They met a bunch of my HK buddies (including my roommates) and got to see my apartment and office. Additionally, I took them to some of my favorite parts of town. It was an absolute delight for the three days they were here, and I will always look back on their visit with awesome memories.
Funnily enough, the day after they left, walking down a street near my apartment, I passed a young woman who was a dead ringer for another one of my friends from Villanova. Luckily I decided to take a chance of making myself look foolish— incredulously crying out "Callie?"—and sure enough it was her! What are the chances that I would randomly pass a friend from the States on a side street in Hong Kong?!? As it turns out, Callie was here on business for a couple of days, and she will be back again in the early fall! Funny how things like that happen, isn’t it?
The weather has also improved dramatically since my last post. (That is, until this morning—but more on that later.) Although it was never actually cold in Hong Kong by East Coast standards, we still like to consider the months of January through May to be chilly, especially when compared to the summer. For the past three weeks, perfect sunshine has constantly shone down on us from above, and summer is in full swing. I’ve spent most of my free time outside, at al fresco restaurants, in parks and, of course, on any number of Hong Kong’s forty public beaches! All the years before I came here, I never realized that Southeast Asia has some of the world’s best beaches, but I found it out pretty quickly after I arrived.
There are perfectly nice beaches within a ten minute taxi or bus ride of my apartment, and then there are the less-accessible-but-absolutely-stunning beaches slightly further out. Although they can be difficult to get to, the upside to your effort is a pristine, nearly-deserted beach, several of which feature caves, natural pools and even waterfalls.
A quick stop at Balalaika, a Russian ice bar in Lan Kwai Fong, with some newly made friends
The weather has also improved dramatically since my last post. (That is, until this morning—but more on that later.) Although it was never actually cold in Hong Kong by East Coast standards, we still like to consider the months of January through May to be chilly, especially when compared to the summer. For the past three weeks, perfect sunshine has constantly shone down on us from above, and summer is in full swing. I’ve spent most of my free time outside, at al fresco restaurants, in parks and, of course, on any number of Hong Kong’s forty public beaches! All the years before I came here, I never realized that Southeast Asia has some of the world’s best beaches, but I found it out pretty quickly after I arrived.
There are perfectly nice beaches within a ten minute taxi or bus ride of my apartment, and then there are the less-accessible-but-absolutely-stunning beaches slightly further out. Although they can be difficult to get to, the upside to your effort is a pristine, nearly-deserted beach, several of which feature caves, natural pools and even waterfalls.
One of Hong Kong's many beaches—on Cheung Chau Island
One of the most popular Hong Kong weekend activities is to hire a junk (that’s local slang for any sort of boat) for a large group of friends. You sail around the island, have the opportunity to participate in water sports and can get the boat to take you to some of these hidden beaches. As in many parts of the world, summer is an especially wonderful time to be young and in Hong Kong.
I am still making new friends out here as the months go by, but I have gotten particularly close with my two roommates—both of whom have arrived at the end of their time in Hong Kong. Julian, who has been my roommate since the day I moved out of my first serviced apartment, is heading back to Germany over the weekend. Guillaume, my French roommate who I got especially close with since I got back from London, goes home to Paris tomorrow evening. Still, I know I have good friends in Europe next time I pass through. And, believe it or not, a Swiss guy named Alex (who I have not met yet) will move into Guillaume’s room tomorrow!
Work-wise, I passed my fourth licensing exam in less than one year yesterday afternoon. On July 30th it will be one full year since passing the Series 7 in New York, followed by the Series 24 in August, and now two Hong Kong licensing exams since my arrival. As with each previous exam, it feels great to be done! I’m told this time there will be no further future tests, but, understandably, I am not so sure I believe that.
I am also building up some of my first accounts, including one client who handed me a very nice trade a few weeks back. (In fact, that one single trade was larger than the entire collective history of my trades since I started work!) Hopefully, as accounts like these develop, I will start trading more and more frequently.
I think I wrote in my last entry of the imminent arrival of my mother, a New York City public schoolteacher bent on spending the summer in Southeast Asia. She has now been here for three weeks already, and the time has flown! It’s been a bit of a challenge at times balancing work and playing tour guide, but it’s really been a phenomenal few weeks. Exhausting to be sure, but well worth it, and full of great memories.
She has seen so much, and although she is still overwhelmed by the crowds and heat, I know she is enjoying getting to known Hong Kong. She can get around on her own now, and she is starting to understand the currency exchange rate. It’s actually been fun to see her slowly adjust.
Still, I need a bit of a break!! That is why I deliberately made plans to leave my mother behind in Hong Kong and head to Bangkok for a weekend, to meet up with Jamie, a fellow VSB graduate from the Class of 2009. Jamie works for Deutsche Bank, and he is in the middle of his three month international rotation in Singapore. I am going to try to book a weekend down there before he leaves, and he has already set his plans up for a Hong Kong trip in August, but our first meeting in Asia will take place in Bangkok, where we will meet on Friday evening.
I met Jamie way back at the beginning of my time at ‘Nova. In fact, I recall sitting in the fourth floor lounge of St. Monica on our first rainy Saturday doing AlcoholEDU with him and other friends. Who would have ever guessed back then that a few years down the road, we’d be riding elephants through the River Kwai!?!
Since I have only passed through the Bangkok airport and never actually ventured outside, I am very much looking forward to getting to know another Asian capital, and, of course, it will be good to see my old friend.
But—as I hinted at earlier in this entry—summertime in Southeast Asia also brings with it typhoons. In addition to the seemingly unbearable humidity, endless stream of sunny days and leisurely junk cruises, there are also massive tropical storm systems that pop in and out of the region on a regular basis. Last Friday, for the first time since my arrival, the official “Typhoon Signal T-1” was hoisted for Typhoon Conson, which ravaged the Philippines but spared Hong Kong. "T-1" is the first warning signal, and it merely informs the public that a typhoon is centered within eight-hundred-or-so kilometers of the SAR.
The second signal is “T-3” and it has just been hoisted this afternoon for the first time since I got here! Severe Tropical Storm Chanthu is about four hundred kilometers south-southwest of us right now, and the wind and rain is expected to pick up! I am almost embarassingly excited about experiencing my first typhoon in Hong Kong.
After “T-3” comes the highly anticipated “T-8” warning signal, at which point the city literally shuts down. Like a snow day at Villanova, everything comes to a standstill. Even the financial markets will close, and we have the day off from work—an expat’s snow day! Hopefully Chanthu is flash in the pan and well past Hong Kong by Friday afternoon when I fly to Thailand. But I still can't help hoping it strengthens overnight and we awake to a "T-8" come the morning!
I am still making new friends out here as the months go by, but I have gotten particularly close with my two roommates—both of whom have arrived at the end of their time in Hong Kong. Julian, who has been my roommate since the day I moved out of my first serviced apartment, is heading back to Germany over the weekend. Guillaume, my French roommate who I got especially close with since I got back from London, goes home to Paris tomorrow evening. Still, I know I have good friends in Europe next time I pass through. And, believe it or not, a Swiss guy named Alex (who I have not met yet) will move into Guillaume’s room tomorrow!
Work-wise, I passed my fourth licensing exam in less than one year yesterday afternoon. On July 30th it will be one full year since passing the Series 7 in New York, followed by the Series 24 in August, and now two Hong Kong licensing exams since my arrival. As with each previous exam, it feels great to be done! I’m told this time there will be no further future tests, but, understandably, I am not so sure I believe that.
I am also building up some of my first accounts, including one client who handed me a very nice trade a few weeks back. (In fact, that one single trade was larger than the entire collective history of my trades since I started work!) Hopefully, as accounts like these develop, I will start trading more and more frequently.
I think I wrote in my last entry of the imminent arrival of my mother, a New York City public schoolteacher bent on spending the summer in Southeast Asia. She has now been here for three weeks already, and the time has flown! It’s been a bit of a challenge at times balancing work and playing tour guide, but it’s really been a phenomenal few weeks. Exhausting to be sure, but well worth it, and full of great memories.
On my mom's first full day in Asia, I took her to dim sum at Lin Heung Tea House where she made a local friend!
A visit to Victoria Peak
Jumbo margaritas on the Top Deck
Holding on for dear life on a choppy sampan ride from Aberdeen
I met Jamie way back at the beginning of my time at ‘Nova. In fact, I recall sitting in the fourth floor lounge of St. Monica on our first rainy Saturday doing AlcoholEDU with him and other friends. Who would have ever guessed back then that a few years down the road, we’d be riding elephants through the River Kwai!?!
Since I have only passed through the Bangkok airport and never actually ventured outside, I am very much looking forward to getting to know another Asian capital, and, of course, it will be good to see my old friend.
But—as I hinted at earlier in this entry—summertime in Southeast Asia also brings with it typhoons. In addition to the seemingly unbearable humidity, endless stream of sunny days and leisurely junk cruises, there are also massive tropical storm systems that pop in and out of the region on a regular basis. Last Friday, for the first time since my arrival, the official “Typhoon Signal T-1” was hoisted for Typhoon Conson, which ravaged the Philippines but spared Hong Kong. "T-1" is the first warning signal, and it merely informs the public that a typhoon is centered within eight-hundred-or-so kilometers of the SAR.
The second signal is “T-3” and it has just been hoisted this afternoon for the first time since I got here! Severe Tropical Storm Chanthu is about four hundred kilometers south-southwest of us right now, and the wind and rain is expected to pick up! I am almost embarassingly excited about experiencing my first typhoon in Hong Kong.
After “T-3” comes the highly anticipated “T-8” warning signal, at which point the city literally shuts down. Like a snow day at Villanova, everything comes to a standstill. Even the financial markets will close, and we have the day off from work—an expat’s snow day! Hopefully Chanthu is flash in the pan and well past Hong Kong by Friday afternoon when I fly to Thailand. But I still can't help hoping it strengthens overnight and we awake to a "T-8" come the morning!
With the stunning backdrop of Hong Kong's skyline on a crystal clear summer's day
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