A moment of downtime

Finally a moment of downtime as I sit here and write while the repairmen fix our air conditioner. For anyone who has spent a second in HK during the summer, you realize how imperative a working aircon is.

The past 3.5 weeks have literally flown by. I find myself alternating between moments of sheer ecstasy and utter exhaustion. There doesn't seem to be much time to rest in this City. Days are filled with lectures, meetings, lunches, socializing, networking, exploring, sightseeing, sometimes a little studying, and preparing for the Fall back at school...and nights are dinners and drinks, karaoke, night markets, shopping, movies. The days often blend together and then it hits you that you've only been sleeping for 3 hrs a day. I'm used to that usually at school because I don't sleep much during the week; weekends are where I overdose and sleep for 14 hours straight. But here for the past few weeks...I was already running on reserves when I came down from Beijing where I think I spent a grand total of 3 evenings at home and the rest out & about town.

What makes me laugh these days is the fact that I never wanted to leave Beijing. I'll always love the Capital City because of its familiarity and the memories there, but I've really fallen in love with Hong Kong. Where to start? The bright blue skies, fluffy white clouds, sloping hills, bustling crowds, brand names, night markets, Michelin rated restaurants, Cantonese diners, Mandarin Chinese, Cantonese, English, street signs in English & street names in Cantonese, double-decker buses, lush green trees, senior citizens doing tai chi everywhere, convenience and comfort, always an available taxi, skyscrapers shooting out of jade green hills, and all in all... the perfect mix of east and west.

Given a choice between HK and Shanghai? HK.
Beijing and HK? HK has a slight edge right now, but I'd be perfectly happy in either.
NYC and HK? A true toss up. That's a decision that next summer will help with.

Anything I don't like about HK? Sometimes I find it frustrating that I don't know cantonese. I can usually get around with a mixture of mandarin and english here in town, but sometimes old HK'ers will insist on speaking cantonese. As a somewhat impatient person...this is mindboggling when I tell them repeatedly in mandarin & english that I have no idea what they're saying. :) They don't seem to care and just keep on cantonese-ing on. Haha...we eventually come to an agreement, but not without my feeling like I'm about to have an aneurysm.

Also, having a roommate has taken a bit of getting used to. I knew I loved living alone, but I didn't realize how priceless it was to never have to worry about someone else being in the bathroom at the time you want to be. All in all, housing has been great and we have the most unbeatable view from our windows out towards the Harbour where the shipping boats are always moored.

I've taken some gorgeous pics this summer in HK and they're posted on Facebook for anyone interested in going through them. Time here is wrapping up quite soon...flying out Tuesday morning for some time in Malaysia (Kuala Lumpur!), Cambodia (Siem Reap), and Thailand (Phuket) to end the summer strong. Excited doesn't even begin to describe how I feel...I dont know where the last bits of energy are coming from but I'm thankful for it.

PS: I'm really looking forward to being reunited with Mom, Dad, and Eric soon. 2.5 months away from home is a long time, and Texas is calling my name. It's going to be a quick turnaround though...5 days there, a quick layover in Manhattan, and then onwards to Duke. No rest for the weary, but plenty of blessings every single day.