Profile: Lindsay Orr
LINC Hong Kong Blog
 |
Blog 5
Friday March 27, 2009
It’s been about a week since we’ve been back and I miss Hong Kong. Though I can’t go back, I do get to see LINC people everywhere. All over campus I run into people who were on the trip with me, and it’s great seeing people I got to share this awesome experience with.
Adjusting to the time change was a little rough. We left Hong Kong at 11:30 at night on March 22 and got back in LA at 9:30 at night on March 22. Basically, we experienced two nights in a row. I’ve been chatting with other Hong Kong students that have had sleep issues this week since no one is usually wide awake at four in the morning.
The whole experience was absolutely amazing. Not only did I learn about specific industries and what it takes to be in them, but I also learned about another culture and have been to one of the major world metropolises. I learned a ridiculous amount in eight days. I am so grateful to my teachers, my classmates, and USC for providing me, and everyone who participated in LINC, with such an amazing and unique opportunity.
I will leave you all with some final words of wisdom: go to Hong Kong! It is the greatest city I have ever been to and I really hope to return one day!
| back to top |
Blog 4
March 22, 2009
The week is over. I’m so sad! I have had an unbelievable time in Hong Kong. The people here are extraordinary and my group has made it even better! I’m all packed and waiting to put my stuff in the bus so we can have a free day before we head to the airport. To finish off the story of our week….
On Friday we went into Mainland China - Shen Zhen, to be specific. It was extremely different from Hong Kong. For one, it was much more rural. The toilets in McDonald’s had running water but were like holes in the ground that you could flush. It was not something I was used to. We visited with the companies BYD Auto and YICT, a containment company that also acts as a port. BYD was originally a battery company and is now using its unique technology and applying it to a green automobile. It was interesting seeing the breakdown of the different parts and how the company planned to compete with such large companies like Toyota and Honda, which already have successful hybrids. At YICT we learned about the shipping industry and got to see a great view of their port and containment yard.
After our day in Mainland China was finished, another girl and I got to meet up with a sorority sister of ours who is studying abroad in Singapore. It was great to see another USC student that wasn’t on our trip. We went back to Tequila, the Mexican restaurant in Soho, for the second night in a row. It really was that good.
On Saturday, the whole group visited the world’s largest Buddha! That was cool. We rode a cable car up to the “mountain” the monastery is located on and got to see the world’s largest Buddha. Let me just say, that statue is BIG. We then went to the monastery and had temple food. It was an experience, but not my personal cup of tea. Then we visited a fishing village. We got scammed into seeing “albino dolphins” (aka: no dolphins exist, they just tell you they do). The way they live is very different but didn’t seem unpleasant. The smell was a little rough to bear, but it was a fishing village. After that, almost the whole group spent our last night in Hong Kong together.
The buses are here and it’s time to go! Bummer and then some! We’ll probably do some last minute souvenir shopping and hopefully get a massage before we go to the airport and leave the fantastic city that is Hong Kong.
| back to top |
Blog 3
March 19, 2009
It’s Thursday and we only have a few more days in Hong Kong! Yesterday, we met Ronnie Chan, a Trustee and real estate billionaire! To start off the day, we had a very early call time (shameful) and breakfast with representatives from Invest HK. They briefed us on the economy of Hong Kong and why it is such a great place to invest. I was convinced. Then we were off on the buses to VTC, a hospitality training school for those looking to enter the industry. We learned about their school and had lunch there. The students practiced by preparing and serving us an extremely fancy and delicious meal. There were many happy people during this part of the day. After that everyone headed over to meet Ronnie Chan! He was very impressive and had some great advice for us. We got to see one of his high-end apartment complexes where each square foot is a few thousand dollars. Yeah, it was nice.
That night, after getting very little sleep for a few days, my friends and I were very loopy. We had a giggle fest for about an hour. We went to McDonald’s for dinner and a few girls went shopping while one of my friends and I passed out and got a ridiculous amount of sleep. It felt so nice.
Today we got to have an exchange day with students from the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology. We performed a case study on Ocean Park with a few students and then got briefed at Ocean Park by the CEO! I noticed how eager the students were to work and how invested they were in a project that received no grade and was probably not going to be seen. It was interesting working with people from a different culture. Also, the HKUST students wrote out a lot of our names in Chinese. I now know how write my name in Mandarin and Canto.
Tonight a bunch of us went to the Red Box, a karaoke place! The HKUST students convinced us. Supposedly it’s a very popular thing to do over here. But here, you rent out a room and do it just with your friends. It was a blast. I highly recommend it if you ever come to Hong Kong. Before karaoke, a group of us went to a great Mexican restaurant, Tequila. I know, great Mexican food in Hong Kong? Trust me, it was delicious! The restaurant was located in Soho, the district right next to Lan Kwai Fong. They are both similar, but Soho is more of a residential, hang out area. Soho also houses the longest escalator in the world! We rode on it for a little while. It was pretty cool.
It’s been a great week so far and I don’t want it to end!
| back to top |
Blog 2
Tuesday March 17, 2009
Happy Saint Patrick’s Day! It’s the end of our third day here in Hong Kong. The days have been relaxed so far, but that’s just because we’ve experienced our two free days.
After our arrival on Sunday morning, three of my friends and I ventured into the city. We visited Lan Kwai Fong, an area where many of the expats and foreigners either live or hang out. We tackled a few stores and had a great lunch at one of the restaurants there called Cul-De-Sac. I highly recommend their burgers and French fries. I did not explore the city at night, however. I fell asleep the moment I lied down on my bed, whereas my roommate and another friend still had the energy to do some more shopping. I don’t know how they do it. As you will hopefully soon realize, the shopping in Hong Kong is amazing. I am not a big fan of shopping and even I can enjoy it in Hong Kong.
Monday we visited our first companies! First on the list was JP Morgan Private Bank. We learned about what it takes to be an investment banker and how this bank is dealing well with the economic downturn. JP Morgan Private Bank targets only multi-millionaires for their numerous services and prides itself on being the one stop provider for all their clients’ banking needs. Next came Silvereed, a fashion company that has been absorbed by Li and Fung. We learned about the fashion industry, how clothes are made, and how Silvereed not only designs and produces its own clothing but also does some of this for high-end designers such as BCBG. After visiting the fashion company we had a shopping exercise in Ladies Market. That was an interesting experience. At Ladies Market there is a plethora of products available to you. And you can barter to lower the price! It was fun learning the best technique to lower the price for items. I hope to return there to get some gifts for my family.
Last night we had an Alumni dinner where we were able to meet USC alums living and working in Hong Kong. Afterwards, the whole group went out to Lan Kwai Fong for some LINC bonding and, of course, more exploring! It was great getting to know everyone on a better level and meeting former USC students living in a different country.
Today, Tuesday, the group visited Ocean Park, a theme park we will be doing a case study on later in the week. The Park is a lot like Sea World, but a bit more educational and more run-down. A cool feature of Ocean Park is that it’s divided into two parts connected by a 1.5 km cable car lift with a great view of the South China Sea. After our group was done at Ocean Park we were given a free day. Five friends and I went to Stanley Market, a beach side shop and restaurant area, and afterwards returned to Ladies Market. Now after a full day exploring, I’m in the hotel room exhausted. The group will probably celebrate St. Patrick’s Day in Lan Kwai Fong with all of the Europeans. And tomorrow we meet our first billionaire, Ronnie Chan!
| back to top |
Blog 1
Hong Kong! We just got into our hotel rooms after an eighteen-hour flight. Eighteen hours on a plane - rough. We left LAX around 11:30 PM on Friday, March 13 and arrived in Hong Kong at about 8:15 AM on Sunday, March 15. It’s weird to think we’ll never experience Saturday, March 14, 2009. Though we lost a day, the plane ride allowed for an easy adjustment to Hong Kong time, which is fifteen hours ahead of Los Angeles.
Unfortunately, I left the packing for the trip until Friday, the day of the trip. So for about four straight hours I was running around trying to get everything done. Though this tired me out for the plane ride, it made my day much more stressful than it needed to be. I am happy to say I haven’t forgotten anything and was able to pack with plenty of time left over.
In class, we learned different things about Hong Kong and what to expect from our stay in the city. We were also put into groups (Go Ox group!) to create a briefing paper on one of the companies we’re visiting. My company was Hang Lung Properties and Trustee, Mr. Ronnie Chan. I’m most excited to not only explore the city, but also meet with all of the companies on our schedule. I know plenty about Hang Lung Properties but I think it will be very valuable to learn about the different companies and industries while we are abroad.
From our bus ride to The City Garden Hotel, where we’ll be staying, I can already tell our trip is going to be amazing. Our tour guide William seems to know a lot about Hong Kong, including its history and how to best experience the city. Driving through Hong Kong is like driving through a garden of skyscrapers; they just sprout up from the ground everywhere. One thing I’ve found interesting is that everyone seems to dry some of their clothes outside their windows. You can see this on all of the residential buildings, even the most luxurious ones. When I air dry my clothes I just leave them inside. I guess in Hong Kong, they’re dried outside. I personally would be worried about my clothes falling off, but that’s just me.
| back to top |