Catch my breath, and give my thanks. Fin.

Deep breath in

Deep breath out...

On the bus ride to the Hong Kong International airport, I was feeling numb to emotions. Two friends helped me with my luggages to the bus stop on Shatin. A41 swung by in just a couple minutes and before we could exchange proper farewells, I was rushed on the bus. And just like that, there was no turning back. Feeling incomplete, unsatisfied, and detached, I was on a one-way track out of Hong Kong, my home for the past four months. During the 12-hour flight the only feelings I remember were from watching two romantic comedies ("Eat, Love, Pray" and "Flipped") and sleeping uncomfortably between two men. Meanwhile, I have flown smoothly across the ocean to this familiar piece of land... With my brother at the the wheel and me on shotgun, the way home from SFO felt safe and familiar without any effort. Now two hours later, here I am: jet-lagged, semi-sick, eyes swollen, heart already aching, and suffering from withdrawal.

I am trying to get myself to wrap my mind around the fact that my Hong Kong experience is now permanently "just a memory". My time there is over. It's all there, but I'm not. My goodness, how can this be? That I am already dreading the routines, the familiar roads and restaurants and neighbors, unpacking my things, and for the first time in half a year, be "settled down". As the exchange students at CUHK leave one by one, I imagined in my head them dragging their feet behind them and returning to this flat, desaturated, world of nothing but hard mean Reality. What a strange feeling... Nothing has changed at home - not even the cereal I bought after coming back from UCSD in June and left on the kitchen counter. I feel like I am moving in this motionless time-space dis-reality. I want to see the people that have grown and change with me. But they are in Korea, in Thailand, in Japan, in Taiwan, in Hong Kong... And I have no idea when is the next time I will see them again. Oh I know, I am being pessimistic and over-dramatic. But I just can't help it!

I knew the time would come, but I always knew I would not take it well. Haha.

It's hard to describe my life and my world in Hong Kong. It was different in so many ways to my life in San Diego. Besides the cheap deals, delicious food, convenient MTR system, beautiful campus, the amazing city, there are many people I will miss immensely... Oh no :( I always get most touchy and teary-eyed when it comes to leaving friends. But hey, I have been strong so far (and have only cried once, half an hour ago). I did not expect much when I went to Hong Kong. I arrived at CUHK with an open-mind and open-heart, and I left with so much more.

Lu, Ki Gin, Hyeon Jeong, Hui Ning - I feel so fortunate to have met such genuinely kind, beautiful, and intelligent girls. <3!

Yuma, Lisa, Mia, Nanami, Joanne, Angela, Coco, Alice - you girls are so sweet, and so hilarious. I will remember our times together, always.

Melissa and Leslie, I cannot be more grateful that Hong Kong (and Korea) has brought us together. The three of us during our sugar-highs is definitely a dangerous sight... haha. I love it. I feel so relieved (you have no idea) that I will see you soon... hooray!

Tina, after meeting you at the Chung Chi bus stop, I believe even more in fate! How can such a perfect friendship just fall into place when you least expect it?

Yu You, any mushy words would just be too embarrassing to say about you. Just, Thanks for being a bud ;)

Penny and Bruno, I cannot express in words how much your friendships mean to me. I will never forget the fateful days in September 2010 when Teresa met a hungry Penny outside Shaw Can, and when Teresa met Bruno at the Chinese Language Center. But no need to go into details, you know. J

This is not Goodbye cause friendships like ours never deteriorate! I can't wait for our paths to meet again. J

Good times come and good times go. And good times always come back around! I will seal these memories of Hong Kong at the bottom of the heart. Thank you, thank you, whoever or whatever for showing me so much this past semester. Being back I may not be smarter, harder-working, nicer, or less flawed, but I have learned so much, and am thankful for that times a billion! It's something I won't be able to entirely explain to my friends at home, but something that I will value and treasure myself forever. <3!

I am proud to say, I don't regret a thing. J

Cambodia: Siam Reap & Phnom Penh

Hello everyone! I won't go into much detail about my recent travels to Vietnam and Cambodia since there are so many photos to go through and upload. Those of you back in the States, I will tell you more stories as I see you. And my friends from Hong Kong... the time has finally come! I can hardly believe it, but I will be flying home in just one more day. Whether you are staying in HK for another semester or returning to your own countries, I wish you all the best from the bottom of my heart! 

Mommy and Baba as we cross the border from Vietnam to Cambodia for a 3-day tour. Dad was born in Vietnam and Mom in Cambodia, and this was the first time they brought me back to their hometowns (30+ years after leaving the country as refugees). According to them, nothing is the same anymore! Imagine the differences 10 years from now, huh? 

Heeey there cutieee!!!

Growing up with my dad as chef of the household, I have acquired a taste for Southeast Asian foods. So the food in Cambodia and Vietnam calls out "home" to me. So yummy! 

oooh, the fresh fruit is to die for! Cambodia is so lush and tropical, everything grows in that soil! 

Since Dad booked a local tour in Vietnam, the tour was conducted in Vietnamese, so I didn't understand a thing! So I slept even more than usual on bus tours, and took pictures from my window seat J

Houses in the countryside as we were driving to Siem Reap. Lots of cows and lotus ponds. The houses were all raised up from the ground with poles to prevent bugs etc. from getting inside. 

Family photo (minus lil bro who opted out from traveling) at an old bridge in Siem Reap, Cambodia

Horses by a pond, on our way to Angkor Wat

Inside on the of the many temples of Angkor Wat.  We were lucky that the weather was on our side!  The warmth and sunshine was a nice contrast from the recently cold foggy mornings of Hong Kong. 

The details everywhere were amazing. And the huge structures in Angkor Wat were even more amazing! And to think these were all built during the 12th century!

Haha, Dad fell for a tourist trap! It's sad, but tourism is the largest source of income for the country. As a consumer, we were fueling their economy! There people make a living in every and any way possible in order to survive... it gives me chills when kids (ranging from 5-15 years old) look me in the eyes and practically beg for me to buy something worth less than one USD. 

They swarmed my dad when he finally gave in a bought some handicrafts from them.

They are expert stalkers. When you arrive at a tourist destination, there are kids who secretly take pictures of you as you are posing in front of an attraction. Then when you are about to leave, they show up at your bus with a printed and framed photo of you and offer it for a dollar!

Wahh, the tree has seen so much in its lifetime! :)

:( One of the saddest parts of my trip was when we visited a really poor village. The older people there escaped the country during the war, but when they tried to return to their homes after the Khmer Rouge, the government would not give them the documents they lost and needed. They have no identities! They're children have no identities! They can't go to public schools or get a real job. And the generations after them will be no different.
I had never felt more hopeless in my life. 

The village is on the water, so we took a boat tour around it. Families, entire families (since they had nothing more productive to do with their time), would row by and beg for money. The dad would row, the mom would carry the babies, the kids would cry and beg. 

The boat dropped us off to donate some food to the local "school". No school materials were in sight. They kids were well-behaved. They welcomed us and sang a thank you song in unison. And as we left, we saw a few sprinting off to play. As rehearsed as it felt, there was nothing I could do, and it was least painful to leave ignorant... we did a good deed, didn't we?

The classic Angkor Wat picture. Definitely worth the trip to see it in person. It will blow you away!

Have you seen "In the Mood for Love" directed by Wong Kar Wai? It is said that people would whisper their deepest darkest secrets into the holes of the walls of Angkor Wat and stuff the hole with dirt to seal them. 

Each face has a different smile and personality

Waiting for the sunset...

FRIED SPIDERS! And you thought anything fried would be appetizing.

x[

Ooo, that's much more suitable to my tastes :d

Mom used to live there, 35 years ago!

The Royal Palace in Phnom Penh

See the monks in orange? Every male in Cambodia must be a monk at least once in their lives to show gratitude for their parents and for life. Instead of mandatory military service, haha. Interesting huh? 

I <3 DESSERTS! 

The classic banana-coconut milk dessert on the left is soooo good. Fried taro chips, fried banana, and exotic fruits (minus the slice of watermelon).