Bring Bugspray: Hong Kong, the prequel

For our country-specific orientations, we had an informal panel discussion about what to expect. Hong Kong’s was the day after Sun God and everyone seemed to have made it in one piece. From it, there were a couple things I think were worth noting.

First was the environment. I’ll be first to admit that I’ve been spoiled by beautiful California weather. Granted we still have overcast days here and there, but compared to the east coast, we have it great. In fact, during the summer and early fall, I’m told Hong Kong is similar to New York City. They are after all similar in set up with dense islands right off the mainland. So likewise, the hot and humid weather is similar too.

This is where the similarities end, though. At orientation we were informed that we would have to pay for our air conditioning. Here at UCSD we are not given air conditioning, but Hong Kong is significantly hotter, and the humidity undoubtedly makes it worse. Easy solution—get out of your room more often. I suppose the library is well conditioned and indoor spaces for convening are probably made bearable as well.

In Hong Kong, there are typhoons as well. I didn’t quite know what typhoons were, so I looked it up, and they’re basically tropical storms (precursors to hurricanes) in the northwest Pacific. During typhoons, the returning students said that they often close up the buildings and do not let people out. Although I suppose it would be for our own safety, it would also be nice to have a warning.

One unexpected item that they overwhelmingly agreed on was to bring bugspray. I do not believe that a mosquito has ever bitten me during the day, but one returnee in particular said that as soon as she stepped out of the airport, five relatively immediately attacked her.

I personally have a weird history with bugs, especially the ones that bite or sting. When I was little, I got bitten all the time. At home, especially during camping trips, it was not uncommon for me to wake up and find another two or three bites. One time, the back of my leg had this giant one that freaked everybody out in fourth grade (for I had not covered it up). Then one day, I did not get bitten any more. I guess they were tired of my blood. And that’s the way it was for years.

This last year though, the attacks came back. Though I have not yet been bitten here in La Jolla, when I go back to Thousand Oaks, I find myself in the morning with more bites here and there like when I was little.

I wonder how my blood will taste to the Hong Kong bugs.

The second item brought up is the bureaucracy that you have to deal with in the university. I was surprised to find this out because here in the United States hardly a person doesn’t have a complaint against the bureaucracy. Apparently it is worse there.

In addition, their method of registering for classes is very different than the one at UCSD. Here, we are given time slots to register for classes, based primarily on units and, consequentially, class level. Once you register for a class, you are in that class. If you get on the waitlist, it is because you didn’t or couldn’t register for classes earlier. Our system is commonly termed first-come-first-served.

The universities in Hong Kong employ a different system. According to the returnees, a typical student go to quite a few classes at first to shop around and will eventually register for about eight classes (the regular class load is five or maybe six). From those choices, the school does a lottery behind closed doors (or more likely computer automated). The students then get informed to what classes they’ve been accepted.

The last notable topic that was mentioned was housing. They all have “hall culture,” which is like school spirit for one’s hall of residence. The hall-mates do events together. They also have a few formal dinners, in the British tradition at HKU—something completely lacking at UCSD (or for that manner any UC I believe).

My host university, the University of Hong Kong is apparently short on housing. So while I hope to get in on hall culture, I may end up living off campus in university-owned or sponsored housing, having to take a short bus ride to school every day.

Fingers crossed.

Copyright © 2009 James Philip Jee
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