Anyang!

Well I guess my Korean is not that good. Today I got in a taxi and said: "Anyang, Sinchon No-thai-ee" and the driver just laughed at me. At least it got me where I needed to go, but it was ok, the taxi driver tried to read something in English and I laughed at his efforts too, either way it was worth the $1.88 cab ride.

I know I have said it before but the public transportation in all the cities I am visiting is awesome! Much better than anywhere in the U.S. For 73 cents I can take the subway anywhere along line 2 in Seoul, and I doubt the Seoul Metro is $5 Billion in debt like the MBTA.

Before I continue with Seoul I do want to mention one really random thing that happened in Hong Kong. On Friday night I hosted my first Admitted Student Reception and it was a success. I had 11 students and their families in attendance along with four alumni and a coop student. Near the end of the reception a man walked up to me and said: "I can't believe this, I'm an alumnus of Northeastern University!" He was on a cruise with his wife from L.A. and just happened to be staying in the same hotel and saw the advertisements for the event! What a small world. I do think it helped convince the student I was talking with at the time as the alumnus had graduated in 1956 and had gone on to work at NASA, a pretty good story.

Well as is obvious by now, I'm in Seoul today, just finished up with my one school visit and now its off to the underground mall that is attached to my hotel. I love coming here, the hotel provides me with a cell phone (because no U.S cell carrier works in Korea or Japan) and the Hotel is located right in the heart of the city. I haven't had much time to explore around the area because both times I've been in Seoul it has been for less than two days, however since there is a mall attached to the hotel I can always walk around the shops and eat at the really good booths in the food court, I always go straight to the dim sum. In Asia I could eat dim sum, dumplings and sushi 3 times a day everyday and be happy.

Another Admitted Student Reception tonight, I have at least 6 students coming (three of which I have already met with at the school visit I had today), unfortunately I was unable to reach the coop student that is working in Seoul or the alumni in the area but I'll manage.

I'm off to Bangkok tomorrow morning but will only be there for one day of visits and meeting with accepted students, but if I'm lucky, I'll still be able to fit in a thai massage.

Hong Kong 2009

Well its been three days now since I arrived in Hong Kong. Time has flown by this winter and it feels like I just left this place! Its been a busy three days, although not nearly as busy as in the fall. I have visited three different schools, speaking with counselors and juniors that are interested in Northeastern and I have hosted my first of four receptions. Unfortunately without realizing it I am competing with the Rugby Seven's for attendance, and thats not a competition I'm going to win. The rugby sevens is an international competition, and for those of you that might not know about rugby, its just as big as american football if not bigger. Hong Kong has so many tourists here for the games! I couldn't figure out why there were so many tourists until I heard about the tournament but now it makes sense.

While people here would call the weather unseasonably cool, I'm enjoying it! Its about 70 degrees which is about 30 degrees warmer than Boston when I left, perfect weather for me to travel around without a jacket. Yesterday after one of my visits I spent some time in Stanley Market shopping around and then had lunch on a patio overlooking Repulse Bay, lunch was good timing as it poured the entire time I ate.

Friday night I hosted my first reception and had about 11 students and their families in attendance which is about double what I had last year. I also had 4 alumni and a coop student in attendance which really helped the students out with all of their questions.

Ok, ok, now on to what alot of you have been waiting for, the food and I have had a lot of good food in the short time I have been here: dim sum for breakfast, pork and noodles with shrimp wontons for lunch, pad thai ghoreng for lunch, spring rolls and pork dumplings for dinner and I still have a day left!

Well it is Saturday here in Hong Kong and I have nothing to do! I'm off to have lunch with an alumni a little later but right now I just finished watching Louisville and Oklahoma crush their opponents (thanks to cbssports I can watch the games everywhere!). I think a trip to the ladies market (its not what it sounds like, lots of vendors selling jewelry and clothing and not just for ladies) and Tsimshatsui are in order for later today and back to my room for an early bedtime tonight before the rugby sevens ends and the city goes wild! Off to Seoul on Sunday.