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My parents picked me up at the airport.  Our car pulled into the garage and I leapt out, ran to the kitchen door, entered the house, and threw myself at our dog.  She spent my first day back confused and uncertain.  She spent my second day sitting on my lap.  On the third day I left the house briefly and she sat in front of my mom and stared at her, trying to gauge how my mom felt about me leaving, and when I came back an hour and a half later she greeted me excitedly at the door.  On the fifth day my mom and I packed a few things, grabbed a box of Christmas presents, and drove to Minneapolis so that I could meet my nephew.  My dog did not like us packing the car.  She barked and ran around the house and tried to keep us at home.  We returned on the sixth day and she once again took her spot in my lap.  We have now made it my to eighth day back in the country and we have returned to our normal routine: naps, sitting together as I do homework, snoring beside me as I try to fall asleep a
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Beijing Here I Come

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Maria's last test was on December 6th.  Excited as she was to return home after 6 months abroad, she decided to take advantage of her proximity to Beijing and visit for a few days before preceding back to Iowa. She had family friends with connections in Beijing who had asked to arrange her trip for her.  Accordingly, having only briefly glanced at her schedule, she packed and left for the airport (she was not sorry to say goodbye to her dorm bed).   And thus began an unintended game called "how many modes of transport can Maria take before checking into her hotel?"  After leaving her dorm, she took:  A taxi to the airport  A bus from the gate to the plane on the tarmac  An airplane from Hong Kong to Beijing  A shuttle or an "Automated People Mover" from one part of the Beijing airport to another  A private car from the airport to her hotel Maria was very amused by the time she reached her hotel room. Maria then spent four action-packed days ex
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Hot Pot

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Hot Pot: a Chinese soup containing a variety of East Asian foodstuffs and ingredients, prepared with a simmering pot of soup stock at the dining table. While the hot pot is kept simmering, ingredients are placed into the pot and are cooked at the table. I adore hot pot.  It is one of my favorite dishes I encountered in Hong Kong.  In the center of the table is placed a pot of hot soup (as you can see there can be multiple types of soup for the meal).  As the meal progresses you add meat and vegetables to the pot periodically as needed.  By the end of the meal the flavor from the various foods has improved the overall taste of the soup itself. What's more fantastic is that the hot pot restaurants I have gone to are all you can eat.  It is a meat haven.  As my group of friends prepare to depart, we decided to treat ourselves to excellent food on one of our last nights together as a gang.
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There's no Thanksgiving here but I am still thankful

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I have experienced so many new things this year.  I have met many people, some who are likely to be life-long friends.  I have gained greater appreciation for what I have at home.  The list goes on. But what strikes me as I sit here, five and a half months into my journey, is that I have been able to make it this far.  I have battled with medical conditions for years which, while not controlling my life, have definitely shaped it.  I've been able to sleep on a dorm bed for months, to walk up and down flights of stairs each day, to spend an entire day out with friends, to battle homesickness and win, to successfully be a student despite the possible difficulties everyday life presents.  A few years ago I canceled a study abroad trip because I knew that at the time I would physically not make it.  I am so thankful that I have reached a point in my life where I am able to travel and experience so many new things.  I am so thankful for where I am at the moment, more than just geograp
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Bamboo (a short intro)

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Bamboo in Iowa: Bamboo in Hong Kong: This bamboo thicket is taller than I am. To put it into Iowa perspective, this bamboo is taller than corn gets  Or That's right, Bamboo Scaffolding! Seen all over Hong Kong
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A list of "firsts"

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Hong Kong has taken so many of my "firsts" ... the first city I've lived in. ... the first time I've had dim sum.  ... the first time I've watched Grease. ... the first time I've felt so homesick. ... the first time I've tried Subway food. ... the first time I've seen street markets. ... the first time I've ridden a metro/subway. ... the first time I've encountered urban smog. ... the first place I had to apply for a visa to enter. ... the first time I've had a severe allergic reaction.  ... the first non-English speaking place I've lived in. ... the first time I've been considered 'tall' in a decade. ... the first time I've had so many international friends. Good or bad, I've experienced so much thanks to my decision to study here.
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Paper Making and Death

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I signed up for a tour through my university only knowing that the description stated this 5 hour long program would explore death in Hong Kong and paper making.  Unable to make the connection, I still thought it sounded really cool (and it was free) so I signed up. The program started with a brief overview of different types of burials common in Hong Kong (traditional burial, cremation and the variety of ways of dealing with the ashes, and donation of body to the medical field).  Apparently, it is common practice for Chinese, regardless of religion, to continue practicing funeral ceremonies and beliefs from ancient China alongside the various practices proscribed in Buddhism, Islam, or Christianity.  And here is where the "paper" comes into play. The traditional Chinese belief is that the afterlife mirrors this one.  In the afterlife, the dead will need money and food and clothes along with everything needed to live in comfort today such as cars and smartphones.  Th
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