Golden Rice Bowl (Special): Xia Men Fried Rice Noodle

This doesn't taste too great. It was stir-fried rice noodles with scrambled egg, slices of fish cake, ham, cabbage, onions and carrots. The sauce they used tasted a little bit like ketchup for some reason and was similar to the watered-down version of the sauce they use for Golden Rice Bowl's Shredded Chicken Fried Spaghetti. I used Sriracha sauce to make it taste better, but I don't think I would get this again...

Golden Rice Bowl (Special): Teppanyaki Seafood set

Tip: Anything with "Teppan" in the title just means your food will come SIZZLING on a hot plate. :)

This teppan set was excellent with fried scallops on top of pan-seared chicken, gai-lan, and fries. There was also a sauce that tasted strangely similar to spaghetti sauce but it was pretty good!

I highly recommend getting their daily specials because your order usually comes with a drink as well.

Golden Rice Bowl: Preserved Meat and Chicken Steamed Rice

I think I pretty much like everything in the "steamed rice" series from the Golden Rice Bowl. There's like no wait time, and all the "clay pots" are full of flavor. Don't let the description or the pictures scare you. Just give it a try!

The pictures below feature the "Preserved Meat and Chicken Steamed Rice" clay pot. I'm not sure what the preserved meat was, but this was so good!!

Golden Rice Bowl: Spare Ribs Noodle

This was a little bit too salty but was very good. The pork spare ribs were super soft and flavorful in the standard soup base that GRB uses with every noodle soup dish. I would get this again!

Asia Pacific (High Tea): Pork Chop Bun and Chicken Wing

The roasted chicken wing was crispy golden and the sweet onions in the pork chop bun were also a nice touch. Overall, it was very good!

Asia Pacific: Taiwanese Minute Steak, Minced Meat, and Bean Curd

I happened to really like this dish but some of my friends only thought it was alright. The minced meat was the star of this dish for me. It had a very traditional taiwanese flavors that went well with the rice. I really really recommend it!

Golden Rice Bowl: Pork Spare Ribs and Chicken

I highly recommend this one from the Chinese section of the Golden Rice Bowl. There's almost no wait time and it's really really delicious with lots of flavor and fall-off-the-bone tender pork. 

HKUST Dining Cafeterias & Overview

Menus change for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. LG 7 also has a "high tea" or "afternoon tea" menu in between lunch and dinner times that is delicious.

1/F Coffee Shop

Serves mostly subpar/mediocre Western Cuisine in the form of sandwiches, paninis, and pastas. It's definitely not my favorite place to eat, but it's a safer choice for people who are worried about any food allergies. The also serve Indian curry items in their daily specials, which I've heard aren't bad at all. 

G/F Chinese Restaurant

Serves overpriced dim sum and other dishes. Most items are priced at around $40 HKD - $70 HKD per dish. The food is somewhat disappointing and small portioned for the price, but it's a fancy place to eat asian cuisine on campus so a lot of families like to eat there when visiting. This is also the only place that serves dim sum on campus. Occasionally, they'll have 50% off dim sum during lunch hours.

LG5 McDonald's

A student favorite. There's people lining up all day every day for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. The McCafe is also good for late-night studying because it serves the strongest coffee on campus.

LG 1 Restaurants

• Canteen II Menu
• Cha Chaan Teng Menu
• Breakfast Menu for Canteen II. Haven't tried this.
• Baguettes II Menu

I'm not sure if the menu items for LG 1 are completely accurate anymore, but they have barbecue pork/roast duck rice, taiwanese lunch sets, and vietnamese pho. The counter near the entrance also sells egg custard tarts (only during certain times), baked breakfast buns, ready-made sandwiches, and fruit cups. The egg custard tarts are excellent and I highly recommend them. 

LG 7 Kitchen 1 (Asia Pacific)

LG 7 Kitchen 2 & Kiosk (Golden Rice Bowl)

LG 7 Milano Fresh

LG 7 is probably the best place to eat on campus when you consider the price, flavor, and options. There are a lot of hits or misses among their menu items but to me, both the Asia Pacific and Golden Rice Bowl counters are great choices. The Golden Rice Bowl has a Chinese section and a Japanese section and the Japanese section is always very popular. The Milano counter serves "Italian" food in the form of pizzas and pastas, but they also have a couple of Indian tandoori chicken as well. I'm not a huge fan of the Milano counter combo plates and think it tastes mediocre at best. However, the customizable Milano salads are absolutely amazing. It's definitely a MUST TRY from LG 7.

How to order at LG 7:

• Start at the huge menu boards at the center of the dining room. 
• The menu for Asia Pacific will be on the left of the cash registers and the menu for golden rice bowl will be on the right.
• Place your order at the cash registers corresponding to side of the menu you ordered from. 
• Take your receipt and walk to the food pick up counters. The Asia pacific counter will be the closest one across from the escalators. Golden rice bowl will be located further down and Milano will be the last counter after the Golden rice bowl.
• If your receipt has a number, wait for your number to appear on the number board before handing the servers your receipt.
• If you would like to take your food to go, you can tell the workers at the cash register when ordering that you want the food "take away".

Seafront Cafe

One of the cheapest and one of my favorite places to eat on campus. It's also the only cafeteria on campus that opens until 2AM in the morning! I really liked their build-your-own noodle soups and fried chicken legs.

UC Bistro & Unibar

This place is one of the pricer places on campus, but it's also the only place on campus that serves alcoholic drinks. The food is pretty good here and they mainly serve a Western/Italian menu. Prices range from about $50 to $200 HKD. 

You can find the school's menu list here: https://www.ab.ust.hk/cso/restaurants.htm
And the catering menu here: https://www.ab.ust.hk/cso/cat_lg7_Menu.html

Golden Rice Bowl: Beef with Orange Ginger Sauce

This special of the day wasn't bad, but it wasn't fantastic either. The beef was a little tough and the sauce a little bland. There's definitely more ginger than orange flavor, but I did appreciate the vegetables that came with the dish. I don't know if I would order this again. 

Instant Noodles/Ramen

Students at HKUST love their instant noodles. I'll be updating this post with flash reviews on the different types of cup noodles as I try them. Cheers to hot soup and yummy noodles!

Nissin Tonkatsu Flavor

This might be my favorite cup noodle that I've tried so far. It's deliciously pork flavored and very hard to put down. I highly recommend it! 

Oriental Kitchen Hot and Spicy Flavor

Be careful with this one. It's quite good but I found this to be EXTREMELY EXTREMELY spicy. I think half a packet of the flavoring powder would have sufficed. I also liked that the noodles were thicker in texture, however I would still let the noodles soak in the hot water longer than usual because the thickness makes for a slower cooking time. 

Campus McDonald's: Spicy McPepper

A Hong Kong McDonalds specialty! The Spicy McPepper burger isn't half bad. You can taste hints of black pepper, but I wouldn't say it's spicy at all. In fact, the "spiciness" barely registered on my tongue.

For an extra $2.50 HKD you can upgrade your fries to something called "Shaker Fries". These are SERIOUSLY awesome. They give you a packet of powder flavoring, you dump your fries in a paper bag, dump in the flavor powder, shake, and you get magic! If you don't try anything from McDonald's, I would recommend you try the shaker fries at least once because last time I checked, you can't find this in America! 

Final Verdict:

Spicy McPepper: Yay

Shaker Fries: Yay

Park n' Shop: Crabstick Handroll and Roasted Eel Handroll

Both the Roasted Eel Handroll and the Crabstick Handroll can be found in the refrigerated section (next to the vegetables) of the campus Park N' Shop.

The rolls were kind of bland on their own but tasted much better when I added the complementary soy sauce that came with the package. I probably wouldn't get the Crabstick Handroll again just because it didn't have much flavor, but I liked the Roasted Eel Handroll enough that I would get it again. 

Crabstick Handroll

 

Preparing to eat the Crabstick Handroll

Roasted Eel Handroll

One thing to note is that the handrolls do not come pre-wrapped in seaweed. The seaweed is actually packaged in a separate plastic sleeve for you to take out and wrap the roll on your own.

Final verdict: 

Crabstick Handroll - Nay

Roasted Eel Handroll - Yay

HKUST Academics: What To Expect

The Exams

Most of the students of HKUST are extremely intelligent and study very very hard. You'll find students in the library and the learning commons at all hours of the day and sometimes it almost becomes an issue to find a seat to study. For my management and marketing classes, the average exam score usually ranged between 75-85. Your grades will be based off of a bell curve and I've heard that if your score is around the average, your grade will be a C+, B-, or a B depending on the professor.

I found the best way to study for exams here is to study directly from the lecture slides and your class notes. Compared to exams in the US, there is a much less application of concepts. Exams rarely seem to deviate from the lecture material and in some courses, students don't even find the need to buy the textbook and study straight from their class notes. That being said, attending class seems to be more important here because sometimes professors will throw in questions that refer to a very specific topic they only mentioned in class. Professors will post their powerpoint slides on a website called "LMES" but the powerpoint slides are often incomplete versions of what they show in class. Most local students print out the lecture slides beforehand and add in their own written notes during lecture.

Attendance in class is usually mandatory and is marked by the TA or  recorded using the digital Personal Response System (PRS) that you'll need to pick up at the beginning of the school year.

Click here for my post on the things I didn't expect from HKUST academics.

How to Save Money on Multiple Passport Pictures

During the first week of school, HKUST typically requires several passport sized photos for various reasons such as your student ID or dorm registration. The classes you take at HKUST will also ask for a passport photo attached to an introduction card as your first assignment. It's also nice to have additional passport sized photos on hand for official government documents or visa applications if you intend to travel.

Instead of wasting money on purchasing passport photos that typically cost $5 or more for a set of two, you can save money by doing the printing and cutting work yourself.

Step 1: Buy 1 set of passport photos or DIY a photo.

• Some people prefer to DIY a passport photo so they can use a more flattering picture.
• If you go with this route, make sure you follow the passport photo regulations listed on travel.state.gov
• CNet and HuffPost both have articles titled "How to take your own passport photo" for reference

Step 2: Scan the photo into a computer.

Step 3:  Use a photo editing program (Microsoft Paint, Adobe Photoshop, etc.) and copy and paste the scanned image on to an 8"x10" canvas. To view the ruler guidelines, you can try clicking "View" on the menu bar at the top of the screen and click "Ruler".

Step 4: Use the marquee tool to select the photo and adjust the size down to 2"x2".

Step 5: Copy and paste your 2"x2" image several times on the 8"X10" canvas. I would recommend leaving some space in between each photo so that when you go to cut it, you'll have more room for error.

Step 6: Save the 8"x10" image with your passport pictures on a USB and print at a local photo printing location.

**I recommend printing at Fedex/Kinko's because they have a paper cutter that you can use to really make your photos look professionally cut. Be warned though, they only print 8"x10" photos at the largest and if your image canvas is any larger, the photos will be shrunk to fit the 8"x10" size. I made that mistake when I used a 8.5"x11" canvas instead of 8"x10". Luckily, there wasn't too much of a noticeable difference so it turned out alright.

In total, I was able to print the entire set of 20 passport sized photos for a total of just $5.49.

That's pretty amazing, especially when you think about how a set of 2 passport photos alone can typically cost you $5 or more!

An HKUST Exchange Student's Packing List

Thestudyabroadblog.com has a great packing list for students studying abroad for a year and is applicable to semester exchange students as well. For my list, I've pulled together items from thestudyabroadblog's packing list & UofI's packing list and added a few items/comments of my own.

School

• Cantonese-English Dictionary or App
• Backpack/Day bag
• If your school backpack around the size of a Jansport or smaller, I would recommend bringing another larger-sized hiking/traveling backpack for weekend trips. 
• School's Program Guidebook
• You probably don't need to print these, but just read over the guidebooks before you go. The University of Illinois and UCEAP both have great ones to prep you for your trip and HKUST's Global Student Office also produces a fantastic one with in-depth details about local living. 
• Pens, Pencils, eraser
• Scientific calculator or a cheap pocket-sized 4 function calculator 
• Graphing calculators are usually not allowed for most tests unless you're taking certain engineering or math courses. 
• Schedule Planner for class

      What not to bring: Folders, binders, notebooks 

• HKUST uses size A4 paper (8.3x11.7" or 210x297mm) which is slightly longer than the standard US Letter size (8.5x11" or 216x279mm)
• These can all be purchased cheaply at the campus book store or at some of the dollar stores in Mong Kok. 
• Note: The folders in Hong Kong aren't your typical two pocket folders, but are instead an L-Shaped plastic sleeve. Two pocket folders seem hard to find in Hong Kong, if you're picky about that sort of thing.

Two Pocket folder

A4 L-Shaped folder

Bed & Bath

• Toiletries - Travel size, full size (?)
• Bring at least a weeks worth to last you until you can buy more
• Dove, Head & Shoulders, Pantene, Herbal essences, Tresemme, and Johnson & Johnson brands are really common and are usually priced between 50-65 HKD, but any other American brand will be difficult to find.
• Bring travel size toiletries for your travels outside of Hong Kong
• Anti-Bacterial lotion/gel/
• Bath & hand/face towel
• Bring a small and thin towel because sometimes towels are difficult to dry in the small dorm space. 
• Make sure the towel is something that you'd be willing to throw away at the end of your trip. 
• Small hand towels can be purchased at the school's Park N' Shop.
• Sunblock
• American sunscreens are really expensive in Hong Kong and other parts of Asia. I've heard that some of the Asian brands are quite good, but its much more economical to bring your own from home. The asian brand sunscreens also give you a white cast and are super small in size.

• First Aid Kit
• Bandaids/Plasters are a must for mosquito bites. The bandaids here aren't very breathable and the American brands are expensive.
• Hydrocortisone, calamine lotion, or anti-itch medicine for mosquito bites
• Advil, Tylenol, or Ibuprfoen
• Midol - Not available in Hong Kong

What not to bring: Cough/cold medicine

• Most exchange students usually catch the "Hong Kong Cough" which is a nasty cold that lasts for 3 weeks. Lots of coughing and sniffling during this time, but the on-campus health center will provide cough syrup and medication free of charge. 

Clothes

• Always pack less than you think you might need. It saves space for everything you buy!
• That being said, don't expect to supplement a huge part of your wardrobe here or do too much immediate shopping.  While Hong Kong is a shopper's paradise in terms of store variety and brands, most clothing stores are quite expensive (especially in comparison to the US). Many shops, branded or not,  even small boutiques, often have price points that start at $50 USD just for a single shirt/top and the prices are non-negotiable! Between traveling and studying, I didn't really have time to shop at all.
• Pack for versatility (pants and shorts, long and short sleeved shirts)- winter is really cold, summer is rainy and temperature varies dramatically.
• You'll most likely be traveling outside of Hong Kong as well so you'll definitely need at least one heavy coat if you plan on going around Northern China (Ex. Beijing) during the fall or winter. Temperatures drop below freezing there!
• Nice clothes for going out 
• There are always people going out every Thursday and Friday night. Weekends as well. Some exchange students go out as many as 3-4 times a week, but some don't go out at all. Identify the group that best matches your interests and pack accordingly.
• Good walking/running shoes
• Preferably rain resistant and it’s hard to find sizes larger than 10 in Hong Kong
• Flip flops or waterproof sandals
• These are absolute critical for showers. The bathrooms tend to get really dirty so the thicker your flip flop, the further away you'll be from the grime!
• Laundry can be expensive. 
• You can borrow an iron from the front desk if you need it
• Bring a jacket - one that works as a rain/wind breaker is great
• Sunglasses
• Business formal
• Many management and marketing classes have group projects that require student presentations. It's the culture here to dress in complete business formal for presenting.
• It's also necessary if you plan on finding an internship or interviewing in HK.
• Local HK girls usually wear a black blazer, a white collared shirt, a black skirt, black opaque or semi-sheer black tights, and patent black high heels.
• Local HK guys usually wear a black blazer, a white collared shirt, a tie, black slacks, and black shoes.
• You don't have to strictly follow the local dress code, but looking sharp is well respected and business formal is a must.

     What not to bring: Rain boots 

• Check the weather before you come, but for the most part when I arrived at HKUST around September 3, the rainy season had already passed. Rain boots were definitely not necessary.

Electronics

• Power Converter
• Digital Camera
• SD card(s) for your photos
• USB
• Flashlight
• Really useful for hiking trips that go unexpectedly late
• Watch

Miscellaneous

• Print the Chinese characters for HKUST (香港科技大學) on a slip of paper
• Pack this in your carry on in case your buddy doesn't show up or you're traveling alone. 
• I found that my taxi driver didn't understand "Hong Kong University of Science and Technology." The closest way of saying this in English is "Fo gae dai hok"
• Print out my post on getting Internet access at the dorms
• A duffel bag or a large backpacking bag
• I really regretted not bringing this because this is extremely useful for weekend trips or the week-long breaks when your school backpack won't fit everything you need. When you're traveling to other countries, it wasn't practical to bring a suitcase (even a small one) because they're difficult to carry onto buses and overnight trains. 
• Laundry bag
• Fabric softener/ dryer sheets
• The laundry detergent in Hong Kong is completely unscented. I didn't think I'd miss it, but I realized having fresh, pleasant smelling laundry is really what convinces me that my laundry is actually clean.  
• Pictures of your family
• Non-perishable foods (Poptarts, favorite cereal, favorite candy, trail mix, granola bars)
• No need to bring peanut butter, the on-campus Park N' Shop now sells this!
• Journal
• Hong Kong and/or China travel guide (Lonely Planet, Let’s Go!, etc)
• Water bottle
• Fanny Pack/Neck Wallet
• You won't need this in Hong Kong, but if you plan to travel anywhere, you could consider it.
• Extra bag to bring back souvenirs
• Change holder
• Luggage Lock(s)
• I didn't bring this, but some people had it for peace of mind
• Small personal lock to lock up suitcases while traveling/out of your room.
• $300 HKD to use when you arrive
• A reliable umbrella
• Umbrellas in Hong Kong are of extremely poor quality and are very prone to flipping. It doesn't seem like it would be a big deal, but a higher quality umbrella will save you the headache on rainy days. 
• If you must buy an umbrella in Hong Kong, the locals tell me that they usually buy the higher quality ones from Esprit. You can find the stores here.

Document List

• Visa invitation letter from HK school
• Passports and Visas (plus extra passport pictures)
• Driver’s License
• Immunization record ( I didn't bring this)
• Insurance Card 
• A dozen passport sized photos
• Absolutely necessary for school paperwork, government documents, and class introduction cards.
• Click here to see my post on how to do this cheaper.

Remember to leave photocopies of everything with
your family back home!


Read more for the things I recommend you do before you leave.

Things to Do Before Leaving

(Taken from the Univ. of Illinois's HKUST packing list with added commentary)

MONEY CONSIDERATIONS

• Cash: It is a good idea to bring about $300 HKD cash, to use as soon as you arrive.

• ATM Cards*: ATM machines can be very convenient. Check your bank for international fees or what to do in case of an emergency.

• Credit Cards*: Visa and MasterCard are widely accepted. For credit cards there is sometimes a minimum amount of purchase to use them plus a fee for using them.

• Traveler’s Checks: Rarely accepted and thus not very useful.

THINGS TO DO BEFORE LEAVING

General Things, in no particular order:

1. Talk to the IPENG office and/or the University where you will be studying about what classes you will be taking
2. Check out the HKUST website: http://www.ust.hk/eng/index.htm
3. Check out this website: http://www.discoverhongkong.com/login.html
4. Learn courtesy phrases in Cantonese, such as hello, good bye, and especially thank you (for gifts and for favors). Check out my post on gift etiquette here.
5. Brush up on 80’s and 90's popular music (essential for karaoke)
6. Be familiar with law in Hong Kong – drinking and smoking is legal at 18, laws are pretty similar to the States, driving is left side of the road (but don’t drive there)
7. Apply for a Chinese visa for visitors if you plan on visiting mainland China (a visa is also needed to visit Vietnam, Cambodia, Indonesia, etc., so make sure to check on entry requirements while making travel plans)
• Especially for US citizens: Apply for a multiple entry visa while you are in the US. 
• You can only apply for a double entry visa here in HK. If you go to China more than twice, it's annoying and expensive to have to go back to the embassy and pay again for another double entry visa.
8. Set goals to accomplish in Hong Kong (visit every stop on the MTR, etc)
9. Figure out your height, weight, and clothes size in the metric system
10. Find directions on how to call the U.S. (Or just use Skype)
11. Talk to someone who has gone on the program in the past
12. Meet at least one person also going on your program
13. Know a little about your hometown and your home university
• The locals are really interested in school rankings/school achievements and the special things that your school/your hometown is known for. 
14. Let your friends at home know you are going
15. Put your contact info in your carry-on, as well as anything else you might need if your bags got lost
16. Confirm your plane ticket 24 hrs in advance
17. Take a deep breath and don’t worry

OTHER TIPS

• Print the Chinese characters for HKUST (香港科技大學) on a slip of paper
• Pack this in your carry on in case your buddy doesn't show up or you're traveling alone. 
• I found that my taxi driver didn't understand "Hong Kong University of Science and Technology." The closest way of saying this in English is "Fo gae dai hok"
• Print out my post on getting Internet access once you've arrived at the dorms
• Notify your bank and credit card companies that you will be leaving the country so that they do not cancel or place holds on your account due to suspicious activity.
• At the same time, unlock your credit cards for international use. 
• Keep all receipts and record how much you spend, it will help you stick to your budget and you may need them for customs
• Make sure your wallet isn’t exposed—use fanny pack or neck/belt wallet
• I actually think that Hong Kong is very safe. The exchange students and I haven't had any terrible experiences that warranted extra caution; however, you'll definitely need to be more cautious if you intend to travel to Mainland China or anywhere else. 
• Don’t use ATM machines to pull out small amounts of money, it isn’t worth the fee
• Always have coins available, in case you need to pay to use a restroom or bus/taxi
• Shop around, the most expensive hostel or bus doesn’t necessarily mean the best quality.
• Frequently check your online bank account to make sure everything is in order

HKUST Scholarships and Financial Aid

Unfortunately, HKUST provides little to no financial aid for their exchange-in students, but you can see their list here:

http://sfao.ust.hk/scholarships/intro_in.html

If you live in the US, I highly recommend applying for federal student aid (FAFSA).

• Tips: Apply as early as you can. FAFSA submissions open January 1st and generally the earlier you apply, the more money you receive.
• Go to: http://www.fafsa.ed.gov/ to apply

If you happen to be a student in of the University of California schools, UC EAP has a great set of scholarships that you can apply for. I applied for the Duttenhaver scholarship and was awarded a $5,000 grant! If I can do it, anyone can do it too!

• http://eap.ucop.edu/Scholarships/Pages/UCEAPScholarships.aspx
• The only downside to this is that if you receive multiple awards from any of the scholarships organized through UC EAP, you'll only be able to accept one scholarship but the scholarship will be the one that gives you the highest amount. 

What Time Is It In Hong Kong?

Finding a Christian Church Near HKUST

Nearest in distance to HKUST:

Clearwater Bay International Baptist Church

• Worship Style: Traditional 
• Location: Clearwater Bay School, Clearwater Bay, Kowloon
• Access: About 600m walk from HKUST's southern bus stop
• Sunday Services:
• 9:45 am (Putonghua/Mandarin) 
• 9:45am (English Bible Study)
• 11:00am (English Service)
• Phone: (852) 2336-3448
• Website: http://www.cbibc.org/
• Directions: http://www.cbibc.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=17
• Sample Sermons: http://www.cbibc.org/index.php?option=com_docman&Itemid=36

Also Popular:

The Vine Church

• Worship Style: Contemporary non-denominational
• Location: 29 Burrows Street, Wanchai, Hong Kong
• Sunday Services:
• 9:15 am (English)
• 11:30 am (English)
• 4:00 pm (English)
• Phone: (852) 3527-6000
• Website: http://www.thevine.org.hk/
• Directions: http://www.thevine.org.hk/contact/directions/
• Sample Sermons: http://www.thevine.org.hk/category/podcast/

Other:

Kowloon International Baptist Church

• Worship Style: Traditional
• Location: 300 Junction Road, Kowloon Tong, Hong Kong
• Sunday Services:
• 9:30 am (English)
• 11:00 am (English)
• 
  
• Phone: (852) 2337-2555
• Website: http://www.hkkibc.org/
• If the website doesn't work, try their Facebook page.
• Sample sermons: http://www.youtube.com/channel/UCAMtShzyZO6lI0Ll25M4Qvg?feature=watch

Catholic:

Saint Vincent's Parish

• Location: DD 24, Lot 352, Hang Hau Road
• Access: 5 minute bus ride on the 11 from the northern busstop 
• Hours:
• Sunday 8:30 am (English Mass)
• Sunday 10:30 am (English Mass)
• Phone: 2719-8750 or 2719-9081
• Website: http://stvincent.catholic.org.hk/

Sacred Heart Church

• Location: Lot 1762, DD221, Yau Ma Po Street, Sai Kung Town, N.T.
• Access: 10 minute bus ride on the 12 from campus
• Hours:
• Sunday 9:00am (English)
• Sunday 7:45 (Cantonese)
• Sunday 10:30am (Cantonese) 
• Weekday 7:00am (Cantonese)
• Phone: 2792-2967 or 2792-0181
• Email: sacredheart@netvigator.com
• Website: http://shc.catholic.org.hk/

---

HKUST Student Fellowship Organizations:

Christian Community Fellowship (CCF)

• Notes: CCF is a Christian fellowship group that meets weekly on campus and is conducted in English. It is affiliated with the Clearwater Bay International Baptist Church (CDIDC) 
• Email: ccf.hkust@gmail.com

團契生活

• Notes: Not quite sure if they speak English in this fellowship.
• Email: su_cf@ust.hk

---

Other International Churches/English Ministries in Hong Kong

Click here to expand the full list.

1. Ambassador International Church
   We're an independent Christian church serving the English-speaking community in Hong Kong. Our emphasis is on Biblical teaching, worship, and helping people to follow Christ.
   www.ambassador.org.hk
2. Calvary Church Hong Kong
   Calvary is Full Gospel and Charismatic in both doctrine and practice, and is affiliated with Praise Chapel of California. The church was pioneered in February 1989 through street outreaches and a lot of hard work. God has richly blessed us, and currently membership is diverse, over 20 nationalities and counting! We would love for you to join us in worshipping God.
   www.calvaryhk.com
3. Catholic Diocese of Hong Kong
   The Catholic Church in Hong Kong, established in 1841, is under the leadership of Bishop Joseph Zen Ze-kiun with the assistance of 310 priests and 525 religious Sisters belonging to the diocese of Hong Kong and 45 religious or missionary societies. It has a Catholic population of about 230,000 and an average of 4,000 baptisms per year. Sunday religious services are offered in 97 places, and there are 314 Catholic schools and 63 various social service centres.
   www.catholic.org.hk
4. Church of All Nations (Lutheran)
   We thank you for visiting us here and sincerely hope we will meet you in person. The Church of All Nations (CAN) is an English speaking, international congregation and a member of the Lutheran Church (LCMS). CAN is a vibrant congregation of people, situated in an exciting part of God's world. CAN is located on the southern part of Hong Kong Island in Repulse Bay. It shares its grounds with the Lower and Upper Primary campuses of Hong Kong International School.
   www.churchofallnations-hongkong.org
5. City Church International
   We are a church that celebrates the grace of God knowing that it's what liberates us to become fully and uniquely what God intends us to be. Who know how to live life and enjoy it, and walk in rest while being established in the love and grace of God. City Church International Hong Kong - Where miracles happen!
   www.ccihk.com
6. Community Church Hong Kong
   We are an International, Inclusive, Multi-denominational, Christian Congregation which welcomes all people. We value tradition and creativity and honor the personal stories and talents of every participant. We aim to share the Good News of the Holy Scriptures and to challenge Hong Kong people to live life more fully by honoring God, following the Lord Jesus Christ, and seeking the guidance of the Holy Spirit in our Church, Community and World.
   www.communitychurch.hk
7. Emmanuel Church - Pokfulam
   Daughter Church of St. John's Cathedral. A friendly, inclusive, English speaking church in the Anglican tradition. Emmanuel Church - Pokfulam meets every Sunday at 10:15 a.m. at: Bethanie, 139 Pokfulam Road, Pokfulam, Hong Kong. The congregation come from a variety of backgrounds and denominations. People of all church backgrounds, or even no church background, are welcome.
   www.emmanuel.org.hk
8. Evangelical Community Church
   The church is an interdependent organism that makes relationships its priority. We use four key words to define our relational identity. Our mandate is to prepare people for God in Hong Kong and beyond, through the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
   www.ecchk.org
9. Faith Community Church
   Faith Community Church is an inter-denominational, international English speaking church. We warmly welcome people of all ages and from every background to worship with us.
   www.faithcommunitychurch.org.hk
10. First Church of Christ, Scientist (Hong Kong)
    This church is one of many branches of The Mother Church, the First Church of Christ, Scientist, in Boston, U.S.A.
    members.hknet.com/~cschurch
11. Grace Evangelical Church
    A Chinese Evangelical church located in North Point, in the Eastern district of Hong Kong Island. The church was founded sixteen years ago and has a wide-range of Christian fellowships for all ages. Their mother church is the Shau Kei Wan Evangelical church.
    www.graceec.com
12. International Baptist Church of Hong Kong
    Our calling to live the Christ life is not a one time choice, but moment by moment living by faith in Jesus Christ through the power of the Holy Spirit. When people come in contact with IBC members living the Christ life, they should smell the aroma of Christ and see the light of His word. It doesn't take a university or a theological degree to live the Christ life. Therefore, we at IBC are wholly devoted to helping you live the Christ life to the glory of God. We want to help you live joyfully in the midst of any circumstance that you have in your life.
    www.ibc.org.hk
13. International Christian Assembly
    We have a number of worship services on Sunday and meetings during the week that are conducted in English, Cantonese, Filipino, Thai, Sri Lankan and Indonesian.
    www.icahk.org
14. Island Baptist Church
    We are an English-speaking international church. We are also a local independent Baptist Church. We are not a perfect church. Frankly, we need each other to fulfil God’s will for our lives. God has given each and everyone of us spiritual gifts to be used to build up His people. We are to be an encouragement to one another and provoke one another to a better walk with God.
    www.islandbaptist.com.hk
15. Island Evangelical Community Church
    We believe in building an authentic community of believers that are truly excited about service, fellowship, and living for Jesus Christ. Here at Island ECC, our desire is to see the body of Christ growing in Hong Kong.
    www.islandecc.hk
16. Kowloon International Baptist Church
    Kowloon International Baptist Church (KIBC) has English-language services every Sunday and Wednesday. We have many ministries and activities throughout the week to involve every member of your family. If you are looking for a church to visit, or if you are looking for a new church home, we hope that you will come and see us at KIBC.
    www.hkkibc.org
17. Lighthouse Ministries
    An International Church in the heart of Tsimshatsui, Hong Kong. A friendly fellowship emphasizing the teaching and studying of God's Word, that welcomes all races, all classes of people. The web site is packed with good Bible resources and other relevant resources to help you find what you need.
    www.lighthouseministries.hk , www.facebook.com/lhmhk
18. Methodist International Church
    We treasure our place within the Methodist Church, Hong Kong, as we seek to serve an international community in this place of Hong Kong, 'Asia's World City.' Our fellowship is made up of people from all over the world, who are either living in or visiting Hong Kong. Some come to Hong Kong for many years and have made Hong Kong their home; others are here on a more short-term basis. Some are from a Methodist background, most are not. We welcome people of any Christian background to worship and fellowship.
    www.hk-mic.org
19. Shatin Anglican Church
    We are an international and interdenominational community bound together by a common language (English), a common home (Hong Kong) and a common love for the Lord Jesus. Although nominally Anglican, less than 4% of the congregation have an Anglican background. Members come from a very wide range of denominational or pagan backgrounds.
    www.shatinchurch.org.hk
20. Sky City Church
    Sky City Church is a young and exciting international church in the centre of Hong Kong. Driven by a heart for worship, hunger for the Word and outreach into the community, Sky City Church is passionate to see the people of Hong Kong loved and cared for with the gospel.
    www.skycitychurch.com
21. Solomon's Porch
    A Christ-like family that seeks after God's heart, and transforms lives, communities and nations through the ministry of the Holy Spirit.
    www.solomonsporchhk.com
22. St. Andrew's Church (Anglican-Episcopal)
    A multi-cultural, international, English-speaking family church, blending the contemporary & traditional in Spirit-filled worship.
    www.standrews.org.hk
23. St. John's Cathedral
    Deeply rooted in the traditions of Anglicanism and yet at the same time exercising ministries which reach out into the wider life of the community, St. John's Cathedral is a much used and much loved building.
    www.stjohnscathedral.org.hk
24. The Vine
    An independent Christian Fellowship with an emphasis on contemporary worship, practical teaching, and ministry for the whole family.
    www.thevine.org.hk
25. Union Church Hong Kong
    An international, interdenominational church established in Hong Kong in 1844. The congregation is diverse in nationality and ethnicity, yet united in its dedication to spiritual growth and genuine support to its members and the larger community.
    www.unionchurchhk.org
26. Watermark Community Church
    Watermark Community Church, the daughter church of Island ECC, is an English-speaking international church seeking to impact Hong Kong in a powerful way through the life changing message of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. We have no denominational ties, and are committed to maintaining doctrinal purity, while being culturally relevant.
    www.watermarkchurch.hk 

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English/Non-English Churches in Kowloon and New Kowloon

Click here to expand the full list.

• C3 Church Hong Kong
• Jesus Lifehouse International Church Hong Kong (Hillsong family church in English/Cantonese)
• Hong Kong Indian Subh Samachar Fellowship
• Evangelical Community Church (ECC) (Kowloon Side)
• Every Nation Hong Kong, www.everynation.org.hk
• St. Andrew's Church (Kowloon)
• Calvary Church, Hong Kong
• Holy Trinity Cathedral, Hong Kong
• Christ Church, Hong Kong
• St. Mark's Church, Hong Kong
• Church of The Good Shepherd, Hong Kong
• Holy Carpenter Church, Hong Kong
• St. Barnabas' Church, Hong Kong
• Church of St. John The Baptist, Hong Kong
• Kindly Light Church, Hong Kong
• All Saints' Church, Hong Kong
• Kei Oi Church, Hong Kong
• Rosary Catholic Church (Kowloon), Hong Kong
• St. Thomas' Church, Hong Kong
• Truth Lutheran Church (Yaumatei), Hong Kong

HKUST Buddy Program

Before your arrival in Hong Kong, HKUST gives you the option of having a buddy to help you out at the airport and get you acquainted with the campus/the local city. You'll also be able to specify your buddy preference as male or a female.

About a month before school starts, they'll send you the buddy program activity sheet outlining the details of things to do with your buddy. Here's what my activity sheet looked like:

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Buddy Program Activity

- 8 September 2012 (Saturday) -

Meeting time: 10:30 am
Meeting Venue: LG4 Common Room, Lift 3

Program Rundown
10:30 am                       Welcome & Introduction
10:45 am                        Light Brunch
11:45 am                        Depart from HKUST
12:30 - 1:30 noon          Arrive at Stanley Market for LUNCH
                                       Students can choose their own from a wide variety of restaurants

1:30 - 2:45 pm               Visit the Bazaar & Beach

                                       Visit historic buildings at Stanley: Murray house, Police Station
2:45 pm                          Depart from Stanley Market
3:30 pm                          Arrive at Victoria Peak
3:30 - 5:30 pm                Free activity at peak
5:30 ~                             Leave the Peak to head to Central: Lan Kwai Fong, Hollywood Road, SOHO (Optional), etc.

* There will not be transport back down from the peak. Students are to take public transport home.

Details: Start off by visiting Stanley Market where students can shop and have lunch. Ride up to the Peak for a panoramic view of Hong Kong Island, Kowloon and the surrounding island.
What to Bring: Camera, Money
Lunch Options: Pepperonis, Saigon, Pickled Pelican, Pizza Express, Boathouse, Chung's Cuisine, etc.

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There were more buddies than exchange students this year, so some people were assigned two buddies instead of one. The GSO (Global Student Office) assigned me two girls (I requested girls), but for some reason the SBM (School of Business Management) also assigned me another buddy, one guy. I didn't mind having more buddies (more help!) but I just didn't want to be taking away someone else's opportunity for a buddy so I emailed both departments about it. Basically, it just seemed like they made a mistake but since they had already assigned three buddies to me, they weren't going to do anything about it.

My first buddy never emailed me or responded to any of my messages. My second buddy accompanied me until after the buddy activities were over, but never kept contact afterwards or took the initiative to acquaint me with the city. My third buddy, however, was great! He was really considerate and offered to pick me up at the airport and take me to IKEA to purchase bedding, hangers, and other dorm essentials. We also kept in contact throughout the semester. Most buddies will be really friendly and super helpful. You can expect them to offer to pick you up at the airport, help you with your octopus card and sim card, and also take you to IKEA as well.