Some HK Interface - 10/1

We recently went to the Hong Kong branch of the US company, Cotton Incorporated. The office was on the twentieth floor with a beautiful view of the harbour and the Hong Kong Island skyline.  We were able to meet with the staff and have a brief tour of the office. Bonny, one of the account managers, gave us a packet on Cotton Incorporated and their current technologies and strategies and answered some of our questions.  We have studied the company at COT, but it was very interesting to hear the purpose of the HK office particularly.  The HK branch has different account managers that focus their efforts in Hong Kong, China, Singapore, Vietnam, etc. They work with every part of the supply chain to promote cotton and increase its usage in textiles.  We had heard of some of their technologies before such as storm denim and wicking windows, but Bonny taught us about their new textiles encyclopedia they have online with tons of useful information about almost all aspects of textiles.  Ideas like this were helpful and we are also to relay this information back to NCSU.  After a brief sit down, we were fortunate enough to be able to attend a presentation by Ayako Kaneta on Japanese retail trends.  They said that usually students are not allowed to attend their presentations so we were very lucky to be able to go to the meeting with various sourcing company representatives in Asia.  The presentation was extremely interesting with many pictures and samples of the major trends currently in Tokyo. 

HK Cotton Incorporated Staff

After the meeting Bonny Kwan and May Chin took us for a dim sum lunch near by.  The restaurant was very nice and all of the food they chose was delicious! We ate the best chicken soup we have ever tasted, brought to you in a tea kettle that you pour into a tiny cup (looks like it is for tea) and you drink it. Amazing. We also had light spring rolls, fried tofu, eggplant in a vinaigrette sauce, seafood rice, and several other dishes. For dessert we had mango pudding, a type of sweet dumpling in a soup/sauce, and bean curd. You would think that bean curd sounds a bit questionable, but it was so delicious! It came with a honey sauce and sugar to sprinkle on top. The lunch was a great chance for us to ask the ladies about their jobs, their schooling, and more about Cotton Incorporated in general. The visit was a complete success and the first tour we have had in Hong Kong. We could not have asked for anything better!

Bonny and May at lunch

A few days after our visit with Cotton, we had video conferencing with NCSU scheduled.  Thursday night at 8:30pm we reserved the piano room to turn it into our own office for the conference. We practiced the Skype with Dr. Marguerite Moore and waited until 9am when we would be needed to answer some questions. This conference was with Dr. Woodson, the Chancellor of all of North Carolina State University. He was touring the new lab facility on the College of Textiles campus and to demonstrate the new features of the lab, video conferencing, we were the perfect subjects to also share our HK experience with him.  Marguerite asked us each a few questions about what we are learning and our plans for travel, etc.  The Chancellor seemed very interested and asked a few quick questions at the end. First conference call down, one more to go.

The next call we had was at 5am on Friday morning.  The Textile Management Science Lab at COT was having its grand opening or unveiling at 5pm, so for us, that meant an early wake up call. We went through a slight problem with trying to get into the piano room/our office as this was obviously after hours that it should be open. We spent the previous evening running around the residence halls trying to find someone that could override this for us. Eventually we succeeded and they said they would send someone at 4:30am to let us in.  We got there, set up our office, orchid behind us and everything. Today we were skyping into the unveiling and once again showing the lab’s capabilities.  We answered more questions and were even part of their champagne toast, using the appropriate "gombay" instead of cheers. Conference call number two from HK, success.

One of our "offices"

Guilin/Yangshuo - 9/23

The trio was fortunate enough to go on a completely wonderful, indescribable trip to Guilin and Yangshuo, China. A group of 16 people, yes 16, decided to set off to Guilin in mainland China. Somehow, even though I think it has been proven impossible, we traveled with 16 people the entire time and did every activity together and I could not have asked for a better trip!

Team Hong Kong!

We spent 13 hours on a sleeper train (like Harry Potter) with 2 full cabins to ourselves on the way to the mainland. We went to bed in our little cubby beds and we woke up in Yangshuo, China in no time! Our first expedition was through the countryside and small towns to the famous Rice Terraces.

Rice Terraces

During this time, the rice plants were still green, but eventually they turn a beautiful golden yellow.  We hiked up to several different viewing points in the mist and bought a few handmade scarves along the way. The total hike was about five hours with great views of beautiful scenery.   

The next morning the hostel helped us organize another bus to take us to where we could get bamboo rafts down Li River to Yangshuo.  We figured if we had to get there anyways we should take the prettiest route.  Again it was kind of misty/rainy, but the rafting was great.  It was interesting because the "bamboo" rafts were actually made of PVC pipe. Who knew. The whole river is surrounded by the cliff-like mountains that represent Guilin and the mist just added to the serenity of the journey.  

On the rafting trip

After the rafting, we were herded into half open minibuses where of course our bus got stuck in the mud. The ride was pretty intense with a bit of sliding, riding close to the edge of a cliff, and almost getting stuck a few more times. After a near death experience in the mini bus, we made it to the town of Yangshuo.

Rafting to Yangshuo

For dinner we tried Beer Fish, a local specialty. Afterward everyone enjoyed meeting other travelers in the hostel and even a bit of karaoke.

Group at dinner

Our next adventure in Yangshuo was biking where all 16 people rented bikes (some tandem) and went biking through the less occupied streets of the city.  The ride was a bit difficult considering no one abides by any type of rule, the middle line means nothing, and 3 cars could be side by side on a one lane road.  The biking trip was just a little warm up to prepare us for our next extreme sport of “drifting”. Although it may sound calm, we were all fully protected with helmets and pads before pursuing this next mission.

Sights along the way

After everyone was in their rafts, we started the journey off with a 13 meter drop. This is when we realized the rafting trip was serious! We rafted for about 2 hours, screaming, yelling, and laughing the entire time. It was a great opportunity to see some of the forest and wildlife while rafting through quite crisp waters.

Drifting

Rock climbing was our final outdoor adventure of the Guilin/Yangshuo trip. There were 4 guides/4 ropes so there were different difficulty levels for everyone to try. People really impressed themselves, which was great. By the end, we were worn out and our shoes were covered in 2 inches of mud. It was time to headed back to Hong Kong and at the station we stopped for some good street food including watermelon, corn on the cob, crepe type wrap, and spicy pork skewers. The train ride back was another 13 hours, but again it went by relatively quickly.  We all sat in the restaurant together and talked until it was time for bed. Again we went to sleep and woke up to horribly loud Chinese music in a new city! Back to the hot and sunny Hong Kong!

Don't Have A Macau - 9/18

Macau is known throughout the world as a gambler’s paradise and, unbeknownst to many, houses many of the same casinos as Las Vegas.  They say that Macau is the tropical twin of Vegas.  MGM Grand, Wynn, the Venetian, and the list goes on.  Its history is unique; as a Portuguese colony until very recently, ’99 I think, Macau enjoys many cultural relics and historic sites (not to mention most of its street signs in Portuguese).  It is a popular destination for expatriates (and temporary exchange students like us) in Hong Kong, and it seems that some student is planning a trip there just about every week. 

Andrew and friends in Senado Square

St. Paul's Ruins

Again, a large group of exchange students set out with the plan of staying the night–the Trio and a few others weren’t interested in paying for a hotel room and opted instead for a night ferry.  We took in the tourist sites all day, St. Pauls Cathedral, Senado Square, tried famed almond biscuits, saw a greyhound race (not supported by those writing this blog), and even a firework competition between Australia and Singapore.  After this full day, we took a very quick trip to observe the inside of the casino and then headed home before we could lose all of our money!

Casinos on the water

Beijing, "coming please" - 9/9

It is time for the Trio to take our first steps into the mainland of China. We arrived to the city quite late at night and were dropped off by a taxi in a spooky alley. Not the best start to our experience, but it turns out we soon walked into a gorgeous, wonderful place called the Peking Yard Hostel. We spent the first evening enjoying “sensory perfection” (as Andrew says) which included cocktails, journaling, calm music, dark lighting, the works.

Day 1 –We eventually made our way to Tian’anmen Square without a map and explored there. One of the gates was open to the public for the day so we went to the top and met two art students that had their work on display. One of the students told us the story of one of her paintings of a horse and a wise man.  She said even if the horse were the most talented he would need someone to recognize his talent.  She also had four paintings of the seasons, which represent someone’s life.  After this we went to see Mao’s Mausoleum and then stumbled upon a neat shopping street. From there we walked pretty far to the Temple of Heaven to see the gardens.  

Day 2 – We had our first proper day of exploring when we started out to the Forbidden City.  Debbie had her first experience with a squatting toilet (Dr. Cassill had warned us about this, but we still weren’t prepared).  We ended up doing an audio tour for the city so we knew what we were looking at.  The city was very big with many ornate roofs and little side streets to other parts of the area. The Imperial Gardens were full of little trees, stones, and gazebos throughout for the concubines to be entertained.  Next stop was Jingshan Park at the end of the Forbidden City.  We hiked up to three different levels of pagodas that over looked the Forbidden City.  One emperor actually hung himself in the park after he found out there would be a peasant uprising and he didn’t want any more civilians to get injured.  

Inside the square

Day 3 – The Great Wall of China.  After a scrumptious bacon and egg with organic vegetable sandwich, we set out to meet our tour for the wall.  Our guide, Vivie, took us to the Mutianyu part of the wall which is slightly less touristy. Only parts of the wall remain, as some were actually made of wood, so the portion we were on was only about 2.5 miles.  We took a cable car up to tower 14 and started hiking down.  The view was amazing.  It is really hard to actually describe the Great Wall except amazing.  Each tower we came across was different, each stone and each step had its own character. The way to get down from the wall was by toboggan. Each of us sat in our own little toboggan sled and got to go down a massive slide through the trees and mountainside to the bottom. It was so cool!! After our wonderful day on the wall we asked the hostel staff for a good place for dinner and the first thing they asked was, Peking duck? This is a must in Beijing.  We went to a very nice restaurant where we got signature Peking duck, pan fried duck rolls, spring rolls, green tea tiramisu, and a blueberry rice pudding. It was one of the most amazing meals we’ve ever eaten!

Great Wall of China

Peking Duck

Day 4 –Today we started at the Olympic Stadium.  The facility was huge and it was crazy to think they had constructed this entire area including bathrooms and benches, just for the Olympics.  We wandered around the Water Cube and the Bird’s Nest and then took the subway across the city to the Emperor’s Summer Palace. It was nice to stroll along in the shade and enjoy nature.

Bird's Nest

Day 5 – Our last day was spent in 798 Art District, which all of the tourist books said is an up and coming area and a must see. After a bit of shopping and a coffee break, we were headed back to the airport.

“Bye bye Beijing, Hello Hong Kong.”

Exploring the City

HKPU took the exchange students on a tour around the city. One of the highlights of the trip was Stanley Market and Repulse Bay. Although the “beach” looked more like Jordan Lake to us, it was wonderful to have a chance to enjoy the weather and beautiful view. We also visited the Chi Lin Nunnery where the ambiance was slightly different and we were able to experience true Asian decoration and tradition.

Repulse Bay

The next day we set out to visit the local markets of Hong Kong. We had no idea what we were getting ourselves into when we decided to walk to all the various markets.  Our first stop was the Ladies Market, followed by the Gold Fish Market, and finally to the flower market.  Each was a long street with shops that sold practically the same products door to door. No one figured out how any of them could be successful with this type of market saturation, but it somehow seemed to work. Our last stop, and by then we were struggling in the 107 degree heat, was the Bird Garden, where they sold birds and bird food and even had a little tiny bird on a chain leash.

Orchids in the Flower Market

In the evening we planned an event for the exchange students to go see the Symphony of Lights, which is a light show every night on the buildings on Hong Kong Island. There was a great showing and it was a nice opportunity to meet some of the other exchange students we would be studying with for the next four months. The show was incredible. Music is played through speakers along the walkways while the buildings light up to the music in different colors and patterns.  This area is also known at the Avenue of Stars where they have handprints and statues of famous actors, including Bruce Lee.

Symphony of Lights

Another event organized for exchange students is the Welcome Dinner where we were fed traditional Chinese food that would typically be served at an event such as a wedding. There were 10 courses including jellyfish, goose feet, octopus, and shark fin soup! The jellyfish was actually pretty good and the shark fin soup tasted like egg drop soup. This was probably the most adventurous that any of the Trio was during our entire time in Asia!

Whole fish, bones and all

Many of you may have heard of the Big Buddha (aka Tian Tan Buddha) in HK. The interesting part about this glorious statue is that it is assumed to be centuries old and that monks carried the heavy stone on their backs up an enormously steep hill. The reality is that it was constructed in the 90’s. Although that fact is disappointing, the magnitude of the statue is still breathtaking. Big Buddha is on Lantau Island and the only way to reach the top of the mountain is by cable car through the rush forest below. Although you can normally see all the way to the Buddha, fog made the trip a bit more serene and mystical.

At the Big Buddha with other exchange students

The First Day

We began our first day of courses on Wednesday.  It was a bittersweet milestone in our experience, as we were use to personal pursuits like shopping, sleeping and sightseeing to pass the time. It was down to business now, back to the grind.

Symphony of Lights at the harbour

The day started out on the 1^st floor, in the Canteen, with all three of us grabbing a quick sit-down breakfast prior to making the 10-minute journey to PolyU.  This particular meal was noteworthy because Whitney’s new roommate joined us.  Katrine just arrived in Hong Kong and is from Latvia!

Our first class started at 9:30a.m.—Global Supply Chain Management, taught by Dr. Chris K. Y. Lo.   The three of us being the Trio we are all marched in, single-file, and proceeded to three open seats toward the back.  The class was quite a bit longer than what we are accustomed to—50 or 90-minute classes are downright heavenly when compared to our 3 hour marathon learning session (yikes.).  Not to selves, bring a water bottle and grapes, or other small snacks (thanks Mrs. M for supplying the bag of treats and goodies), to maintain consciousness. 

Dr. Lo (Chris as we were instructed to call him) was very knowledgeable and incorporated various teaching methods into the first lesson—from interactive, group drawings to sitting down in a student chair to lecture, he was young, fresh and approachable. 

We also found out that quite a few of the students in that class shared another course with us; a serendipitous chance to grow and develop relationships, and build our international network. 

That night, as a celebration of sorts, a super large and super nice dinner took place.  All of the exchange students from each university in Hong Kong were invited to attend this 10-course feast—octopus, jellyfish, goose feet, etc. all graced our plates.  The venue was stunning, and was noted as one of the top places in Hong Kong to have your wedding.  There were close to 750 students from all over the world!

Exchange Dinner

To further this celebration of sorts, a large group of PolyU exchange students taxied to the Wan Chai district in hopes of raising their spirits by virtue of spirits.  We enjoyed a great night—dinner, dancing and fun!

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Our Thursday morning started at 9:30a.m. again, with Fashion Global Marketing and Brand Management.  The professor for the course is Dr. Wing-sun Liu (Wing-sun).  We maintained our rank and file ways, but this morning greeted our newfound friends and classmates in individual conversations.  Dr. Liu has been teaching at PolyU for over 20 years, and was extremely well versed in this subject matter.  He was a fantastic lecturer, with some of the best accompanying learning supplements we’ve experienced.  His approach to marketing and branding, particularly for fashion, is one of psychology, the subconscious, and relevant philosophical questioning.  Instead of students asking the questions, Dr. Liu asked most of them.  Again, the 3 hour length was a bit much, but bearable since he maintained his own energy level.  After a trip by the bakery, and goodies in hand, we returned to the dorms—which is where we are writing this entry.  But our blog-worthy shenanigans don’t end there.  In just about half an hour, the three of us are going to see the largest seated, bronze, outdoor Buddha in the world!  We will join a group of exchange students and be sure to take plenty of pictures. 

At the base of the Tian Tan Buddha

Be sure to comment on our posts—we like that!  So until next time—

WJM

ASH

DCL

Institute of Textiles and Clothing

We took part in the ITC orientation this morning.  The Institute of Textiles and Clothing is our host program here in Hong Kong.  The day started in ITC's very modern, immaculate, glass meeting room.  There were 20 exchange students present around the meeting table, with Dr. Tracy Mok facilitating.  The students are from Sweden, Australia, UK, and Germany to name a few.  Most were focusing on fashion design, and we were the only Master students.  After a brief presentation, and words from the Dean of the Institute, we were given a tour.  The tour began in a very impressive floor to ceiling, 180 degree theater.  An informative video was played, which demonstrated the very impressive offerings of ITC.  The design studios were simple and modern with a refreshing, creative feeling.  The dyeing and finishing, weaving, and knitting labs were similar to ours, but smaller in scale.  We were impressed by the style of the facility and the appeal of its people and design.  Following the tour, the orientation was wrapped up.  We ate lunch in the student Canteen with the ITC students from Australia (who happened to be from RMIT, our host University for Spring semester!)  After that we had a great afternoon walking through Hong Kong to the Harbour, and to Star Ferry.  Plenty of pictures were taken and even a Starbucks purchased along the way.  Fun fact: Andrew got asked to take a picture with a local.  Enjoy the photos.

Theater at ITC

Knitting Labs

Display hallway of Intimate Apparel

In front of Hong Kong Island