Greeting from the Pearl of Orient

Greeting from Hong Kong finally !

So many things happened in the past 60 hours I encountered in my life .Am so tired trying to settle everyting down but of course the excitement of encountering new environment, new people and new place is definitely there. I'll relate my happenings in HK part by part.

Oh before that, million million thanks to Eric, Bonnie and Sze Mun who pay me a suprise send-off at the airport ! It's heart-warming to see you guys at the airport. Even more heart-melting with Eric and Vkin's gift :) Your gestures and thoughfulness put a big smile on my face even when I'm on the plane (despite the mishap happened to my flight)


My flight to HK was not even close to smooth at all.I boarded the plane, sitting comfortably and enjoy my BOTTOMLESS orange juice while the cabin capten announced that the flight will be delayed 45 to 50 mins due to technical problems. But we ended up waited for whole TWO hours on the plane and later directed to get out of the plane to change plane. 10 minutes later we are directed back to the flight after the problem was fixed. So now I'm 2 hours late and I don't have a simcard with me to contact the AIESECers in Hong Kong !

Lucky me but pity goes to the AIESECers who waited for me at the airport for 2 hours.Ricky, Smith, Candy and Fung were the first 4 AIESECers I met once I arrived at the airport.We boarded a 45 minutes bus journey to get to my place, Tsim Sha Zhui. When we got down from bus to get to my place, the bus stopped at a different location that they thought, which later I found out that we actually missed our station. So end results : 3 MACHO guys dragging my almost 30kg trolley luggage and me with my 8 kg backpacks, strolling and walking for seems to me the longest 30 mins in my life in the middle of the night to get to my place.And for the records, we were strolling at the most beautiful water front in Hong Kong (the habour), with the most amazing night view of the whole Hong Kong Island across.I was a little too tired to enjoy then.

Bad things happens and it leads to another. The room which I was informed to be a single room during my previous communication with Tiffany before was occupied by a CHINA lady. She was all grumble and complaning when we go into the room, wakening 4am at night by some total strangers.It was a shocking and awkward moments for both parties.She was shocked ( who wouldn't be anyway?) because there were 4 strangers standing outside of her room in the middle of the night.I was shocked because I didn't't expect a roomate. Less than 3 hours sleep , we try to quiry the office the next morning on this matter and it seems to be another misunderstanding. So the following 2 days I were just trying to sort this issue out. But just like in Malaysia, there were so many biocracy and red-tape procedures involved if I want to move into the student hall. But with Prfessor John Gilleard's influencial status and help, I finally get to move in to the student hall right away.

I'm wondering is it just the student halls in Malaysia lousy or is it just the student hall in Hong Kong are too fancy and luxurious ? It's like the pricely condominium in Malaysia. I get a room by myself with a refrigerator, phone (btw, using fix-land to make phone calls are free of charge!), air-con ( it's air-conditioned in the whole building of student hall anyway), private bathroom shared with another room.The air-condition operates with the residential card where you'll top-up the card and be charged everytime you switch on the air-con.Talking about the advent use of smart card, Malaysia still have room of improvement to work on.

Moving on to my 'boss', Professor John Gilleard, he is a typical English man from London who is too nice of a person. He's more like a caring father than a Professor. Unlike most Hongkies who are still very ignorant about Malaysia, he had been an expatriat in S'pore for 4 years and M'sia for a short period. Basically spending most of his time in Asia countries.My job task here is pretty much of a research assistant. Like the other few trainees working in PolyU. But in my case it's a little ambiguous.The other trainees working in PolyU are under other LCs but working in PolyU. As for me, I'm the first trainee of AIESEC in PolyU and working in PolyU.

Anyway, that leads to another story. Will talk more on the interesting observations I've made on the culture, travel, places and people in Hong Kong on the next post !


Check out for more photos at : http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/pooikuan82/my_photos



p/s : Hong Kong do a double charging on all mobile phone users, meaning you'll not only be charged making calls, but be charged on receiving calls too.Though using fix-line phone to make local calls are free of charge.

I can be reached at (office hour) +85227667801 , (room's phone)+85231591804, (in case couldn't reach me at both, this is my mobile) +85262083021 (correction ! i wrote the wrong one last time, this one is the correct one!)



With much love from the Pearl of Orient,
Grace