Category Archives: International

Someday, I will show it to my children

Posted on 14 March 2008 | 3 comments

Heeheehee. Only now, in the middle of the witching hour, do I realize the full extent of what I’ve done.

I have purchased a rather expensive book written and signed by a remarkable man who is a Nobel Peace Prize winner and just so happens to go by the name of Muhammad Yunus.

This is what you get for going to free lectures. (Tickets ran out; there was a screening in the IRC.) It was a good lecture and it made me very happy. The Chan Centre gave him a standing ovation. I’m also rather glad the UBC Bookstore didn’t sell above retail price, but not glad that it’s USD$26 and CAN$32. Darn books that do not reflect the changing ratio.

But still. I had a good evening.

Hurrah!

3 Comments

Posted in International, Recreation

My most wonderful question ever

Posted on 9 March 2008 | 8 comments

You know how they say that there are no stupid questions? Well, I honestly don’t think this one was so bad, given my background, but plenty of people will disagree…

So in Anth, I said, “I didn’t look this up, but who is Wayne Gretsky?”

Collective gasp. Someone exclaims: “You’ll get kicked out of the country for that!” A hockey fan couldn’t bear to look at me anymore and put his hat over his face.

My TA tried heroically to collect himself. “So… do you know who Michael Jordan is?” “Yes.” (From Space Jam, firstly, but I didn’t mention that.) “He’s like the Canadian [ice] hockey equivalent, the most famous player.”

I find it funny how “hockey” here is ice hockey and “hockey” at home is field hockey. Anyway.

Every Canadian I’ve spoken to is equally horrified and amused by my ignorance. In my defence, it goes to show that ice hockey is not the all-consuming topic it is here in Hong Kong. For one thing, we have no real ice or snow.

Wayne Gretsky, I shall never forget you now. You leave too many scars on my poor bleeding heart. [fistshake]

8 Comments

Posted in Academic, International, Recreation

Summer School

Posted on 3 March 2008 | Comments Off on Summer School

Summer school? Now why would anyone want to do that? Summer’s meant for getting a tan down at the beach, hanging out, relaxing…

You can still do that. Summer school is split into two six-week sessions and one four-week one, so you can choose how long you want to do summer school for. It’s a good way of knocking off some credits (I need nine) and you still get the rest of your summer to have fun.

If you want to stick around UBC, there’s a deposit/registration fee you need to pay by March 26. You can view this in MyFinancial Account when you log into the Student Services Centre. That’s all you need to sign up for the 2008 Summer Session.

Me, I’m hoping to get into Herstmonceux in the UK. They have summer school there as well and easily transferable credits. Go Global said I’d find out the results in mid-March, so fingers crossed that I’ll find out before I need to pay the deposit. Either way, though, I’ll be done with school by mid-June. I’m hoping to visit friends in the UK and also to come back to Vancouver to enjoy myself a bit before I go back to Hong Kong.

And there’s still time for a job before I return in mid-August…

Ah, the wonders of a long summer.

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Posted in Academic, Careers / Work, International, Recreation

International Week: Festiva

Posted on 29 February 2008 | 2 comments

Tonight sees the end of a week of international festivities. Although school clashed with most of the events, I did manage to make it to the grand finale today.

I trotted off to arrive at I. House at 4, as the ticket told me. It was cold and rainy. We had to wait in a line outside because they were running late. They didn’t start until 15 minutes later. This West Coast tardiness grates on my nerves. If classes and buses can stick to their timetables, then so can everything else. If you are unable to open your doors before 4:15, then say so. Don’t expect others to do the courtesy of showing up on time and then do them the disrespect of keeping your doors closed in their faces. It’s lucky I had my iPod with me; I went for a walk because I have no faith in time these days.

Everything else fared better. The food wasn’t spectacular, but really, what can one expect? And I am a picky eater. The initial performances in the Upper Lounge of I. House were good to watch and it’s great to while away your time by talking to friends (read: Angeli).

The final performance, however, was the grand highlight of the evening. It was fantastic. The performances were almost invariably of an excellent quality and I’m very glad to see such good showmanship. My favourite performance was this absolutely incredible display of Korean drumming. This was the opening act and I was completely taken up by it. The performers all had different kinds of drums, but they worked with similar rhythms and threw their whole bodies into the beat. It was long — wonderfully long — and I was often afraid that they would stop because then I wouldn’t be able to hear it anymore. I can hardly imagine how long it must have taken the group to practice. It was an absolutely amazing start to a great evening, well worth my $10.

2 Comments

Posted in International, Recreation

Darfur 2008

Posted on 23 February 2008 | Comments Off on Darfur 2008

Ugh, I have done a very stupid thing by not doing something earlier. This is where procrastination leads me.

I wanted to attend the Darfur 2008 Conference on March 2nd. I’d downloaded the application but thought that I would fill it out “later”, before the deadline (February 25th). But when I checked it again today, it’s quite full. This is a good thing for them as it means that there are enough people who care about the issue and it isn’t going to be partially empty up until the deadline. I’m consoling myself with the thought that I will be spending the day with my mother, who will be visiting then, but this is also a very adequate lesson for me to go after the things I want now. Tomorrow doesn’t always come.

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Posted in International, Involvement / Leadership