Month: August 2005

So, what’s been happening? Why isn’t this blog more alive and kicking? Well, that’s because I’m doing stuff. All day. Every day. I have only about 30-60 minutes of computer time a day, and that time I invest in some useful surfing and mail checking. This list will give you an idea of what’s keeping me busy (a randomly ordered, non-exhaustive list, of course):

• Talking to random people
• Some partying
• Watching movies
• Queing
• Doing administrative stuff
• Swimming
• Going to the gym
• Sunbathing
• Going to town
• Watching girls
• Shopping
• Talking to people
• Browsing the student intranet
• Presenting myself to people
• Listening to other people presenting themselves
• Choosing courses
• Talking to people about choosing courses
• Walking through the city
• Watching the views
• Sweating
• Eating really cheap food
• Sleeping
• Cleaning the apartment
• Going by cool public transports
• Walking around the campus
• Talking to people

Things I had planned to do, like blogging, playing computer games, programming, etc, is way down in the priority list at the moment. I’m sure those things will come sooner or later, but probably when I’ve settled down and started to get bored by everyday life (because then the computer becomes really interesting ).

I’ve been very mainstream so far, and I have no problems being that – to a certain extent. I have soon filled my “get-to-know-new-people-quota” and soon I will probably start pursuing more alternatives activites, like, ehm, studying, using the computer and talking about really strange subjects with strange people.

And finally a picture. (This blog will be filled with pictures, I promise, when I; a) find decent camera, b) get a good gallery plug-in to this blogging software).

Instead of trying to produce the above all too long name, one could do as every one here and call it simply “HKUST” (for those interested, you’ll find their web page at http://www.ust.hk). This post will act as a short introduction to my visit in Hong Kong and to this travelblog (those who read Swedish can read Claes post about it).

First, some basic facts. The flight went from Gothenburg to Helsinki, and from Helsinki to Hong Kong a couple of hours later. The flight time was approximately 1 hour to Helsinki and then approximately 10 hours to Hong Kong. The waiting time was 6 hours (but that time passed very fast thanks to beginning it by having a snack with a very nice and cute Finnish girl, Maija). I slept for 1 hour during the whole trip (hooray!) and the jet-lag was clearly noticeable.

The airport was fantastic – giant halls in steel and glass and everywhere polite chinese airport employees. The views on the chaotic cab drive from the airport was undescribable (and unfortunately, I don’t have photos to prove it… you just have to go and see for yourselves). But to summarize it – windling freeways, loads of highrises, beautiful green mountains, a giant harbour, etc. The complete combination of nature and artificiality.

I’ll spare you the administrative details we had to go through at the university (but we were much surprised of how quickly it was done). I’ll just throw in some pictures which might atleast give a hint of how it really is (more images can be found at Claes page above until I’ve installed a thumbnail function here):

Now I’ve gotten internet access down here in the fabulous city of Hong Kong. The impressions are too many and too diverse to fully explain, and I’m too much affected by jet-lag (I’ve slept one hour the last night).

Hong Kong is very wet, more than anyone can imagine. It is also so beautiful and thriving, and the HKUST is both dirty and clean at the same time. It’s a paradox I can’t yet explain (and as I said… I’m too tired!). I will fill in more details later…

I’m sitting here, all too late, not wanting to go to sleep. Tomorrow is THE day. The day where I leave Sweden for Hong Kong, the beginning of the rest of my life, or at least the coming year. It’s a strange feeling.

Yesterday I had this little party, or what you would call it. I invited only my closest friends (not because i only wanted them, but because they were the only that would come at such short notice ). And we had a great time – not the best time, but great. And when it ended I admit it was a bit sad. However sad it may be, I’m still not nervous. I think that I will get nervous first when it is all to late to do anything about it, typically enough.

It’s strange. The world will be so different, but with the help of the internet, my days will still look the same in someway. I’ll chat with the same people, visit the same web pages, etc. This gives me a great security – if I, God forbid, don’t like Hong Kong I’ll still be able to pretend I’m in Sweden. But I’ve decided that I should give HK a real try before I hide in the Net. I must take the opportunity to get to know this different culture.

Oh well. So much thoughts. I won’t write them all down, there’s no point. I’ll just finish by declaring this as my last doing in Sweden for the year 2005/2006. I’ll miss you, Mother Svea. Hejdå!