The semester is coming to an end, it's a bittersweet week when exchange students get to say good bye to each other.
Unfortunately, I still have one more examination on the 20th of December before my departure date back to Hawaii. I will do a final wrap up of my blog right after all the examinations are over. It's been a great semester and I can see the end.
Monday, December 17, 2012
Thursday, December 6, 2012
Few Suggestions
This is for new incoming students.
From my personal experiences, these are a few suggestions that I can give you.
Class Schedule
Unlike UH Manoa, classes are only either one or twice a week and two to three hours long! That can be an advantage or disadvantage to you. An advantage would be if you planned out your schedule before hand, you can easily get 3-4 days weekend, enough for a short trip to somewhere! Disadvantage would be cramming too many classes in short amount of time.
Examination schedule spans out on a period of two weeks, give you plenty of time to study!
Visa
Speaking of traveling...
If you are planning to go to China (Mainland China), keep in mind that you cannot use your Hong Kong visa to visit China, they are almost separate country!
For American, Chinese visa will cost you about $130-$140 for any types of visa. Here comes the suggestion!
Apply for your Chinese visa before hand, before you leave Hawaii! It will save you so much time and money!
If you apply in the US, you can get multiple entries visa for ~$140. If you apply it in Hong Kong, you can only get up to double entries for the same price!
Most of places around Hong Kong are visa-free except for China, Cambodia, Laos and Vietnam. Three of which can be easily apply for while you're in Hong Kong for about $20 each.
Apply for your visa early!
From my personal experiences, these are a few suggestions that I can give you.
Class Schedule
Unlike UH Manoa, classes are only either one or twice a week and two to three hours long! That can be an advantage or disadvantage to you. An advantage would be if you planned out your schedule before hand, you can easily get 3-4 days weekend, enough for a short trip to somewhere! Disadvantage would be cramming too many classes in short amount of time.
Examination schedule spans out on a period of two weeks, give you plenty of time to study!
Visa
Speaking of traveling...
If you are planning to go to China (Mainland China), keep in mind that you cannot use your Hong Kong visa to visit China, they are almost separate country!
For American, Chinese visa will cost you about $130-$140 for any types of visa. Here comes the suggestion!
Apply for your Chinese visa before hand, before you leave Hawaii! It will save you so much time and money!
If you apply in the US, you can get multiple entries visa for ~$140. If you apply it in Hong Kong, you can only get up to double entries for the same price!
Most of places around Hong Kong are visa-free except for China, Cambodia, Laos and Vietnam. Three of which can be easily apply for while you're in Hong Kong for about $20 each.
Apply for your visa early!
Thursday, November 29, 2012
Some Must-Go Places!
Before coming to Hong Kong, my impression of Hong Kong was this picture.
Also known as the Tian Tan Buddha, it is a major center for Buddhism. It symbolizes the harmony between man and nature, people and religion.
Victoria Peak
Located in Hong Kong island , it is the highest peak in the island (but not the whole area of Hong Kong). It is one of the best place to observe the Hong Kong skyline.
Lamma Island
If you are tired of the fast moving life of the Hong Kong business area, Lamma island is just 30 minutes away by ferry. You can experience the beautiful beaches with abundant of seafood. The main transportation for the island is bicycle!
10,000 Buddhas
The name says it all. This place contains 10,000 statues of Buddhas from the bottom of the hill to the top. Prepare to spend at least 30 to 45 minutes to hike up to the top!
Beside Hong Kong business area, there are many places that make this a very special and unique places. These are many faces of Hong Kong, something about this city made me closer to it more.
I would like to end this post with this quote. An encounter with Hong Kong.
It is still true of course, if you are looking forward to the magnificence skyline, you won't be disappointed. However, there are more than just that. Hong Kong is a wonderful places with many sides to its modern city.
Below are some must-see places in this wonderful city.
Big Buddha
Also known as the Tian Tan Buddha, it is a major center for Buddhism. It symbolizes the harmony between man and nature, people and religion.
Victoria Peak
Located in Hong Kong island , it is the highest peak in the island (but not the whole area of Hong Kong). It is one of the best place to observe the Hong Kong skyline.
Lamma Island
If you are tired of the fast moving life of the Hong Kong business area, Lamma island is just 30 minutes away by ferry. You can experience the beautiful beaches with abundant of seafood. The main transportation for the island is bicycle!
10,000 Buddhas
The name says it all. This place contains 10,000 statues of Buddhas from the bottom of the hill to the top. Prepare to spend at least 30 to 45 minutes to hike up to the top!
Beside Hong Kong business area, there are many places that make this a very special and unique places. These are many faces of Hong Kong, something about this city made me closer to it more.
I would like to end this post with this quote. An encounter with Hong Kong.
Tuesday, November 20, 2012
Examinations and Group Work
As I discussed in previous entries, essays and group work are big things here in Hong Kong!
If you're looking to take about 5 classes, you can expect 4-5 group work and presentation with 4-5 essays on your own!
Grading
Compare to UH Manoa, the grading scales are pretty much the same with typical A-F grades on different assignments. Quizzes and Exams are the bulk of the grade in majority of classes, you can expect about 30% from quizzes and 40% of your grade for the final exam.
Generally, you will have about 2-3 quizzes per semester, they're short but take them seriously! Unlike UH classes, quizzes/exams here focus on details of the chapters. For example, in Hawaii, as long as you grasp the concept of the chapters, you're golden for the quizzes and exams. In Hong Kong, you must memorize the whole chapter in order to get the perfect grade since questions are usually very specific in a chapter.
My exams are from December 15-20, I guess I have a lot to study..
If you're looking to take about 5 classes, you can expect 4-5 group work and presentation with 4-5 essays on your own!
Grading
Compare to UH Manoa, the grading scales are pretty much the same with typical A-F grades on different assignments. Quizzes and Exams are the bulk of the grade in majority of classes, you can expect about 30% from quizzes and 40% of your grade for the final exam.
Generally, you will have about 2-3 quizzes per semester, they're short but take them seriously! Unlike UH classes, quizzes/exams here focus on details of the chapters. For example, in Hawaii, as long as you grasp the concept of the chapters, you're golden for the quizzes and exams. In Hong Kong, you must memorize the whole chapter in order to get the perfect grade since questions are usually very specific in a chapter.
My exams are from December 15-20, I guess I have a lot to study..
Monday, November 12, 2012
Comparison
Comparison between Hawaii and Hong Kong
Since I’ve been here for more than two months, I have better
ideas of differences between Hawaii and Hong Kong. Here goes!
Shopping
One word, amazing.
Shopping malls are plentiful here in Hong Kong. You cannot
walk 5 minutes without encounter a shopping mall. Okay, well, it is an
exaggeration but there are shopping malls everywhere. MTR stations, Office
buildings, Museums, Airport and even school are either really close to a
shopping mall or it is inside a shopping mall.
However, people do not come to shopping mall to just shop,
there are movie theatres, food court, and supermarket or maybe you just want to
cool down and find a place to sit in the shopping mall. Most brands that you
would find in Hawaii, you can find it here and more. If you are going to City
University of Hong Kong, an extra bonus is that the school is right next to a
shopping mall!
Conclusion, if you like shopping , you like Hong Kong.
Food
Hong Kong is truly where the East meets the West, you can
find virtually any kind of food here in Hong Kong! From McDonalds to fine
dining Italian restaurant, Hong Kong has everything. But! I’m sure you don’t come
to Hong Kong for western food, then you won’t be disappointed with the amount
of local food and oriental food. Please watch yourself as you can’t stop
yourself from eating all the food!
Compare the food of Hawaii and Hong Kong is difficult,
Hawaii has a large population of Asian American thus the selection of food are
quite similar to Hong Kong. However, there are more exotic and interesting food
at places such as Mong Kok and Tsim Sha Tsui. If you come to Hong Kong for the
oriental and local Hong Kong food, you won’t be disappointed. If you come to
Hong Kong for the European and American food, you may be going to the wrong
place but you can still find good Western food here! If you come here for Spam
Musubi and Loco Moco, then well… you better make it yourself!
Nightlife
Did I said Hong Kong is amazing? Well, the nightlife is Hong
Kong is at the top. From the party capital of Hong Kong, Lan Kwai Fond to Wan
Chai to the less touristy Tsim Sha Shui and Prince Edward. There is something
for everyone. Do you want to do some bar and nightclub hopping and meet more
international traveler? You will feel right at home at Lan Kwai Fond. Do you
want to sit down and relax at an American and British style bar/pub but still
want to meet more international people? Wan Chai will do it for you. Do you
want somewhere with less people and socialize with your friends? Tsim Sha Tsui
is the place to be. Or do you want to experience the cultures and meet up with
more local Hong Konger? There are quite a few places but Prince Edward is a
good place.
Transportation
If you are a regular commuter in Hawaii by the bus system
then you will fall in love with Hong Kong Mass Transit Rail or in short, MTR.
It is one of the more efficient rail system in the world, the train is rarely
if ever be late and if you are on one of the main lines, the frequency is 1-2
minutes wait at most.
The price is cheap, and with student discount, it’s even
cheaper with HK$5-10 everytime you do one jouney, that’s less than 1 US dollar!
You are to get an Octopus Card, it’s a card that you can use
to purchase your train/bus/light rail transport in addition to 711, McDonalds,
Super Market… and so on. One tip from me is that you should put 300-500 HKD at
a time and use it for your daily purchases to eliminates the needs for coins!
University
Unlike Hawaii, Hong Kong education system is quite
different. Instead of spreading out the hours of a class throughout a week, a
class meets once a week for two to three hours. Therefore, it is possible to
have most of your classes in 2-3 days a week.
In Hawaii, there are more homework compare to essays and
group works. It is the exact opposite here in Hong Kong, there is rarely any
homework with the exception of in class exercise that takes as little as 5
minutes to complete.
Group work is a primary element here in every class, 4 out
of 5 of my classes consists some kind of group project in it. Group work
requires you collaborate with others to work toward a common goal, it is
especially hard as some local student do not have the sufficient English skill
to communicate.
So be prepare to write a lot of essays and lots of group
work, either with international students or local students.
Please do email me if you have any question on settling here
in Hong Kong.
howiengn@gmail.com
Wednesday, November 7, 2012
Hong Kong - Place of Wonders
Hong Kong – A Place of Wonders
Even though I have been in Hong Kong for more than two
months, there is something about this place that I cannot seem to grasp. It is truly
where the Eastern culture meets the Western culture, it is a place where the fusion
of the virtues of both world creates something quite different from other world
city, such as New York, London and Tokyo.
When I arrived in Hong Kong, what I expected are just a
modern city such as New York/London but simply in Asia. Oh how wrong I was. As
days passed, I noticed there are many parts in Hong Kong that makes Hong Kong
what it is today.
From the busy area with skyscrapers of northern Hong Kong Island
where all major financial institutions are to the crowded street of Tsim Sha
Tsui and Mong Kok on Kowloon side and the peaceful mountains with beautiful
beaches in Sai Kung, Hong Kong is simply a unique place to be in.
I could not imagine this when I am back home in Hawaii.
Before coming to Hong Kong, I only have one perspective of what is classified as
“Hong Kong” but as little as two months of living in Hong Kong, I opened my
eyes to more perspective.
Compare to Honolulu, the business practice of Hong Kong is a
fast-pace and work oriented. Unlike the tradition “Hawaiian Time” we
experienced in Hawaii, Hong Kong is operating on a timely schedule. Proof of such
is the MTR or, the Mass Transit Rail, it comes every few minutes with rarely
any delay if ever! On the busy streets of Central or the crowded Tsim Sha Tsui,
people are always in a hurry to get to where they want to be. Overall, it is a
very rushed style.
Perhaps my biggest mistake is that I treated Hong Kong as
just another world city when I arrived. I did not explored further into the
culture of the city thus wasting a considerable time learning about the city. With
as little as two months left, I will continue to explore the cultural aspect of
Hong Kong and the people.
Tuesday, October 16, 2012
Mid Semester Update!
*counting days*
It is time for a mid-semester update!
I am currently taking five classes:
Principles of Entrepreneurship
Consumer Behavior
Human Resource Management
Mandarin I
Cantonese I
The top three classes are transferable to Shidler College of Business as the exact same name!
Out of the three business classes, Principles of Entrepreneurship has the most interesting setup.
You still have midterm and final exam but there is a unique project due at the end of the semester in the form of presentation and hard copies.
Project:
I will be grouped with 3-4 others students from a list of universities participating in this program, such as Technion, Israel; University of Washington; Rutgers University, USA; ESADE Business School, Spain; University of Bergamo, Italy; Stanford, USA; Thunderbird, USA; Grenoble, France...
The method of meeting would be by using any video chatting program such as Skype. The extra catch here is that I won't have any group mate from the US, so communication will be more difficult for the group.
The goal of the project is to conduct market research and create a business plan for a region. Each of us will then present to our own university for a grade.
It sounds difficult but at the same time very interesting. I am looking forward to the project.
It is time for a mid-semester update!
I am currently taking five classes:
Principles of Entrepreneurship
Consumer Behavior
Human Resource Management
Mandarin I
Cantonese I
The top three classes are transferable to Shidler College of Business as the exact same name!
Out of the three business classes, Principles of Entrepreneurship has the most interesting setup.
You still have midterm and final exam but there is a unique project due at the end of the semester in the form of presentation and hard copies.
Project:
I will be grouped with 3-4 others students from a list of universities participating in this program, such as Technion, Israel; University of Washington; Rutgers University, USA; ESADE Business School, Spain; University of Bergamo, Italy; Stanford, USA; Thunderbird, USA; Grenoble, France...
The method of meeting would be by using any video chatting program such as Skype. The extra catch here is that I won't have any group mate from the US, so communication will be more difficult for the group.
The goal of the project is to conduct market research and create a business plan for a region. Each of us will then present to our own university for a grade.
It sounds difficult but at the same time very interesting. I am looking forward to the project.
Monday, September 17, 2012
Back!
My apology for a long break from last post! I promise I will update this more often!
So what happened in the last week?
1. I survived the first true week ( since year 1 class started last week)
2. Found more places to eat!
3. Found some amazing beaches
Since of my favorite activities is hiking, I've found some very interesting hikes here in Hong Kong.
1. Sai Kung Peninsula
Consists of many beautiful beaches, includes:
- Long Ke Beach
- Sai Wan Beach
- Tai Long Bay
- Tai Wan
Direction:
- MTR to Choi Hung , right outside exit A, there is a shuttle 1/1A to Sai Kung place then you can either hike or take the taxi up to each area before the beach and start hiking
2. Nam Shek
East of Hong Kong, it is one of the best beach in Hong Kong because it is hard to get there. It is recommended to to go by boat but the hike is quite adventurous. You can go to Nam Shek by taking a boat to Ma Liu Shui to Ko Lau Wan then start the hike
I cannot wait to discover more hikes!
So what happened in the last week?
1. I survived the first true week ( since year 1 class started last week)
2. Found more places to eat!
3. Found some amazing beaches
Since of my favorite activities is hiking, I've found some very interesting hikes here in Hong Kong.
1. Sai Kung Peninsula
Consists of many beautiful beaches, includes:
- Long Ke Beach
- Sai Wan Beach
- Tai Long Bay
- Tai Wan
Direction:
- MTR to Choi Hung , right outside exit A, there is a shuttle 1/1A to Sai Kung place then you can either hike or take the taxi up to each area before the beach and start hiking
2. Nam Shek
East of Hong Kong, it is one of the best beach in Hong Kong because it is hard to get there. It is recommended to to go by boat but the hike is quite adventurous. You can go to Nam Shek by taking a boat to Ma Liu Shui to Ko Lau Wan then start the hike
I cannot wait to discover more hikes!
Thursday, August 30, 2012
Finally settled in!
Finding internet for my room was horrible!
Couple suggestions for future students going to Hong Kong
1. Get a SIM card at the airport!
It will save you so much time and make your life so much easier if you have a phone!
Anything from China Mobile , PCCW, Three HK or HKCSL is okay!
2. Be open to meet new people!
These will be your best friends for the years ahead! This is why you need a phone early to contact your friends.
3. Get all your class confusion sorted out!
Plan out your class schedule to avoid any confusion. There are classes with "linked course" requirement.
You need to find the right combination for each course, the information can be found in your Master Schedule.
This is all for now! More is coming soon!
Couple suggestions for future students going to Hong Kong
1. Get a SIM card at the airport!
It will save you so much time and make your life so much easier if you have a phone!
Anything from China Mobile , PCCW, Three HK or HKCSL is okay!
2. Be open to meet new people!
These will be your best friends for the years ahead! This is why you need a phone early to contact your friends.
3. Get all your class confusion sorted out!
Plan out your class schedule to avoid any confusion. There are classes with "linked course" requirement.
You need to find the right combination for each course, the information can be found in your Master Schedule.
This is all for now! More is coming soon!
Tuesday, August 21, 2012
Evening before departure!
It is getting closer and closer!
I am leaving tomorrow at 11:00 AM Hawaii time.
What I've accomplished today:
- Finalized my class's schedule
- Finish my course registration during the web registration period
- Packed!
What I am hoping to accomplish tomorrow:
- Wake up early!
- Leave
I will keep this blog update when I am in Hong Kong!
I am leaving tomorrow at 11:00 AM Hawaii time.
What I've accomplished today:
- Finalized my class's schedule
- Finish my course registration during the web registration period
- Packed!
What I am hoping to accomplish tomorrow:
- Wake up early!
- Leave
I will keep this blog update when I am in Hong Kong!
Monday, August 20, 2012
2 days away!
So I'm finally 2 days away from leaving for Hong Kong!
Hmm let's see, list of things to pack:
- Clothes
- Some essentials
- Blanket (For the 1st few days at Hong Kong !)
Checklists:
- Passport
- Visa
- Insurance
- Class schedule
- School address in Chinese (for taxi)
- Plane ticket
- Laptop
- Phone
Hope I am not forgetting anything...
Hmm let's see, list of things to pack:
- Clothes
- Some essentials
- Blanket (For the 1st few days at Hong Kong !)
Checklists:
- Passport
- Visa
- Insurance
- Class schedule
- School address in Chinese (for taxi)
- Plane ticket
- Laptop
- Phone
Hope I am not forgetting anything...
Sunday, August 5, 2012
Officially Start (Blogging)!
Perhaps it is time for me to "officially" start my blog!
This is my first time making a blog, I will start by introducing myself.
I am Howie Nguyen, currently a 4th year at Shidler College of Business, and I am majoring in International Business, Marketing and Management. I will be going to City University of Hong Kong this upcoming Fall 2012 semester.
Why did I pick Hong Kong you asked?
Well, that is a great question! I picked Hong Kong because of its business influences, business geography advantages and Chinese language. Hong Kong is unarguably one of the major business hub in Asia and a global city of the world, and I have wanted to visit and experience it for myself. It is also a gateway to Chinese market for foreign investors, one which also be my gateway of employment post graduation. Lastly , I am fascinated by the Chinese language and cultures. I am hoping to learn more about the cultures of Hong Kong and China.
*Status of my Exchange*
I am 18 days away from my departure to Hong Kong. August 22, 2012.
I have all my classes taken care of, except for one class which I will need to wait for the web registration period comes the 3rd week of August.
My student visa and accommodations processes are complete.
At this point of time , I have not packed! But I will get to it soon!
This is my first time making a blog, I will start by introducing myself.
I am Howie Nguyen, currently a 4th year at Shidler College of Business, and I am majoring in International Business, Marketing and Management. I will be going to City University of Hong Kong this upcoming Fall 2012 semester.
Why did I pick Hong Kong you asked?
Well, that is a great question! I picked Hong Kong because of its business influences, business geography advantages and Chinese language. Hong Kong is unarguably one of the major business hub in Asia and a global city of the world, and I have wanted to visit and experience it for myself. It is also a gateway to Chinese market for foreign investors, one which also be my gateway of employment post graduation. Lastly , I am fascinated by the Chinese language and cultures. I am hoping to learn more about the cultures of Hong Kong and China.
*Status of my Exchange*
I am 18 days away from my departure to Hong Kong. August 22, 2012.
I have all my classes taken care of, except for one class which I will need to wait for the web registration period comes the 3rd week of August.
My student visa and accommodations processes are complete.
At this point of time , I have not packed! But I will get to it soon!
Monday, May 21, 2012
Another countdown post!
It's May 22 and I still have a little more than three months before leaving for Hong Kong. I just received an email from City University of Hong Kong for orientation week!
August 27 is the mandatory arrival date! Can't wait!
August 27 is the mandatory arrival date! Can't wait!
Thursday, May 17, 2012
3 months before Hong Kong
I received a check from Mr. Freeman and Mrs.Freeman for $5000! Now to wait another 3 months to start my adventure.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)