Sick

Today is the last day of the New Student Orientation. But instead of participating, I have been lying in bed sniffling and sneezing. I managed to wait a week before I got sick this year (unlike last year when I got sick right away). I think I have only a cold and that it will go away with lots of rest and Emergen-C. I am pretty sure part of the reason I am sick is from going outside where it is really hot and then going inside where it is very cold. Yesterday I wasn't feeling well, but I made it through the whole day. I had to wake up really early to go eat breakfast with my group. Then we had the official welcoming ceremony for the NSO. It was super boring. I felt bad because no one in the audience was paying attention to the people speaking. I thought it was pretty disrespectful. But after sitting for over an hour listening to people speak, I began to see why people went to sleep right away. They weren't saying anything that I found particularly useful, especially as an exchange student. Apparently, these "ceremonies" with long speeches are very common and no one ever pays attention, or at least that was what I was told.

Sitting in the Balcony

So, rather than listen, I began to teach Kelly and Chris (two freshmen from HK in my group) how to play the Dots game. After the speeches finally ended and we had to take a photo of all 800 some new students, we went to have yet another box lunch. For breakfast and lunch, I was served some version of pasta with pumpkin sauce and mush. It was not very appetizing.

After lunch, I had a break so I went to hang out with Sophie who I hadn't seen since the day before the day before. Then we all had to go to another talk given by the Student Council. The entire talk was in Cantonese!! There was no point in me being there. It lasted over two hours. After that waste of time, we had dinner at the Canteen, which was a little more edible than the box food.

There was a student "carnival" following dinner. Basically it was a club fair where clubs give performances and hand out things to get people to join. Sophie and I went together and go totally overwhelmed. We joined the Lion Dance club (that'll be interesting.... something I definitely can't do in the USA) and the China Trade Society (a club that's all about exchanging cultures I think?). I am a little worried about both of them because I am afraid that they won't speak in English to us. I also saw a dance club, but it looked like they mostly do hip hop and pop and they only spoke in Cantonese, so I decided to pass. There's a possibility that I might check out the rowing club and maybe take beginner tennis lessons. After the club fair, I hung out with Shota for a while and then went to bed.
This morning I was supposed to get up early for yet another breakfast with my group. But I was feeling really sick so I sent them a message and went back to bed. I slept until 11:30 and then went to the High Table Lunch with my group. It was basically a lunch with two of the hostels that focused on western dining etiquette. For me, it was nothing exciting. The food was okay and it was nice to use a knife and fork (which I hadn't touched since I arrived in Hong Kong). It was pretty boring actually, but I did spend some time talking to Angel, one of the peer mentors who is from Beijing. She is really sweet and wants to study abroad in the USA sometime.

Now I am back in my room, resting. I think I am gonna curl up with my laptop and watch Colin Firth as Mr. Darcy in Pride and Prejudice.