Journal.
Originally for our essay-term paper of sorts on a school subject.***
CE GOES TO HONGKONG AND MACAU
By: April Ann Contrata De Guzman
At the thought of documenting our Field Trip that took place last January 26 to 28, I was like staring into the monitor for quite some time thinking, “Sure, it’s been fun and all and it’s been a blast. But.. where would I start? Which shall I include and which shall I not?” I was also happy because in a way it also means I have to relive the moments that we had back then. And yes, that is nice.
I was contemplating on doing this in a formal way of writing, or jot it down as random as my thoughts usually are. Apparently, I chose to do the latter. That way, my take on this subject requirement would be rather a little personal. I want anyone who would get to read this to see Hongkong and Macau through my own eyes. And this would not seem like a subject requirement for me after all.
So brace yourself as I take you with me on this three-day journey. Tara!
THE PLAN
It started as a joke during the second semester of our fourth year, “Halos di rin naman pala nagkakalayo ang gagastusin e, bakit di tayo mag-Hongkong para sa field trip natin?”. And then, almost in unison, the students are as if saying, “Why not?”. The Civil Engineering department has almost always been known to having the guts to make a difference. To stand out. And I, being a part of the said family, know that it is not merely to boast, but it is just a statement that you need not have a huge population to conduct such big engagements. It is more than just prestige, but unity, and boldness at its fullest. Moreover, it is a dream, not only for the department, but for the university as well.
THE PREPARATIONS
Passport and papers. The long pile of people from BulSU and was extended to the vicinity of the Department of Foreign Affairs office in Manila. “Kahit saan, sinusundan tayo ng mahabang pila.” But is definitely worth it once you have that booklet of gold with you. And it is just the start.
The journey of the approval papers for the trip to push through has been so long and bleary that putting it into details might actually make up one whole chapter of a book, given that if it is going to be published. Tears and tears have flowed while making decisions through the public’s prying eyes. It took a great deal of bravura to stand up amidst all of the hardships and move on. And at long last, after several bidding processes, it has been decided. The bidding has been won and the tour will be managed by the Manejkom Travel and Tours Agency headed by Mr. and Mrs. Evangeline Buenaventura.
“WE’LL TAKE TO THE SKY..”
“I just need to know you are okay.” Is a DM (Direct Message on Twitter) coming from my best friend that I read apparently when our group arrived from Hongkong after three days. Going back to the day when it was sent…
January 25th. Around 10:30ish.
I was crying myself to sleep, hoping to get to rest a bit before going to school for our early meet up that will take us, second batch, to the airport. I am, well, getting to emotional knowing that it is my first time to be away (literally and geographically) frommy family. I can’t stand the idea of missing a single late-night talk with my best friend, something that I have been used to every night. And still, my mind went like “Three days lang yan. Three days.” It will come quick. I can do it. I have the nerves and I can even go work abroad and still go on with it, my family would say.
January 26th.
You do not want to be late on your first overseas trip, do you? And yet, I was the last to arrive then. I do not know what took me so long but I made it, anyway. And around 1:30 am, we are off to NAIA Terminal 3.
With 51 of my mates and Kuya Alan with our professor Engr. Boietz and his wife, we took our 2-hr plane trip to Hongkong via Cebu Pacific at around 7:55 and landed safely in the Hong Kong International Airport few minutes earlier than the expected time of arrival.
NI HAO, HONGKONG!
The airport itself is such a sight. The view outside even offers a lot more. DAY 1 is when we first get to taste their local dishes when we had our lunch at China Star Seafood Restaurant. I didn’t even realize that I have eaten a precious jellyfish, not until the third day when we got this brochure from a lady on the street sporting their local delicacies.
It may not be as tasty as our own dishes, but it is not that bad, as how the others will describe it, as far as I can think. In fact, I might have actually enjoyed drinking ‘hot’ water, instead of the usual cold ones. And, it is also cool being able to try different tasting-food once in a while.
HELLO, MICKEY MOUSE!
Being on a foreign country without any assurance of when to be able to comeback, we decided to try the ones that we ‘don’t’ have in our country yet. One of which is visiting Hongkong Disneyland. Some says it is for the kids. I say, we all have been kids once, yeah? And we will forever be kids at heart. And I surely loved wandering through the streets of, for sure, most of the children have dreamt of actually walking in.
THE LAS VEGAS OF ASIA
If I have to choose on what is going to be my favorite part of the trip, as Dora would usually ask, it has to be the whole day that we had in Macau during our second day of tour. It has even more pleasing structures and buildings that are definitely worth a second look. Our tour guide, Elsa, also made us feel at home and she did her job really well at informing us about how Macau is established from how the place is a part of China to the abundantly and flourishing state that it is right now. Also, on how Macau differs from Mainland China.
If you really love the architectural, this is the place for you. I hate to say but this is even better than Hongkong building-wise. I see those in Hongkong as plain high-rise structures. It is pleasing to the eyes to see variations in Macau.
One of the highlights of this Macau day tour is when we get to visit the prestigious Venetian Hotel, the best of its kind. Only there will you see a vast area of casino inside a very nice hotel. Only there will you see a false sky inside a hotel that seemed real, which has highly reminded me of the Great Hall in the Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry in the Harry Potter films.
The other would be being in sky-high, literally! Being on the top of the world! Well, sort of. It is where the Macau Tower is in, where you could have a quick view of the city as a whole. It was such a surreal experience being thousands of feet up there. I can’t forget the feeling of dread and excitement standing on the glass-like part where you could see what’s beneath you. It was sure a hell of experience. What’s added to the fun is meeting fellow Filipinos who are actually working there up in the tower. We did not even recognize them at first, but yes, they sure were happy to see us. It is that invisible tie that connects us all even if we do not really know each other personally. It is the hospitality that is evident even from a place like that. It is the Filipino heart.
The food here is great, if I must add. One thing about this trip is that they would never allow us to starve. We always eat on time. We may not always like the dishes, but still. Every effort is very well appreciated. We ate at buffets and met a couple of Filipinos in there just like in the Tower. Filipinos are everywhere, indeed and they are very warm, like always. It is something that we should all be proud of.
The ferry ride back to Hongkong is such a disturbing trip. The waves kept us awake for an hour and most of us (or is it just me?) almost pass out. I almost got sea sick, if that is even possible. I was dead tired I slept and retired early while most are probably awake and enjoying the four-star hotel’s, Regal Riverside that is, facilities.
DAY 3 – INTO THE STREETS OF HONGKONG
It is our last day in Hongkong, and sure it went by real fast and yet we had the best out of it. We were able to do our shopping spree and millions of photographs were taken. Here are memories that for sure will be inculcated in our minds until our last breath.
Being a student of the engineering field, it is very inspiring to get to visit places like this, places which are structurally well-developed. It is an event that has opened our little minds to a lot of new ideas and innovations that we can apply on our future jobs. It is an experience that I would not trade for anything, for it has been very fruitful and worth every peso, even more than that we have paid for. It is an experience that will always result to a smile upon the memory.
PARTING WORDS
John Maxwell once has said that if we are growing, we're always going to be out of our comfort zone. Indeed this whole trip is about being out there, living the dream, daring to grow. It has been surreal and yet it is true. And now we’re back in the Philippines, armed with the learning and experiences that we have acquired from the three day trip. All is well. All is, indeed, well.
thanks for the post )) loved it
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Wow. Thank you :)
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