October... and then some.

Hello everyone! It's been so long since my last post that it may be good to introduce myself again. My name is Sarah, I am studying at HKU, and somehow an entire month+ has flashed by before my eyes. I have absolutely no idea where the time has gone. No need to worry though. I am happy, healthy and safe. I will try to be more diligent about keeping you updated.

In the next few paragraphs I will attempt to recap everything that has happened in my life since my last post 6 weeks ago, although I'm sure there will be many forgotten details. I apologize for that. (Yikes! I still cannot believe it has been that long).

In late September my friend, Ryan, came to visit for about 10 days. It was challenging keeping up with the demands of school and trying to be a good hostess at the same time, but I enjoyed the opportunity to do some touristy things that I had been putting off.

Top 3:
-Taking the cable cars to Lantau Island and hiking up 300 steps to see the Giant Buddha (apparently the largest seated Buddha in the world).


-A one-night trip to Macau and winning $600HKD at the Venetian roulette tables.


-Hiking up to the lookout point on Cheung Chau Island, a quaint fishing village.


Moving on...

October 13: I gave a Rotary presentation to my host club, the Rotary Club of Tsim Sha Tsui. It went very well. I still get nervous right before I present, but that usually passes quickly once I get into it.



October 17-24: Spent a week in Cambodia and Vietnam with Lily Wu, another Rotary Scholar. If you're curious about my trip, drop me a line. There is way too much to cover just in this blog. I'll try to devote another entry entirely to my Cam and Nam experiences later on.

October 29: Gave a Rotary presentation to the Rotary Club of Lan Kwai Fong. I made it a little more interactive this time by teaching them how to say "y'all" at the beginning. It was quite entertaining. :)


October 31: HALLOWEEN!!! To my surprise, Halloween is a HUGE holiday here. Children trick-or-treat and adults go to Lan Kwai Fong, usually dressed up and slightly intoxicated. There is also another group that goes to LKF simply to take photos of the crazy, costumed drunk people. It is one of the MUST-DO events in HK. Total madness! (Just check out the crowd below). I went out with some of my grad school friends. Leani and I were both fairies (pink and purple... it was basically an excuse to get the wigs, which we both swear we'll use again...).




November 2: Home Care for Girls 10th Anniversary dinner. I went with my host Rotary club because it is one of the projects they support. Home Care for Girls provides shelter and counseling to young women in HK (ages 13-18) who come from unstable families and/or home environments. The program gives them the skills and emotional support to become independent.

November 5: Watched the U.S. Presidential Election results live from the Hong Kong Club. It was an event sponsored by the American Chamber of Commerce and was open to the public. Americans made up only a small percentage of the attendees. There was quite a large European and Asian representation. The crowd was also overwhelmingly for Obama though. I think I found about 5 McCain supporters and 1 Green Party voter.


November 8-9: Rotary Orientation for outbound scholars. This was the first time HK Rotary District 3450 hosted a regional orientation. It turned out to be mainly Taiwanese scholars in attendance. Myself and some of the other inbound scholars, in addition to Rotary alumni, helped prepare the Taiwanese scholars for their upcoming study abroad periods by teaching them how to give presentations, preparing them for culture shock, and giving them skills to help overcome potential obstacles. I really enjoyed getting to know the group. Also, to my surprise, I met another Rotary scholar from District 7770 in Columbia, SC!! His name is Matt and he's teaching English to kindergartners here in HK before starting his scholarship period next summer in Grenada. It really is such a small world!

In fact, I just got home from having dinner with Matt and his girlfriend Katy, who is also here teaching English. We had grits at a 24-hour breakfast place to celebrate our "southerness". I even got them with cheese, so yummy! :)

Okay, so I know that was a very brief glimpse into everything I've been doing recently, but I promise to do better in the future. Also, I want to say a special THANK YOU to everyone who has sent me mail so far...

Thank you Kim Jamieson, Brandon Sharpe, Nana & Pop, and Aunt Sue Sue!!! I love you all!! xx