Well, the time is almost upon me! I have 24 days until I board a plane for 15 hours to reach my destination- Hong Kong. Currently my emotions rotate between crazy excitement (I mean, come on, I'm going to Hong Kong for 4 months), nerves (I mean, come on, I'm going to Hong Kong for 4 months) and the panic of a procrastinator, because I still have so much left to do and way less time than I thought! Thankfully, excitement seems to be the most common emotion, but I am sure that as the days fly by that will change.
Though I still have much planning to do I have managed to complete quite a bit over the course of the summer. I purchased a travel guide book and planned out lots of places (more than I'm sure I'l be able to make it to) to visit during my months there. Most notably on my list are Hong Kong Disney and the largest Buddha statue Temple (not the official name by the way). Plus there are tons of beaches to visit and they all sound beautiful! Adding to the excitement, at some of the beaches they offer lessons for things like paddle boarding and wind surfing, or rent you the equipment for activities like snorkeling! I keep sharing with my parents all my plans and their reaction is always the same- "you are going there to study right?" then they laugh and shake their head and I keep on planning. Planning what to do while I'm there isn't the only thing I've done (though it is what I have devoted most of my time to), I've done a few other things as well. Completing and receiving my visa and passport, reading up about my school and the opportunities I have, learning the taboo actions, you know, all the things that will help me survive while I am abroad!
One of the really interesting things I've enjoyed reading about is my host school! Recently I received verification that I have a room there and will be rooming with, most likely, a native student and I couldn't be more excited for this! I think living with a local will be an immense help with getting to know other people, understanding the culture and making long term international friends. Beyond my living arrangements, the school also host monthly outings to explore the city, a buddy system for the exchange students with native students, and a educational hub for when I need help with homework or classes. Overall, Hong Kong Baptist University is helping make my transition very easy!
Now all I have left before I go is packing and to learn a little survival Cantonese. Packing won't too hard, I've got my list started and some googling has helped tailor that list to my time abroad. The hard part will be learning a language, but my public library is helping out with that. After acquiring a library card, I can log into this Mango software that is super simple to use and has a zillion languages- even ones that are going extinct! With that software, in only an hour of work, I can greet people and tell them that I am doing well!
As I only have 24 days left, I'm off to kick my butt into gear and jump start my preparations! Talk to you all next time:)
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