Blog from Abroad: Denise Kaw from Hong Kong, Pt. 7
Denise Kaw is a third-year BA/MT student in the Curry School of Education’s five-year program where she is studying to earn a bachelors degree in studio art and a masters in special education. This semester she is studying abroad at the Chinese University of Hong Kong. She is the first student to participate in the University of Virginia’s new studio art exchange program with CUKH. Click here, here, here, here, here and here for her previous posts.
Feb. 15, 2009: I’ve always heard about the infamous pollution in Hong Kong, most especially over the summer of the Beijing Olympics when Hong Kong hosted the equestrian events. I remember reading about the difficulties Hong Kong was having with their air pollution and how it may affect the Olympics. Fortunately, for the past six weeks, the weather was fantastic. It got cold every now and then, but on the whole, skies were blue, temperature was tolerable, humidity was not an issue.
Temperature is still tolerable, humidity isn’t so much an issue … yet … but the skies have not been blue for a long, long time. It’s been pretty hazy since Wednesday. Yesterday it was at its worst! I woke up and saw absolutely NOTHING outside my window, nothing but WHITE. Two nights ago, I was walking home, and usually I can see the other islands and the buildings and lights, but that night, nothing. I couldn’t even see the lights from the buildings. I can’t wait for it to clear up again.
Aside from the weather, this week has been really good. On Wednesday, one of my classmates in my Xie Yi class invited me to her birthday dinner. We went to a Japanese restaurant and had some decent food. (I grew up in Japan, so I am allowed to be critical of Japanese food). But it was a fun dinner, especially since I knew all but one of her friends. We all are in art together. Then after the dinner, Vicky (who is thinking of going to U.Va. for exchange next semester) showed me the roof of the art building. It was such a beautiful view, and would’ve been even more gorgeous had the weather not been so hazy.
My roommate moved out on Saturday. She finished school last semester and found an apartment and is now looking for work. It’s such a pity that we were only spent so little time together. But I am getting a new roommate today. I’m so surprised just because it’s the middle of the year.
Anyway, this weekend has been such a BUSY one. I’ve never been so exhausted. I think that’s why my body is finally telling me to slow down, or maybe it’s the haze that’s affecting my health. I am getting a cold - nothing serious. But it was a really good weekend because one of my friends from high school came up from Singapore for the weekend to visit. My exchange friends and I wanted to show him the Big Buddha on Saturday, but unfortunately the weather prevented us from going to see the Buddha.
Instead we went to the Tai O fishing village where houses are built on stilts on the water. People were fishing from their houses! We also took a boat ride around the village to see more of the stilt houses and at the end of the ride we got to see a whitish-pinkish dolphin! Everyone on the boat was so excited! The advertisement for the boat ride said we could see dolphins, but I was doubtful. The dolphin was one of the most exciting sights this weekend!
Some photos:
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