning level 8 are issued and we are advised to stay indoor.
So, my room mate and myself stay in our room but when I woke up, the weather is calm, beautiful and fine.

Look at the beautiful scenery from my room and all these yacht emerges out of nowhere. lol

For the rest of the day, we just stay in our room but at night, Andy invited us to eat out for dinner.

Since the weather is fine, my course mate invited my room mate together to eat out at Hang Hau.

Andy ask me to order but all the menu here is written in traditional Chinese and of course I can't read it.
(-.-'')
haha.

Anybody have any idea how to read this handwriting? XD

Since I can only eat seafood and vegetable, my friend make sure there's no meat in the certain dish that I can eat.
So, only these two dish I can eat:

Fish cooked with corn...

... and vegetable soup.

Fish + rice

This is  Si Chuan style frog dish.
My room mate like spicy food and ended up with this dish.
Of course I don't and cannot eat frog!

Read here from Kah Wai's post about food :http://bakaahwai.blogspot.com/2012/08/life-in-hkust-part-iii.html

 The restaurant that we went is where local people normally eat out.
Because the food that I can eat in these kind of restaurant is limited, I don't mind because sometimes its not the food that matter, its the environment and the experience.

I feel that the experience to be in the foreign country should be explore and this will open up our perception and views toward their culture.
But of course, I take care of what I eat and thank goodness that my friends are very understanding.

This dinner here is pretty special. My room mate is from mainland China and Andy is local Hong Kong people and Kah Wai, Fook Hee and me are Malaysian.
I don't really know Chinese, so Kah Wai help translating for me in English.
Andy speak Cantonese, my room mate speak Mandarin, Fook Hee speak Cantonese, Mandarin and English until his tongue got twisted and got confused with the language and ended up speaking Malay as well. haha!
They talk mostly about language and a bit of politics in China before the situation got tense we Malaysian said "Aiya, nevermind la~". lol!

Here in Hong Kong they are free to voice out their opinion but in mainland China and even Malaysia, we're restricted by law to voice out certain issue.
We Malaysian are used to not talk about sensitive issue and just "never mind" it, so we're like that. haha.

Its a nice experience that even though we're having Chinese heritage, from China, looks like Chinese, but we speak Chinese differently and different from each other.

It is a very interesting point for me because I was raised up in more towards Malay culture and not much of Chinese culture except from my dad's family.
I'm started to get exposed to the Chinese culture from peers was when I'm in Form 6 where almost all of my schoolmate are Chinese.
When I enter UPM, my course mate as well as other university friend invited me to join the Chinese cultural activities and there is where I learn a lot about it.

Going to Hong Kong broadened my mind and perception even more as I met more people and understand more even though I do not really understand Chinese.
(Most of the time I just guessing and it turn out to be wrong.. Bad experience >.<)

Take photo after eating =D

I realized that at this point that I want to be consistent and serious in learning Chinese and Japanese as well.
For instance, Chinese language is a very important language and understanding the language actually narrow down the culture barrier that's really strong, especially in Malaysia.
That's is what I felt and what I can conclude from this.

HKUST International Summer Program 2012: [Enrichment Tour: Cultural and Heritage]

This is the first trip that I follow my fellow Summer Program exchange tour since I arrive late to Hong Kong.
I'm really looking forward to it as we can visit places in Hong Kong.

I took this picture at the place near the wishing tree

We first gather at HKUST atrium at 8 am before depart with our respective group.
I'm I'm in group 2.
We're going for heritage tour where we going to visit the old building and museum at the new territory of Hong Kong.

Itinerary:
Yuen Long Old Market, Nam Sang Wai, Ping Shan Heritage Trail, Tai Fu Tai Mansion
Lunch: Ping Shan Traditional Basin Dish
Drop-off at HKUST before 6pm

Me before going down.

Squid shaped cracker ~ Cute.

That's our tour guide, Monica.

This is the longest suspension bridge in Hong Kong.
The wire used for the construction can circle earth about 3 times!
Its kinda foggy... Because at that time is typhoon level T1.
I wonder does it related.

This is Hong Kong cargo port, 3rd largest after Singapore and Shanghai.
I wonder what number is Port Klang?? lol

can you see at the building? They mark 8 and 15th floor I guess.
My birthday month and date :D

The building they build is soooo high~ Look at that!
I guess civil engineer here got paid really well. haha

HKUST bus. We stopped at the the cookies factory.

This is sorta like coupon for us to retrieve free cake~

Friends for National University Singapore (NUS)
From left hand side:
Singaporean, Malaysian and Mainland Chinese :D

Beware!

This blogpost is loaded with lots of pictures. XD

HKUST International Summer Program 2012: [Out @NUS friends]

@Victoria Harbour with NUS friends

Day 5 I'm at Hong Kong, I found some National University Singapore (NUS) friends that I found in my Air Pollution class. I'm so lucky to found them, especially Lina.
At first, I approach her and ask her where she's from, and she said that she's from Singapore and I said that I'm from Malaysia. At that moment onward, we straight away 'click' and we always go anywhere together.
Then I found out that she tried to reach me using HKUST webmail.
I guess, we're the only Muslim in this HKUST ISP program.

But before going out with them, before class, I went to HKUST clinic to see doctor because I was not feeling very well.
I can feel that I'm having fever and the night before I slept early, unable to do anything.
I think that I'm not used to the water in HK yet, need some adjustment.
I remember that I get super sick when I first enter UPM because of water.
I drink the water from the water cooler and get sick but eventually my body adapt and have no problem with the water anymore.

My HK friend and my course mate then accompany me to the clinic to see the doctor during lunch.

Prawn salad for lunch.

The local student say that the doctor in HKUST is "Monster-doctor" sorta because the sickness got worse after see the doctor.
I do have my own medicine but I felt that I'd like to go to the clinic to do some check ups. :)

The free medicine that I get from the HKUST clinic.
At least I got a rare experience at the foreign university.lol

The nurse do not know exactly how to pronounce my name and approach me when it is my turn to see the doctor. =D

So then, after class, we going out to find place with Halal food together with another NUS friends.
SJ and Eugene are Malaysian who is studying in NUS. They are super cool and nice =D

Menu.
This restaurant is pretty isolated inside the building.
The food here is so-so and so expensive!

Lamb kebab.
Very salty if you ask me.

I take butter naan along side with it.

Personally, I do not really like the food and it is very pricey! One meal like that without water is almost HKD100! I rather become vegetarian.lol

I found Alexander McQueen in HK! Wow.

Searching for direction..

Beautiful HK building + beautiful moon

Twenty-one. 15-08-2012

A note to my 21 years old self  =)

So it is a tradition that I posted something regarding my birthday every year. So this is it.

I feel that I am so blessed that I could celebrate my humble 21 years old of me with my parents.
No need mountains of presents, no need of a party.
I feel that my 21st birthday should be celebrated with grateful and down to earth moment.
Since it is coincidentally on the last 10 days of Ramadan.

Every steps, every journey, I'd like to celebrate the moment to the fullest.
I no need a present. I already got my present.
Hong Kong, HKUST, the experience is the biggest present that my parents give to me.
The experience is priceless.
I treasure every moment and every second of it.

I'm so blessed that I have such a wonderful parents, family, friends, teachers and people around me.
Thank you.

So here is some note that I wrote for myself:

That is the simple version of these version below:


Human live with choices.
Sometimes we regrets what we choose, sometimes we got delighted with our choice.
Life is a bittersweet experience where we embrace the consequences of the choice to learn and live the life to the fullest.
Every moment counts we try to understand humans, so that we learn from each other.
Every choice that we make, is the one that define who we are.

Life is more than luck and hard work.
It is full with emotion, passion and memories.
Treasure them.

Another step taken, another year gone, another day bring us closer to death.
Looking at the bright side, it is another day to change the world.
A small idea, a simple thought, a tiny hope and with a bit of luck; it is another day to make world a better place.
Believe that one day, the summit of your dream is not as far as you thought.
But do not forget the ground to where you belong when you fly high up to the sky.
Never give up, never lose hope and never stop believing.

It is a reminder note to 21 years old myself.

Life is not always lonely and miserable.
At least, I able to celebrate with my parents alongside with me.

What's a birthday without cake? lol
I got myself different slice of cake of different flavour. lol
So long haven't eat cake =D

Thank you Daddy and Mama.
Without you, I'm nothing.
You're my heroes.
I always wanted to make you proud of me.

Thank you so much. =)

Oh ya, I should go and register myself as voter and be counted! =D

HKUST International Summer Program 2012: [My 1st Class at UST]

Monday, 25 June 2012

My first day of class~

So the first day.

We need to do a lot of things today, especially in terms of catching up with our previous assignments and lectures.

1st week got assignment?

Yes, assignment. No kidding.

When we apply for this International Summer Program, we need to choose any course that we're interested and taking classes.

I choose Urban Air Pollution and IT Revolution.

I really love and enjoy both of these courses. It is something that I interested in.

Well, exam is a different story though.

So my first class today start with Urban Air Pollution.
Here is the description:

The course is aimed at providing students with insights in how to deal with environmental problems and the way in which science interfaces with policies. It will cover major topics on the sources of air pollutions, air chemistry, oxidation of organic compounds and issues on control of air pollutant emissions and air quality management.

My lecturer for this class is from England.
First time I have a western lecturer and he is so passionate in his teaching.
I really enjoy his lecture.

My lecturer: Professor Peter!

---------oOo----------

My second class is IT Revolution: Past, Present and Future
Description:

This course introduces the basic concepts in information technology and explores the many applications of information technology in our daily life from consumer electronics to internet to various sectors including medicine, business, and social networking, etc. Key technology breakthroughs throughout the development of information technology and its impact to various aspect of our society will be studied. These include the invention of the 1st transistor, concept of computing machine, representation of information in digital formats, miniaturization via VLSI technology, electronic communications from emails, mobile phones, sms, to video skype, imaging technologies in medical field, internet and social networking, image and video technology and websites like youtube, etc. The focus is to identify the key technological advances in information technology and understand how these advances led to revolutionary changes in our life and society.

I really enjoy both courses! I'm really glad that I take these courses. It is an eye opening experience.
I learn a lot. :)

More picture - click read more!

HKUST International Summer Program 2012: [1st Day]

Sunday, 24 June 2012

Taking photo in Hong Kong iconic mini bus. =D
[ Special thanks to Kah Wai for the picture :) ]

The first day in Hong Kong itself is a long day.

MAS flight to Hong Kong start at about 00:55 am and reach Hong Kong about 5am in the morning.

While waiting for our luggage.
[ From Kah Wai camera ]

We're taking bus and train all the way to HKUST.
We save up to about HKD150 with public transport in comparison with by taking taxi from the airport.

Look at our tired faces.lol
I barely sleep for an hour on flight.
(Photo taken from photo tagged by Andy at fb)

Airport is at Lantau Island and HKUST is at the New Territories, Clear Water Bay.
The airport is at far-west and the UST is at far-east.
We're actually exploring almost half of Hong kong without even realized it. :D

Then, we reach UST at about 7am and straight away to Hall VII to check in to our room.

Finally reach HKUST~!
[ From Kah Wai camera ]

After that, Andy bring us tour around the university and help us to find our classes.

Since we missed out our orientation day, thank goodness that we have a UST student friend that bring us touring around.

[ From Kah Wai camera ]