Dear Global Parents,
Our last night in Bangkok,each student returned with a different story to share. Some came back from the resort town of Pattaya telling tales of exotic beaches through newly-browned skin. Others were more verbal about their week-long vacation, as they eagerly recounted visiting traditional Hmong villages and taking Thai cooking lessons in the northern province of Chiang Mai. Our group professor, DeAnn Lagerquist, was all smiles after traveling with her family to the southern coast of Thailand. Her 15-year-old son, Thomas, returned carrying a garment bag holding a custom-tailored three-piece suit sewn by tailors in less than a week. We were all glowing, bright-eyed,and rejuvenated. Needless to say, however, we were ready to be home. When I say "home," I am not describing a sleepy St. Paul suburb, a Wisconsin farm, or the bright lights and buzz of Chicago. Instead, I speak of the temporary, yet no-less beloved homes that our nomadic,globe-trotting group creates during every month-long stay. The majority of December was going to be spent in Hong Kong before touring mainland China for a whirlwind two weeks. Therefore, we were all determined to transform foreign Hong Kong into a welcoming, familiar city before taking off for the final leg of our global journey.
Hong Kong became home immediately. Some jump-started the process of
ingratiating themselves with Hong Kong by turning sterile hotel suites into messy dorm rooms overnight. Our residence for the month, the Horizon Suites Hotel, kindly turned a blind eye to our pattering early-morning foosteps, late-evening laughter, and every other moment in between spent using the two hotel computers to contact friends and family members.
Classes eventually started after several days spent exploring the city. Hong Kong is a hub of many prestigious universities. Our scholastic institute of study was the Chinese University in Hong Kong, which is the second-oldest university in the city. The Chinese University was a 15-minute commute by bus or shuttle from Horizon Suites. Centered near the top of a terraced mountain, Chinese university held a breathtaking view of sparkling Victoria Harbor. Victoria Harbor is hugged by rolling green mountains that are constantly shrouded in a fine gray mist. Whether the fog was due to atmospheric conditions or pollution, we did not know for sure. Needless to say, its heavy weight hung suspended over Hong Kong's rocky peaks and city skyscrapers for the majority of our stay.
Our main topic of study at Chinese University was the arts of China.
Before the course commenced, we had pictured our lectures being consumed
with images of Ming vases and bamboo scrolls. However, while we did end up studying the nuances of ceramic ware and Chinese paintings, our class was not solely limited to visual aesthetics. Throughout the month, we engaged in interactive lectures and discussions focusing on traditional Chinese music, calligraphy, and tea ceremonies. By the end of our stay, the group went from knowing nearly nothing about Chinese arts to comparing restaurant bowls and plates with the shiny white Ding ware of the Tang Dynasty. Our guest lecturers, if they could have seen us, would have been proud.
As delightful as our newfound artistic knowledge proved to be, we did
not spend our entire month in Hong Kong trolling museums or examining
dishes at food establishments. Free time, which there had not been much of in India, was now enjoyed in abundance. This time was allocated into
increments of studying, sightseeing, and enjoying the free movies provided by the hotel's satellite TV. Our first weekend in Hong Kong consisted of the optional activity of hiking on a nearby island. The trip started early on Saturday morning with a two-hour ferry ride. Upon arrival to the island, we joked about how easy our hike was until we realized that our trail would soon ascend over an overhead looming mountain. Huffing and puffing, we finally arrived at an isolated inlet on the coast. Some braved the cold waves to go boogie-boarding, while others who had not brought bathing suits sunned and read on the sandy beach. Other notable activities that took place throughout the months were group excursions to the island of Lantau, which boasts the largest seated Buddha in the world, Victoria's Peak, the 10,000 Buddha Temple, and various markets that sold everything from jade to flowers to goldfish.
Of course, the holiday season was slowly creeping up on all of us.
Despite the presence of grocery store Christmas music and a very skinny
black-haired Santa loitering in our hotel lobby, the Christmas spirit was not shared by all. We lamented the lack of snow, yet were determined to enjoy the holidays to the best of our abilities. One member of our group, Siri "Linnea" Peterson, held several showings of the movie White Christmas in her room. The social committee also held a Secret Santa party, at which each member of our group drew a peer's name out of a hat. For several weeks, all enjoyed cryptic messages and little P.O Box presents from their Secret Santa until the final unveiling at large Christmas get-together. After exchanging our final Secret Santa gifts, we showered and dressed up in our nicer travel clothes to take in a performance of The Nutcracker. We were all in awe during the performance. Everything about it was magical, from the ballerinas' lithe limbs to the diaphanous costumes to the softly falling snow onstage. It was the perfect crowning touch to our stay in Hong Kong. Hopefully, it stirred the holiday spirit in even the most cynical or homesick member of our traveling group.
Hong Kong was enjoyed by all. However, all enjoyable things seem to
speed up way too fast. Before we knew it, it was time to head to Shanghai...
By early December, Hong Kong had done its job of prepping the Global
Group for the confusion of a Chinese Christmas, yet had also been a
much-needed respite from the endless touring and classes of India. Hong
Kong had stretched the Globalite brain to hold a newly-gained Chinese
perspective, yet had not taxed it to the point of fatigue and ennui. Hong Kong was fondly experienced- and is fondly remembered by Global- as four weeks of leisure and learning, of touring and taking pictures, and of enjoying Western comforts while experiencing Chinese life. Hong Kong was a month of restful preparation for the adventures we would soon undergo in Mainland China. But we'll leave those tales for the next letter...
We wish you well,
Kirstin Fawcett, Sarah Dorman, Siri "Linnea" Peterson, Beth Linn, and
Calista Anderson.
Our last night in Bangkok,each student returned with a different story to share. Some came back from the resort town of Pattaya telling tales of exotic beaches through newly-browned skin. Others were more verbal about their week-long vacation, as they eagerly recounted visiting traditional Hmong villages and taking Thai cooking lessons in the northern province of Chiang Mai. Our group professor, DeAnn Lagerquist, was all smiles after traveling with her family to the southern coast of Thailand. Her 15-year-old son, Thomas, returned carrying a garment bag holding a custom-tailored three-piece suit sewn by tailors in less than a week. We were all glowing, bright-eyed,and rejuvenated. Needless to say, however, we were ready to be home. When I say "home," I am not describing a sleepy St. Paul suburb, a Wisconsin farm, or the bright lights and buzz of Chicago. Instead, I speak of the temporary, yet no-less beloved homes that our nomadic,globe-trotting group creates during every month-long stay. The majority of December was going to be spent in Hong Kong before touring mainland China for a whirlwind two weeks. Therefore, we were all determined to transform foreign Hong Kong into a welcoming, familiar city before taking off for the final leg of our global journey.
Hong Kong became home immediately. Some jump-started the process of
ingratiating themselves with Hong Kong by turning sterile hotel suites into messy dorm rooms overnight. Our residence for the month, the Horizon Suites Hotel, kindly turned a blind eye to our pattering early-morning foosteps, late-evening laughter, and every other moment in between spent using the two hotel computers to contact friends and family members.
Classes eventually started after several days spent exploring the city. Hong Kong is a hub of many prestigious universities. Our scholastic institute of study was the Chinese University in Hong Kong, which is the second-oldest university in the city. The Chinese University was a 15-minute commute by bus or shuttle from Horizon Suites. Centered near the top of a terraced mountain, Chinese university held a breathtaking view of sparkling Victoria Harbor. Victoria Harbor is hugged by rolling green mountains that are constantly shrouded in a fine gray mist. Whether the fog was due to atmospheric conditions or pollution, we did not know for sure. Needless to say, its heavy weight hung suspended over Hong Kong's rocky peaks and city skyscrapers for the majority of our stay.
Our main topic of study at Chinese University was the arts of China.
Before the course commenced, we had pictured our lectures being consumed
with images of Ming vases and bamboo scrolls. However, while we did end up studying the nuances of ceramic ware and Chinese paintings, our class was not solely limited to visual aesthetics. Throughout the month, we engaged in interactive lectures and discussions focusing on traditional Chinese music, calligraphy, and tea ceremonies. By the end of our stay, the group went from knowing nearly nothing about Chinese arts to comparing restaurant bowls and plates with the shiny white Ding ware of the Tang Dynasty. Our guest lecturers, if they could have seen us, would have been proud.
As delightful as our newfound artistic knowledge proved to be, we did
not spend our entire month in Hong Kong trolling museums or examining
dishes at food establishments. Free time, which there had not been much of in India, was now enjoyed in abundance. This time was allocated into
increments of studying, sightseeing, and enjoying the free movies provided by the hotel's satellite TV. Our first weekend in Hong Kong consisted of the optional activity of hiking on a nearby island. The trip started early on Saturday morning with a two-hour ferry ride. Upon arrival to the island, we joked about how easy our hike was until we realized that our trail would soon ascend over an overhead looming mountain. Huffing and puffing, we finally arrived at an isolated inlet on the coast. Some braved the cold waves to go boogie-boarding, while others who had not brought bathing suits sunned and read on the sandy beach. Other notable activities that took place throughout the months were group excursions to the island of Lantau, which boasts the largest seated Buddha in the world, Victoria's Peak, the 10,000 Buddha Temple, and various markets that sold everything from jade to flowers to goldfish.
Of course, the holiday season was slowly creeping up on all of us.
Despite the presence of grocery store Christmas music and a very skinny
black-haired Santa loitering in our hotel lobby, the Christmas spirit was not shared by all. We lamented the lack of snow, yet were determined to enjoy the holidays to the best of our abilities. One member of our group, Siri "Linnea" Peterson, held several showings of the movie White Christmas in her room. The social committee also held a Secret Santa party, at which each member of our group drew a peer's name out of a hat. For several weeks, all enjoyed cryptic messages and little P.O Box presents from their Secret Santa until the final unveiling at large Christmas get-together. After exchanging our final Secret Santa gifts, we showered and dressed up in our nicer travel clothes to take in a performance of The Nutcracker. We were all in awe during the performance. Everything about it was magical, from the ballerinas' lithe limbs to the diaphanous costumes to the softly falling snow onstage. It was the perfect crowning touch to our stay in Hong Kong. Hopefully, it stirred the holiday spirit in even the most cynical or homesick member of our traveling group.
Hong Kong was enjoyed by all. However, all enjoyable things seem to
speed up way too fast. Before we knew it, it was time to head to Shanghai...
By early December, Hong Kong had done its job of prepping the Global
Group for the confusion of a Chinese Christmas, yet had also been a
much-needed respite from the endless touring and classes of India. Hong
Kong had stretched the Globalite brain to hold a newly-gained Chinese
perspective, yet had not taxed it to the point of fatigue and ennui. Hong Kong was fondly experienced- and is fondly remembered by Global- as four weeks of leisure and learning, of touring and taking pictures, and of enjoying Western comforts while experiencing Chinese life. Hong Kong was a month of restful preparation for the adventures we would soon undergo in Mainland China. But we'll leave those tales for the next letter...
We wish you well,
Kirstin Fawcett, Sarah Dorman, Siri "Linnea" Peterson, Beth Linn, and
Calista Anderson.