Hong Kong University of Science and Technology

This place has to be one of the most beautiful campuses in the world.  HKUST, not to be confused with KAUST, KNUST, JUST, NUST, or OIST, is just outside of the main city center of Hong Kong and sits atop a mountain overlooking Clearwater Bay.  The campus is even organized around its elevators because of the massive elevation change from building to building.  One elevator has just two options, 1st floor and 11th floor!  While I am missing my little sci and tech uni home in the middle of the desert, this one will do for the time being.

Néih hóu

After 8ish hours on Cathay Pacific I've officially made it to Hong Kong.  Perhaps it was the fact that I got zero hours of sleep last night, but so far this place seems a bit overwhelming.  I spent a good hour in the Hong Kong airport trying to communicate with the taxi drivers where I wanted to go.  I think my pronunciation of Chinese words is a bit off, but I eventually was able to pull up a map on my computer and point to where I wanted to go.  30 minutes more in the crazy taxi driving mad on the wrong side of the road and I made it to Tai Po Tsai Village.  

This shall be an interesting adventure, my first trip to East Asia, my first time working in a Chinese lab, and my first time learning how to screen for Bioactivity!

Al Balad Concert

After winding our way through the labyrinth of IKEA and the congested streets of Jeddah, we made it to Al Balad.  Our visiting scientist wanted to buy some souvenirs and the new post docs had never seen the traditional side of the city.  While wandering past the spice shops, stopping to buy a new abaya (for me!!), and bargaining for thobes, we noticed people gathering in the square.  ...And then we started to hear drums.  And some sort of primitive guitar.  And then men started singing and dancing.  The Saudi Arabian version of a street concert!  Hundreds of people gathered to watch.  Everyone had their phones out to take photos of a 2,000 year old tradition.  It was a true cultural experience.

view video here (sorry for the poor quality, I've got to learn to edit videos!)

all roads lead to Jeddah

I co-piloted an expedition to Jeddah this past weekend.  It was the driver's first time driving in Saudi and my first time being in charge of directions.  The people in this country drive crazy.  If you are in the left most lane and they want to pass you, why not just use the 4ft wide shoulder?  You have 10 kids in the back of the car and you're going 160km/ hr.  Safe.  Real safe.  

We saw loads of army tanks being transported along the highway, not sure what that is all about, but we made it safely to Jeddah and back.  We visited Ikea (yes, we have this crazy Swedish store, complete with Billy Bookcases) and Al Balad.  We left at 2pm and returned at 9:30pm.  All I can say is praise Allah for imaps.

Busy Week

Life has been a little bit crazy here lately!  I finally folded the laundry from my last trip and this Sunday I will be leaving on a new adventure!!

Sorry for the lack of postings lately, check out these links in the meantime.

AMAZING book that I can't get enough of, THANK YOU Maikey for sending it to me!

A special someone just got back from a "workshop" here, soooo jealous

News in the region

Not cool, what the heck is going on?

Always has so many great links.

Ps... Gordinflon (aka Chubby aka Tiger aka Garfield aka the cat that loves to eat) and Loco (aka Crazy aka Lion) are always wanting to say hello to you.  They find the computer screen very intriguing :)

life, science, art

I am indeed back in Saudi or at least in KAUST, which really isn't Saudi at all.  Rather, the King Abdullah University of Science and Technology is its own little oasis in the middle of the desert of arguably the world's most conservative country.  We KAUSTians have drifted to this land like the little green seeds of the mangroves drift to our intertidal areas.  We are about 6,000 people and growing, 180 babies were born here last year.  We originate from all over the world.  Saudi Arabia, China, India, Pakistan, Mexico, Korea, Colombia, United States, France, Germany, Kenya, Norway, Finland, Canada, Spain, Portugal, Brazil, Indonesia, Australia, Morocco, Algeria, Lebanon, Palestine, and the list goes on.  

We have come to this tiny isolated civilization and set up shop.  Our labs are running, science is being made.  We are a graduate university specializing in applied sciences- engineering, physics, supercomputing, chemistry and biology.  We must be one of the most unique small towns of the world, with our diverse population, and the fact that everyone in our community is either a scientist, spouse of a scientist, or education administrator.  

Luckily, scientists have hobbies too and we have concerts and art exhibitions and poetry contests, but still the community is lacking a true culture scene.  Our community did not exist three years ago.  This space we call home was a pile of sand at the edge of the Red Sea.  We have no true endemic culture.  So, we must create it.  And creating culture without true artists is difficult.  

I used to think that everyone should focus on science and math because that is how things are made and our society is bettered.  But now, I know differently.  Without art, music, language, story telling, and food, we are little more than machines and life is lacking.  I still think that science is important, but so are those beautiful little things as well.

Make something beautiful today!

latinoamérica

With the camera on its last ounce of battery, we visited the Alumbrados, or the city's famous Christmas lights, and captured my last photo in Colombia.  We walked along the river bank and admired the billions of lights that are constructed into new scenes every year by the electric company.  This year's display illustrated all of the different neighborhoods, or barios, of the city.  It was a perfect recap of everything I had seen that day touring the city.

After a beer, my very first taste of Chunchurria (gross!!!), possibly the most romantic date of my life, salsa dancing in a Che filled bar, and too many shots of Aguardiente, we headed home with this song and mountain breezes streaming through the open windows.  With this, I ended the night and my trip to Latin America.  It was glorious.  One day, I will return.

visit here for more photos  

Gordinflón

As the sun started to set on my final night in South America, we made our way to el Centro and Parque Botero.  I LOVED the gordinflón statues.  Made by Paisa artist, Fernando Botero, the statues are of typical Botero style, exagerated in size, or chubby one might say.  The gordinflon gato made me think of my very own fat cat waiting for me back at home.  Just 30 hours of air travel and I would be back fending off my breakfast, lunch, and dinner from that wiley Garfield.

Goldfish Salvation

Amazing.  A friend just shared this with me.  It really brightened my lab-filled day :)

Jardín Botánico

Remember learning all those names of tropical trees and plants and bugs?  One million Species Reports.  You CIEE'ers know what I am talking about, but I bet you probably forgot a lot of those Anicardiaceae, Myrtaceae, Musaceae, and every other freakin'-aceae that we learned.  Well might I suggest you go check out Jardín Botánico Medellín.  Throughout the park there are little signs on the trees to remind you the genus, species, and common Colombian name!  Besides the awesomely nerdy biology lessons on every tree, and the Orchid garden, and the must-play-no-matter-what-age-I-am fountains, and cool art exhibit featuring photos of renowned Latino writers (I like the one of Borges), the place is completely free to the public!  Got a long lunch break? Stop under a mango tree for a picnic. Time in between classes?  Check out the butterfly garden!

The place is super rad, and it is right inside the city!

El Metro Cable

The paisas are very proud of their recently built public transportation system.  Not only does the city have an impressive subway (that you are not even allowed on if you look too dirty!), but it also has a metro gondola.  Medellín is located in the valley of two mountains, so as the city expands, the only place to go is up.  Many of the poorer barrios are located in the hills.  Previous to the construction of the Metro Cable, residents of these highland areas had to take dangerous buses (or walk!) up and down the mountain.  With a 1,300ft elevation change, this would be a serious commute to work.  Now, the Cable serves as an affordable and safe mode of transit for locals and tourists alike.

We took Line K from Acevedo to Santo Domingo.  Unfortunately, due to all of the people on vacation, we were not able to take Line L the rest of the way up the mountain to the national park, Parque Arvi.  (Though, we were still able to view the new community library with its impressive red bridge).  It was apparent how valued green spaces are when hundreds of people will stand in line for hours just to take a ride up to the park!