1) Weather - need I say more. It is HOT and HUMID here... and i must emphasize the humidity. It is definitely different from the dry dry dry Calgary. Stepping outside you are already drenched in water vs. in Calgary where coconut body butter is a must after every hand wash. In addition, living without AC is taboo. Although, I have adjusted to using a fan during the night since the AC gets too cold.
2) Water - although we have filtered water in our dorm, the water here tastes carbonated and I sincerely miss Calgary's water. It requires boiling before consumption. I can see why the water boiler industry is so lucrative in the chinese culture.
3) Mosquitoes - they are still here but limited. In Calgary, a mosquito bite would mean palm-sized swelling, but here, nothing happens! Guess i'm not allergic to the mosquitoes here... my hallmate on the other hand is not so lucky.
4) Toilets - the toilets are tiny here and instead of asking for a washroom or bathroom it is called a toilet. The toilets in my hall sometimes do not flush properly after pulling on the lever once, you need to constantly pump before anything happens. It took me a few times to figure it out. Also, i found it strange that there are emergency buttons in the women's stalls at school but not for guys. It's good for safety, but a huge step back in women independence... there could be peeping toms for guys... what about them?
5) Local activities - past times for students living in HK are very different from back home. There is usually no drinking and the activities are running or random games. Hall life is VERY intense (if you are not an exchange student). There are so many things expected of those living in halls and i don't understand how they have the time to study! Typically there are activities every night starting at 9:30ish and they run until 1-2am.
6) Consumerism - I thought I saw consumerism, but omg is it 1000x more apparent in HK. I think after being here for 2 weeks, i have a whole drawer of plastic bags (by the end of my term i will have a lifetime supply). Brands, models, products are all around no matter where you are and anything you want to buy is within 10 mins bus ride away. Also, a whole store selling chopsticks?? come-on that would never happen in Canada!!!
7) Food - the food variety here is AMAZING. You can find anything in this city if you walk far enough. I'm finding it difficult to keep my diet in check since there is so much eating out. In addition, no one really cooks in this city since there is such limited space. I've kept myself sane by buying fruit and cereal in the mornings. I really appreciate the huge food selection at Starbucks here although the one on campus is disgusting during lunch time.
8) School administration - it is frustrating to say the least thus far. I would describe the system as rigid and flexible. Rigid since there is so much red tape to get a course approved. Flexible since things are often done arbitrarily. A lot of times there are no explanations for why things are done the way they are, they are just done that way. I miss Peoplesoft surprisingly.
9) School instruction - the teachers I have this semester are mostly from China or Singapore. The instruction provides an interesting China theme to it, and they often take examples from the US or Europe. The instructors often have no say in their courses, as if it is not their courses but something that admin pushes on them.
10) Cell phones - you can buy a sim card from the local 7-Eleven hence the ease of transferring to newer and high-tech phones. You can buy a sim card for local and long distance cards (the prices will vary).
11) Transportation - I think most people know the amazingness of HK's transportation system. You can get almost anywhere in 30 mins and the commute is interesting b/c there is always so much to see. The Octopus card is a genius invention which improves the efficiency of payment everywhere. You can use it for the MTR, convenience and grocery stores, even for printing at school! Above all, transportation is cheap and you pay for what you get much like TO or Vancouver. Surprising though, pedestrian commute along the side of the road isn't that great. The sidewalks are TINY and if you ride a bike here, you will surely die.
12) Air pollution - it is high. Although the transportation system is great, when you walk along the side of the road, you can feel the exhaust from the buses and the radiation of heat from the ground. The water on the beaches are not that pleasant, and you will never find the level of clarity you see in the bow river. Even when you drive on the bridge, the smell of sewage accumulated in the ocean penetrates through the vehicle. Since this city is so concentrated, the pollution per head is much less than in Calgary. But it is still a lot dirtier... and everything needs to be washed before being used.
13) View - nothing can compare to living so close to the ocean. It's something that i will miss the most about this place. There are even mountains in the background to remind me of the Rocky Mountains (but i know it will never replace them).
Ok that's all I have for now. Will add to this list in due time.
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