Wu Adventures

Happy New Year of the Dragon

2012-01-24T09:00:00.005-06:00

It's been a while since I last posted an entry in this blog. Life has been treating me well and I thought I'd share some new photos.

My favorite Miss KS USA 2009 family members! Momma Rewalt, Kiki, me, Momma Courter.

Me, Miss KS USA 2009 Courtney Courter, and Miss KS Teen USA 2009 Alexis Rewalt.

I went to watch the Miss KS USA pageant in December with some friends. It was the first time in a decade that I was a complete spectator. It seemed like any time I'd be watching a pageant, I would be preparing for my next pageant. I'm thankful for having built friendships with some pageant gals and their families. During my last year at the pageant, I was nominated by the teens and won the Mentor Award. I feel that was one of the best awards to have been given, beside the crown. My goal was to win the title and mentor young people. Guess I didn't need the crown to do that :) It was amazing seeing one of the young ladies I helped recruit win Miss KS Teen USA 2011. Then, at this pageant, I saw one of the young ladies that nominated me for Mentor win this year!

Miss KS Teen USA 2011 Taylor Clark, me, and Miss KS Teen USA 2012 Katie Taylor.

I got to spend part of the holidays with my extended family - - the Rotary Family. I had the pleasure of seeing Papa Kent again and the rest of the District 5690 family. In regards to Rotary, this has been a full circle year for me. From an Interactor at East to a Rotary Ambassadorial Scholar to the charter president of the Rotaract Club of Wichita. Thanks to my Rotary family for always being my cheerleaders!

Rotaractor ladies volunteering at the Lord's Diner.

Have I told you how much I love my career? I think I have. :) It's been about 16 months since I first got to live out my dream of being a reporter and I still wake up every morning eager to go to work. This past weekend, I got to tour and report on the new Boeing 787 Dreamliner. It's amazing the stories I have gotten to tell this past year and I can't wait to tell more in 2012. You can follow my stories at www.facebook.com/kslilywu.

Posing in front of the Boeing 787 Dreamliner with phojo Ausin and aviation reporter Chris Frank.

I hope you have all gotten a great start to 2012 and wish you all a Happy Chinese/Lunar New Year of the Dragon. May it all bring you happiness, strength, and love.

Helping co-organizer the Miss Asia Pageant for the 2011 Asian Festival.

Asian Festival 2011


Co-emcee of the Asian Festival with the judges.

Giving Thanks

2011-10-26T20:56:00.002-05:00

Rotarians and I had the pleasure of reading to Adams Elementary students this afternoon. Before I went to the school, I thought I'd bring a book from my collection, just in case the teachers didn't have a book for me to read. It turns out that the teachers were glad that I brought my own book. It's a book that they all have read and enjoyed.

The hardback book, "The Giving Tree" by Shel Silverstein, was given to me as a present from a friend when I graduated from WSU. A hand written note told me of one of the important life lessons in this book - - don't search so hard for happiness, it's most often found in the simple things.

It always brings me great joy to be able to give back. I've been blessed with a wonderful family, supportive friends, and the opportunity to live and pursue my passions. Every day, I am reminded of Luke 12:48 "To whom much is given, of him shall much be required." It was one of the messages I gave to the finalists of the WSU Woman and Man of the Year banquet a couple of weeks ago when I was the keynote speaker.

WSU Woman of the Year 2011 and 2005

Thank you to all the people who have walked beside me in my journey, have taught me important life lessons, and continue to encourage and inspire me. Just like I asked the students this afternoon, "Go home today and thank someone in your life who is always giving."

The Koch College Recruiting Team of 2007, reunion lunch!

Finding Peace on World Peace Day

2011-09-21T14:17:00.001-05:00

"I want world peace," sounds like a line from Miss Congeniality. In honor of World Peace Day, I thought I'd share the last week or so with y'all about how I find peace.

Lesson One: Love those around you and you will find peace.
Last week, I had the honor of celebrating the life of a good friend who has since passed away to a better place. Attending his funeral with hundreds of friends and people he touched throughout his life, made me think about peace. He was one of the kindest individuals I've met and a person who showed love to everyone around him. As I was sitting at his memorial, which was one of the most beautiful, emotional, and peaceful events I've ever been to, I realized that you can only find peace by loving those around you. And it was his wife, children, family, and friends, who reaffirmed to me that peace is ultimately love.

Lesson Two: Love what you do and you will find peace.
I celebrated my one-year anniversary with KAKE News last Friday. I was humbled to receive dozens of positive comments and messages from viewers and friends. I followed my dream last year and I have not regretted that decision. It is the work of storytelling and telling the uplifting stories that I love most about my career. I can honestly say that I'm at peace with my career because of the people I work with and the job I get to do, and most importantly, because I followed my heart.

L-R: September 16, 2010 and September 16, 2011

Lesson Three: Love to give and you will find peace.
After two years, the young professionals service organization, Rotaract Club of Wichita, has been officially chartered and is running full steam ahead. I keep walking in my Rotary journey and always love coming back to the Rotary family to remember why I was chosen to be a Rotary Ambassadorial Scholar. That scholarship meant that I would be an ambassador of goodwill and understanding during my year abroad but I don't believe it stopped with that year. The organization gave me the opportunity to see the world and to represent my peers in Wichita/Kansas/USA while I was abroad. I am forever thankful for that opportunity and will continue living Rotary's motto of "service above self."

Rotary District 5690 Conference at Airport Hilton in Wichita

Lesson Four: Live a meaningful life and you will find peace.
I celebrated my 27th birthday this month and couldn't be happier about this time in my life. It is my friends and family who continue to keep me grounded and allow me to have a meaningful life. It's the people who have come into my path that continue to shape who I am. I'm blessed to have meaningful relationships with my friends and I hope that I am able to enrich their lives too. Thanks to them, I am at peace.

To find world peace, we must start with ourselves.

Hope you find peace,
Lily

What a Week...

2011-07-19T14:23:00.001-05:00

I've returned from my hiatus.

This has been one of the most interesting weeks since I started my career as a television reporter. I think it's appropriate to just recap what happened this past week.

Last Monday, one of our photojournalists (aka phojo), an intern, and I went out in the 100+ degree weather to north central Kansas for a travel story that covered two destinations, Rock City Park and Mushroom Rock State Park. That was not only the first time I had ever been to those two destinations, it was also my first time doing a "sweeps story." Typical stories, or what we call "packages" in the business, are about one minute thirty seconds to one minute forty-five seconds, while a sweeps story can last more than two minutes. It was also the first time I'd left work past midnight because I needed to transcribe the interviews, write the story, and voice it, because the following two days were my days off. I left work tired but fulfilled...which gave me more enthusiasm to talk about dreams and goals the following day.

Meritrust Financial Camp

On Tuesday, I had the pleasure of talking to about 40 participants at the Meritrust Financial Camp at Eberly Farm. I had a nice time sharing a presentation to the group of 8th and 9th grade students. My talk was entitled "Lily's PIGGY Bank," fitting for a financial camp! I was able to give them my two cents on how to achieve life's goals and what it's like to work in television news. I've missed the times I was able to give weekly Rotary presentations, so this helped fill that void.

Phojos Nate and Schaefer during our live shots

I was fully energized to go back to work last Thursday, after having my weekend. I walked into the newsroom and my assignment editor told me that I was going to be live for the 5 and 6 newscasts over a story that Wichita Police were asking media to alert the public. Turns out that on my day off, Wednesday, there was a man that was enticing little girls to come to his truck at a local park. The two girls, ages 7 and 11, told police that the same man had exposed himself to them before. A bystander got the vehicle's description, including part of the license tag number, as well as the man's description. So, my phojo and I left the station to see if we could talk to some park goers to get a sense of how they felt about the incident. Upon arriving, I spotted a vehicle parked at the park that matched the description but tag did not match. I called back our station because it was very coincidental that a truck matching the description with a man inside the vehicle was just parked there. There were several things that were going through my head, I thought the guy wouldn't have the nerve to come back to the same park after that incident. But if he did have the nerve, he could have easily changed his license tag. Hence, talking to the police after our station transferred us. As we were waiting for police to answer, another truck matching the description parked in between our vehicle and the first vehicle. My phojo and I couldn't believe it! We were alerting police of a possible person in question!!!! It turned out that the man in the second vehicle had a license tag that matched the one police had given, plus the man was wearing clothing matching the description from the bystander.

We could have easily gone up to either one of those drivers with our camera and started asking questions, and could have aired it "first" on our channel. Instead, we first thought of being citizens of the community, then to be newscasters. It truly made me proud of our team! One more added bonus to that day. That man was taken in for questioning. Problem is that it's not a crime to talk to children. It is a crime to expose of one's self but that did not occur the day before, it supposedly occurred weeks before. So, the man in question was able to return to his vehicle. We were there when the man returned. He said he didn't speak English. Well, thankfully, I speak Spanish! I was able to ask him a few questions in Spanish to get his side of the story. In Spanish, the man said he doesn't frequent the park. He also said he didn't remember being at the park, the night before.

I was on cloud nine that day because we were able to alert police, then I got to use Spanish to interview the guy, and my travel story also aired that day. Problem is that there are always people that want to put their own two cents in the comments. Take for instance part of this one, "Lily needs to go back to school learn her colors" (in reference to the truck that was in question) Hmm...#1 thanks for spelling my name correctly. #2 The colors were given by the police, the description was given by the police, and part of the license tag number was given by the police. Enough said. Then there's my favorite, "Hey kake, isn't it about time you cut your losses with Lily Wu? I mean, really" Again, #1 thanks for spelling my full name correctly. #2 I won't even go there :) Comments like this no longer bother me...I was just smiling from ear to ear on Thursday for the career path I have chosen.

One of the cancer survivors that I had the pleasure of meeting

Then on Friday, I had the pleasure of co-emceeing the American Cancer Society's "Relay for Life" event in Wichita. It was truly an honor to be amongst cancer survivors who shared stories of their battle. It gave me hope for some friends who are currently battling cancer. Hopefully, we will find cures to cancers some day soon.

Ladies Only gun safety class in Wellington

"Girls and Guns" was the story I did on Saturday. Now, this was fun! I was amongst women who wanted to learn the rules of safely handling guns and the fundamentals of marksmanship. One of the women said, "Guns don't kill people. People kill people." I think it's good to know how to properly use any tool, whether it be a simple tool like a hairdryer (Don't use a hair dryer when standing on a damp floor or in a wet bathtub)...or a deadly weapon like a gun.

Outside for about 5 minutes when temps reached 106!

Our television station went HD on Sunday at 5:30 p.m. In that first show, I had my first package air on HD!!! The story was about how people are trying to stay cool when we've had 100+ degree temperatures nearly every day last week and this week! It was also fitting because it was the third Sunday in July, which happens to be National Ice Cream Day.

Then yesterday...again this is why people need to learn how to use tools! I had to go live for the 5 newscast because an 18-year-old boyfriend accidentally fired his handgun at his 19-year-old girlfriend, while he was trying to pull down his shorts. The girlfriend was shot in the chest and had to be taken in to the hospital.

Members of the newest Rotaract club in district.

And, finally, a piece directly related to Rotary, that will be reflected in the District 5690 Rotary Foundation newsletter. I'm happy to announce that we have officially received the letter stating that we have chartered the Rotaract Club of Wichita!!! It goes to show that ideas can become reality when you make them a goal with friends. We'll be officially recognized as the newest and only community-based Rotaract club in the district during the conference in September.

I believe that about does it for one week's worth of Lily Adventures. Until next time...

Rotary Literacy Month 2011

2011-03-08T12:15:00.000-06:00

Rotary International designates March as Literacy Month. I encourage you all to pick up a book and read. Better yet, go to a local school or senior center and read to a group of people one of your favorite books.

I had the pleasure to go back to Colvin Elementary a couple of weeks ago to read to the kindergartners and fourth-graders, read Dr. Seuss' Thidwick the Big-Hearted Moose and The Easter Egg, respectively.

I tried to break the ice by giving them all an easy question..."How old do you think I am?" Well, if you're hoping to get a sense of encouragement...don't ask that question to kids. I got anywhere from 18 to 60! It didn't help that I just celebrated my half-birthday this month...meaning I'll be turning 27 in 6 months. For many of the kids I read to, that day seemed like their birthday. Thanks the Rotary Club of Downtown Wichita, each of the kids at Colvin Elementary received one book of their choice for free!

My friends and I have been on our way to starting the Rotaract Club of Wichita and can't wait to charter the club in the summer. Our focus is on hunger relief. It's very fitting because our group loves to eat and what better way to serve than with something we have a passion.

If you know of any young professionals, 18-30 in Wichita, please encourage them to attend our meeting on March 11, 6 p.m., Scholfield Honda East.

Happy CNY 2011

2011-02-03T22:27:00.000-06:00

Wishing you all a happy new year of the rabbit. 'Tis the year of calmness and tranquility.

Need your help

This is my third and final attempt to be an STA World Traveler Intern. Please help me out...it's free and simple.

I need your help by...
- Becoming a fan of this page http://www.worldtravelerinternship.com/member/lily-wu/
- Posting a comment on the page

Happy New Year 2011

2011-01-01T14:51:00.007-06:00

I want to wish all my friends, near and far, a terrific new year! May you all be safe, healthy, and happy in 2011. Many wonderful things happened in 2010 and I just hope that 2011 has the same blessings for me and my family and friends.

My family
My brother took some classes in the spring to better his GPA and I'm proud to say that he graduated Magna Cum Laude (3.5-3.75 out of 4.0) with a Bachelor's in Finance with an emphasis in Real Estate. He's been working at InSite Real Estate with one of my fellow Gore Scholars! My parents' health is great! We had a scare this year, where doctors thought my mom might have breast cancer. Thankfully, the results came back benign! The news was the best Christmas gift a daughter could ask for!

My friends
Although some of my friends have struggled with a tough year with their families, I only pray that it will get better in 2011. One of my high school friends is getting married this year and my college friend is getting married next week (Congratulations to Lisa/ and Joyce/). I feel so blessed to be surrounded by so many wonderful people in my life.

Me
I was blessed this year to live out my dream of being a television reporter. I'm thankful to be in a career that I absolutely LOVE! I look forward to waking up every morning to see what story I get to tell! Everyone has a story and I can't wait to tell that story!

I'm also thankful for a wonderful, last hurrah in the Miss Kansas USA pageant system. I was prepared and have zero regrets about my performance. Thanks to my wonderful sponsors and friends: Courtney, Deanna, Gary, Joan, Roger, Joe, Juliana and Satish. To all my wonderful friends who came to support me - I gave you my best performance and I was happy to share my experience with you all.

I finished in the Top 10 in the pageant and won two awards (Photogenic and Mentor). The Mentor award meant a lot to me because the teens voted on that award and one of the reasons I wanted to be Miss KS was to inspire young people to go after their dreams. I was blessed to befriend many of the young ladies at the pageant. Two of the teens I helped recruit placed very high - one was in the Top 10 and the other went on to win the title of Miss Kansas Teen USA 2011!

Here's a small glimpse of some of the memories captured in 2010. Hope to have more in 2011!

Dreams...Goals...Reality

2010-12-01T11:11:00.004-06:00

It's December!!!! This means that I arrive at the Miss Kansas USA 2011 pageant in 16 days. It also means that it will be my final time competing for a Miss Universe Organization title because this is my last year of eligibility as a 26-year-old. MUO owns the rights to Miss Teen USA/Miss USA/Miss Universe.

http://www.vickismithphotography.com/

Having had a couple days off from the holiday, I had the chance to do some cleaning. I came across some old files and my Miss KS Teen USA bio when I was 16-years-old. I remember being asked two of the most common pageant questions at that pageant...Where do you see yourself in 5 years? Where do you see yourself in 10 years?

My answer to the 5 year question seemed simple and methodical...I'd be 21-years-old and I would accomplish the following goals:

Graduate with two high school diplomas (USD 259 and the International Baccalaurete diplomas)
Graduate from a four-year university with high honors
Earn two undergraduate degrees in four years

My answer to the 10 year question was a little more lofty and bit more dreamy. When you're 16, you feel you can accomplish anything and that dreams can come true. I hoped that in 10 years, as a 26-year-old, I would be on TV and on way to becoming the next Oprah!!!

I'm a LONG ways away from becoming the next Oprah. Instead, I'm proud to say that I've accomplished the goals I set for myself ten years ago. I graduated high school with the two diplomas, went on to become summa cum laude and earned the two undergrad degrees in four years, was blessed to represent Kansas as a Rotary Ambassadorial Scholar while I obtained my master's in journalism, and now working in the field I LOVE!

When my family immigrated to America in 1993, I learned English through television! Yes, TV (Wheel of Fortune is still my favorite game show). I dreamed of someday being on TV like the news reporters on our local channels. TV reporters, hosts, and personalities were my after school story tellers of the American culture and my out-of-classroom teachers of the English language. I dreamed of becoming one of them so that I, too, could be an indirect teacher or story teller.

In my teens I kept running toward my dreams. In my early twenties, I paced myself toward my goals. And now, as a career woman, I am walking gracefully into my dream job everyday. (Ask me about the funny story from my first day at work---you'll get a kick out of it!)

My past ten years in pageantry have afforded me so many life lessons. Among the most important is that I've learned about myself, my dreams, and my goals. With a chapter closing in about two weeks, I must go back to the drawing board and ask myself the two relevant pageant questions again: Where do I see myself in 5 years? Where do I see myself in 10 years?

Happy Holidays to you all and may you all walk gracefully into your dreams!

-Lily

Rotary Foundation Month

2010-11-17T11:36:00.001-06:00

Check out the article in the District 5690 November newsletter about Rotary International President Ray Klinginsmith's visit to Wichita on Oct. 18.

Asian Festival 2010

2010-11-01T21:05:00.007-05:00

The Mayor of Wichita proclaimed Oct. 30 the 30th Annual Asian Festival at a city hall meeting. Although the mayor wasn't able to attend the festival, we still had a great kick-off by having a lion dance welcome the community to the event.

As a Wichita Asian Association board member, I had the honor of being an emcee along with the current president, Mhaeh. We had a very good turn out and lots of people have been telling me how much they've enjoyed the event and the food.

I love this event because it brings together younger and older generations together and allows for the community to see Asian cultural showcases. We are able to embrace both our Asian and American cultures and show this fusion on that stage - - Old and Young, East and West, Traditional and Popular.

I had another great year co-organizing the Miss Asia pageant for the festival. This year we had 10 young ladies competing for that title (1st place-Nepal, 2nd place-China, 3rd place-Japan). Five judges took time out of their busy schedules to help us crown Miss Asia 2010 (Laurie Dove, Sierra Scott, Larry Strong, Lois Waln, Jo Zakas).

Thanks to all the volunteers, attendees, participants, vendors, and sponsors for the event. You all helped make the Asian Festival a successful event.

Breast Cancer Awareness Month

2010-10-05T19:20:00.004-05:00

October is "Breast Cancer Awareness Month."

I encourage you to....donate to an organization to find a cure for breast cancer...help people who cannot afford a mammogram...do a self-breast examination this month and here after...learn about the risks and some prevention methods (such daily exercise and a balanced diet).

The Race for the Cure 2010 was a HUGE success.

We had more than 10,000 people register and attend the event, which is a record for the 21st annual race. The Kids for the Cure, which I had the honor of being the chairwoman, was lots of fun with hundreds of kids participating in our 50-yard dashes and activities. I also had some wonderful gals volunteer - thank you Christina, Lexi, Kathy, Viet, Mani, and Chelsea.

The executive director of Komen Mid-Kansas and I had the honor of addressing thousands of concert goers at the "Pink Ribbon Concert" hosted by Channel 96.3. I even had a mother walk up to our information booth to thank us for what we do. She was crying as she told me that she lost her mother-in-law to breast cancer and that she didn't want her daughter to become a victim because she was a smoker.

If you'd like to see more pictures from the events, please "like" my Facebook page at www.facebook.com/kslilywu

Race 2010 Countdown

2010-09-15T16:12:00.003-05:00

It's 10 days until the race and I need your help.

As the chairwoman of the Kids for the Cure for the 21st annual Komen Mid-Kansas Race for the Cure, we need more children and adult participants and donors. So far we have 5,331 registered participants and have raised nearly $93,000 toward our $150,000 goal.

If you'd like to walk/run/sleep during the race, please register here.

If you'd like to donate to the race, please help me raise my goal here.

Yesterday I had the honor of attending the City Council meeting where Wichita's Mayor Carl Brewer announced the proclamation that September 25 is breast cancer awareness day in Wichita. He Our executive director, Christina Osbourn and I are pictured below with the proclamation.

Then, this morning, while having my hair done for a photo shoot, I met a wonderful hairstylist who is a breast cancer survivor. Lisa has been cancer free for almost five years and was grateful for her good health and new career in cosmetology. That experience changed her life forever and I'm glad that we are raising money around the world to help find a cure and create awareness for early detection, so that people like Lisa can live out their dreams.

Third time in Vegas

2010-08-27T20:46:00.005-05:00

Third time's the charm...wait, I wasn't so lucky gambling but I sure was lucky to have spent my soon-to-be 26th birthday (next week on Sept. 4) in Las Vegas with my pageant friends for the Miss Universe 2010 pageant and with my family for my parents' 27th wedding anniversary plus mom's belated 50th birthday! I'm so lucky to have these people in my life and even more lucky to have shared my third Vegas trip with them all.

I attended the dress rehearsals at Mandalay Bay with my dear friend, Mrs. Kansas 2008, Kimberly McDowell and her husband, Troy. I felt that I was watching the real deal! The women in the competition were wearing their competition gowns, had their make up and hair completely done, and the emcees/performers (including John Legend) were all on point. That was the best $25 I spent in Vegas! This is also where I saw some of my pageant friends and had lunch with this group of funny and sweet guys.

It was 19 years ago that I fell in love with pageantry. I remember watching Miss Universe 1991 on television as a little 6-year-old. The pageant was held in Las Vegas and Miss USA was actually from Kansas (who would've known that I'd be wanting to follow in the footsteps of one of those contestants years later)! That night, I saw a beautiful Latina win the title as I watched with my mom in our living room in Guatemala. Hailing from Mexico, Lupita Jones won the title of Miss Universe 1991.

Fast forward 19 years and I'm sitting in the audience, in the same city as the Miss Universe 1991 pageant (by the way, the national director for Miss Mexico is no other than Miss Universe 1991) and guess who wins? Miss Mexico!!! This is the second time for Mexico to win the title and both times in Las Vegas. Let me tell you the entire audience was going crazy for both Mexico and Philippines...it felt that they were the hometown gals...true fans and very patriotic to those two countries.

Instead of traditionally watching it in my living room; this time, I watched it live with my good friend, Meredith McCannel, Miss Montana USA 2002 and the winner of Miss Congeniality at Miss USA 2002. I couldn't have asked for a better buddy to watch the pageant live!

My friend Craig and I went to the the Miss Universe after party at LAX. We knew several of the folks in the VIP area where the judges, including magician Criss Angel and actor Chazz Palminteri, were partying...so we got in. Funny thing is that I kept getting people to ask if they could take a photo with me....some thought I was one of the Miss Universe contestants and one even said I was Miss Korea! Sorry to disappoint them...I'm a Chinese-Guatemalan-Kansan who has yet to win! We took a photo with the Miss Universe Organization president's husband, Carl, and his friend, John, and took a photo of the new Miss Universe 2010.

After all the pageant festivities, a family day was in the plans. We went to Hoover Dam and toured one of the Top 10 Construction Achievements of the 20th century and one of the Seven Modern Engineering Wonders of the USA. It was definitely a great experience but it was way too HOT (110+ degrees) to be outdoors for more than a few minutes.

Upon my return from the family vacation, I had the honor to speak at the 90th anniversary celebration of the ratification of the 19th amendment, which gave women the right to vote. I shared the speaking stage with such talented individuals as the morning anchor for KWCH, Felicia Rolfe; founder of Rainbows United, Linda Weir-Enegren; and Sedgwick County District Attorney, Nola Foulston. These leading ladies talked about the privilege to vote (rather than just the right) and the responsibility that we have to be informed voters at the polls. We also talked about the determination and perseverance that was needed for the 72 years leading up to the 1920 ratification and the need to be resilient and focused to continue fighting for equality for all!

Road Trips

2010-08-09T14:58:00.019-05:00

My apologies for not updating the blog in a long time. Today I decided that I need to post and like the Nike slogan "Just Do It"! I enjoy photos and think they're the best way to showcase the months that I haven't written on here. So here are a few adventures that I got myself into these past few months. I will try my best to update this blog a little more often as I used to when I was in Hong Kong, so check back soon!

GEO-WASH'S MANSION (LEFT PHOTO) Visiting President George Washington's mansion in Mt. Vernon, Virginia with my friends Susan and Margaret. (RIGHT PHOTO) That would be me goofing around on the property and attempting to get a jumping shot. The property was so big, the weather was nice and hot, and the scenery was just breathtaking . . . to think that our founding father once looked over that property and thought of how to run this great nation!

CATO GALA My friend, Chip, invited me to the CATO Institute's gala honoring Akbar Ganji (pictured) for The Milton Friedman Prize for Advancing Liberty which honors those who have made a significant contribution to advance human freedom. While I was listening to the Iranian translation of Mr. Ganji's speech, I was thinking of how lucky I am . . . to be an American, to
be free, and to have the right to choose and make my own decisions.

CHI-TOWN Went to Chicago to visit my friend, Kim, and stopped by Oprah's studios while we were walking around the Taste of Randolph. A trip to Chicago is not complete without a visit to the Navy Pier and a ride on the ferris wheel with my brother. This was my fifth trip to this beautiful city and it never seems to disappoint. I just loved walking around the diverse city (kinda reminded me of Hong Kong), although I don't think I'd like the snowy, cold windy winters there.

SUPPORTING PAGEANT FRIENDS (LEFT PHOTO) My friend Cat (in the floral dress) just won the title of Miss Air for the Miss Earth US pageant. We went to Kansas City for her preparation for the pageant. (RIGHT PHOTO) Lauren and I were both 4th runner ups last year in Miss Kansas and Miss Kansas USA, respectively. This year Lauren won and will be competing at Miss America in January. (BOTTOM LEFT)I went on a 12 hour road trip with my friend Sam and her family to support her at her pageant in Vicksburg, Mississippi (pictured also is Megan who won America's Miss Teen US). (BOTTOM RIGHT) In the spring, I was honored to be the first spokesperson for the Cosmos pageants and named Miss Cosmos.

Miss KS USA Evening Gown Video

2010-03-20T13:16:00.005-05:00

Push the play button, then put your cursor on the bottom of the video screen (a tab will show up that has the pause button). Then, pause it so the video will load and then click on the small play button (it's a slow program - sorry)

Volunteering at Colvin

2010-03-04T22:22:00.005-06:00

I sure have missed doing things with Rotary. I have been reflecting back on all the wonderful folks I've met through Rotary both here and abroad. On Tuesday, I had the opportunity to volunteer and read at Colvin Elementary for the Rotary Club of Downtown Wichita's "Reading Is Fundamental." The article about the project is located here.

To celebrate "Read Across America Day" and Dr. Seuss' birthday, I read "Horton Hears a Who" to the 4th graders. They were so intrigued that I spoke Spanish and Chinese. No matter what the age, people always ask me, "Can you say something in (Chinese/Spanish)?" They also loved guessing my age - - I got anywhere from 18-35!

I'm applying for the STA World Traveler Intern and would love your votes/comments/sharing of this link
http://www.worldtravelerinternship.com/member/lily-wu/

Congrats to my friend Miss America 2010

2010-02-03T21:31:00.004-06:00

I met Caressa back in 2005 when I competed for Miss Ethnic World. She was the reigning Miss Teen Ethnic World and that year she helped crown me, Miss Ethnic World 2006. I remember hearing her sing and knew that someday she'd be competing at Miss America. Not to my surprise, this young lady has become a wonderful woman, beautiful singer, and Miss America 2010. Congrats again Caressa!!

Cinderella's Close 2010 Catalog

2010-01-13T11:22:00.007-06:00

I'm sorry it's been a month since my last post but I've been quite busy. I wanted to share the new photos in the Cinderella's Closet 2010 catalog that is being distributed nationwide. Last August, I was flown to Atlanta for this opportunity and the catalog was released this month!

Last month, I represented my hometown of Wichita at the Miss KS USA pageant. I walked away with a great experience being named 4th runner up and the winner of the Spirit award.

Gracias, Do Jeh, Thank you

2009-12-05T21:28:00.002-06:00

"To whom much is given, much is expected," is one of the many mottos that I live by every day. On Valentine's Day of this year, I was given a community of supporters and resources to help me compete for my final Miss Kansas USA title. I'd always been leery of message boards because it seemed like individuals hid behind anonymous names and bashed young ladies that simply wanted an opportunity to be a titleholder (one I've had since I first watched Miss Universe as a child in Guatemala).

I enjoyed telling people about a different type of message board - one that actually gave constructive criticism, offered a safe haven for those who love pageantry, and one where individuals didn't hide behind anonymity.

I've been honored to represent Pageant Central from Las Vegas (Miss USA 2009) to Atlanta (Cinderella's Closet prom photo shoot - pics coming soon!) to Milford, Connecticut (my official headshot for Miss KS USA with Catherine, Judie, and MPC 2008), down to my hometown of Wichita, Kansas (Veteran's Day parade).

First and foremost, I'd like to thank Meemaw for bringing together all of us who love pageants and creating the community of Pageant Central. To the Mod Squad (G, RockyGirl, Miss Merlin, Elin, and TNBoy) - thanks for always having my back!!! To the regular posters whom I've had the pleasure of befriending - thanks for believing in me and always trying to help me out!

A big thank you to all the sponsors of Miss Pageant Central 2009 (Barb, Megan, Alex, Kelley, Justin (built2win), Catherine Fiehn, Judie (JDI Couture), Laine (The Royal We), G, Sio, Kevin, Elizabeth (Miss Priss), Gail Schneider, Jerry, Angela, Regina, and all those who donated to this contest).

I have been so blessed to have had an amazing journey this past year and appreciate all the love and support leading up to the BIG day.

As I have less than two weeks left before Miss KS USA 2010, I'm going to take a leave of absence from the boards to concentrate on being my best. I hope you all understand and I hope that you will all try to be on your best behavior as PC'ers! ;) Remember that it takes a lot of courage for each one of us who is/has been a contestant and that we're an exemplary board.

Love y'all,
Lily Wu
Miss Pageant Central 2009

Happy Thanksgiving 2009

2009-11-26T15:06:00.002-06:00

There are many things I'm thankful for this year, among them are the people who've touched my life. I've been blessed with wonderful new friends who have given their time and love. And I've been able to build stronger friendships with those I've met in my different paths. Thank you from this Kansas girl's heart!

100th Entry

2009-09-27T19:48:00.007-05:00

Wow-I guess I've written quite a few entries since my first one back in August of 2007. I've been quite busy these past few months and ready for what's in store for the rest of 2009. There are less than three months left until I compete for Miss KS USA in Lawrence on Dec. 20. (This is a photo taken by Ericson Studios in Wichita)

In August, I had the honor of modeling for Cinderella's Closet for their Spring 2010 catalog. I was the only out-town gal to model and will be in the same catalog as a notable Top 10 Miss USA contestant - the reigning Miss Georgia USA.

In September, I turned the big 25 (guess that means my car insurance should go down and I'm able to rent a car) and celebrated it in New York City. On the day of my birthday (which happens to be Stefania's, the reigning Miss Universe, birthday as well), I walked up and down 5th Avenue, shopped at Bergdorf Goodman, and strolled by Trump Tower - - hopefully my residence next year as Miss USA :)

That same weekend, I met Catherine (who shot some amazing photos that will be one of my headshots for Miss KS USA) and Judie (who designed gowns that I modeled). This photo was taken at the end of the day, after more than six hours doing photos indoors and outdoors!

Then, yesterday, after months of planning and organizing, we held the 20th anniversary of the Mid Kansas (Wichita) Race for the Cure. As one of the committee members for the race, I can tell you that we were ecstatic with the turn out and the money we raised. Thanks again for those of you who helped me raise money to help with this wonderful cause. (I included a photo with a couple of the committee members and the signer, Candy Coburn, who sings "Pink Warrior" and is one of the official celebrity spokespeople for Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure).

July Update

2009-08-03T08:52:00.007-05:00

Had a very fun weekend in KC with my friends Idia and Susan; and met up with two other friends and queens - Miss KS USA and Mrs. Kansas US.

I've been so busy and August will keep on going at this speed, if not faster! I've been enjoying my role at YEK and the traveling/presentations we give in DC. July was full of KAP activities and went there twice during the month. I had a nice catch-up dinner with my friend and mentor, Manly.

Last week, I worked on my website and have finally launched it. It is at www.lily-wu.com. While you're there, you'll see this link (http://race.komenmidks.org/goto/lilywu) where I'm asking for donations for for the Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure. I'm one of the committee members for the Race and really excited for the September event - hope our hard work will pay off and we'll have another successful one!

Let's see updates on the pageant:
- Got my Syrup swimsuit for competition and have been working out hard thanks to the plan that Built2Win owner put me on.
- My evening gown is going to look amazing and I'll get to pick it up in NYC on my birthday!
- Got some great make-up from Rain Cosmetics...check them out at http://www.raincosmetics.com/

Summer Update

2009-07-02T16:24:00.003-05:00

July's already here and I have about 171 days 'till (hopefully) earning an additional job (one that I've wanted since I came to Kansas).

I did get an official job in June and it's been a good fit for me. I was selected from more than 1,200 applicants for one of 81 spots to be apart of a graduate trainee program called the Koch Associate Program. For the next year, I'll be working as the Program Coordinator for Youth Entrepreneurs Kansas and spending training time in DC to learn/apply a management philosophy called "Market-Based Management®."

While I was in DC for my initial training I met up the VA/MD PC family (Miss Merlin, GMAN, and Marylander) for some tapas. My friend and I had just walked all around the National Mall and visited Jefferson/Abe, so we were ready for some food and drinks. During the gathering, we talked for hours about pageants, including MAO and MUO state prelims like Miss Virginia. My friend, Caressa Cameron, just won the Miss VA title (she was giving up her Miss Teen Ethnic World title when I won Miss Ethnic World). Also in June, I went to cheer on my Kansas friends at Miss Kansas (Alex who was named 1st RU and Susan who was in the Top 10). Watching all of them compete has given me ever more enthusiasm to compete in December.

Hope to update ya'll again soon. Take care.

OurTown and Miss KS 2009

2009-06-07T13:42:00.004-05:00

What a week!!! I spent a week with my favorite campers - the OurTown diversity and leadership camp delegates and counselors (it used to be called AnyTown back when I was a participant and counselor)! This was my fourth time as a camp counselor and this time felt better than the last for me because I've grown into a woman with better ways to guide and mentor. (Shout out to Counselor Amy, who I had the pleasure of mentoring and to all my other counselors, love ya'll) If you know of any high school aged or college aged students, the OurTown or Lead Diversity camps, respectively, would be great experiences. I encourage ya'll to visit the Diversity Kansas website here to find out more about them - - there's even scholarships to attend the camp! I love the mission of this organization and this week has energized me further that my life mission is to promote my platform of embracing diversity!!!

Last night, I had the chance to see the Miss Kansas 2009 pageant in Pratt, Kansas. I knew several of the young ladies competing and was supporting my friends Susan and Alex. Both made the Top 10 and Alex earned the 1st RU position. All you ladies did a great job and I don't envy the judges because they had a very difficult decision among so many qualified women. Thanks for representing the beauty, brains, and achievement of women in Kansas!

This next week will be a bit hectic as I'm leaving for DC on Friday to start my Koch Associate Program training. I already have homework to read economics books such as "The Science of Success" and "Common Sense Economics" by Saturday! :) In the middle of that, I'll be catching up with friends, volunteering for the Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure in Wichita, and spending time with my parents (since they'll be missing my brother who is in Malaysia and Thailand for three weeks).

May Update

2009-05-25T16:38:00.004-05:00

Dear Friends,

It's been almost three months since my mom's essay and your votes made me Miss Pageant Central 2009. I thought it would be appropriate to update ya'll (being back in Kansas has brought back my Midwest jargon).

I was chosen for one of 80 positions among 1,200 applicants nationwide for one of the nation's most competitive and rigorous graduate trainee programs called the Koch Associate Program. This is a one-year commitment to learn about the management philosophy known as Market Based Management (MBM) that helped Koch Industries become the largest privately held company in North America. In April I was interviewed in D.C. and in May was interviewed by the organization, Youth Entrepreneurs Kansas, I will use to practice MBM.

The past few months I've been booked for some photo shoots and fashion shows in Kansas City and Wichita (attached is a photo of the White House Black Market/Mary Kay fashion show in May and a photo shoot with a Wichita photographer). In April, I finished my master's thesis for my Master's in Social Sciences in Journalism from the University of Hong Kong. As a reward for my postgraduate degree, I went to watch my first televised Miss USA in Las Vegas. The experience has motivated me further to give 110% at Miss Kansas USA this year so that I can represent Kansas at Miss USA next year.

In June, I'll begin the Koch Associate Program by kicking off a week-long of training in D.C. Also, I'll be a camp counselor for the diversity and leadership camp known as OurTown, which is sponsored by Diversity Kansas (the non-profit where I have sat as the youngest board member since I was 17). I'm looking forward to the next seven months of training leading up to Miss KS USA 2010 on Dec. 20.

Thanks again for all the support you've given me.

Mrs. Kansas US 2009

2009-05-12T20:01:00.003-05:00

This past weekend was a lot of fun! I went to watch the Mrs. Kansas United States 2009 pageant in Salina, KS with some good friends. Kim drove us up to Salina and I was anxious to visit with a friend I hadn't seen in ages! Allie - it was great catching up with you and can't wait to see you again soon!

On Sunday, I was back to meeting with one of the organizations I love to work with - the Wichita Asian Association. We are planning the annual Asian Festival to be held Oct. 17 at Century II (so mark your calendars). My friend, Mhaeh, and I will be working with this year's Miss Asia contestants (and there's even a $1,000 scholarship that has been donated to the winner).

Per Meem's request - here's a photo of one of my Gail Schneider designer tops. They are super cute and available here.

Graduation, Pageant and Annie Up

2009-05-04T14:52:00.008-05:00

What a week! I received some packages in the mail this week, all thanks to some of my sponsors. First, thank you Sassy Soles for a pair of the really comfortable soles (no more toe overhang)! Second, thanks to Gail Schneider for the beautiful designer tops she sent to me. These two businesses have great female entrepreneurs leading them, please support them.

On Tuesday, I gave my 16th presentation to the Rotary Club of West Wichita. It turns out that these Rotarians help out the very first school I ever attended in the US, Lawrence Elementary. And they invited me to come along and help out at their annual hot dog feed in a couple of weeks.

One of my favorite places to be on a Friday is at the Lord's Diner soup kitchen. I love serving dinner to the less fortunate but I also love seeing my friends at the Lord's Diner. They made me feel a lot better since I was feeling a little down this week. Thanks for picking me back up, not to mention my good friends Idia and Christina!!!

On Saturday, I had the pleasure of attending my best friend Idia's mom's nursing school graduation ceremony at Hesston College. Maybe in another life, I'll be in the medical profession. But for now, I absolutely admire those who go into that profession. One of the quotes from the graduation made me have a few tears, "May the work of your hands bring healing to all those you touch." Congrats Elizabeth on your hard work!!!

Later that evening, I helped my friend Kim, reigning Mrs. Kansas America, with backstage help for her first time directing a pageant. Congratulations to Lauren Sage Browning, Miss Jr. Teen KS World, Kaiti Hemann, Miss Teen KS World, and Sloane Lewis, Miss KS US International!!

And then to top off a nice weekend, we went to support my friend Megan Bushell of Annie Up! These three young ladies have amazing voices.

Alright, gotta go now for a Susan G. Komen meeting and then make a presentation to high school students on "Lily's Life Lessons."

Holocaust Commemoration and pageants

2009-04-25T20:08:00.007-05:00

I was busy this week with moderating the Youth Professionals of Wichita panel on "Cultural Differences: Perspectives from International Students." This was a neat opportunity to talk to students from Ghana, Philippines, Russia, Paraguay, and Pakistan. Sometimes we forget how much more alike we are than different to other cultures. Those in attendance heard a wide range of experiences from family values that differed to students learning how to take care of themselves for the first time since they had been used to having maids.

On Thursday, I had a great time meeting some of the donors to Wichita State University at DG Tom's beautiful home. Following that cocktail event, my brother and I attended the Interfaith Holocaust Commemoration, which featured Doris Fogel, “The Little Girl in the Shanghai Ghetto.”

In 1939, at the age of four, Doris left Berlin with her mother to escape the wrath of Hitler. They headed East to Shanghai, China, where 18,000 Jewish refugees escaped the mass killings in Europe. She talked about her experience living for eight years in the Chinese ghetto, an area less than one square mile. Doris and her mother were fortunate enough to survive disease, overcrowding, lack of food and sanitation and the hostility of the Japanese occupation army, by being sponsored to come to America in 1947.

I took down a few notes and thought you all might find inspirational. We often forget how thankful we are to have a few meals a day. Doris was 65lbs at age 13, never had a full meal until she came to the US, and the bed she shared was infested with bugs. She and the thousands that survived the Holocaust show me the strength of the human spirit and the love we must have for humanity.

Doris' sharing made me think about how fortunate we are to have the basic three B's she didn't have (Bed, Bath, and Bread). Her speech about tolerance and understanding also made me think about the recent brouhaha surrounding Miss California's answer to her Top 5 question at Miss USA. I think the lesson behind this is that we must not forget the appalling events that occurred, to learn from those events and not to let them happen again. But more importantly, that we must all practice mutual respect and understanding because hatred and intolerance are not acceptable. On a last note, I was touched by a poem another speak read. The message was basically...that peace between nations boils down to finding peace between neighbors...peace between neighbors can only be achieved by finding peace in the family...and peace in the family can only happen by finding peace within us. I believe being a titleholder allows young women to be ambassadors of peace, no matter how cliche it may sound.

On a different note, I attended the Miss/Ms. Salt Queen pageant in Hutchinson to support my friend, Alex. The pageant was to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Salt Museum in Hutchinson, KS and the competition consisted of evening wear, on-stage interview, and celebrity impersonation. It turns out that the underground vaults, 650 underground (and where the pageant was held), store some of the original film reels of classics like "Gone with the Wind" and even the "Friends" series. Alex looked beautiful as Audrey Hepburn - and won the 2nd RU placement - good job Alex!

(P.S. Congrats also to my friend, Norma, for winning the Miss Africa pageant at Wichita State a couple of weeks ago!)

Miss USA 2009

2009-04-23T21:18:00.007-05:00

I had an amazing time at the Miss USA 2009 weekend in Las Vegas. I had the pleasure of going there with the Miller gals (thanks again for making me feel a part of the fam) from Friday to Monday.

The adventure to Vegas began with being stuck at the Wichita airport for 7 hours...we boarded the plane...found a leak on the plane...pilot couldn't fix it...technician was called...we deplaned...technician couldn't fix it. So, they had to call another plane to come to Wichita to take us to Vegas. We were supposed to arrive around 2:30 Vegas time but ended up arriving around 9:30 instead. On a better note, the rest of the weekend went smooth and great!

I met the wonderful folks from Pageant Central, former Miss USA/Miss Teen USA state titleholders, and even Miss Universe 1997 Brook Lee (she was Miss Hawaii USA, went on to win Miss USA and then Miss Universe...she's been my inspiration for competing in the USA system because she exemplifies beauty and brains)! I learned a lot from this weekend and it has gotten me more pumped for Miss KS USA in December. The weekend further confirmed why I want so much to be Miss KS USA and then go on to Miss USA. I want to represent beauty and brains together and show the diversity of our great nation.

P.S. I was featured in a recent photo shoot for the Wichita Eagle modeling spring dresses at http://www.kansas.com/298/story/779340.html

Heartland PETS

2009-04-05T22:23:00.004-05:00

What a weekend! It made me feel so honored and proud to be a part of Rotary. On Friday and Saturday, I spent it with Rotarians from Kansas, Oklahoma, Nebraska and Iowa for the "Heartland PETS" (President Elect Training Seminar). I had the honor of meeting and chatting with Past Rotary International President, Wilf Wilkinson, and Trustee Carolyn Jones, from Ontario, Canada and Anchorage, Alaska, respectively. I'd met Carolyn in Hong Kong during her two visits to Rotary but this time I had the pleasure of really talking to her and learning about her service with Rotary.

In the midst of talking to Wilf, I learned that he was the past executive director of Quinte Ballet School of Canada. For those that know pageant history, you'll know this is an important school...why? Well, it's the school that Miss Universe 2007, Riyo Mori, graduated from! He told me that Riyo's mom would always fly from Japan to see Riyo's performances. Wilf took a photo with Riyo before she ever considered competing for Miss Japan and later Miss Universe, so I said he was going to be my lucky charm to win Miss KS USA and then Miss USA!! :)

The weekend in Salina for PETS was lots of fun. The Rotarians kept asking me questions about how to market Rotary to a younger generation and if integrity is a strong selling point to our generation. You see, Rotary lives by the Four-Way Test and I really believe that if businesses, political leaders, and each individual asked themselves those four questions before an action...the world would be a better place and probably not in the economic crisis we are in at the moment. I think I'll try to incorporate that message in other presentations in the future but at PETS, I gave a new presentation called "The Blossom." This presentation was given at the closing luncheon for PETS to about 150 Rotarians about how Rotary has changed my life. I owe a lot of my growth to Rotary and thankful everyday to be a Rotary Ambassadorial Scholar.

Blizzards in March

2009-03-28T13:23:00.006-05:00

That's right folks...we had rain, sleet, ice, snow and wind for the last 24 hours. The snowflakes in NW Wichita were as big as a dollar coin!! My brother and I shoveled the ice off of the driveway when it stopped for about an hour. Less than 12 hours later, our efforts seemed to have been in vain. The snow is about 5-6 inches deep but underneath it is that sheet of ice - - all too dangerous. So, please be careful for those traveling around the area.

This week was so much for fun for me! If I could give it a theme I would call it "presentations." On Monday, I gave my 13th presentation to the RC of Arkansas City. And yesterday, in the middle of the ice storm, I drove to Derby to give a presentation to almost 30 Rotarians who also braved the storm. But the presentation I was most proud of this week was not made by me...but by brother, Carlos. I was happy to see my younger brother stand in front of a podium with such charisma and persuasion to business professionals of Wichita and even the Mayor of Wichita!!! He made me really proud!!

I had a great photo shoot this week with Eric Nguyen of Ericson Studio in Wichita. I had so much fun at this shoot with Eric, the photographer, and Sam, the make-up artist...Thanks guys!

Diversity Kansas

2009-03-22T22:21:00.006-05:00

It was nice to see some of my friends at Diversity Kansas this week. I started my involvement with Diversity Kansas as a participant in "Anytown," a leadership and diversity summer camp (if anyone (high school or college student) is interested in the camp, check out the site here). At this week's board meeting, we talked about the challenges facing non-profits this year with the economy the way it is. I really hope that the organizations that are giving so much to our communities, will survive this.

Also this week, I found out that I didn't make the Top 20 for the STA World Traveler Intern. :( It was a little sad but I really hope that there are better plans ahead for me. Thank you everyone who viewed the video and gave me comments - - I felt the love! :) Here's a video response I made: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ARq0f6QHc2E

Pageant update: 1) Went back to the gym and looking forward to the next 9 months leading up to Miss KS USA, 2) I learned how to apply pageant-ready make up from Megan B., 3) I hung out with Alex and Kelley and watched the DVDs from last year's pageant, and finally...drum roll...4) I'll be joining the Miller gals in Las Vegas for Miss USA 2009!!!!

I'm so excited to go watch my very first televised pageant!!! But more happy to meet all my Pageant Central friends! Yay! Viva Las Vegas!!! :)

Falling from the Sky

2009-03-15T21:18:00.006-05:00

Literally!! Well, not me. My brother, Carlos, and great friend, Christina, skydove from more than 10,000 ft. in the air back down to mother earth from a perfectly fine plane. The worry-wart that I am, was really scared for both of them. I'm super scared of heights so you'd be able to find me down on solid ground, taking their photos instead. Nonetheless, I think it's something to do once in a lifetime...maybe I just might...say, after winning Miss KS USA in 9 months!!! :)

This week was great!!! My "little sister" Fei came down to Kansas to visit me for her spring break. She's so great!! She's actually quite the personality and well accomplished young lady. Let's see...21 - written a book - model - actress - trilingual - was the personal assistant to both Michael Phelps and Kobe Bryant at the Olympics!!! I love her and glad that we met last year while we both were interns at CNN. She's got a great future ahead of her! Thanks again sis for visiting me.

We went to Kansas City (second time for me in just three days!) for a photo shoot and then had dinner with a friend, mentor, and the reigning Miss KS USA, Courtney. Judges be ready - Court will be wonderful at Miss USA!

And finally to cap the week off - I watched three films in the threatre!! If you haven't seen "Slumdog Millionaire" - it's totally worth it! I really enjoyed watching this movie with my mom who has been wanting to watch it since the Oscars.

For those that want a nice girl's night out movie - "Confessions of a Shopaholic" is a cute movie. Hmmm...made me think about the many pieces of clothes that I bought and have never seen again. It's crazy how we go into a store and buy things because A) it's a good price (sales!), B) it was the "it" thing for the season, C) it looked good on the manikin, or D) it looked good when we tried it on under those deceiving lights at stores but when we get home, reality set in.

And last movie was "Watchmen"...hmmm...let's just say it's definitely rated R. I was actually a bit annoyed because I saw a little girl, no more than 6 years old, that was watching the movie. I understand parents needing a "date" night but couldn't they have found a babysitter or simply chosen a more kid-friendly movie. The little girl sure didn't want to be at the threatre for almost 3 hours and she made that clear as she was obstructing my view jumping from seat to seat.

Well I'm off to eat a nice dinner cooked by Christina. Have a great week ahead ya'll!

Rotary déjà vu

2009-03-09T17:59:00.003-05:00

I loved this past weekend! Not only did my Miss Pageant Central sash come in (thanks to R.P) and my tote bag came in from NCGal, I went for a small weekender to Kansas City. I met future world leaders (not kidding - amazing young people and even the Rotary International President Nominee, Mr. Ray Klinginsmith) and had a photo shoot with Steve Melvin.

I was fortunate enough to be invited back by the organizers of the Mid-American Link Regional Rotary Outbound Scholars Orientation (thanks Larry - again another successful orientation). That was a mouthful which basically means it's an orientation for newly selected scholars to gain insight for their soon-to-be "year of a lifetime" as a Rotary Scholar. It really was like déjà vu for me because two years ago, on the first weekend of March, I went to the same hotel for my orientation. I knew I was going to have a great experience as a Rotary Ambassadorial Scholar, but I didn't expect it to be so life changing and amazing!! I was again surrounded by some of the smartest and most involved people in my life. It brought back memories of our final dinner where we were asked to answer a simple question with many meaningful answers: How will you change the world? And the theme I heard among almost every scholar was the idea of serving others. Rotary is an organization that truly believes and carries out its mission of "Service Above Self" and I know that by having more scholars like the ones I had the pleasure of meeting, the world can be a better place.

First Draft

2009-03-01T16:11:00.006-06:00

A full week of writing on my Master's Project has really worn me out. I'm submitting my first-draft tonight and then I'll have a little bit of breathing before the revisions and edits start. Yay!!! I hope to have it complete and out of my "to-do list" by the end of March.

This week wasn't as adventurous as my past weeks but I did make my 11th presentation, this time it was to the Rotary Club of El Dorado.

And on to some pageant updates. I had the opportunity to meet the Siroky family this week, owners of Elite Bodies in Northwest Wichita (located 3510 N. Ridge Rd, (316) 773-6348). They have signed up to be my first sponsors for Miss Kansas USA 2010!!! I can't wait to have a regular workout routine once this paper is done! Thanks again Elite Bodies for your sponsorship!

P.S. I still need your help! I'm still applying for the STA World Traveler Internship, where they'll be choosing two interns to travel to 10 countries this summer and essentially be travel journalists! Please rate & comment on my video and then ask your network of friends to do the same thing. The link is http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j4GVsIAPN0A

Miss Pageant Central 2009

2009-02-21T12:52:00.004-06:00

I'm finally making headway for my Master's Project!! I'm typing out all my interviews and thinking about how to cohesively put this feature story together.

My family and I got back last Thursday from our 28-day trip to China, Macau, Hong Kong and Hainan Island, for the Chinese New Year. I've finally readjusted to time here in Kansas and glad to be productive again. After my return home, I received some GREAT news. After a month-long contest, my mom's essay won me the title of Miss Pageant Central 2009. They announced the winner on Valentine's Day and I cannot think of a better V-day gift than that!!! You can view my mom's essay on http://www.freewebs.com/pageantcentral/misspageantcentral.htm On top of that, I got to spend V-day with my favorite gal - Miss Christina, who also happened to nominate me for MPC. (Note: Thanks to Kent and Ms. Niles for also nominating me for MPC!)

This week, I made my 10th presentation since coming back to the States from my year as a Rotary Ambassadorial Scholar. I was the guest speaker at the Rotary Club of Andover. They were a great bunch of Rotarians who asked me questions that I enjoyed answering. Thanks to the guest Rotarians who came especially to hear my presentation. I hope I was able to meet the high expectations you had for me.

Well, I'm off to writing some more on the story.

P.S. I still need your help! I'm still applying for the STA World Traveler Internship, where they'll be choosing two interns to travel to 10 countries this summer and essentially be travel journalists! Please rate & comment on my video and then ask your network of friends to do the same thing. The link is http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j4GVsIAPN0A

Sanya - Guangzhou - Back to KS

2009-02-11T03:38:00.006-06:00

Oh what a week! :) We just got back from a vacation to the Hawaii of China - known as Sanya! For those that don't know about Sanya...this was where Miss World 2003, 2004, 2005, and 2007 were held. We had a great time and enjoyed the beautiful beaches of Yalong Bay, where we stayed at the Marriott Resort and Spa. The hotel was next to the Sheraton, where the contestants of Miss World stayed and where President Hu Jintao has received many world leaders. It was nice to finally relax and take in the peace and quiet of the Chinese island of Hainan.

We are back to Guangzhou for a final family gathering dinner and then we're on a plane bright and early tomorrow bound from Guangzhou to Tokyo, then to Minneapolis and finally back home to Wichita.

In the meantime, I wanted to show you my video application for the STA World Traveler Internship, where they'll be choosing two interns to travel to 10 countries this summer and essentially be travel journalists! Please rate and comment on my video and let others know of this great internship. The link is http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j4GVsIAPN0A

Thanks bunches!!!

CNY 2009 Year of the Ox

2009-01-24T19:03:00.003-06:00

Another year passes so it's time to reflect on the past and be hopeful for the future. I'm having a GREAT time with my parents in China. It's so nice to bond with my aunts, uncles and cousins. Spending time with my family is truly the best thing in the world. I'm getting to know who they are, who they were, and why they are the way they are.

I feel like the luckiest girl in the world because I have parents who love me so much, a brother who is smart and one-of-a-kind, family who loves me unconditionally, friends who support me in my endeavors, and a puppy who is oh so adorable. I'm so thankful for this past year - - for all the friends I've met along the way, for all the experiences that will last a lifetime, and for all the opportunities that have been presented to me. Thank you everyone who has made my 2008 and year of the Rat so memorable!

I hope this new year brings all of you continued good health and happiness. I'm ever more thankful for the little things in life, like spending time with the people who matter and telling them how much they mean to me. THANK YOU!

Arrived in Guangzhou

2009-01-18T15:21:00.003-06:00

2.5 hours from Wichita to Minneapolis...12 hours from Minneapolis to Tokyo...and 4.5 hours from Tokyo to Guangzhou...spending 3.5 weeks with my parents and extended family - priceless!

My parents and I are spending Chinese New Year in China! It's so nice spending all this time with them...kinda making up for lost time when I was in Hong Kong.

I can't talk much because I'm leaving with my parents to the countryside to visit my paternal grandma. The 2.5 hours bus ride is going to be fun again because my parents are super funny! I think it's partly because they're so EXCITED to be in China to spend CNY and see all their family and friends!

Western Kansas II

2009-01-09T11:54:00.002-06:00

It was so nice to come back and speak at my sponsoring club - Downtown Wichita Rotary Club. With about 100+ members in attendance, I was warmly introduced by my friend and PP Elizabeth King. I gave my recap and even was moved to tears because my lifelong mentor was in attendance, Mrs. Sorensen!

It was my second trip out to Western Kansas in the month I've been back. The wonderful Rotarians from Ulysses came out to Wichita to pick me up on their plane. This was my first time taking a small airplane out West and I had lots of fun! I even got to fly the plane for about 10 seconds and we came out all in one piece. I gave my 7th and 8th presentations since coming back by speaking at the Ulysses RC and to local high school students at the Ulysses Career Learning Academy. Thanks Rotarians Mark and Larry for the "great" landings!

Happy New Year 2009

2008-12-31T12:05:00.004-06:00

A year truly goes by fast when you have the best of friends and acquaintances that come your way. I'm thankful for many things but at the very top of that list are definitely PEOPLE - (my family and friends)!!! I'm so blessed to have had the opportunity to meet so many people during 2008 and continue to build my friendships with the people I've met in my 24 years! There's only one thing I wish for all you and that is good health. My mom is right - with health you can do anything! So for 2009 - - have a great new year and good health to you all.

P.S. I'm sure you're wondering how I did at Miss KS USA. I didn't win the title but I was thankful for making the Top 12 finals and winning the Miss Congeniality award. Here are just a couple of photos from that special weekend. (Note: Evening Gown sponsored by Foggy Bottom and photo courtesy of Kelley Miller)

Western Kansas and Homecoming

2008-12-14T10:50:00.004-06:00

It's been one week and one day since I've been back home in Kansas. I've been so happy to have so many homecoming gatherings that I feel like the luckiest girl in the world. My family has been so wonderful in trying to make me feel comfortable back home and my friends have been great at making me feel like I'm still a part of their lives.

Christmas decorations and songs are everywhere during this time of the year. It truly is the best time to come to Kansas! Since the holiday season is about spending time with those you love, I couldn't be happier than being home for the holidays.

I got back last Friday night, with just a little bit of a hiccup. My suitcases were lost for 24 hours but were soon recovered from Dallas, TX. Then, 36 hours after my arrival back home, I had another suitcase packed to travel to Western Kansas and make Rotary presentations. PDG Kent Converse drove down to Wichita to pick me up and take me to his farm, where I resided for three nights. I gave presentations at the Dodge City, Kinsley and Larned Rotary Clubs. (Note: I had one of the best steaks in Kinsley! Boy, have I missed Kansas beef! It's just the best!) Not only did I visit with Rotarians, I also got to learn more about Kansas history at Boot Hill (to learn about cowboys), Ft. Larned (to learn about the Indians), and the Boy Scout Museum (which has the largest collection of Boy Scout memorabilia in the U.S.). I really got a full integration back to Kansas life by being out in the farmlands of Kansas. (Thank you so much Kent!)

We drove back to Wichita Wednesday morning in time to make my 4th Rotary presentation at the Wichita East RC. It felt like I was completing a full circle because that was the last club I visited before I went off to HK. Then, on Thursday I caught up with my high school English teacher and friend, Ms. Niles.

Friday was a full day! I went back to my alma mater (Wichita East High School) and visited with some of my favorite teachers - Z and Fry-Fry! It made me nostalgic to walk around those same hallways I used to roam around in my teenage years. Then, I was able to volunteer at one my favorite places in Wichita - the Lord's Diner. It was so nice to see Elizabeth and Larry that night. We served hot meals for about 400 people in the two hours we were opened. Then, yesterday, I got to spend lots of quality time with my life mentors and best friends, Mr. and Mrs. Sorensen.

Now, I sit at my kitchen table, looking at the week ahead of me. I'll present at the Hutchinson RC, weather permitting since we're supposed to have a big snow storm today and tomorrow. Then, I go off to Lawrence to compete for Miss Kansas USA on Friday. You can keep up with the latest happenings of the pageant at www.misskansasusa.com. The next post I make will hopefully be as Miss Kansas USA 2009! Take care everyone and Happy Holidays!

Last Week in HK

2008-11-29T11:00:00.005-06:00

This past week has been bittersweet! I have spent lots of time (almost every night) with those that have become some of my good friends in Hong Kong. I couldn't have asked for a better Rotary District to host me and best people in the world to have made an impact in my life. I'm truly humbled by all the love and support each and everyone has given me. I can't begin to list all the names of those that have walked into my life and have made a lasting impression but I do want to name a few.

Thank you very much Uncle Or, my counselor Lily, Uncle Frederick, PDG Alex, Raymond, Grace, PDG Anthony & Mary, DGE Ada & Kenneth, IPDG Peter, IPS Albert, Eugene & Kitty, Margaret, Fion, Michael, Raju, Sabrina, Peter, the Nates, Ting, Karen, Sarah, Caroline, Sonias, Phil, Patrick, all the other scholars and Rotarians. I'm sure I left out a few other important people but do know that I'm truly thankful for you and for the memories we've shared and lasting friendships we've created.

This is not a goodbye but a "see you later." As I said in my email to you all...

Thank you so very much from the bottom of this Guatemalan-Chinese-American girl's heart. You have each made a difference in my life - - Rotarians, thank you for showing that "Rotary Shares" and is able to "Make Dreams Real."

I've chronicled all my adventures as a Rotary Ambassadorial Scholar and accomplished my goal of publishing at least 4 entries per month (so there's plenty to read in the archives). I hope you all enjoyed following my life in this part of world! Thanks for visiting and I'll try to post soon.

Guangzhou Nov 2008

2008-11-23T09:05:00.003-06:00

I just got back from an overnight in Guangzhou (about 2.5 hours away from HK) to visit my extended family. It was very nice to see and eat with them. My grandmother was very happy to see me! I also got to see my paternal grandmother, who's 86 years old, in the countryside...which is 2.5 hours SW of Guangzhou city. The countryside made me think about Kansas - - it's so similar except there are mountains. I'll be back home in Kansas in less than 2 weeks - - and I'll be 110% busy up to the very second that I get onto the plane. But this is exactly the way I want it - - busy and productive! Gotta go to bed now, gotta be in the gym by 9 a.m!

RC FC Ball and Cancer Walk-a-thon

2008-11-16T18:04:00.003-06:00

Oh what an exhausting week! The weather started to change in Hong Kong and it's finally fall/winter-like weather, thus, it's become much cooler and dry. This sudden change in temperature coupled with the A/C in full blast in every building, has caused me to become ill...well maybe I also add that I've been working really hard and not getting as much rest I should be getting. This is all because I'm trying to get as much in as possible before I return in 18 days!

This week was amazing because of the people I got to spend time with. Scholar Ting and my good friend, Karen, were there to make me feel better from this cold. On Thursday, I attended the RC of Financial Center's annual ball in TST. I believe it's my last ball of the year so it was very nice to see many of the wonderful Rotarians I've met here. There's also a photo of DG Albert Wong, his wife, and a famous actress in HK.

On Sunday, I was able to wake up rather early with Scholar Akanksha for the "Stride for a Cure" walk-a-thon to raise funds for cancer research. One of the major sponsors for this event is RC Kowloon North, which is Akanksha's host club. Last year, I joined this club in this same walk but I walked the 5km...this year, I was ambitious and did the 12km (while I worked out for 2 hours the night before). Let's just say that I'm a bit sore today! To top off the day, I met Scholar Sonia (HK outbound to UK), who works with me at the Clinton Global Initiative, and we ventured out to Shenzhen to shop! This was so much fun!!! I loved shopping with Sonia and getting her advice on everything.

RSOS 2008

2008-11-10T21:11:00.004-06:00

Can it really be?...I'm leaving in three weeks! I'm feeling more and more comfortable in Hong Kong and now I must start saying my goodbyes.

This past weekend, I got to share my experience at the Rotary Scholarship Orientation Seminar (the first official one hosted by D3450) of being a Rotary Scholar and was even grouped as an "alumni" already. Ahhhh - I wasn't expecting that so soon but I guess I'm really leaving. I cannot begin to describe my year except for saying that it has been UNFORGETTABLE.

Also, on Friday, I attended the second annual ball of my host Rotary Club of New Territories. I was able to sit with the Rotarians from RC Pasay - - whom I got to visit when I was in the Philippines in April.

Halloween 2008 and IASP

2008-11-04T19:26:00.004-06:00

Oh what a weekend! I'm still recovering from such a hectic schedule.

I had the honor of being the emcee for the 3rd Asia Pacific Regional Conference of the International Association for Suicide Prevention 2008. This conference was hosted in Hong Kong for the first time and won't take place again until 2011 in Beijing, China. Out of all the worldwide suicides, the Asia Pacific region has 60% of the cases. I think that people with such a disease, need strong support systems and resources to get over this situation.

(PERSONAL NOTE: I just feel very lucky to have such good friends and mentors that are a part of my life. Thank you for being my support system and always encouraging me. Thankfully, I have never had such thoughts but my heart goes out to those that go through that.)

Prior to emceeing this event, I hadn't been to the HK Convention and Exhibition Center or the famous Jumbo Restaurant- so it was quite a treat to be able to see the Bauhinia, harbour view from the Center, and the floating boat restaurant. I had the pleasure to work with some amazing people trying to find methods to combat this disease and I'm glad I met them indirectly through Rotary.

It's been one full year since I missed Halloween 2007! I remember last year during the holiday, I had class both at night and the following morning. Thus, I opted to stay in. This year I got to see how crowded the Central/LKF area can become during just one holiday. It was amazing seeing so many people in that area. Police had to put up barricades for crowd control and only single directional walking was allowed in that area. So, if you needed to go across the street, you actually had to go in one big square before reaching the location!

Lastly, this weekend, I got my wardrobe for the Miss Kansas USA pageant! I'm so excited to compete on Dec. 21 and getting ready for all areas of competition.

Cambodia and Vietnam

2008-10-26T10:08:00.003-05:00

I just got back from my week long trip to Cambodia and Vietnam yesterday afternoon. It was one of my favorite trips visiting the ruins of Angkor Wat, the Cuchi Tunnels, and the site of the Miss Universe 2008 pageant in Nha Trang. My travel buddy is an Inbound Scholar from Virginia, Sarah - - we shared some great memories.

I don't have a lot of time today to post a lengthy post but I wanted to share some photos. I'll try to write more later in the week.

After my return Saturday afternoon, I was off to another ball...the District Grand Lodge of Mark Master Masons of Hong Kong, where I won a nice Swarovski necklace. Then, this morning, I joined some Rotarians on a junk (that's a boat with Chinese and Western characteristics) trip out to Lamma Island where we ate roasted baby pigeons and hiked the mountain.

46th HK Presentation

2008-10-15T11:01:00.005-05:00

I finally did it! I have been to all 46 Hong Kong clubs during my year as a Rotary Ambassadorial Scholar. A year ago, Rotarians challenged me and I was motivated by this challenge to make presentations to all the clubs in Hong Kong. I'm now the first and only Inbound Scholar to have visited all the clubs in Hong Kong, not to mention visiting the two other countries that are a part of D3450 - Mongolia and Macau.

One of the main reasons why I challenged myself was to help Chinese speaking clubs get exposure to the wonderful things The Rotary Foundation (TRF) funds, such as the Educational programs like the RA Scholarship. Often HK receives Scholars but none that have been able to fully communicate in Cantonese. Therefore I wanted Rotarians that have never really known what the TRF funds, to see in person a recipient of the scholarship. Further, I wanted to give Rotarians exposure to another side of the States that many often don't get to see - the Midwest! Rotarians from this district are well educated and well traveled, but it seems like Kansas is never their choice for vacation. That's why I felt that as an ambassador of Kansas, what better way to give a taste of the Midwest then to present to Rotarians. In addition, my Cantonese has improved so much in the past year and I credit that to being able to present to so many Rotarians in the district. The final club I presented to was the RC of Kowloon Northeast, a Chinese speaking club.

Don't let the "Chinese speaking clubs" fool you into thinking that these Rotarians don't speak English. Their English is often superb as many have studied in the States or other English speaking countries before. These clubs simply run their meetings in Chinese and feel more comfortable speaking in that language. Also important to note that Hong Kong has two official languages - English and Chinese (Cantonese being the preferred dialect).

Well, I'm off to see Angkor Wat and Saigon (Ho Chi Minh City)....yes, I'm going to Cambodia and Vietnam for one week. Scholar Sarah and I will go on our Southeast Asia adventure to explore temple ruins and learn about the cultures in those countries. I'll be back next Saturday and will post photos when I return.

Rotary Flag Day

2008-10-12T05:59:00.003-05:00

I had a very long Saturday but also very rewarding!

My Saturday morning started bright and early - by waking up at 6 a.m! I had to be in TST by 7 a.m. for the Opening Ceremony of the 2008 Rotary Flag Day ceremony.

Flag Day is a Hong Kong tradition that allows non-profit organizations to raise money during a one day flag selling event. The organization must register for a permit and are sometimes granted the privilege to sell but only to a restricted district. Although the tradition began by passer-bys receiving small flags for their donations, nowadays, they are given stickers.

For the second time in three years, Rotary District 3450 organized the Flag Day event in Kowloon district. The funds raised during Rotary Flag Day will be used for the “Scheme for Promoting Growth of Children of Deprived Groups” that helps to broaden children’s horizons, build up their confidence and make their dreams real.

Rotary Ambassadorial Scholars Ting, Tommy and I helped with this event. It really surprised me how generous HK people really are. It really humbled me to have to ask and constantly get rejected by passer-bys, while never failing to keep smiling. But it made me extremely happy to know that there are people in this world that really care!

After selling flags from 7 a.m. to 11:30 a.m., we went to Causeway Bay for the Inbound RA Scholars Orientation. Thereafter, I visited the gym - - I try to go there 5 times a week but have only been able to go 4 times a week.

Camp Quality Gala

2008-10-05T08:07:00.003-05:00

Another amazing weekend!!! (Humming the tunes of last night's ball....*Kowloon Hong Kong. I love Hong Kong*)

Last night, I attended the 10th Anniversary Charity Gala of Camp Quality Hong Kong. This non-profit raises money to help children that suffer from cancer. People around the community will donate money for a camp that will get these children away from their day-to-day treatment filled days to one that allows them to enjoy the outdoors. Cancer is the second cause of death of children in Hong Kong and the victims are not only the children but also their families. That is why they raise money get these kids to experience a camp that will get them to not think about their cancer but to simply enjoy life. And it allows the parents to get some time for themselves. Rotarians from RC Kowloon North helped in creating the Hong Kong division of CQ and this is their second charity ball to raise money. One of their ambassadors is Jackie Chan, who, due to the typhoon, was unable to attend.

The event was beautiful!!! The theme was "Around the World in 80 Days" and was a star-studded ball. Howard McCrary was one of the main performers (he's the brother-in-law of Chaka Khan).

The rest of the week consisted of celebrating National Day (Oct. 1) with a great Japanese-American family, who are one of the best expat families I've ever met!

Shoot for the Moon

2008-09-28T06:52:00.002-05:00

"Shoot for the moon, even if you miss, you'll land amongst the stars." -Les Brown

This has been one of my favorite quotes since I was in my teens. It's so appropriate for this past week. China sent its first person in outer space in 2003, making it the third country to do so. But this weekend, marked the first ever spacewalk in space by a Chinese man. Going to the gym the entire weekend, I saw the walk and the return of the spacecraft. All the people in the gym were hooked to the TV - - Hong Kong locals, Mainland Chinese, and International students (some even Asian-American). All were happy for Chinese efforts. It's great to see a nation with the highest population, taking its dreams and making them a reality. They keep on shooting for the moon - whether it be hosting the Olympics or sending men into space. It's also easy to forget that this nation has only opened up less than 30 years ago - - so of course, it still has its problems (not to mention the milk contamination scandal) like human rights and wealth inequality. But let's just a moment to think of the accomplishments China has done in recent history and reflect on the quote that keeps on inspiring me. I know that China will soon learn its place in the global arena, as I hope to learn my place in this world.

May Peace Prevail on Earth

2008-09-21T09:03:00.008-05:00

I've never been more proud to be a Rotary Ambassadorial Scholar than today. Today was the International Day of Peace celebration ceremony which is the first in Hong Kong.

"At the United Nations Headquarters, the Day of Peace is marked each year with a special ceremony where the Secretary-General delivers a special message before ringing the bells and calls upon the people around the world to reflect for a moment on the universal goals of peace. This year's observance of the International Day of Peace coincides with the 60th anniversary of the International Declaration of Human Rights."

UN Resident Coordinator, His Excellency Mr. Khalid Malik, joined HKU Vice-Chancellor Lap Chee Tsui and DG Albert Wong to introduce the first Peace Pole in HK, observe a minute of silence, ring the Peace Bell, and raise the UN Flag. We then heard Mr. Malik speak about the challenges we still face toward universal peace and the milestones we've accomplished so far. He talked about the four challenges: 1) building a secure world (constant insecurity people still face in many parts of the world - like Darfur and the Middle East), 2) building a prosperous world (eliminating hunger and poverty - as more than a billion people in the world live on less than US$1 per day), 3) building a just world (basic human rights (equality, justice and respect) abuse and denials), 4) climate change (human health is at risk).

As a Rotary Scholar, and in the presence of a Rotary Peace Fellow, I was honored to be associated with Rotary today. I believe this scholarship is providing future leaders, like us, the chance to bring understanding and goodwill to ever part of the world. I don't want to go into my soapbox, but I truly feel blessed and thankful for Rotary. Peace is not just a "fashionable" word or topic for anyone associated with Rotary. The good work and the programs they fund truly are making a difference and are greatly contributing to peace. The prayer that we all heard during the ceremony was "May peace prevail on Earth." I think every person on Earth is responsible for peace. So, I urge you to challenge yourself daily and ask "What role have I played in peace today?"

Mid-Autumn Festival 2008

2008-09-21T07:36:00.007-05:00

Wow - -what a difference a year can make! I've finally adjusted to food, weather, and culture in Hong Kong, which brings me to Mooncakes! Last year, during the Mid-Autumn Festival, I was sick in my dorm room. So, I didn't get to enjoy the traditional pastry of the event - the mooncake. But I made it up this year by eating a piece of traditional mooncake (lotus paste and egg yolk) and the commercialized/modern mooncake (made of ice cream).

This was a 100%-better holiday than last year. Not only did I get to enjoy Chinese opera two weeks ago and pass out mooncakes to elderly with RC Metropolitan HK; I got to do it again this week! On the day of the holiday, I was invited to join new Scholars Sandy and Sarah with the RC New Territories in Tsuen Wan. We had dim sum with Rotarians and learned about the Chinese hand signal for thank you, placement of teapot lids, and the Lady on the Moon story (which is a part of the Mid-Autumn Festival myth). After lunch, we headed to the Yan Chai Hospital, where several elderly centers are housed. We visited one of those centers, where about 60 residents can live at full capacity, but only 50 at the moment reside there. Due to the holiday, some went to their sons/daughter's places to have family dinner (as it's custom to eat dinner together, as the big extended family, during Mid-Autumn and Chinese New Year).

This is where I met many sweet people who were touched that Rotarians, Rotaractors and Scholars would spend a holiday with them. Many of the elderly that we visited had no family left so they were moved to have visitors. Here are some photos of some of these kind people, who (believe it or not) are in their 90s and some close to 100! I enjoyed singing Chinese songs to them (the couple I know), fed them, talked to them, and simply shared quality time with them. Talking to them made me realize how we take some simple things for granted - like the freedom to walk, the ability to do things on our own, and the time you have with family and friends. I'm so happy to have a Rotary family both in HK and the US - - miss you all and love you all very much!

Afterward, I joined Sarah and Sandy at the Lantern Festival in Causeway Bay. As part of Mid-Autumn Festival, kids and adults come together to light up lanterns and see the full moon. We were lucky enough to get the moon on the backdrop of our photo and some of the paper lantern decorations at the festival.

Paralymic Equestrian

2008-09-13T19:02:00.005-05:00

I had the wonderful opportunity to attend the other Beijing 2008 Games - - the Paralymic Equestrian games in Hong Kong. One of our Rotarians, Nelson Yip, represented Hong Kong in one of the dressage events. I joined Rotarians from D3450 to cheer him on. Unfortunately, he didn't medal but at least had a good showing and I'm sure he was happy to see all his Rotary family supporters. Also pictured are W.K. Lam, one of the organizers of the Paralymic Equestrian events, along with PDG John Wan and DGE Ada Cheng.

Some of the photos are courtesy, PP K.L. Cheng of the RC of Kwai Chung.

Then, on Wednesday, I got to meet two former Miss Hong Kong contestants. One went on to win Miss HK 1995, Winnie Yeung 楊婉儀 (she's pictured with me). The other was first runner up to Miss HK 1993, May Lam 林麗薇. I remember watching both of those pageants on videotape when I was young, so it was a pleasure meeting them. Both of them are a part of a non-profit that gathers former Miss Hong Kong winners to do appearances and volunteer at charitable events. Then, at night, I presented at the 44th club (out of 46) in Hong Kong - - 2 more to go to reach my goal to go to all 46 HK RC!!!!

Birthday Week

2008-09-07T08:20:00.006-05:00

I can't begin to describe how lucky I am to be hosted by one of the best districts in the world (still love D5690!)! They have made me feel like I was part of a family from day one. And this weekend was no different except that I turned one year older - I'm now 24! And they all helped me celebrate - Rotary style!

On the eve of my birthday, I spent it with the RC of Metropolitan HK. Coincidentally they were celebrating Rotarians with September birthdays and only one Rotarian and myself were there. We had birthday cake and fresh papaya for dessert! I learned that papayas have really good vitamins for your skin so, a papaya a day, keeps the dermatologist away.

On the day of my birthday, I met the new Rotary Scholars inbound to Hong Kong, where we chatted for awhile. I'd already met a few prior to the event - even a scholar who's doing the same Master of Journalism as I am. Then, the Rotarians that I seem to meet on a weekly basis, celebrated my birthday with a Chinese dinner. These Rotarians even surprised me with a chocolate cake! They included Past DG Anthony and his wife Mary, DG Elect Ada and PP Kenneth, and Scholarship Chair Grace.

On Friday, I went bowling with the RC of Kowloon North at the Hong Kong Club, one of the oldest clubs in Hong Kong. It is there that I experienced old-time bowling - meaning that the pins were set by hand and not machines. There were pinsetters (yes, it's a proper term) in the back that would set up the pins and roll the ball back.

On Saturday, I joined the RC of Metropolitan HK on a service project celebrating the Mid-Autumn Festival with the elderly in Kowloon. We packed bags of fresh fruits and mooncakes for the elderly to take home. At the event, they were entertained by kids 4 to 7 years-old performing Chinese Operas. The two kids in the picture are 7 years-old and have been practicing for a year and half already! It took them 3 hours to get into full costume and make up! And their performance was so beautiful!

Finally, on Sunday, to round off my birthday weekend, I went on a boat trip with Rotarians. We sailed out to Sai Kung and were out there for 6 hours - swimming, eating, talking and playing beach volleyball. It was such a great day to be with Rotarians and enjoying the wonderful sun. Hong Kong just amazes me - 30 minutes out of the city surrounded by skyscrapers, you'll find great beaches and hiking trails.

This was a great 24th Birthday Week! Thank you D3450 Rotarians for celebrating and making my birthday so special.

One Year

2008-08-31T11:36:00.002-05:00

Not a lot to report from this week. The new group of Master of Journalism students have arrived. I got to spend Saturday with them, sharing my experience and answering questions they had. I remember being in their shoes just a year ago and I was anxious to talk to alum about the expectations of the program. So, it was nice to be on the other side.

Some exciting things are brewing on both this side of the world and in Kansas. When those things are more finalized, I'll be updating all of you.

This week - I get to look forward to getting one year older. I'll be turning 24 on Thursday! I'll be spending another birthday away from Kansas, so that's sad news. But the good news is that I'll be spending my birthday with the new Rotary scholars. Rotary has truly been my second family and I'm looking forward to sharing it with Rotarians.

Typhoon Nuri

2008-08-25T22:27:00.005-05:00

This past week, I experienced my first typhoon! I was expecting something like a tornado but that didn't happen. Instead, all of Friday, the city of Hong Kong was shut down. I didn't expect the signal #8 (which means the HK Stock Exchange, public schools and shops are closed) to be on from early in the morning onwards. The news on Thursday said that the typhoon wouldn't arrive until the afternoon, so I expected to go grocery shopping in the morning. But that didn't happen...thus, I was left with one can of Campbell's soup, one bag of noodles, and one bag of chips, which ended up being my lunch and dinner of the day! Since students weren't allowed to leave the halls because of the signal #8, I stayed home and watched Classics that I'd been meaning to watch for a long time but never had the time. I watched Gone with the Wind, Casablanca, Sabrina, Breakfast at Tiffany's, My Fair Lady and Notting Hill. This was all in the course of 24 hours :) By about 6 p.m. on Friday, the strong winds, which reached 60-80 mph, suddenly subsided and it became eerily quiet and still. We were in the eye of Typhoon Nuri for about an hour or so, which created that sense of stillness. But once we were out of the eye, the strong winds whipped around even flung open one of my windows. Quite an experience I'll say but thankfully no one I know was hurt.

Then on Sunday, I had the chance to speak at the Rotaract Club of Victoria's Installation. I shared my experience of the International Service trip to the Philippines in April. It was a very nice event where I got to see old friends and shared with guests my observations of the Philippines. You can read my reflection on the Rotaract of Victoria site at http://www.racvictoria.org/downloads.html

After that, I spent time with my good friend, Karen. We had tacos and then watched the Closing Ceremonies of the Olympics. It was a very nice 2-hour segment but I still prefer the Opening Ceremonies. It's wonderful that the two countries I was cheering for were the top medal winners (the US with 110 overall medals and 36 Gold & China with 100 overall medals and 51 Gold). Great job Team USA and Team China!

Olympic Equestrian

2008-08-17T09:04:00.004-05:00

Yay!!! I attended the Olympic games! One of the kind Rotarians gave me an extra ticket to the Olympic Equestrian event on Saturday. I got to see the Individual Dressage Grand Prix Special. This event was held in Sha Tin, in the New Territories of Hong Kong, and lasted from 7 p.m. to midnight. At first, I didn't know anything about the dressage, but I was thankful to sit very close and next to knowledgeable photojournalists who explained the event to me. Because I stayed until the very end, I was able to see the top three scorers in the event, two which had just won Gold Medals a couple of days ago. Although it was not Beijing, it was still an Olympic experience that I'll remember.

The rest of this week consisted of moving out of my old dorm room into a different one. I was due to go back to Graduate House but then the Warden of Starr Hall offered me a room. This was certainly good news since I moved from the 20th floor down to the 11th. I'm sharing a room with an undergraduate, Grace, who is on the Executive Committee of Starr Hall's student association. So, I'm really getting the full view of student housing at HKU - - from an individual room, to sharing a room with a post graduate, and now sharing a room with an undergraduate.

Also this week, I met with an old friend of mine that I hadn't seen in 9 years!!! Sabrina moved here a year ago, like me, to live in Hong Kong. We modeled together in L.A. back in 1999, when we were these little teens! I can't believe how time flies!

08-08-08

2008-08-08T11:36:00.005-05:00

What an auspicious time in Chinese culture to have three 8's in a row. It's been an amazing day and I just got back to my room.

I watched the Olympics Opening Ceremony from 8:08 p.m. until midnight with a group of friends!!! It was one of the most amazing OOCs that I've seen on TV - - and I've seen a handful. I've always loved watching shows on TV that bring many countries together - - you get to see the diversity and beauty of this world. This year, there were 205 nations represented and it kept my friends and me on our toes because some nations we didn't even know existed.

I was born in September 1984, the year that Olympics were held in Los Angeles. This was also the year that China sent their first team of athletes to the modern Olympics. I'm now 23, going on 24 next month, the same age as the Chinese Olympic dream! I felt so emotional and proud watching the OOC. I'm one complex being - - Guatemalan Chinese American - - so three identities but two that I truly identify with. Seeing 5,000 years of Chinese history into 50 minutes of performances was something that made me quite teary eyed. China can't stop amazing me - - the people, the culture, and the history! I can't wait to see what else China has in store for my future and my children's future. I know that China is headed in the right direction but you've got give a country with 1.3 billion people time to develop in other aspects of its life.

In Cantonese "Ga Yau" - in Mandarin "Jia Yao" - in English "Go China." (Note: I'll be rooting for the USA and China teams during the Games :) )

Starr Hall Wk 9

2008-08-03T10:39:00.005-05:00

This past weekend I spent it doing a service project with the RC of HK Bayview. We visited the Siu Sai Wan Jockey Club Housing for the Elderly, through the Helping Hand organization. There are 76 elderly folks that live there and the average age is 80. We visited their homes, interacted with them, played with them, and then took all the residents to a restaurant to eat Chinese afternoon tea. They were so happy that the Rotarians were treating them to a nice tea that they put on a full program for the afternoon. The theme was, none other than, the Olympics, with the Olympic Torch in hand and the Fu Wa Olympic characters too. They performed a synchronized swimming routine, tai chi, dancing, and Chinese instruments. These folks are so active and happy people - and their performances were very cute!

I met this really sweet woman by the name of Fong. She was so keen to tell me her story. Fong's been living there for 16 years and has never been married or had children. She opened up to me about her past and how she was one of eight children. She told me how hard it was to raise a family when you're poor. Fong worked many different odd jobs so she could feed all eight mouths and helped four kids go to school. Her mom and dad passed away when she was very young. As the second eldest child, she promised her dad to take care of the family and see them all married off. She fulfilled her duty and said she's happy to have followed through with her promise.

I've fallen ill this week :( I caught the ugly cold and flu that's been going around this city. It came with no surprise since the weather outside is humid and in the 30C realm but then you go inside the buildings where the A/C is on full blast and seems around 20C. This coming week will be my last week at CNN and I've got a few projects that I must finish before Thursday. I can't wait to watch the Opening Ceremony of the Olympics on Friday!

Starr Hall Wk 8

2008-07-27T05:42:00.003-05:00

The week has gone by pretty quickly. Last weekend, I went to watch Batman: Dark Knight with Warner Brothers employees (which owns CNN) and then went to watch it with my brother and friends. So, in total, I watched it twice during opening weekend! It's a great movie - Heath Ledger is very convincing as a villain and the movie is worthy of all its praises. If you happen to watch it, you'll get to see about 10 minutes of where I'm currently at - - the wonderful Hong Kong!

This week has been pretty uneventful but nice to not have to run around everywhere. I've been going to work everyday for my internship and use my spare time to catch up with friends and some time for myself.

On Friday, Rotarian Or took me to Sheung Shui (near the Shenzhen-Hong Kong border) for a Sichuan Earthquake fundraiser. He's on the New Territories board and contributed a nice amount for the efforts so he was honored with a Chinese calligraphy painting.

Starr Hall Wk 7

2008-07-22T03:17:00.007-05:00

I took my brother, Carlos, to the airport yesterday afternoon. He's been studying at one of the top 10 universities in China, Sun Yat Sen University, for a semester and had been living in Guangzhou, China since February. Spending only a day with him before he left, made me realize how much one can grow with one or two semesters abroad. My brother, a Finance major and licensed realator, is in the same position as I am...we don't know where we'd like our career paths to go. While giving him advice, I thought about how confused I am as well. Next month, it'll be one year since I first journeyed to Hong Kong in the hopes of finding myself. But it's only made me more confused and has opened up so many doors that I cannot see which one is the right choice to make career-wise. So, anyone that has some advice, I'm all ears!

Also, taking him to the airport and seeing him go back home made me miss Kansas and made me feel homesick. Now that my parents and brother are back in Kansas, I realized that my immediate family is so far away (12,596 km or 7,827 miles to be exact). But it looks like I'll be in Hong Kong for at least one more semester to finish my master's thesis. I'll be back to make my Rotary presentations to the wonderful Rotarians from D5690, but I don't know if I'll remain in Kansas or come back to Asia. All these are things I've thought about this past week and longer – and thought I'd share with you all.

On a last note, I had another wonderful week - - it all started with my first day back in Hong Kong. On Monday, I had a nice lunch with fellows Kansans who work for INVISTA (a Koch company). Then, I was busy the rest of the afternoon and evening to help my friend and now President of the RC of Tolo Harbour, Margaret Fan (spent Christmas with her). Monday was the Installation Night for her presidency and it was a very nice event with 9 tables of 13 people each and the event raised $30,000 HKD! She spoke about the accomplishments of last year's president during the “Rotary Shares” year and highlighted some of her goals for her “Make Dreams Real” year. I hope that this new Rotary year will help me and the other scholars/fresh graduates, realize our dreams and go for them.

Well, I'm off to another meeting - until next week.

Australia

2008-07-15T09:09:00.008-05:00

Another amazing trip and great Rotarians along the way. I got back from Sydney on Sunday at midnight. The flight I had to take left Sydney (it was delayed) and arrived in Ho Chi Minh, Vietnam (after 8 hours).

Just a little recap of what I did as I have to go to bed now to work in the morning (have another internship with CNN but this time on the business side - - I'm in the Marketing department and working branding and campaigns).

Sunday-Wednesday: Attended The Broad Advantage Conference, which is sponsored by the www.85broads.com network.
Wednesday: Attended the Rotaract Club of Sydney City
Thursday: Visited Blue Mountains with a Conference participant, Tania (whom I became very good friends with) and her Uncle Joe (The Three Sisters and Jenolan Caves); attended the opera "Don Giovani" at the Sydney Opera House with Rotarian Frank Low (Thanks so much for that wonderful experience of seeing an opera at the famous Sydney landmark!!!)
Friday: Spoke briefly at the RC of Sydney Cove's breakfast meeting, visited the Sydney Wildlife World where we saw koalas and wallabies, visited the famous Bondi Beach, and ate the best food in Australia (peas and mashed potatoes meat pies from the famous Harry's restaurant)
Saturday: My fantastic host, President Patricia Harrison, RC of Sydney, and I did the Sydney Harbour Bridge Climb (it took 3.5 hours and it was quite a feat for someone who's very much scared of heights!), visited Manly Beach and simply had a GREAT day with Patricia

Thanks Sydney Rotarians for being so warm and hospitable during my brief stay there - I hope to see you all again.

District Installation

2008-07-04T14:26:00.002-05:00

Just got back from the District Installation - feel very exhausted and excited at the same time. I had the opportunity to emcee this wonderful once a year event and got to see now IPDG Peter Wong pass the torch over to PDG Albert Wong. It was such a great event and I felt so proud to be a part of D3450 this past year. These Rotarians truly have made me a part of the Rotary family and want me to stay in Hong Kong.

I have to go to bed now since I have to pack early in the morning and leave again. I'm off to Sydney, Australia for the Broad Advantage seminar. I was the only person chosen at the University of Hong Kong and will be representing the university at BA. BA is sponsored by the top ibanks in the world to help empower women to join the finance and business fields. It's a great honor to have been chosen to participate and I'm looking forward to this experience.

RC HK North President's Night

2008-06-28T22:06:00.003-05:00

Jason's (one of the 8 scholars) host club, the RC of Hong Kong North, was one of the clubs that Jason, Julianna and I spoke at this year. So the three of us were invited to attend their President's Night and witness a handover from IPP KC to President Anthony. It was a very fun event and I absolutely loved the people I was with. I even got to sing "I will follow him" with my fellow scholars and then sung the Teresa Deng song with three Rotarian wives on stage!

China

2008-06-27T09:07:00.008-05:00

I'm back from my almost two week tour of China with stops in Beijing, Lanzhou and Dunhuang (both in Gansu Province), Xian and Hua Shan (both in Shaanxi Province). I've attached a photo of the provinces in China to show where I've been!

China is so big and diverse!!! I had such a great time in those places and it really was because of the people I was with. In Beijing, I spent my time with my good friend and fellow CNN intern, Fei. She's living there for the summer and is such a great host! In Gansu Province, I joined the RC of Kowloon West on their service trip and experienced life in one of the poorest provinces in China. While in Shaanxi Province, I traveled with one of my fellow scholars, Bradley.

Because I'm off to Guangzhou over the weekend, I don't have time to detail my trip but have included some highlights.

- Beijing: Wanfujing Street, St. Joseph's Cathedral, the Great Wall of China (the Badaling portion), Tsinghua University, Hou Hai, Mao Zedong Memorial, the Forbidden City, Olympic Stadium (while inside a car), and the Temple of Heaven
- Lanzhou: Yellow River, "Mother of the Yellow River" Statue, visited the site of the RC of Kowloon West water project (where 53 water wells were made for a village 2-hours away from the city, in a very poor and dry area)
- Took an overnight train ride (12 hours) from Lanzhou to Dunhuang
- Dunhuang: Silk Road, Mogao Caves or "Caves of a Thousand Buddhas," rode a camel through the desert, and Chinese acrobatic performance
- Xian: Rode a bike on the City Wall (this is the only city left in China where the entire wall is still intact), Big Wild Goose Pagoda fountain show (one of the biggest in Asia), Terracotta Warriors, train ride to Hua Shan
- Hua Shan: Hiked from 11 p.m. to 5 a.m. to see the sunrise on top of the Eastern Mountain (2,000 meters), descended from 6 a.m. to almost 10 a.m. (I'm so sore from this hike!!)

Starr Hall Wk 2

2008-06-14T09:30:00.003-05:00

Last minute trip (as my China visa expires first week of July): I'm on my way to Beijing tomorrow to visit a friend and fellow co-intern at CNN this spring. She's in Beijing and will be hosting me for the next few days. I'm really excited since it'll be my first time ever to Beijing!!!

I've been waiting to see the Great Wall of China (one of the seven wonders of the world) since my first visit to Asia back in 1995. We had planned to go to Beijing during that trip but the entire family fell ill so we had to cancel.

This past week has gone by so fast for me. My brother and his classmate (both are from WSU and are studying abroad for one semester in Guangzhou) came to visit Hong Kong so I spent one of the days this week being their personal tour guide. We did a lot in one day, toured and visited the following: HKU, Dr. Sun Yat Sen Museum, Man Mo Temple, Central, Government Houses (including the Chief Executive/Governor's Mansion), US Consulate, and Ladies' Market, plus eating an Indian dinner at Chungking Mansion (don't let the name fool you - it's not a "mansion") in TST!

P.S. This is a view from my dorm room - - I can look all the way Discovery Bay! And there other photo is the outside of the building.

Starr Hall Wk 1

2008-06-08T22:10:00.003-05:00

On Monday, I attended the Area 6 (consists of 8 Rotary clubs) banquet in TST. I met Anita Stangl, a past president of the RC of San Francisco, the second oldest club in Rotary and the club that started the international extension of Rotary. She is the President of a non-profit organization that operates on kids with cleft pallets called Alliance for Smiles.

On Thursday, I was the guest speaker at the RC of Peninsula Sunrise. This was my 39th presentation so far. I still have about seven more clubs until I accomplish my goal of speaking to every Rotary club in Hong Kong.

First week in a dormitory has been enjoyable but I do miss Graduate House. The view from the 20th floor at Starr Hall is amazing - I can see all the way to Discover Bay. Over the weekend, there was a black rainstorm, where very heavy rain fell all over Hong Kong. This created a lot of landslides and flooding!

Starr Hall

2008-06-02T21:27:00.006-05:00

This week has passed by so quickly especially after a move. On Sunday, I moved out of Graduate House (from a single room for one person) to Starr Hall (to a single room to be shared by two people). I only had Saturday to pack up all my belongings and move out - - I didn't realize how much stuff I've accumulated in the 9 months I've been here. I had 9 items to take over to Starr Hall (which is about a mile away from Graduate House) with a moving van. I'm actually liking this new living situation because I've never lived in a shared "dorm" room. And my roommate is great! She's the person that shared a bathroom with me at Graduate House (since there was one bathroom per two rooms).

On Friday, it was my last day at CNN. I really enjoyed my time there. I got to sit at the anchor desk where all the CNN anchors report from! It made me remember the times when I anchored for Studio B (WSU-TV).

Everyone was very sweet on my last day and even took me down to the business side (Sales/Marketing/Advertising) of CNN to meet people. They invited me to come back this Monday (yesterday) to attend the company wide meeting with the Turner Broadcasting CEO and Chairman, Phil Kent. I got a photo with Mr. Kent and Steve Marcopoto, who leads the Asia Pacific group.

Also, we had our final group (with all the scholars except of Ayumi) together for a Scholars Dinner on Thursday. The District Governor and other Rotary officials were there to wish us all well - though most of us are staying at the very earliest until August to finish up our studies.

District Conference 2008

2008-05-25T10:15:00.005-05:00

Wow- D3450 sure knows how to put on a great DisCon!!! I just got back from one of the best Rotary weekends I've ever been to. More than 600 people attended the 48th annual District Conference (a record for the district---great job for organizing it PP Eddy Leung), which included seminars, keynote speeches (including Rotary International President's personal representative from Korea, Dr. Kim and his wife), a great Governor's Banquet, and learning how to make dim sum.

I got to spend the final weekend with all 8 inbound scholars together. One of the scholars, Caroline (who became one of my closets friend in HK), will be returning to the U.K. It really just sunk in that our year is almost over. I can't believe it's been 9 months and 5 days since I came to HK! I had some of the best experiences with these 8 amazing people and I'm getting sad that we'll soon be going our separate ways. During the DisCon, we made a photo slide show of all the experiences we've shared and gave thanks to those who've made our year in HK so enjoyable. I must've been too taken in by the moment that I forgot to thank all the people I've met in HK, Macau and Mongolia.

Also this weekend, Caroline, Sonia and I had the chance to visit PP David Harilela's gorgeous home for the RC of Kowloon Golden Mile's President's Night. Then, we went to celebrate the birthday of my friend Fei (and CNN colleague -- we are both CNN TV interns this spring).

After a great celebratory weekend, I'm going to get some rest so I can work tomorrow.

((Thank you D3450 Rotarians for making me feel like I'm a part of this Rotary family. And D5690, again, I'm forever grateful for nominating/sponsoring me to be your scholar in Hong Kong!))

((To my fellow scholars...thank you so much for being a part of one of the best years of my life. You all have added to my experience and I will never forget you all. And thank you for being like brothers and sisters to me. We will all keep in touch and will get together for our 2-5-10-15...40 year reunion. Start planning because we want to come back for the 50th DisCon during DGN Ada's year!!!))

SIAL Shanghai

2008-05-19T10:05:00.004-05:00

I got back from Shanghai on Saturday after a great week there. I met the most wonderful couple there - the McFarlands (Bill and Bonnie). I was at the SIAL Expo in Shanghai, which is one of the biggest food and beverage expos in Asia. I had the opportunity to learn about the olive industry and working a booth at an expo. I worked the booth with Bill and an interpreter from China (who spoke Mandarin and Shanghainese). While I was in Shanghai, I got to eat some of the most magnificent places like TMSK (where Sharon Stone and other celebs dine) and Laris (with the famous chocolate bar).

Saturday night, I attended the Rotary Club of Kowloon's 60th Diamond Anniversary Ball. It was spectacular---with Brazilian dancers, live band, and diamonds for auction. I even got to try a beautiful ring but too big for my finger (not to mention too much for my student budget! :) )

Then, Sunday -- hmmm -- food poisoning -- but I'm better now. I went to the doctor's this morning and then went to give a presentation at RC of Victoria. So, no resting for me.

Computers

2008-05-11T07:43:00.003-05:00

It's been a long two weeks without my computer, but it's back. And yesterday got back my external drive. I was quite upset this past week...here's how it all went:

Sunday (2 weeks ago): Computer crashed
Monday: Took it to the Apple store, bought a new external hard drive so that they could backup the data (if it was recoverable)
Tuesday: Told me it was recoverable
Wednesday: Told me it was ready - went there - and it wasn't again
Friday: Finally, picked up my external hard drive
This past Wednesday: Picked up my computer, brought along my external drive and the data got deleted again (so they had to keep my external drive to reload all the data)
This past Thursday: Technicians called me to let me know that I was very unlucky because the new external drive I bought was defective; had to exchange it; brought another brand of external drive; took it back to them to reload all the data
Yesterday, Saturday: Finally got my external drive back; but now the task is to figure out where all my files are - - they're all scattered

Ahh - - so my advice to you all - - back up all your data, especially photos!!!

This week, I continued my internship with CNN and did two Rotary presentations. This coming week, I'll be in Shanghai.

Olympic Torch Relay

2008-05-05T02:42:00.003-05:00

It's been 44 years since the Olympic Torch came to Hong Kong, so it's no wonder why thousands of locals and visitors crowded the streets of Hong Kong last Friday, 2 May. I was able to follow the events of the torch relay on Friday with CNN reporter, Sara Sidner, who’s based out of New Delhi, India but was in Hong Kong last week. The day started early at 7 a.m. and was unfortunately a rainy start. We were out all day, until about 6 p.m. Sara did about four live shots from Tsim Sha Tsui (where the relay began) and Wanchai (where the relay ended). It was so exciting to see so many people chanting slogans like “Go China” and singing patriotic songs. It made me feel proud to be Chinese. I think that Friday was a good example of what the relay should’ve looked like all along. After all, the games are supposed to be about peace, friendship and sportsmanship.

Last Wednesday marked 100 days until the start of the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing. Rotary District 3450, my host district, put an event to mark that special day. Thousands of students performed an aerobics exercise called the Vitarobics Dance (http://www.rotaryvitarobics.org). This event served two purposes: 1) to raise awareness for the need to exercise and 2) celebrate 100 days until the start of the 2008 Olympics.

CNN

2008-04-29T23:18:00.002-05:00

So what happened last week? I started my internship with CNN last week, in the midst of all the CNN controversy. We had a peaceful protest last week but things were not bad in Hong Kong. I’m interning for one of the programs called Talk Asia and had the chance to go on a live shoot. We interviewed superstar, Michelle Yeoh, famous for her role in 007: Tomorrow Never Dies - - Yes, she’s a Bond Girl! She is sweet and beautiful in person.

Also last week, I attended the Rotary Club of Kowloon Golden Mile’s “Berlin! Berlin!”themed-ball. It was a very beautiful event that raised thousands of dollars for charities. They even auctioned a piece of land in Texas!

My computer crashed on Sunday, so I wasn’t able to update a post that day. I’ll be without a computer for at least 7-10 days and all my photos are on that computer (which they’re not sure if they’ll be able to recover).

Keep your fingers crossed that all of my 8-months worth of photos are recoverable. And as I’ve kept a promise to myself to post at least once a week - - my promise is still kept!

NOTE: The final story was edited and aired on CNN in June 2008. You can check out my cameo (very small role when the host meets Michelle). Enjoy it at http://edition.cnn.com/2008/SHOWBIZ/06/03/ta.yeoh/index.html

Wanchai Ball

2008-04-20T07:18:00.004-05:00

Three scholars and I attended the 18th Anniversary Ball of the RC of Wanchai at the Grand Hyatt last night. It was a great ball with the "Ancient Olympian" theme. We helped in the event, which raised more than $100,000 HKD for charities that they are involved in! Enjoy some of the photos.

Philippines

2008-04-18T21:32:00.004-05:00

I'm back!!! I had the best experience this past week in the Philippines with Rotaractors and Rotarians.

Here are photos from the trip. I'll do a quick little highlight and if you want to know more, you can email me and ask.

A group of 15 Rotaractors from the Rotaract Club of Victoria conducted an International Service project in the Philippines this past week.

Friday: Arrived in Manila, took a 5 hour bus ride from Manila to Santa Cruz, Zamabales (near Subic Bay- where the old US Naval base was located) - - the ride was from 11 p.m. to 4 a.m. - - got to see the sunrise by the beach

Saturday/Sunday: Attended the District Conference for Rotaractors in D3800. Then, another midnight bus ride back to Manila.

Monday: We arrived at our host families at about 3 a.m. (we were separated into groups of about 2 per Rotaract host family - - we were spread in different parts of Metro Manila - - sometimes 1.5-2 hours away from each other).

Sonia and I were hosted by the Rotaract Club of Grace Park. Our family's home is located in Malabon. They cooked a typical Filipino breakfast for us as a welcome gesture (which was delicious - my new favorite breakfast item: pan de sal).

Our delegation brought a lot of donations (incl. books, stationery, toys, clothing) to give to the disadvantaged children in the Philippines. Due to the rain and flooding in Nasvotas, we were unable to do a coastal clean up or build houses. Instead, we visited an orphanage and handed out toys to street children.

Tuesday: We visited a mental hospital for juveniles. Attended a performance by a group of children near one of the poorest areas in Mandaluyong. Donated items to two local schools and interacted with the children. At night, we met the Rotarians from Rotary Club of ManPaSan.

Wednesday: Spoke at the Rotary Club of Pasay. Had the chance to visit one of the schools that RC of Pasay helps out - - they were presenting four sewing machines for the use of the school but during the weekend, these will be used to train members of the community (which is one of the disadvantaged areas). Visited Fort Santiago, where the old wall still stands. I learned about the national hero of the Philippines, Rizal, who inspired the Filipinos for independence from the Spaniards.

Thursday: Toured around Makati City, the central business district, and shopped.

Friday: Guest speaker at the Rotary Club of Mandaluyong. I spoke about the Rotary Scholarship and Kansas, while Sonia spoke about our service trip and Boston.

Discovery Bay

2008-04-06T08:58:00.004-05:00

I was getting a little homesick this week but got a great dosage of family time this weekend to cure it. Friday was another public holiday in Hong Kong - known as Ching Ming (a time where you visit the cemetery to pay respect to those that have left this world). (NOTE: Hong Kong celebrates Western and Eastern holidays). On Friday, I visited my cousin's new place in Kowloon and had a nice home-cooked meal (ahhh - - made me miss my mom's cooking).

My brother came to visit with his professor, Dr. Fong, and our friend, Christina. I had the chance to spend some time with my brother and his friends in Discovery Bay. It was so nice to experience family life in Hong Kong with Dr. Fong's family. I didn't think that Hong Kong was a suitable place to raise a family because it was too busy and not enough space - - well, I was proven wrong. Disco Bay or D.B. is the perfect family place in Hong Kong! The community is accessible by ferry and when you get there, only golf carts are allowed. It overlooks Disneyland and Hong Kong harbour.

There were so many families walking around D.B. and enjoying the many activities. I got to bowl for the first time in Hong Kong while we were there this weekend. (NOTE: I'm a horrible bowler so scored less 100 each of the three games we played :X)

It was so much fun spending time with good folks and family! This week I'll be preparing for my next trip - - to the Philippines. I'll be in the Philippines from the 11th to the 18th!!! I'm going with the Rotaract Club of Victoria - - we'll be building houses for the poor, visiting orphanages and learning about the Philippines culture - - can't wait (will post when I get back)!

HK Sevens

2008-03-30T00:30:00.007-05:00

What are the Hong Kong Sevens (香港七人欖球賽)? Well, it's the biggest annual event in Hong Kong. Thousands of people from all over the world come to Hong Kong for the three-day rugby event. The Hong Kong stadium seats about 40,000 people but it is said that more than 60,000 people attend (some don't show up all three days etc). I had the chance to attend the tournament on Friday and it was definitely a new experience. People dressed up like it was Halloween and it was rowdier than any other event I've been to.

Drum roll, please....the winning team is...New Zealand.

So, this week, I spoke at two more Rotary clubs and finished my Media Law final. On Saturday, I had the chance to learn a bit of golfing in Tsim Sha Tsui. It was organized by the school's business association to introduce first timers some things about golf. We were there for two hours and I can tell you that my arm is bit sore. It was interesting because this sport can be fun especially since you're trying to compete with yourself. If I have more time in the future, I'd like to take up golfing.

Happy Easter

2008-03-23T09:28:00.003-05:00

Bon Jia (Good morning in Portuguese)

On Friday, I met the Group Study Exchange from Brazil. They were in Hong Kong for three days and I got to spend Friday with them. The Rotary Scholars and a couple of Rotarians took them on a Temple Tour of Hong Kong, Kowloon and the New Territories. It was so much fun going Man Mo Temple (the oldest Buddhist temple in HK), Wong Tai Sin (the most popular Taoist temple in Kowloon), Chi Lin Nunnery (Tang Dynasty Timber Monastery), and walked the Peng Shan Heritage Trail. During lunch, I got to practice my Spanish with two of the group members, Mauricio (Agronomy Engineer) and Luiz (Journalist). I was a bit rusty- it's definitely true that if you don't practice languages, you lose them (so I'll try to find more opportunities to find Spanish speakers).

Later that night, Scholar Brad and I went to Shenzhen with his host counselor and wife to take private Cha Cha and Samba lessons. Taking dance lessons was one of my goals while in HK so I've accomplished that. I might be taking other dance lessons (if time permits) in the next few months.

On Saturday, the nice Rotarians from RC of HK Harbour took us to Lin Hiong (one of the oldest Chinese restaurants in Hong Kong) to eat dim sum. I have a four day weekend and plan on doing homework tomorrow.

Well I hope you all are spending quality time with your families - Happy Easter everyone!

Walk and Kickboxing

2008-03-17T09:42:00.003-05:00

So, I've been swamped with school work and my extracurricular activities...I took up piano lessons (for the first time in my life) and Thai kickboxing (known as Muay Thai).

Yesterday, I went on a walk-a-thon, to help raise money and awareness of a nonprofit organization called Home Care for Girls. Their mission is to shelter, care and nurture girls without homes. The guest of honor at the walk was a famous actress, Lo Lan. The walk was in Tai Po and after the walk we had a Chinese styled BBQ - - instead of hamburgers we had fish balls.

I have never seen a Muay Thai match on TV or in real life. After the walk, I had the opportunity to sit in the VIP section (one row away from the ring) to watch the Muay Thai championship match between Japanese and HK fighters. I have to admit that I enjoyed watching it, although at the beginning, I felt a bit squeamish about the blood. There were a total of 10 matches and each match has five rounds, lasting 2 minutes each. Out of the 10 matches, there was one that was two Muay Thai females battling. No - I won't be in the ring anytime soon but do enjoy the intense hour and a half workout I get each week. My instructors are really good - you can check them out at their studio's website, DEF Boxing.

Bangkok

2008-03-11T12:31:00.005-05:00

I'm back in HK - - got back on Sunday from Bangkok. I had a great time and will do a short recap of the trip.

The first half of the week, I spent with the HKU Climate Change Coalition. This is an on-campus student group that I joined this semester. As part of the group, we applied and were chosen to attend one of three study tours - Beijing, Singapore and Bangkok - to study climate change issues while visiting NGOs, governmental officials, and academics. We interviewed the head negotiator for Thailand to the UN's Kyoto Protocol and Bali Conferences on climate change.

I also attended the meeting of the Rotary Club of Bangkok. The Rotarians there were so nice and I even met a fellow Midwesterner and his wife from Oklahoma.

The remaining two days, I spent with two Rotary HK inbound scholars, who happen to be in Bangkok at the same time I was there - Caroline and Sonia. We visited the Grand Palace (and the Emerald Buddha) , Temple of Dawn (Wat Arun), the reclining buddha (Wat Phra), Vimanmek (the world's largest teakwood mansion), went to visit the River Kwai bridge (during WW2, PoW built the railway which was supposed to take five years but were forced to build in 18 months), rode an elephant, and walked/petted tigers at the Tiger Temple.

Macau

2008-03-02T04:42:00.003-06:00

My brother, Carlos, is studying abroad for a semester at Sun Yat Sen University in Guangzhou, China. He and two other students from Wichita State (my alma mater) are with him as exchange students. Well, the three of them plus two exchange students from Slovenia, came to visit me in Hong Kong on Friday. They really wanted to do a daytrip to Macau so I was a semi tour guide as I've been there before.

On Saturday, we visited:
1. Ruins of St. Paul (most famous landmark of Macau; church was built 1602-1637 and in 1835 a fire burned it to the ground, leaving only the facade)
2. Tap Seac Square
3. Senado Square (Macau's urban center; had Portuguese food)
4. A-Ma Temple (it existed before the city of Macau came into being)

Well, I'm off to pack now - - going to be in Bangkok tomorrow and will be there with the HKU Climate Change Coalition. We're doing a study tour of Bangkok's academic, NGO, and governmental offices to study the climate change policies taking place there. See you next Sunday!

Back to Rotary events

2008-02-25T02:35:00.003-06:00

Got back into the swing of classes and caught a cold, but still managed to attend three Rotary events.

Thursday was the end of the 15 days of CNY celebrations and ended with the Chinese Valentine's Day. I was able to spend that day with my fellow scholars and Rotarians at the annual Rotary Foundation Thanksgiving Dinner at the Jockey Club.

Sunday went to the Rotaract Club of Victoria and learned about their international service project. I hope to go with them to build houses and do the international project in Manila (the second week of April).

Monday went to Rotary Club of Mid Level and gave my 24th presentation.

Still have two other Rotary functions this week:
- Thursday, present at the Rotary Club of Peninsula South
- Friday, present on the topic of "Responsibilities of Media in Society" to a group of high-school aged students in Kowloon

And non-Rotary functions, I'll be going to Thailand next week to study Climate Change policies in Bangkok. So, lots of pre-trip meetings and work to do.

Busy week ahead! :)

CNY in Guangzhou

2008-02-19T19:35:00.005-06:00

I had the best Chinese New Year in Guangzhou (GZ). I went to GZ on Chinese New Year's Eve and had a family dinner but without my parents. Their flight was cancelled twice and were stuck at the Minneapolis and Tokyo airports for two nights. Thankfully, they arrived on New Year's Day and were able to do a lot of things in their two weeks (including visiting GZ, Hong Kong and Macau).

I'll just post some highlights of my CNY:
- Had family dinners every night I was in GZ, Macau and Hong Kong - so lots of eating, talking and bonding amongst family
- Walked the famous Flower Market on Peking Road after eating Chinese New Year's Eve dinner
- Saw fireworks overlooking the Zhujiang or Pearl River
- Visited the Museum of the Nanyue King in GZ
- Went to the countryside of China to visit my grandma
- Went to an On Sen a.k.a. hot spring
- Attended the Rotary Club of Hong Kong Island East's CNY Party
- Had dinner with my Rotary host counselor, host president, and Uncle Or
- Visited Macau for the first time (Side note: I've been to the Venetian in Las Vegas and the one in Macau - the one in Macau is definitely bigger)
- Visited the Estatua da Deusa "A-Ma" in Macau

I hadn't seen my parents for almost six months so it was nice to catch up with them. Most importantly, I spent lots of time with family and shared lots of memories. Now, it's back to classes and homework.

Chinese New Year

2008-02-05T07:53:00.000-06:00

I want to wish you all a happy, prosperous and healthy new year. I'm thankful to have met so many new friends in Hong Kong, Mongolia, Taiwan, Macau and other parts of the world. And I continue to think about my friends from Kansas. May the new lunar year strengthen our friendships. Say goodbye to the Year of the Pig and welcome the Year of the Rat.

Shek O

2008-02-04T10:15:00.000-06:00

It's in the upper 40s/low 50s in Hong Kong - which is very cold for HK standards, since we don't have heating inside buildings. Last week was rainy and overcast but yesterday was a beautiful day. I love seeing the other side of HK - the natural and less crowded side.

My brother came to visit me in Hong Kong and arrived on Saturday night. To give him a different taste of HK than the touristy attractions, we went on a hike. We spent Sunday morning hiking on the southern part of Hong Kong, known as Shek O. We couldn't have asked for better weather. We joined a group of friends on an 8km walk (along the Dragon's Back Ridge) and had a great lunch at the Shek O Chinese-Thai restaurant.

After lunch, we were extremely full so took a quick five minute power nap on the beach. We decided to hike a bit more to the southeastern most part of Hong Kong. As I'm extremely scared of heights, I was forced to use my elementary technique of crab walking down the slope of the rock. On the way back up the slope, I tried not to look back at the crashing waves below.

Afterwards, we experienced a Chinese New Year tradition known as "walking the flower market." It's customary for people to fill their homes with fresh flowers before the New Year. There were hundreds of people at the Causeway Bay flower market, but a festive and fun experience.

(Photo Credits: some photos were taken by Kiran D.-thanks for the fun shots)

Teaching Week

2008-01-27T00:55:00.000-06:00

I definitely admire teachers! I partially lost my voice this week because I taught two days in a row.

On Friday, I was invited to be the guest speaker and lecturer to a group of 60 students ages 17-18. District 3450 has a project called "Adopt-a-school," where each Rotary club focuses on one school in the New Territories (where often times, many of the kids come from underprivileged families). I gave an hour and a half presentation on improving the students' public speaking skills.

On Saturday, bright and early, at 8 a.m., I went to Lingnan University in Tuen Mun (New Territories) to teach a group of 22 students, ages 14-15, on personal economics. I taught from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., with an hour lunch break- - now you know why my voice is gone! The material was provided by Junior Achievement. I was happy to receive thank you notes from my students... saying the following (some had grammatical errors but they were still very sweet and thoughtful):

Thank you for you patient to teach us for the whole day! I know we naughty and noise, we you feel not good. However, you don't feel angry. By the way, we learn a lot of things. - Kristy

You are the best teacher! Thank for your teaching! Wish you beauty forever! - Tony

Thank you for teach me a lot of things about personal economics and make me know more about how to plan my life and budget. -Anthea

Today I have learnt a lot from you. At the beginning I don't know any about how to plan for my future and how to save my money as well. But after the course, I know more about these. Thank you very much! You helped me a lot. -Wendy

I think you have done the job so great. Your voice keep me have full attention in every second. At last, thank you! - Phoebus

Featured in HKU Alumni Magazine

2008-01-22T20:32:00.000-06:00

Just a quick note...

For those of you who read my post in Nov 2007 entitled Shoes Off Walk-a-thon, I was just informed by a Rotarian that there's a photo of us in the HKU alumni magazine called "Convocation." If you cannot see the photo, you can go to this link and upload pages 2-9 (since the photo is on page 4).

For those that haven't read that post, please click here.

Off to make a presentation at the RC of Kowloon West. I'll post a photo when I get back. (BTW: My camera broke last week but got it repaired - Yipee! - I can continue taking photos to share with you all.)

Start of Second Semester

2008-01-19T21:10:00.000-06:00

The break is over. Back to classes. Yes, this week was the start to my second semester at HKU. I'm taking five classes this semester - yikes! And have a Masters Project to complete. Plus not to mention Rotary speeches.

This week began with none other than a Rotary speech at the RC of Wanchai. I enjoyed my visit very much as I got to see my buddy Ada (she's District Governor Nominee - meaning she'll be DG in 2009-2010). She's a complete doll and really enjoy seeing her. Also, this week, I attended the wedding of my host club's (RC of NT) president's son. It took place at a beautiful banquet area and there more than 45 tables with about 12 seats each. The bride and groom looked so happy but a little bit stressed since there's lots to do! (Look back at the October entry for the Chinese Wedding Traditions.) Also this week, I was a tour guide for a visiting Rotarian President from Taiwan. I took him to the newly opened (since Dec. 31, 2007) Ngong Ping 360 cable cars in Lantau Island, that take you to see the Big Buddha and monastery on the island.

I better get back to reading for my New Media class, about the changing traditional world of journalism...it's nice, because one of the suggestions to being a new, savvy journalist is to blog - I guess I'm in the game! :)

Celebrations

2008-01-11T21:06:00.000-06:00

People in general love to throw parties and celebrate but it seems they're so much more festive in Hong Kong. This week, I had a chance to attend many "family gatherings" to celebrate wonderful things in a new year.

My best friend from college, Kim, visited Hong Kong with her parents during the holiday season. Unfortunately, she couldn't stay longer because she's back to Chicago to pursue her Masters in Psychology. The two days I spent with her and her family were so warm - I love being around the genuine love at family functions. I went to lunches and dinners with her family and they treated me as if I was part of their family.

On Friday, I attended the 60th wedding anniversary of Padma Harilela and PDG Dr. Hari Harilela (Notice how I put the wife's name before the husband - this is customary in Hong Kong, as it shows greater respect to the female). The Harilela's are one of the most well known and influential families in Hong Kong - so they had many guests at the event. What was most touching was how big and extended the Harilela family is. I love being around big families! This was only one of more than six events that will take place this month to celebrate their 60th anniversary. It was very touching to see this couple together - - I hope I can someday have such a loving and committed relationship like theirs.

On Saturday, I was invited to Uncle Or's (NT Rotarian) grandchild's Mun Yuet (translation: one month party). It is a Chinese tradition to put on a celebration one month after the child is born. Usually only the family and close friends are in attendance and they feast as though it was a wedding party. We had lots of yummy food that had special meanings (since some Chinese words when spoken sound similar to other words, i.e. "Kiong Cho" (literal translation is Ginger Vinegar soup - drank after a baby is born) - cho meaning vinegar but also sounds like jealous - hap cho)...if you want to know more, you can email me and ask.

That evening I went to two different birthday celebrations. The first one was near one of the movie sets in Sai Kung. The birthday person is well connected with the entertainment industry in Hong Kong, so there were many celebrities in attendance. Among the celebrities were Cho Mang, Joyce, Fei Ma, Fan Ling, and others. Then, the second party was for a friend, Alan, at Beijing Club. Hong Kong people do not look their age - they look much younger than their real age!

I love seeing people happy - that's why I love all the celebrations one can have! :)

New Years 2008

2008-01-04T02:01:00.000-06:00

Happy New Year 2008 to you all - may this year bring you much happiness. I hope you all had a wonderful holiday season.

New Year's Eve in Hong Kong was very festive - there were tons of people out on the streets. Many of the roads were closed or became one-way streets, to control the traffic flow of both cars and the thousands of people out in the streets. I spent it with Rotarians from Kingspark and with Scholar Sonia.

I've already been busy in 2008 - made four presentations in the last three days. On 2 Jan, I presented at the RC of HK Island East and RC of HK Sunrise; on 3 Jan, I presented at the RC of HK South; and today I presented at the RC of Kowloon North.

Christmas

2007-12-26T20:07:00.001-06:00

I had a rewarding and fun Christmas in Hong Kong but I did miss my family and friends back home.

The holiday in HK is celebrated differently than in the States. Most people work on Christmas Eve and then go out to karaoke or go clubbing that night. Dec. 25 and 26 are public holidays in Hong Kong - so most people have family dinners on Dec. 25 and unwrap presents on Dec. 26.

For me, I had Christmas Eve dinner with Sonia in SoHo and headed back to campus to sleep. My Christmas day started off quite early, at 7:15 a.m. The Rotaract clubs of Hong Kong Island East and Kowloon Northwest organized an eventful "Christmas Party."

We went to The Duchess of Kent Children's Hospital to hand out presents and play Christmas games with disabled children and elderly folks. The hospital has patients suffering from bone diseases and/or mental problems. In addition to human presence, there was a popular canine presence - the Dog Doctors. These dogs, ranging from American Eskimos to Golden Retrievers, help kids feel happy and allows them to think about something other than their diseases or handicaps.

Christmas night we ate dinner at one of the Rotarians that I've befriended, Margaret (who will be President of her Rotary club next year - and I think the first female president of that club). We had oysters, turkey, salad, and gelato. Then we headed to Dragon-i and Volar, two nightclubs in Lan Kwai Fong that Maragaret's father helped start up.

Shanghai

2007-12-23T21:18:00.000-06:00

I had a great time in Shanghai this past week. We did lots of shopping, sightseeing, and definitely eating!!!

Tuesday: Sonia and I arrived in Pudong Airport and were greeted by two friends, Lucy and Peggy. That night, we went to the RC of Shanghai and met expat Rotarians from all around the world.

Wednesday: Shopping around the city - - we went to "the market" (Qi Pu Lu) where all the locals shop for inexpensive clothes that are usually exported abroad.

Thursday: We visited a traditional water town in the outskirts of Shanghai (about 1.5 hours away) called Zhu Jia Jiao. Sonia went to a hairstylist and got her hair cut short - it looks cute. At night, we visited Xin Jian Di, where all the foreigners shop and eat.

Friday: We went to the famous Nan Xiang dumpling place in the most-visited tourist sight, Yue Ye Garden. I absolutely love eating Xiao Long Bao (dumplings with a little bit of soup inside of them). Then, we visited the Bund (West) but it was too foggy to appreciate the beautiful skyline. At night, we had dinner at Malone's.

Saturday: Got back into town and celebrated a friend's birthday at Watermark at Pier 7 in Hong Kong.

Sunday: Gave a presentation to the Rotaract Club of Hong Kong Island East (which makes it my second Rotaract presentation).

Finals Week

2007-12-17T11:58:00.000-06:00

Hooray!!! After submitting my last paper this afternoon - I'm officially done with this semester and halfway done with my Masters! I had five papers to write from last Monday to this Monday. Tonight, I did my 15th presentation at the RC of Happy Valley. And I've also attached a photo from this weekend - we helped Rotary Scholar Juli celebrate her birthday.

Now, I'm packing for a four-day trip to Shanghai. I'll be going with Rotary Scholar Sonia. We'll be speaking at the RC of Shanghai and do some sightseeing while we're there. I'll post photos before Christmas Eve, since we're coming back on Saturday.