A Ferry from Macau

I wrote this right after leaving Macau. I'll update soon about the past few days in HK, but for now, enjoy.

We are sailing away from the shores of Macau and Jatana is singing me a song using only my name for the lyrics. Somehow this seems fitting. We are both very sad to leave our friends, but we both agree that we don’t feel like we’re leaving for good. How could we?

My last exam went well. I beasted two essay questions and think I did alright on the short answer. It was my favorite subject: Development and Management of Attractions. Ended up writing one of my essay questions about Magic Kingdom and what design elements the park has that I think are very effective. Needless to say, I wrote a lot and had to tell myself to STOP writing!

Jatana was reading over my shoulder while I wrote this. She is envious and telling herself that she needs to update her blog. She says she will………soon. Yeah right.

After the exam we went and paid our unexpected water and electric bill. Any future exchange students should know that you will have to pay for the last couple weeks you’re in Macau, but you might not get the bill until the night before you leave. It was lovely. Then we went to lunch at a yummy sushi place. Mmmmmmmm so good.

]“See you later”s were said and hugs all around. Then back to the apartment to finish packing and do the dishes from breakfast. We gave away some of our food to our friends, and I gave away my hairdryer to a friend. My bags are still heavy! Oh well. I still have some stuff to pitch when I leave Hong Kong, and the rest I say is because of all of the presents I’m bringing back for people! Ok, maybe there are a few items for me in there too.

I’m super excited to hang out in Hong Kong for a few days. I think I’ve scared Jatana with the prep work I’ve done for our Hong Kong Disneyland day. There are some things I don’t want to miss. She has agreed to arrive with me no later than 11am. I’m hoping for 10:15 so we can see the opening ceremony…if there is one. Not sure, haven’t read anything about one.  I’m also curious to see how the crowds are. It was completely dead in March, so I’m wondering if the crowds will be higher but still nothing like Disney World at this time of year.

Ocean Park tomorrow. Can’t wait for it either! Still need to look up some more info about it, but there appears to be some awesome rides!!! I’ll definitely post pictures from our day there.

Still have about 45 minutes till we reach Hong Kong and Jatana has finally begun to make her epic blog update. You go girl!

This has been an amazing adventure and there’s more still to come!

Last Night in Macau

It's sad. It sucks. It's awesome. I can't wait to be home.

Had an AMAZING dinner tonight at a famous local restaurant. A bunch of exchange students and it was so much fun to see everyone. I hate saying Goodbye and find it very awkward, so yes I was awkward, but who cares! This people are awesome and I will miss them dearly. This is not goodbye though. It is only "See you later."

Two More Nights

I really truly can't blieve that I only have two more nights in 20K. Everything is finally setting in that I'm going home. Love you guys at home but right now I can't imagine leaving. I don't feel like I missed out on doing something I really wanted to do, BUT there is still so much I want to do!

The people I've met here are awesome, and I know that some I'll be friends with for life. Last night we all went out to D2 and danced till 6am. It was a blast and the perfect way to celebrate the end of the semester and how close we had all become. For Spring '11 Macau was my home and all of my IFT and Exchange friends made up my family, except for Jatana who doesn't love me anymore because I started packing today. (Just playing: She loves me. She just likes making a fuss.)

Tomorrow the plan is to maybe go to the Wine Museum, pool for studying if the weather is good, go to the 10MOP shop, dinner with Eve and Emily, study, study, study!

Oh! Almost forgot to mention that we had a Typhoon yesterday and today! I didn't even know it till I went running yesterday evening and my friend Yuki told me. Apparently it was/is a Typhoon 1, which means that it's nothing serious. Today it was overcast and high winds and a little rain, but that's all.

Here are a few photos I took around 1pm today.

Typhoon???

please excuse the undereye circles. didn't really feel like taking my mascara off before I went to bed at 6:30am.

Two Finals Down and Three To Go

So with Socio Cultural and Travel Agency out of the way, I'm left with Human Resources, Marketing, and Development & Management of Attractions. Really after tomorrow I feel pretty good. I enjoyed Marekting and DMA so the finals should be alright. Socio was fine, I think having an Anthropologist for a Mother helped out and Travel Agency was ehhhhhh. It's frustrating understanding something in class so well, but feeling very confused on exams. Ah well It's over now.

Tonight took a study break and went to see the new X-Men. It's still odd going to a movie theatre that to me, isn't really a movie theatre. No buttered popcorn. No giant sodas. No cup holders! But it's cheap compared to back home I thought the movie was good. The special effects were a little cheesy at some points, but overall I give it two thumbs up.

I can't believe that I only have 9 days till going home and only 5 more days in Macao. We took a bus tonight that took us to a part of Macao I realized I hadn't explored much. It's amazing how I've lived here for four months, and really Macao isn't that big, but there is still so much I haven't seen.

This weekend I plan on going to the pool/beach with friends to relax and study; Hopefully I'll make it to the Wine Museum which I'd really like to see before leaving, and eat lots of yummy food and drink lots of Milk Tea from Donago's. They are building what appears to be a Comebuy, a large chain milk tea stand, right next to Donago's and man I'll be mad if it hurts Donago's business.

It's weird because writing about Donago's and Comebuy makes me realize how many things have become second nature and so common to me, but when I go home all of them disappear. Where here I have to explain about things from home, soon I'll be explaining about things from Macao, my second home. Yes, I'll be happy to be home where I can see the stars every night and where there is still an ozone layer, but it really is bittersweet leaving this place and all the people I've met.

Goodnight to all. Enjoy your day while I sleep.

Finals????

Another great weekend, and I really don't feel like taking any finals!

Friday: BUNGY JUMPING OFF THE WORLD'S TALLEST BUNGY PLATFORM! It was amazing! It was awesome! I wasn't truly scared until I started to fall and could really see how high up I was. That was terrifying. I would do it again in a heartbeat though.

Saturday: Barbeque on the beach for Jatana's birthday. Went to Hac Sa beach out in Coloane, and grilled out from 4pm till 9pm. We had a lot of fun. For anyone who wants to do this here are some tips: You have to have a local to help you out with the ordering. Get a package and don't worry they definitely don't skimp on the portion size. Go early the day of the barbeque. Jatana and I got to the beach at 2:30pm to grab a good table and grill and to set up everything. You also have to bring your own drinks. This was kind of funny because since we had so many people we purchased two cases of beer the night before. It was pretty funny to see the security guards faces when we came back to our apartment building carrying the cases. haha Don't even know what they must have thought.

The party really was a great time. The weather was perfect and everyone just hung out, ate and played on the beach. One of my favorite days in Macao.

Sunday: Jatana's Actual Birthday- For the most part we were incredibly lazy. We did go out and go the gardens and have dinner at the oh so yummy sticky rice place. Then it was Donago's, facials & pedicures and a marathon of Bones. We ended up staying up till 5am finishing the 6th season, which is why I slept till noon today.

Since I woke up I've been studying for my finals which start Wednesday. I'm feeling pretty confident right now, but still trying to push myself to study just so I don't kick myself later for not studying. I will say having a full week off before finals was awesome and terrible at the same time. Awesome - well that's obvious. Terrible -because now all I want to do is hang around Macao, go to HK and go home. Finals really are cramping my style. What's a girl to do?

I've got 13 days before going home. I will very much miss Macao, but I'm so excited I can hardly stand it.