And The Adventures Continue

First I have to apologize for taking forever to post a new blog. I’m the worst!!

Week 2 in Hong Kong was a blur of food, drinks, shopping, exploring, and MORE FOOD! Whoever told me that I’d lose weight over here in HK (cough cough my favorite little twins), you were so wrong!! It’s ok I still love you. I think you underestimated my passion for eating.

Everyday my coworkers take me to a new place for lunch – Hong Kong style, Shanghai style, Thai, Indian, Japanese, Singapore, French, Italian, I’m not kidding we do it all. And they always order for me. Half the time I don’t even know what’s coming since they order in Cantonese. (They teach me new Cantonese words every day! I just learned how to order “iced tea with lemon less sugar” yaay!) Good news: I’ve had 2 weeks of experiencing the culture through incredible food. Bad news: My body is not used to eating so many Carbs!!! My diet now consists of raw fish and Carbs. Oh and an occasional apple or bite of warm lettuce. Great. How are Asian people so skinny?!

Here are some highlights from Week 2 in HK:

On Monday (my first HK holiday!) we went into Stanley to watch the Dragon Boat Races! This was something I had been looking forward to for weeks, and I was so excited!! I was completely prepared for the large crowds, noisy bystanders, and lots of excitement, but I was NOT prepared for the extreme heat. Hong Kong is hot during the summer, and humid. I know that. But for some reason this day was different. I was dripping in sweat after watching the races for 5 minutes!! Good thing we were on the beach!

So many people!

We managed to push our way to the front of the crowd so we could watch with our feet in the ocean water. The races were so fun to watch, and the teams were hilarious! There were groups of men and women wearing crazy costumes and masks and tutus and even panda hats! They sat in their dragon boats waiting for the final race to begin screaming at each other and starting water fights. It was definitely not as serious as I had expected, but that made it so much more entertaining!

One of the competing teams!

Water fight time!

Our new friends!

After the races we explored the shops in Stanley and walked out onto the pier with snacks and drinks. The sky was beautiful and we got to watch the sunset as we made our way back to the bus. It was such a great day!

Beautiful sunset in Stanley.

Tuesday after work I met the girls in Soho (the cute area in Central) for Happy Hour. Of course, HK does everything better, and Happy Hour meant FREE for ladies. It’s great to be a girl in HK! We had delicious Lychee Martinis with strawberries and whip cream on the side. They were amazing, and completely free!! Every Tuesday they feature a different martini, so we’ll have to go back again sometime soon.

Lychee Martini time!

On Thursday I met up with Margaux and her coworker Meiling straight after work. They came to meet me in TST, and we went to a bar with the most beautiful view of Kowloon Bay and Hong Kong Island. We stayed for hours (way longer than we planned), laughing and chatting about our different cultures, admiring the view, and watching the light show. By time we left around 9:30 pm, Margaux and I were starving!! Late night sushi anyone?

The view from our rooftop bar!

Such a fun night!

Friday night was a girls night out. Once again, we had a great night and didn’t have to pay for a thing! We explored new areas and celebrated the end of our second week together. I loved getting the opportunity to meet up and hang out with Stephanie and Vanessa from Hong Kong University. They were the sweetest!

The girls with Steph and Vanessa at our "Red Hot" party.

Our "gift" from the Soso Club!

Blue champagne!

Can you spot our new friends?! Cheers to Week 2!

Saturday we took the MTR into Shenzhen, which is sort of like the Mexican Tijuana of Mainland China. I got to test out my Chinese visa and took my first step into a Communist nation!! We spent the day shopping (I bartered for a purse) and then went to a Chinese spa. For around $15 USD we got 2 hour full-body massages!! So cheap right? They made us wear these strange silk pajama-type things while we got our massages. They were hilarious! Halfway through the massage, it started POURING. The thunder was so loud! But I thought it added to the experience.

Saturday night we went to Dragon i in LKF to see Afrojack. It was so amazing. And very crowded. Did I mention amazing? We made friends with some very wealthy Asian guys with a table RIGHT IN FRONT of Afrojack!! Let’s just say it was a night I won’t forget.

Afrojack!!

And then on Sunday we had our first real HK Dim Sum experience!! We went into central around noon and found the most authentic little place we could find. We were the only white people in room of about 200 Asians. It was great. It took us a little while to get used to how it worked (We had to run up to carts as they were wheeled out with a bunch of other pushing, hungry people and point to what we wanted before they ran out.) Even though we accidently picked a dessert dish first, we had so much fun, and left feeling happy and full.

Sticky rice wrapped in tea leaves!

So now do you see why I have NO time to blog?! I always want to and then I get swept up into another HK adventure. Not that I’m complaining. :) Well, here’s to the beginning of Week 3!

I miss everyone back at home like crazy! Soak up that CA sun for me! xo

I'm Starting to Feel Like a Rockstar...

And here's why.

The nightlife in Hong Kong is crazy. Absolutely INSANE. And I'm having a blast!

Combine the craziness of HK with all the incredible connections provided by the Trojan family and our Global Fellows program, and basically I turn into a celebrity.

Let's start with introductions...

The two main party scenes in Hong Kong can basically be compared to the party scenes in Los Angeles for SC students. Except HK parties are LA parties ON STEROIDS.

Wan Chai is a lot like partying on the row...

Kind of dirty and seedy.

Girls wearing next to nothing on street corners.

Plenty of opportunities to dance on bars.

Bathrooms without toilet paper.

And LOTS of free drinks for girls.

Instead of Campus Cruiser, we take the MTR!

My beautiful roomie and I at our first Wan Chai Ladies' Night!

There's even a Wan Chai 9 Holeee! 901...109...same thing right?

And now for Lan Kwai Fong. Also known as the infamous LKF here in the city, and the main reason I now feel like a rockstar. (I mean lets be real...the row doesn't make anyone feel like a celebrity, and neither does Wan Chai.)

LKF is like the Hollywood of LA, except everything is crammed into 2 main streets, which makes it very convenient for people like me who like to see and do it all!

There are bars and clubs and beautiful skyscraper hotels with bars overlooking the incredible HK skyline.

Like Hollywood, LKF has bouncers and guest lists and exclusive VIP rooms for those who have connections.

There are fancy drinks and crazy dance floors filled with well-dressed people from all over the world.

The main difference? LKF is absolutely packed. And I mean PACKED. I have never seen so many people all jammed into one street like this in my life. But I've now decided that lots of people = lots of fun.

See all those specks behind the taxis? THOSE ARE ALL PEOPLE at the bottom of the first street.

One of our first nights in LKF, we were taken to Club 97 by a fellow Trojan we met in HK! He grew up in the city and knew of all the fun places to go. Without hesitation he bought "Flaming Lamborghinis" for everyone in our group. They were INSANE! You drink immediately after the bartenders light them on fire. Then he casually bought us "chasers" aka Kamikaze shots and led us on to our next stop, which happened to be a very exclusive club that you can't get into without being on the list. Unlike bars and clubs in LA, HK parties until the sun comes up, and I didn't get back to my apartment with Claire and Margaux until 5:00 am! Thanks Trojan family!

My first Flaming Lamborghini!

Our new HK friends!

 On Saturday night, we had another amazing experience when Claire's boss, USC Alum Steven Lee, decided to put together a "cultural experience" for the Global Fellows. This cultural experience consisted of Steven providing us with a private room in an elite bar called Azure situated on top of a beautiful hotel in LKF. We started out the night with 3 very expensive bottles of Dom to toast to the night, but Steven told us we could order anything we liked. He also invited student leaders from HK University to come meet us, and we spent the night talking and dancing and having a wonderful time! I casually met and exchanged business cards with the Editor-in-Chief for Hong Kong's most popular newspaper, who later invited us to join him next week at the club he OWNS in LKF down the street. It was so much fun! And only the beginning, seeing as we once again returned to Kornhill around 5:30 am. When Margaux and I finally went to bed, the sun was shining like it was noon on a summer day! I think I'm going to like living here.

Here's to USC in Hong Kong! And Steven Lee of course...

The incredible view from the balcony in Azure. It was so beautiful!

 So now you know why I'm starting to feel like a rockstar. It could become a problem when I have to return to my normal status back at home. But for now, I must say I'm perfectly content. I love HK!

One Week Down

I have successfully made it through my first week in Hong Kong!

So many stories to tell and so little time! This is the first chance I’ve had to sit down since work on Friday, and it’s currently 1:30 am Monday morning. Sleeping’s overrated right?!

BUT GOOD NEWS! Tomorrow’s a national HK holiday and we all have the day off from work. We’ll be traveling to Stanley to watch the famous Dragon Boat Races (supposedly one big beach celebration?!), so I might be able to catch a few extra hours of sleep tomorrow before we leave…

Here’s a summary of some of the incredible things I’ve experienced during my first week! (Aside from working of course!) I wish I could give every detail, but after having NO sleep for the past 3 days, my rock of a bed is calling my name…

On Tuesday after work the rest of the Global Fellows came to meet me in Tsim Sha Tsui (TST) to watch the HK light show! While the rest of the group works on HK Island where we live, I travel underwater every morning to work on Kowloon, the part of HK that's attached to mainland China. Kowloon is so cool! Kind of like the Times Square of HK. And I get to explore the area everyday during my lunch break!! How lucky am I?!

The show was a little touristy...but we had to do it. For those of you who enjoy colored laser beams shooting out of giant skyscrapers to the beat of Chinese techno music, this is your show. Of course, I loved it!

The view of HK Island during the light show!

 Wednesday night we went into Wan Chai to experience our first Ladies' Night. We had a blast dancing to the music and making new friends!

Making friends in Wan Chai....

On Thursday my coworkers took me to lunch at a Japanese restaurant. My first sushi experience in Asia! First let me say that my sushi background stems mostly from Zip Fusion and Octopus... (2 SC favorites!) You know, those yummy shrimp tempura rolls and fancy garlic edamame? Maybe a sake bomb thrown in here and there?! I was not properly prepared for authentic Japanese...

Our appetizer....yes those are eyes!!

 On Thursday night the group went to Central for a traditional Shanghai dinner. We met Claire's adorable co-workers, who ordered for us and helped explain each dish. They were so cute and sweet and wanted to know everything we could tell them about America!  One of the girls told me that I looked like I came straight out of Gossip Girl!! (A favorite shows in HK, even though they're a season behind the US) I am now friends with all of them on facebook. :)

Our beautiful table!

Blair Waldorf and her two minions...
Hehe I wish!! Such a sweet compliment none the less.

Shanghai tea. That's a full flower inside! I kept accidentally swallowing little leaves with each sip...

These were so cute! :)

 After dinner, two of Claire's coworkers decided to come out with us!! It was Ladies' Night in LKF...and once again, the city didn't disappoint.

All the girls at Club 97!

I finally got to see Geoff!!

 On Saturday we took the MTR into Soho, an area in Central. Soho is home to the world's longest escalator. Who knew?! I insisted on riding the entire thing, even though it took us high up into the hills...and then we had to walk ALL the way down...on stairs. Oops! We spent the day shopping and exploring through all the little shops and markets. Soho is so cute! I can't wait to go back at nighttime.

About to get on the escalator!

Street view in Soho.

My first egg tart!! A traditional HK treat...

It was DELICIOUS! The inside was actually eggy!! I don't know why I was so surprised...

And our latest adventure just happened today when we took a ferry over to Lamma Island!! (Sadly, this has nothing to do with actual llamas. I asked, which did nothing but lead to an hour long discussion about llamas at work. Not one of my coworkers had ever heard of a llama. NOT ONE! I happily took a break from my Exel work to show them pictures.)

We spent the day hiking and enjoying the beautiful sun (which doesn't appear often in the city). The views were absolutely incredible! We ended the trip with a very authentic and very fresh seafood dinner. I was sooo nervous. Salmon and tuna make up the extent of my seafood experience. But I've been so brave about trying everything HK has to offer!! I wasn't about to let a little seafood scare me...

I tried EVERYTHING. The shrimp, the oysters, the fish balls, the squid, the abalone, you name it! And you know what....I liked it! Dad, you would have been proud.

Coming into Lamma Island!

Welcome to Lamma!

We made it to the top!

The girls enjoying the first viewpoint.

Beautiful Hong Kong!

I actually ate this! Still in shock...

I ate this too!

And this too. What has HK done to me?!

Goodbye Lamma Island!

So that's all for now!! As you can probably guess, I've left out most of the night life....but don't worry those stories are still to come. :)

One week down, seven more to go.

Where to Begin?

I MADE IT!

So I've only been here for 5 days and it already feels like it's been a month. Everything is so new and exciting and we just GO, GO, GO! No time for sleep in Hong Kong (or blogging for that matter).

I'm surprised at how quickly I got over the jet lag...I didn't really have any actually. That was probably because I didn't sleep for A FULL 48 HOURS, so when my head finally hit the pillow on Friday night, my body didn't even realize it was 11 am back at home. After a 15-hour flight complete with three very strange Asian-inspired airplane meals (the first served at 3 am), we arrived in Taiwan 10 minutes before our connecting flight was supposed to take off. Even though we were escorted from the plane at running speed all the way from the second to last row before all the other passengers were allowed to exit, we still missed our flight. But not to worry!! There was a very nice Asian man waiting for us with our names on a sign to inform us of the later flight we had been switched to. My name was successfully copied straight from my boarding pass and looked a little like this: “Walpert, Kellyta”. I was so tired I almost believed this was my hand-chosen Chinese airport name. But nope, I wasn’t that special. I mean, Kellyta could be Chinese right?

First view of Hong Kong from my airplane window! 

I'm a tourist! First picture of the city through my taxi window.

We finally made it to Hong Kong on Friday morning. After spending an hour trying to figure out how to get to our hotel in Wan Chai (we decided on a combination of metro and taxi), we set out on our first exploration adventure. Note missed nap opportunity. I still hadn’t slept more than 2 hours at this point since Tuesday night. But against all odds, I had energy!! We spent the next 3 or 4 hours walking through the crowded city streets and taking pictures of the incredible buildings and people. We returned home to shower and then went out to the infamous “LKF” for the first time (A description of LKF deserves its own post entirely!! Coming Soon). After nearly falling asleep in the middle of a bar, we finally made our way back to the hotel. SLEEP!!! The only problem was that the mattress was harder than a rock. NO JOKE. I woke up in the middle of the night and half my body was numb. Luckily the mattress in my apartment is a tad softer. Maybe the equivalent to sleeping on carpet instead of on concrete. IMPROVEMENT!!

First night dinner in Kowloon with Marguax and Claire! 

The next morning we moved into Kornhill Apartments in Quarry Bay, our permanent home for 8 weeks. We met up with the other 5 Global Fellow students interning in HK and got settled into our rooms. I can’t even begin to explain how much I love it here!!

On the MTR after a full day of exploring!

Right outside my new home!

1. The city is incredible!!! I’ve always dreamed of traveling to New York, but now I might not need to…
2. I LOVE my job. I’ve only been working for 2 days, but my coworkers are so sweet and amazing. I haven’t met my boss yet, David Harilela, because he is currently in Las Vegas. But a full description of my internship also deserves its own post… (Coming soon…I promise it’ll be worth it!)
3. I’ve been trying so many new foods and it’s so exciting!! The smells and strong flavors are definitely taking some time to get used to, but I’m loving every moment! Devin, picture the strongest fish smell you’ve ever experienced, and then multiply that by 100. That’s Hong Kong on the streets. Yesterday my coworkers ordered an amazing lunch for me at this delicious restaurant called Dynasty (my new favorite!!). For dessert we got this crazy soup with mango and sweet tofu. It was so good!

Our dessert at Dynasty! 

I didn’t even begin to skim the amount of stories I already have after 5 days…. I have so much more to tell!! But for now I’ll settle for this introduction, but please know that there will be more to come!

I love my Hong Kong group!

Tomorrow night the group is going out to experience our first ever “Ladies’ Night” in the city! Hong Kong…show me what you’ve got.