Second Hello from Hong Kong!

It's almost a week since I wrote my last post "First Letter from Asia's World City". So, straight to the point let me tell you something: I am happy, excited, shocked, sad, and grateful here.

I am happy because finally I can realizing this exchange which already became my plan since years ago.
I am excited because I found new things, new friends, and for sure new experiences.
I am shocked because I need to deal with "unusual" things. lol. (actualy it will become usual when I get used to it)
I am sad because I need to stay far away from my family for 6 weeks and especially in Ramadhan month.
I am grateful because God still give me chance for me to live, to make up my life, and let me live my life in a good (read: the best) way. What else I can ask for more? :)

Enough about me.

I have many friends here!! (oh, why still about me. :p) Not only 6 (the EPs, in AIESEC we call it exchange participants) but a lot, including The Organizing Committees and the students.
People said "Surround yourself with positive people". That's true! Because your friends create big impacts in your life. You can do trial and error session with yourself if you don't believe in that words. lol.

Well, so I'm gonna share about my culture shocks:
1. University students in PolyU can go to campus only using shorts and sandals/flip flops.
That's very raaarreee in Indonesia. Or maybe it only happen in my campus? Because even I need to wear shirts/polo shirts only to enter faculty's library. And we are not allowed to wear shorts (moreover hotpants for girls!) to enter the class. Maybe because Indonesian people consist of more than 80% moslem? Or because of the "eastern culture"? I don't know. But, I'm impressed and shocked.haha.. It's just fun.

2. All I can find about food is: PORK.
I can't eat pork, so it's kinda difficult to enjoy every meal. One day at Pizza Hut in Macau, me and my friends ordered chicken soup. When I was about to start to eat, my friends told me: "stop, don't eat it. There is ham in it. Ham usually made from pork." And later on, the waitress told us that there was pork in it. Even in Pizza Hut. -___-
Honestly I like Chinese food, because it's also common to find Chinese food in Indonesia. I just can't bear the pork.haha..
If any of you, my Indonesian friends, want to go to HK for quite a long time, I suggest you to bring instant food like "abon", "bumbu pecel", or anything. Though it's not that hard to find Indonesian food here, but it's FREAKIN' EXPENSIVE. Gado-gado lontong is sold for HKD 86, Kripik Tempe will cost you for HKD 30, while Rendang is approximately HKD 120. What a price... Cooking skill will be an advantage.haha..

3. People here are...what should I say, hmm..fashionistas? Because it is very common to see people wears something "unusual". Like fur thingy, or anything. It is also very common to see girls wear boots. FYI, it's summer. And HK weather is hot (more or less similar with Indonesia), but very humid. And the boys usually carry tote bags. Something that only happen in some big cities in Indonesia. It's too trendy la!
And for you fashion people: you can find any fashion brands from A to Z here in HK! Maybe that's why HK people like to dress uniquely.

4. The next thing is people here live in apartments because the land price is soooo expensive. One of the most expensive place in the world! (yes, the world. Not only in Asia.)
While for us, Indonesian people, we can enjoy the wide range of land from Sabang to Merauke as we want. And cheap. We should appreciate our beloved land, a paradise in South East Asia. :") Cursing our country wouldn't make any situation gets better, right?

5. While most of Indonesian people live with religion, half of HK people (as one of my friend told me) don't have any religion. Some of my friends believe in God, but they don't have any religion. So different with Indonesia. :)
They kinda shocked when knowing that me and my two friends whose also moslems (from Egypt and Turkey) need to "fasting" for a month in Ramadhan. Without eat or drink anything since before sunrise until after sunset.





Note: I got two challenging and one challenging-but-quite-awkward questions from the students who attended the workshops:
* First was from a high-school student whose her grandmother is a Chinese-born-in-Indonesia: Why Indonesian people discriminate Chinese people?

* Second was from university students who asked: Why moslem do terror?

The third question is challenging and creates an awkward moment for me at that time:
From a high-school student: Is that true that Indonesian people do black magic?



Thought? :)

First Letter from Asia's World City

It has been so long not visiting this site! Anyway, since now I'm in Hong Kong for six weeks I want to tell stories about what I've experienced here. :)

I've been here for almost 4 weeks. *so sad :( because that means I'm gonna leave HK soon* Many things shock me and also give me valuable experiences. I believe that money can not buy experiences. If maybe for some people doing this kind of voluntary thingy means wasting money, time, and energy, but I don't want to be hypocrite so I want to admit that I can learn many things although I spend a lot for this journey.

We all can learn many things as long as we want. No matter the situation is.
I remember a phrase from "Ranah 1 Muara", a novel written by A. Fuadi, his professor in GWU said something to him: "I'm always a student at heart.". And that's true! That's a general truth. We will always be a student. Inside or outside classes. Because the real teacher is life.

So, first of all the reason on why I go to Hong Kong is because I applied for NAKU PENDA project. The FIRST AIESEC Global Community Development Program (GCDP) held in Hong Kong! It is held by AIESEC in PolyU - The Hong Kong Polytechnic University.
It was a risky decision because, first, it's a new project, which means The OCs (Organizing Committees) don't have any experience in handling this kind of project. The chance of being satisfied is low. Second, Hong Kong is a quite expensive city (or country) to live in. I come from Indonesia, which means the Rupiah's currency is lower than HKD and definitely have lower GDP per capita and definitely it will affect my expenses here (that's why I learn Economics.haha..), and I need to pay my food, telecommunications, and transportation expenses all by myself (read: my parents). Third, I already graduated and I am delaying my chance to apply for jobs because of voluntary GCDP. What a risk...

But I take it. I'm taking it.
Opportunity doesn't always come twice.

I am very very very grateful because my parents support my decision. And (finally) after a year worked on my thesis, I thought I need a break for several weeks. :) but not literally break, though.haha..

What I got?

I found EXPERIENCES that I might couldn't find in another place and time! God leads me. :)

So, for this first post about my journey in Hong Kong I only want to say:
Be yourself. Go deep into your soul. Take a risk. Be brave.

One of the pictures I took in the first day in Hong Kong.

Hello from Victoria Harbour. :)

---I dedicate this post and another posts about Hong Kong Journey for my parents. People who always support me unconditionally. Insha Allah, Allah guards you both anytime anywhere.---