Tuesday, August 27, 2013

Connecting to the Internet/Wifi in HKUST's Dorms

When you arrive at your HKUST dorm, you should have a sheet of instructions taped or pinned to a desk bulletin board guiding you through the internet connecting process.

 If you're anything like me, you'll probably struggle to connect to the Wifi and perhaps you'll slowly start to realize one of the following:

  • You've moved into your dorm early and won't be able to ask advisor about the Internet until orientation, a few days before school starts. 
  • You've gone on to asking random staff members around your hall for help, but for some reason you can't get a straight answer out of them.
  • Your plan to mingle with locals suddenly seems far too intimidating and better left for another day when you're much less vulnerable.
  • You might be technologically challenged.
  • You've read the instructions ten times and each time you've asked yourself, "What the heck is an ITSC account?!"
Fear no more! Here's what you have to do to: 
  1. Activate your HKUST ITSC account.
    • Either go online to the ITSC Activation Website
    • OR go to an "Express Station" and click the button for "Enquiry for Student A/C'
    • Enter your HKUST student ID number and your HK ID or your birth date
    • Click submit
    • You'll be asked to create a new password for your ITSC account, but you can also just stick with the default. 
  2. Follow the instructions posted on the bulletin board in your room, or, read them online here.
  3. Sign into sMobileNet with your new ITSC info
    • Your ITSC user should be the first part of your assigned HKUST email address
    • For example: johndoe@stu.ust.edu
      • Here, johndoe would be your ITSC username and your ITSC password would be whatever you created it to be. 
  4. Congratulations! You should now be connected to the Internet!

Connecting via Ethernet:

For more help, you can contact:
 Student Consultation
 Barn B (Rm 1101),
 Academic Concourse
 cchelp@ust.hk

 Staff Consultation
 Service Desk,
 Rm 2012, Lift 2 
 2358 6200
 cchelp@ust.hk



Wednesday, July 24, 2013

Giving Gifts and Receiving Gifts in Hong Kong


If you're lucky, some buddies will invite you over to their homes during special holidays like Chinese New Year's or the Mid-Autumn Festival. Know that an invitation to a home or a family gathering is an extremely rare and special privilege. Hong Kong homes are very small, so having an extra person over (and a stranger at that!) is a big deal. Show your respect to the family by bringing a gift to the hosts!

In general, the more expensive the event is for the host, the more substantial your gift should be. Bringing something is always better than bringing nothing at all.

Gift Ideas:
  • Boxed cookies or a cake from any Hong Kong pastry shop
    • The Ko Kei Bakery makes really great phoenix egg rolls, cookies, and crackers from Macau that make for nicely boxed for gifts. 
    • Fresh fruit cakes and pastries can be bought at any bakery in Hong Kong

A small cake or dessert type item would be positively received.

  • Fruit
    • Usually appropriate for more informal dinners or if you are closer to the host family.
  • Something unique from your home country/state
  • Trail mix, nuts, or vitamins for older people
    • These are really expensive in Hong Kong. Especially macadamia nuts! If you can purchase them from your home country, sharing them with the host family or even local students will be really special. 
    • Chocolate covered nuts or fruit would also be something special you can bring.
  • In general, good gifts when visiting a home are the ones that the entire family can use.

For Weddings only:
  • Give a red envelope with money, instead of a gift.
  • Make sure the chinese characters on the red envelope does not have Chinese New Year phrases written on them
    • Chinese New Year Envelopes typically say: 新年快樂 or 恭喜發財
    • A long vertical red envelope with the double happiness characters "喜喜" is the most traditional for weddings.
  • The dollar amount ranges from $500 HKD minimum to around $1000 HKD minimum
  • Generally:
    • $500 HKD min. - Regular Chinese restaurant
    • $1000 HKD min. - Hotel banquet hall and/or if they are your good friend
  • Use crisp, new, and unfolded bills.
A red envelope with the double happiness characters "喜喜" 


General Gift Giving Etiquette
  • Give the gift with both hands for politeness
  • Remove the price tag
  • Boxed sets or nicely packaged items are more appreciated. Gift bags or wrapping paper will take you further if you want to make the best impression.
  • Either present the gift to the individual personally in private or, to the whole group/family.
    • It may be taken as rude if you try to give a gift to only one person in front of everyone else.
  • Eight is a lucky number. Whenever possible, especially for money, quantities of eight are the best.
  • If a card will be included, never use a red pen to write your message.

Receiving Gifts
  • Receive gifts with both hands for politeness
  • Do not open the gift immediately. 
  • If a family takes you out to dinner, you will not be expected to pay. However, you can make sure to show a little modesty by offering to pay for the whole dinner or to chip in for your share. 



What Not To Do:
  • Never give a gift in quantities of four because it the number four sounds like "death" in Chinese.
  • Don't give sharp objects, clocks, handkerchiefs, green hats, straw sandals, bells, or cut flowers.
  • Don't wrap gifts with white, black, or blue because it represents mourning.

Arriving at HKUST: What to Buy, What to Do


If you were assigned an exchange buddy to help you out, your buddy will probably take you to IKEA and also suggest the things that they think you'll need. It would be best to buy these as soon as possible after your arrival.

Here are a few things that you should pick up in the city as soon as you get the chance. Your buddy will probably have a list of suggestions ready for you but just in case he/she doesn't, feel free to use what I have below as a general guideline.

1. Octopus card
  • You'll be able to use this card for the MTR, public buses, and grocery markets, convenience stores and even our school cafetera. 
  • First, go to any MTR station and ask for the Student Octopus form. Fill it out, have the school give you the required stamp from the Academic Records and Registration Office, and return the form the nearest MTR station. For convenience, I recommend checking "Hang Hau" or "Choi Hong" as the preferred pick up location. 
  • You'll be paying $90 HKD up front for the student octopus card. $20 HKD for non-refundable admin. fees and a $50 HKD dollar deposit.
  • After you return the form, ask for a temporary student octopus so you can use it while the card processes. 


2. Sim Card and/or Cell phone
  • If you don't have a cell phone that works with a sim card, you can purchase a cheap cell phone in Hong Kong. I've heard that data plans are also available for those who want it. 
3. Pillows, blankets, bed sheets
  • Your buddy will probably take you to the Ikea in Kowloon Bay to buy cheap dorm essentials. If you don't have a buddy to show you how to get there, go to http://www.ikea.com/hk/en/store/kowloon_bay for directions. The easiest way is to take the MTR to Kowloon Bay Station, Exit A, and take the free Megabox shuttle bus just outside of Telford Plaza II.
4. Cups, bowls, cutlery (Or borrow from dining hall)
  • Once you start missing food from home, you'll start buying things to eat from the campus grocery store (called the Park N' Shop). Case in point: Cereal and milk, PB&J sandwiches, fruit. 
5. Handsoap, dishwashing sponge
  • I never used the soap they provided in the Hall V bathrooms because the soap dispenser was always located right next to the dirty mop that the janitorial staff used to clean the toilets with. Plus, if you're in Hall V and you have a sink in your room, it's just nice to have some soap there because it can double as your soap for washing dirty dishes. 
  • The dishwashing sponge comes in handy for cleaning. Get one, it's cheap!
6. Tempo tissues
  • The Tempo brand is the local favorite. 4-ply portable tissue and toilet paper. It's strong, soft but not too soft, and you can't go wrong with an economy pack of these. 



7. Clothes hangers
  • It's cheap at Ikea! 
8. Student ID
  • You can get this during orientation, but I would get it earlier to avoid the crowd. Keep in mind that the day you go into the Academic Records and Registration Office to apply for your ID, you'll have your ID picture taken and printed immediately after.
9.  Towel, body wash, toiletries, toiletry basket/bag, bathroom slippers
  • The toiletry basket is useful for carrying your toiletries in and out of the shower. 
  • If you didn't bring flip flops, bathroom slippers are a must! The showers get unbelievably dirty, so it's better to protect yourself from foot fungus!


10. Laundry detergent, laundry hamper/bag
  • Hall V provides a red tub of free laundry detergent leftover from previous dorm tenants. All of the Hong Kong brand detergents will be unscented so if you're particular, go with the American brands like Tide.
  • Also, try and pick a hamper with stand attached to it because it'll make loading/unloading clothes easier from the tall dryers.  I recommend this cheap IKEA one named JÄLL:


11. Download HKUST's Path Advisor app.
  • For detailed instructions, see my post here