BIG BIG DAY!

I started my day by heading to the university for my Health Orientation Seminar. I arrived a little early trying to be a diligent student and stood around as more students started to gather. After waiting (and sweating profusely... we had to wait outside), a nice young man came over to me and asked if I spoke Putonghua. Considering I've never even heard of it, I assumed I didn't and told him so politely. Turns out this particular health session was entirely in Putonghua (I googled this for a long time to get the correct spelling...it's a Mandarin dialect originating around Beijing). Oops. The English session isn't until tomorrow. I'll be sure to keep you posted.

I called Suk Yee to let her know and she came to get me so we could spend the afternoon wandering around Central. Hong Kong is definitely a wealthy place (at least most parts). Walking around the mall was intimidating. They had EVERY designer name you could ever think of: Versace, Dolce and Gabbana, Manolo Blahnik, Juicy Couture, Louis Vuitton, Roberto Cavalli, and many MANY more! After wishing I had more money (or any at all actually), we headed to the International Finance Center (IFC) building It's the tallest in HK at somewhere around 80 stories. If you're wondering, it too has many designer shops out of my budget. I was most impressed by the views of the harbor though. I think Suk Yee picked up on this because she suggested we take the tram to Victoria Peak. It's the tallest accessible point in HK and very popular for its exquisite views of the island and Kowloon. It truly was breathtaking. We were lucky to have such a clear day today, too, because some days can be really foggy with limited visibility of the city below. Check out the photos and video.





The Peak was certainly fun, but what makes this day so AWESOME is that I finally found an APARTMENT!!!! Yay!! I feel like I can relax a little now. It's located in a building right next to CK and Suk Yee in a very nice, safe neighborhood. There is a 24-hour security guard in the lobby of my new building and the apartment is a decent size compared to some of the other options I explored. It's around 500 sq. ft and $10,000 HKD per month. The kitchen and bathroom are newly renovated and there is a television in every room (that means 3). Oh yeah... I completely forgot to mention that it is FULLY furnished. There are 2 bedrooms (although one is pretty small, more like an office) and there's even a washing machine! That's pretty luxurious for HK. I met the landlord as well, Mrs. Alice Chan, and she seems like a lot of fun (very spunky). We spent about an hour going over paperwork and making things official in the real estate agent's office. They spoke Chinese half the time so I couldn't understand everything, which was a little annoying, but it all worked out after lots of questioning on my part. I was happy CK and Suk Yee came with me so they could help mediate. I can't believe this is the first time I've ever rented an apartment on my own and it's in HONG KONG! My first rental agreement is partially in Chinese! Whoa! This is so weird, but cool at the same time.

Anyway, things are starting to come together nicely. Thanks to everyone for your support and prayers. And a MAJOR thank you to Mr. and Mrs. Lau, who I now refer to as my Chinese aunt and uncle. Also, I could use a little money, Dad. :)