Eudaimonia (n): state of being happy and having great appreciation whilst traveling.
The Chinese University of Hong Kong Campus
Located in New Territories, CUHK is one of the farthest universities from Hong Kong Island, but it is also one of the most beautiful. The professors I have are also really knowledgeable and the students I have met are so welcoming.
Hong Kong Views
Hong Kong is way more than buildings and cities...
Hong Kong Food
Lots of dim sum, milk tea, and my new personal favorite: Indian food.
I grouped the food by location and arranged it in order of where you would find it in Hong Kong, so the earlier photos are the closest food places to CUHK because the campus is located in the north (New Territories).
Visiting: Bangkok, Thailand
Birthday weekend :)
Suggestions:
1. Care for elephants at the Wildlife Friends Foundation Thailand (it's the humane alternative to riding elephants)
2. Try pad thai, mango sticky rice, and authentic Thai tea ice cream
3. Ride on the back of motorbikes to get around ("Grab" is like Uber!)
4. Get a Thai massage
Lessons learned:
1. Check the dress code for the Grand Palace (showing shoulders, midriffs, or too much leg will result in you having to purchase a t-shirt or pants before entering)
2. Things are even cheaper than in Hong Kong, so check out the night market for some good deals
3. Buy mosquito repellent in Thailand and apply religiously!
Visiting: Singapore
Expectation: Crazy Rich Asians.
Reality: Hot and humid. I'm talking about at least 90°F weather in mid February, BUT the views are gorgeous, especially at night! I also got to meet up with two other Freeman scholars, Reagan and Shannon, who were studying at the National University of Singapore (NUS).
Visiting: Seoul, Korea
A few days here was not enough. While it was so cold that I got to see snow for the first time, I fell in love with the warmth of the people I met, the food I indulged in, and the places I am so grateful to have seen.
Visiting: Tokyo, Japan
Being Japanese, I was super excited to come here for the first time. Although I did not grow up with the Japanese language, I remember a few things my parents taught me and was able to teach my friends a few phrases when we were ordering at restaurants or asking for help. I was incredibly grateful that my parents brought me up to remember my Japanese culture and enjoyed being able to relate and connect with the people there.
Besides the beautiful cherry blossom views, I enjoyed the delicious food and pet cafes! Out of the three I went to, I liked the otter cafe the best. I didn't realize how soft and playful they are! Overall, Japan is amazing and I definitely look forward to coming back in the future. I still have to check out Kyoto, Osaka, Okinawa...
Visiting: Macau
Only a 40 minute bus ride away from Hong Kong, so we spent the whole day here!
Visiting: Ho Chi Minh City,Vietnam
One of my favorite places, mainly because I got to drive down some sand dunes in Mui Ne.
Please be aware of your surroundings and remember that you need a visa before coming to Vietnam (the online process takes about three days and it only cost me about $25).
Visiting: Taipei,Taiwan
My friend Chris is originally from Taiwan so he showed us some of the best places to go. We biked to catch the sunset at the Tamsui bridge, released a lantern by Jing'an bridge, saw the Shifan waterfall and Taipei 101, and visited the hot springs, night markets, Jiufen and the Chiang Kai-Shek Memorial.
