Jordan Hoy's Blog

Lamma Island

2010-03-28T23:17:00.000-07:00

Just last week, I got together with a bunch of fellow AFS exchange students and some local HongKongers and went to the beach. We took the ferry to Lamma Island. It was such a change from the city.. really remote and relaxing.

I made a youtube video, but I must warn you that I act extremely stupid in it.. Exchange students have the right to act as wild as they want when with one another, especially on a rural beach. haha
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My life in Hong Kong~ youtube video

2010-03-18T22:49:00.000-07:00

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I'm going to start Vlogging

2010-03-08T09:22:00.000-08:00

Vlogging= Video blogging

Well, I have to admit that I suck as a blogger... I havent posted anything since september. A LOT has happened since then, but from now on, I want to start new; make even more adventures. But this time, I plan to share some with you all.

I am too lazy when it comes to typing down my experiences, so I have planned to make videos on youtube instead. Me and my friend(who is in Spain this year) made a youtube channel and plan to post videos every week.

Here is my first Introduction video:

More to come,
Love/miss you all.
~Jordan

Article for Publication

2009-09-02T07:31:00.000-07:00

Nei de ho ma!?
Life in Hong Kong is moving on and I have been too busy to blog! (sorry..)
I have started school and many other things that I want to update you all!
Unfortunately, that will have to wait until next time, because I should be getting to bed..
Well, for now, hopefully this will suffice,

AFS sent all of the exchange students in Hong Kong an email with set questions we needed to answer.
This will possibly go into a local newspaper, if I understood correctly. I find that quite exciting!
Keep in mind, this probably isn't going to be in the published post.

Full name: Jordan Hoy 許逸仙
Age: 16
Gender: Male
Seattle, Washington
United States of America
Home country school: Roosevelt High School
Star Sign: Aquarius

1) Please describe the weather in your country.
The weather in my country differs between which region you are in. I live in the Northwest where the weather is usually very brisk and refreshing. The city I live in is known for its rainfall because it is trapped in between two mountain ranges. During the winter, if we are lucky enough, we receive a substantial amount of snow.

2) How would you describe the city where you live?
I live in a metropolitan city where different cultures are united. My hometown Seattle is located by the water and the mountains. The city life is focused on business and industry. In contrast to this, there are neighborhoods of houses and apartments that have a close bond of community. There is no subway system where I live and everyone pretty much drives everywhere.

4) How would you describe your school life?
My school life is decent. In my school, there are many subjects and electives that I get to choose from. The curriculum allows me to expand my creativity. However, I must admit that sometimes I feel that I am not challenged by the workload. Within the schools, teachers are often bitter and unenthusiastic to teach because their salaries are very low. Most students do not look forward to school and the only reason why they go is to see their friends.

5) How much time do you spend on your homework?
On average, I spend about an hour a day on homework. However, American schools often like to give the students large projects. With these collective assignments I, like the majority of the students, procrastinate until last minute. This results in an all-nighter of project work.

6) What’s your first language? What other languages can you speak?
My first language is English. I learned Spanish in school and I can hold out a conversation. My family originally speaks Toisanese and Cantonese, but over the generations our native tongue was lost in our family. Some of my aunts still speak Chinese, but I do not. (I am 4th generation Chinese and drastically Americanized) One of my motives for coming to Hong Kong was to regain my culture and language.

7) Where do you hang out with friends and what do you do with friends?
The typical ‘hanging out with friends’ normally consists of me coming over to my friend’s house or vise-versa. American teenagers like to go to the movies, go shopping, sports, etc. The life of a teenager is pretty universal. Occasionally, we like to go to school dances (formal and hip hop), which are usually followed up by a party. American parties are held either at someone’s house or in a local park.
8) What do you do in your free time?
During my free time, I study Cantonese, exercise, watch TV, friends, family, internet, sing karaoke, and other nameless things. When it comes to free time, I do not have much of it. I am usually preoccupied with housework, school, and babysitting my nephew.

9) Where do you go for holidays?
For the holidays, my family stays at home. I know that a lot of families in America have cabins or second homes for the holidays, but my family believes that the holidays are all about appreciating home and your family.

10) What do you eat for dinner? Do you have to cook?
For dinner, my family loves to eat out at restaurants. This is different from the typical family that always eats dinner at home (usually pasta or something). When we do eat at home I help my mom to cook. We usually prepare Chinese food (we are Chinese), but my mom also specializes in Creole(southern) and Japanese cuisine. Occasionally, I like to cook dinner for my family.

11) Do you have to do any housework?
Everyone in the house has their own job. The mom determines the duties of the house. My chores include dishes, yard work, babysitting, cleaning my room, watching after our dog, etc. Whatever my mom asks me to do, I do it.

12) What kind of clothes do you wear? And do you buy your own clothes?
I like to follow the trends of both Asian countries and western countries. Whatever I see as stylish, I’ll try to rock it. Right now, my style is skinny jeans and simple V-neck T-shirts. In America, plaid is all the rage (and often over worn). My mom often buys clothes for me, but if I am shopping with my friends, I purchase my own clothing.

13) Do you have any pet?
My family loves dogs. We use to have five dogs (I know, that’s a lot!). Now, we only have one. His name is Pinkerton (my sister named him) and he is three years old. He is a fat “Pug”.

14) Who􏰀s your favorite idol? Why?
My favorite idol is my mom. She is so strong and she taught me everything I know. Her values are core and she always thinks of others. He attitude is selfless and her outlook on life is smart and realistic. She has always believed in me and has pushed me to reach my dreams. Throughout my decision to come to Hong Kong, she has been nothing but supportive. I know that when I return home I will be grown up and a stronger individual to make my mom proud.

15) What􏰀s your favourite sport and why?
I have two favorite sports; soccer and running. I like soccer because I enjoy working as a team. I feel accomplished when we make a goal and it was all because we worked as a team. I enjoy running very much because it helps me relax and forget all of my worries. I use running as a type of therapy and it helps me focus on what really is important.

16) What do you like most about your country?
The thing I like most about my country is the diversity. America is a country composed of immigrants. Just like my great grandparents, different families migrated to this land of promise. They brought with them their culture and traditions. When these cultures and traditions are combined, then you get harmony.

17) How would you describe your personalities?
I would describe myself as outgoing and positive. My friends would say that I am a very funny person, but I do feel that it is necessary to be serious sometimes and focus on your goals.

18) What kind of music and movie do you like?
I like all kinds of music. Of course, I listen to the newest music on the radio, but the new music in America is repeated too many times. Lady Gaga was cool at first, but now it is just annoying. If I hear “Poker face” one more time, I’ll go crazy. In contrast to this, I enjoy my mother’s generation’s music. I like the 1970’s soul music.
At school dances, we mostly dance to hip hop and rap music. This type of music is not really my favorite, but it is fun to dance to.

19) How would you describe teenagers in your country in general?
Teenagers in my country are individuals. On the most part, they enjoy being different than one another and have their own personal style. Each and everyone of us has a different cultural background.

20) What do you want to do in the future?
I do not entirely know the answer to this question, for the future changes. After I get my education (from university and such), I want a large family and I want to live my success through my family. I want to pass down my culture and love to my children.

21) What􏰀s the most important festival in your country? How do you
celebrate it?
The most important American festival is Thanksgiving. We usually make a lot of food and have a family dinner. This celebration is to be grateful for what we have and to celebrate family.

22) Have you travelled to other places?
I have only traveled to the US neighboring countries. I have been to Mexico and Canada. Within the US, I have stayed on the west coast and I have visited Hawaii once. Each place was beuitiful in its own way.

23) Have you been to Hong Kong? If so, when was it? What do you think
about HK?
I have never been to Hong Kong.
So far, I LOVE it here. It feels like a really really really big authentic China town.

Shopping Paradise

2009-08-24T17:02:00.000-07:00

Shopping.

If there is one thing that Hong-Kongers know how to do, it is shop. This rigorous activity is the favorite among the majority of the population. The act itself requires a lot of skill and perseverance; one must carry poise throughout the store, pretending that they do not want to buy every single thing in the store.

This week, all the exchange students have Cantonese lessons in the morning. These classes are located in Wan Chai and while we are all down there, we might as well practice the HK ancient art of shopping. Everything here is pretty well priced. For instance, I bought a "I <3 HK" T-shirt for only about $3.5USD. I had to resist purchasing more than I needed.

I love asian stuff: it's as simple as that. Hong Kong style seems to be very similar to the States, but with an asian flare. I have noticed that they tend to follow the Japanese trends. One of my goals t"his week is to buy a "HK-style" watch. Pretty much all of the Hong Kong teenagers have watches, normally the brand "G-SHOCK. They look so stylish on their wrists, coming in a variety of colors.

In all honesty, this blog could go on forever. There are malls on pretty much every corner of the street. The neon lights evoke excitement and as I enter the store, the salesperson greets me in Cantonese (they think I am from Hong Kong or mainland). They speak Cantonese so fast and I do not understand, so I just nod*. Hopefully this method will not get me in any trouble.

Sorry I am all over the place in this entry,
I'm leaving the house soon for the MTR,
-Jordan Hoy

I'm in Hong Kong!!!

2009-08-23T01:11:00.001-07:00

Nei Ho!
Hey, I just arrived in Hong Kong about 3 days ago!
I would have updated earlier, but there was no internet access at the AFS camp.

The flight was really long; fourteen hours! I was going crazy.. (I'm the type of person who cannot sit in one place for a long time.) I'm glad I'm not the only American this year because that way, I didn't have to fly solo. I got to bond with the other exchange students. They are so cool and relatable!

After arriving in Hong Kong, we immediately went to the AFS camp. The camp was located far out in the New Territories. I think it was close to Sha Tin. I had unbelievable jetlag and I couldn't sleep even though I was tired. My mind was sleeping, but my body had the urge to stay awake. In fact, I am still quite fatigued. (That is why my blogging is not up to par.)

At the camp, we met all of the other exchange students (around 40 in total). They were all so unique and friendly. It was great to see others going through the same thing as me. The combination of all of the different countries was so intense(in a good way).
It was interesting to see how everyone interacted. We all got to know each other, but there were definite groups. The Germans stayed together and mingled with the Latin Americans. Out of all the countries, Italy had sent the most exchange students by far (around 10?). They all stayed together in their own dominate Italian clique.

I am currently in my host family's living room. I just met them today, and I just unpacked. After I dropped off my luggage in my room, we went straight to have Dim Sum (yum cha). That is my favorite; it was better than at home(obviously).
My host dad is sitting on the couch doing business on his laptop, my host sister is doing online homework, and my host mom is looking on google-maps to see the different parts of the US that I told them about.
They seem so nice and I can't wait to get to know them more well.

I will tell you more info later, but right now, I should really spend time with my host family!
-Jordan Hoy

P.S. I saw a skating rink inside of a shopping center!

The Start: LA Orientation

2009-08-19T22:55:00.000-07:00

SOooo, this is my first blog ever. I should probably start by introducing myself. My name is Jordan Hoy. I am sixteen years old, in my junior year in high school. I am originally from Seattle, Washington and I attend(ed) Roosevelt High School. I really loved my life back in Seattle, but I felt like I needed to do something.

I am going to study abroad as an exchange student in Hong Kong for a year. I am going with the program AFS the world's most well-known exchange program). I have been through a rigorous application process, which was too boring to blog about. I received the Cargill Scholarship by writing an essay response to some questions. I am suppose to visit a Cargill factory in Hong Kong and send them a post card. Back in Seattle, I was suppose to visit a facility there, but they never contacted me so I didn't have to. Writing a blog is not required for this scholarship, but I want to. I want to update my friends and family and look back on my previous postings years from now.

You may ask, why Hong Kong? I get that question all the time. At first, I didn't know how to answer that question without sounding extremely corny and overly-dramatic, but the real reason why I chose Hong Kong is because my family is Chinese. I am fourth generation American-Chinese (my great grandfather immigrated here). I never really got a taste of real Chinese culture and I never learned the language. I am pretty Americanized so it should be quite the cultural change.

At this moment, I am sitting in my hotel room in Los Angeles(the weather has been surprisingly cloudy and chill in LA). All the AFS kids going to Asia are staying in the Hacienda Hotel just five minutes from LAX. Today, we had our orientation, packed full of information. Most of the stuff they told us we already knew, but I feel it was beneficial to be refreshed on all of the precautions.

There are only three of us going to Hong Kong; Ben, Jose, and me. Ben and Jose seem really nice and easy to get along with. They both seem to have good senses of humor.

I depart tomorrow morning... I am in shock; time went by so fast. I hardly had time to practice Cantonese (I took private lessons and learned the basics, most of which I forgot already). I am hoping that the language will just 'come to me' when I am emerged in the environment.
All of the China and Hong Kong kids have to be prepared and have their bags in the lobby by 4:15AM tomorrow morning. I am not looking forward to waking up that early.

Speaking of waking up early, I should probably get to bed.
I'll update soon(hopefully),
-Jordan Hoy