missing golden week

-Prof. Facchini, "so see you all tomorrow"
-class, "tomorrow is public holiday, no classes"
-Prof. Facchini, "holiday? what holiday is it?"
-class, "it's National Day!"
-Prof. Facchini, "......you really do have many holidays!"

Yeah, in Hong Kong, both traditional Chinese holidays and western festivals are public holidays. No work on public holidays!

Christmas day, holiday!
Chung Yeung Festival, holiday!
Easter day, holiday!
the birthday of Buddha, also holiday!

The local people even do "treat or tricks" on Halloween, which is approaching. So excited about the things here!

free stuff

the good thing about recruitment talks here is you always get free stuff!
free pen,
free notepad,
free bags,
free toys,
free key chains,
free brochures,
sometimes even free food(UBS offered a mini but nice buffet today!)

some participants have made it very clear,
"I'm here just for the free stuff, the talks, I don't care!"

How to get to HKIA fast and cheap

HKIA (Hong Kong International Airport) locates on the reclamated island of Chek Lap Kok(赤鱲角). Not so far, but if you don't make the right decision, it'll cost you so much to get there! Having been there twice just within this month, here's my advice: DON'T take the Airport Express. I have my point:

1. it's expensive. No student discount for Airport Express, it costs HKD60 even if you get on the express from the station nearest(Tsing Yi station) to the airport back and forth. Usually, somewhat 100 dollars is expected to cover the AE fare.

2. Not so "express". Wait another 10-20 minutes for the next express if you missed the last one! And to change from MTR to Airport Express costs just as much time as it takes to wait for an avalaible express, that adds up to around 30 minutes waiting time!

Here's what you should do to save money and time to get to the airport:

Get on MTR, go all the way to Tung Chung station. You may have to change lines for two or three times, but they're instant-interchangeable, which means change lines on the same platform. With student discount, no more than 10 dollars would be charged for the ride. Cheap enough, huh! When you get off at Tung Chung station, you'll find many airport shuttles in the bus hub just at the B or C exit! Shuttles to the airport always start with an "S" in the shuttle number. So get on S64 or S63(something like that) and you're just about 10-20 minutes away from the airport, and the best thing here, it costs only 3.5 dollars!

The first time I got to the airport to see some friend off, I spent more than 100 dollars on Airport Express alone. When I got there, my friend has already boarded!

Yesterday, the same airport, another friend, just 27 dollars back and forth, and I got there two hours before my friend boarded!

Now you have the picture!

HK int'l airport

yeah, it's INTERNATIONAL

typhoon's coming

A signal number 8 typhoon is no kidding!
it's already roaring like crazy outside.
it's like the end of the world has fallen upon us!
RUN! everybody, RUN for your life!

some laughter in class

"Any questions?", Prof. Facchini asked.
"Yes, why does the point not shift along the RS curve, but shifts to RS一丿儿", answered one student.

there was a sudden burst of laughter in the classroom, lasted like one or two minutes. It's so funny when he said it, I almost jumped from the chair! But you could see clearly the stunned expression on the faces of foreign students and Hong Kong students. They starred at each other, totally had no idea what happened.

Well, here's the funny point. When he said RS一丿儿, he actually meant RS' (which is pronounced RS prime in English). But he didn't know how to express the superscript, instinctively used the Chinese version "一丿儿".
so basically: ' = 一丿儿

under the southern sky

Product RED

not mine, but I wish it were mine!

The Hong Kong Jockey Club Atrium at HKUST

multi-lingual

the exciting also challenging thing about HKUST is that you can virtually speak three languages here. Mandarin, Cantonese and English. Most of the time, you'll find yourself having a hard time communicating with local people in Mandarin, that's when my four years' living experience in Guangdong comes to rescue, because I understand Cantonese and could speak little bit of it. Totally ok to have some basic entry-level Cantonese conversations, but as it moves to advanced-level, English will always be the last resort, because almost everyone on campus speaks more or less some English. Actually when walking through the campus, you hear all kinds of languages. That's what international school is all about!

Signal Coverage

No signal coverage in the lecture halls and elevators!

The Pavilion Hotel

two years....

ipod nano

Ordered this new ipod nano(8G) for a friend(not for myself!!). The price is pretty tempting, HKD1150. You know how much this exact same ipod is labeled in mainland China? CNY1298, which amounts to HKD1480. See, that's why people prefer to buy digital products in Hong Kong, the price difference is obvious! Sadly for me, in the shopping heaven though, still expecting rags-to-riches story to become true.

Multi-Identity

I was born and raised in Chongqing, but somehow I'm bearer of both Guangzhou and Hong Kong Identity Card. The past four years have changed me a lot, my accent, the way of speaking and thinking, and so forth. It's like been "southernized". Many of my current classmates mistakenly think I'm Cantonese by judging my accent. It's a good thing for drifters like me, because it proves I'm adaptive to change, easy to be part of a different group or community, easily assimilated into external environment. No doubt that I'll change somehow here in Hong Kong, a totally different and more challenging community. The problem now is where exactly do I belong? Where I'm going?

BBQ

The best way to get familiarized with somebody you don't quite know of is to have some little gather-together activity, and by that I mean BBQ on the beach! Yeah, we, members of MSc(Econ) totally did that yesterday.

Google, the almighty!!

Google Docs comes so in handy when one needs to deal with data work while he has no idea of server or database. Google Docs allows mass collaboration, making things much easier!

see me at 2‘45“

Wanna see me? Oh, yeah, more specifically, wanna see me with the Chief Executive of Hong Kong? Just drag the timeline of this video to 2'45"(after it's completely loaded). See the one in striped polo with a camera standing right behind Mr. Donal Tsang, that's me!

Mr. Tsang Addresses at HKUST

people don't get to see the commander in chief quite often these days especially for people like me, who's just little someone from mainland. Now here's the story. The Chief Executive of Hong Kong, Mr. Donald Tsang Yam-Kuen paid a short but exclusive visit to HKUST this afternoon to have a so-called dialogue with HKUST students before his annual Policy Address, apparently I'm not letting this opportunity slip away. See, on the left hand is the BIG man, which according to himself is here to LISTEN, to get help and advice for his further governorship, but unfortunately all he received, well, mostly, were sharp questions. The fertility rate, inflation rate, opinion poll, IT development, social enterprise, minimum wage, etc. Though I'm not quite familiar with these stuff, it's good to start to learn them, especially from the chief.

Besides, I get this man's email (well, so does everybody else participated).
CEO@CEO.GOV.HK

protest on campus

you see, it's a democratic society here, even on school campus. The school committee doesn't rule it all! One can feel free to speak out his/her mind through Students' Union were there any conflicts or irrationalities. Obviously this time, they're fighting for space for students' activities. Walking right through the campus atrium and you see all these banners and posters speaking the same mind. And there are students in shirts which are stamped with protesting slogans, handing out fliers, asking for signatures from passerby and doing all the propaganda stuff, right in the center of the university!

I mean WOW!!

GDP

GDP is defined as the total market value of all final goods and services produced within the country in a given period of time (usually a calendar year). It is also considered the sum of value added at every stage of production (the intermediate stages) of all final goods and services produced within a country in a given period of time.

Nominal GDP measures the value of output during a given year using the prices prevailing during that year. Over time, the general level of prices rise due to inflation, leading to an increase in nominal GDP even if the volume of goods and services produced is unchanged.

Real GDP measures the value of output in two or more different years by valuing the goods and services adjusted for inflation. For example, if both the "nominal GDP" and price level doubled between 1995 and 2005, the "real GDP " would remain the same. For year over year GDP growth, "real GDP" is usually used as it gives a more accurate view of the economy.

The most common approach to measuring and understanding GDP is the expenditure method:

GDP=consumption+gross investment+government spending+(exports-imports)

or,

GDP = C + I + G + (X-M)

source: www.wikipedia.com

inside HKUST Library

I like to take seat by the windows 'cuz the ocean view is right through the glasses. Tired of reading or computer screens? just go and couch on the sofa. It's summer time, usually shirts would come in handy in the library since the air-conditioning system rocks!

HKUST Library

the ultimate path to prosperity and richness

Ocean view from HKUST

well, the scene is much better to be seen at site. the camera and cloudy sky kills the view .

Victoria Bay

the view, the lights, the music, the ocean breeze, and the luxury liners cruising along the bay, it's just beautiful. People from everywhere around the globe come to this hot spot just to witness the world's biggest carnival ever!

red bird

also known as turkey. the symbolic statue at HKUST!
awesome campus, I just love it!