Ultimate Happiness ^O^
CK with new vest at home
What could be warmer than receiving a beautiful vest as a present for a special day which also falls onto the Chinese New Year day, in the cold winter in Chicago?
Well, it is a loaded question, but I do have a better to that :) Yes, I was surprised to be notified by our secretary today that there was a package from China for me! I opened it and it was a greeting card and an absolutely good looking vest, which I have also been long thinking of acquiring that for work! I am delighted and touched totally - I'm loving it! (well, not to the fact that we had McDonald's for lunch - my 4th time in the US for a year)
As a matter of fact - even today is a great day to receive this gift; this is actually my anniversary day coming to the United States. Wow, yes, it has been a year since I came...and I now I am looking forward to my remaining half an year of time for my career development...of course, getting excited to the fact that this weekend is actually the great day for every single Chinese - the Chinese New Year. Let us farewell to the rooster and welcome the dog!
The giant block - Sears Tower
Sears Tower - the fourth Tallest Building in the World
Chicago's Skyline
Me on the Sears Tower
I went downtown Chicago again today and ended up going up to the Sears Tower - the fourth tallest building on Earth (after Taipei 101 in Taipei and the Petronas Tower 1 & 2 in Kuala Lumpur). On floor 103, the Skydeck gives tourists and locals a panoramic and 360 degree of view to the largest city in Midwest America - Chicago, as well as the surrounding states of Michigan, Indiana and Wiscosin.
Chicago has long been famous for a city with great music (blues), arts, pizzas and architecture! Being on the 103th floor of the 110-storey high building, it was a magnificient and absolutely amazing view to the beautiful blocks of building in the Loop area.
Reference - World's top 10 skyscrapers:http://www.infoplease.com/ipa/A0001338.html
Trainee Gathering on Friday
Meeting Kraft trainees in Chicago!
After meeting Kraft's trainees in Miami last year, I met with more of them here in Chicago. We had a great gathering on Friday night - with some AIESEC members from Northwestern University, as well.
It was also really nice to see an old friend of mine, Wenny, since we last met in Jakarta, Indonesia! As an alumnus from AIESEC, I am also glad to see some great ideas come up for more integration more trainees and members for learnings. Afterall, this is what AIESEC is all about - cultural understanding and creating a life-learning experience for AIESECers!
Now, I am looking forward to the upcoming Cultural Presentation and some exciting soccer games!!!
CK outside apartment after heavy snow
Man, deep snow!
Man, where is our car?
Nic shuffling snow...
After a day of heavy snow on Friday afternoon and night, the city of Chicago turned into a land for Snow White! Waking up in the morning of Saturday, I have my first experience seeing about 5-inch snow on the roads; and my roommate Nic and I have to spend about 15 minutes to clear the snow on our rental car before we leave for a trip to the mall.
First American Football experience
The MDA gang before Football game
Afterall a weekend of watching two football games, and indeed only my third and fourth times doing so, I have taken another step forward to taste the popular sport in the US... Last night, our co-workers in the Chicago office organized a football game after work. We did not play the tackle football as people see on TV screens, instead we were playing the type called Flag Football. In the game, every single player will wear a colored flag and in order to stop a receiver to play on, the defender can either intercept, tackle by pulling the flag away from him/her or catch the ball from the offense team. Before going into the game, I know the basic stuff for the game but still was kind of very unfamiliar with what exactly one should do and what kind of strategies should a team deploy. Luckily, I was able to get into it pretty soon and I did a few interceptions/tacklings. There were quite some running and playing with stronger guys was really an interesting but challenging experience. In addition, playing such sport with contacts and running and strategic planning in a cold winter day in Chicago is just simply FUN! It is also interesting that indeed, I also started to play another sport - racquet, the night before this Wednesday football night. I like the two games though I had never touched them prior coming to Chicago.
First encounter with Ghanaian restaurant
My Tilapia Banku at Palace Gate Ghanaian restaurant
Compliment to A.K.A, my Ghanaian co-worker/roommate, I have my first ever African and to be more specific - Ghanaian experience. Although, I tried a couple of different food he made at home in Tampa, that was really my first encounter with such a neighborhood and genuine Ghanaian food culture for me last night. In Ghana, people traditional eat at home, but of course like every other country, restaurant became part of the new development brought by the western world. We used our hands for the meal - the way how Ghanaian meals being served and enjoyed. I loved my fried Tilapia and the Fish & Beef soup very much. YES! Fish and beef in soup together!! It was quite a new experience but I really did like it a lot, esp. I do enjoy spicy food a lot!
Ghana, a country I heard of before but had no idea of; but now, I know that they have the famous UN secretary as their global representative; also they are qualified for the World Cup finals next year in Germany (playing against USA, Czech Republic and Italy in the group stage), and I have Kobby showing me these great food, as well. I guess this is another aspect what an AIESEC trainee is looking for - culture immersion and understanding and enjoying the encounters.
Visit to Loyola Chicago
CK & Brian at International Programs office, Loyola University Chicago
After almost an hour train ride (from the CTA blue line to the red line), I arrived in the Loyola University campus and met up with my former co-worker Brian. We had a really great time catching up with recent news, even though we just met each other also in Beijing. This time, we did have much more time spent together sharing our career development and future goals, as well as our experience encoutering with a new culture. (i.e. for my case, my impression towards the American culture) Just as my talks with Brian, I realized that I do have a lot of new perspectives towards the US and my home country - China (that includes HK in this case). I also have some good reflections from this past one-year experience living in the US, for knowing a lot more my career aspirations and recognizing my own identity from a brand new and refresh perspective.
Looking forward to seeing my former boss in about a month here :)
All the best for your recruitment jobs, Brian!!!
First Major Snow in Chicago
View from my office in Des Plaines
After relocating to Chicago for about 2 weeks, we had the first major snow in the afternoon yesterday. It was snowing for the entire afternoon - lucky that we were in the office. But, at lunch, I had my first experience of shuffling ice/snow from our car! Obviously, we had lower temperature last night while I went out with my roommate; and we can started to feel the captioned cold weather in Chicago. Anyway, who cares, I am here to explore the Midwest and I am planning to see more of downtown and meeting friends in Loyola University. (note: the largest Loyola University in its system in the US) I do have a long list of visiting places to check out here: museums, Sears tower, Chinatown, Lakefront, Michigan Ave shopping areas, United Center for Chicago Bulls, Northwestern University and University of Chicago campuses, among others...the good news is we are having a 3-day weekend this week; thanks to Martin L. King =)
Welcome to the Chicagoland!
Chicagoland, as people would call it for the greater Chicago area, here I am!
Moving from Florida, back from a long vacation and intensed travel schedule, I am finally settled down in the Northwest suburb of Chicago, Illinois, USA on January 1.
One thing which I could not believe still - the apartments we are moving in keeps growing bigger and bigger. Back home in HK, I used to live in a room in our flat which is about 450 sq. feet; and my studio in New York City was about 400 sq. feet; and then the townhouse in Florida was 1400 sq. feet and now in Chicago, man, it is over 2000 sq. feet with the 2 floors here! I am getting worried for how much I could get used to the living space if I have to move back and live in Hong Kong.
4 months in Chicago, it is going to be a real short period of time...I am sure I have to start explore my midwest and lake life, so as taking adventures to the sports and music events here in Chicago, and of course the famous Chicago style pizza (stuffed and thin crust).
Also had my first day of life with our new company here in Chicago. The staff here is sooo warm and kind that we did have a great first day of orientation. I am also interested in finding out more about the products which are very different from those ones I were familiar with back in NYC and Florida.
A great long vacation!
It has been a long time since I wrote my last blog message...well, time flies. I still cannot believe it that I have actually been coming to work in the US for almost a year now. I experienced a lot of new stuff and adventures in the past 11 and a half month. However, the best moment, frankly, I have to admit that it was the former 3 weeks of time when I went home (Hong Kong and Beijing) for my Christmas Holiday. Not just that I had good times spent with families and met with friends in both places; I actually had a great reflection towards myself, and maybe new insights for upcoming life, as well. For instance, in the past years, I used to travel quite a lot and lived in different places and also away from my parents and sister, I thought I am pretty independent. Well, I am to certain extends, but this trip home made me realized that I am still the family guy which I used to be back in secondary school. I missed being at home and just stayed with family members, and I know that I love them so much, even though I do not stay with them physically closely and I feel it strongly how much I miss them.
There were couple of other highlights in the trip which caught my attention:
I went back to my hometown, Chaozhou/Shantou cities in southern Canton (or Guangdong) Province of China. The township where my family is from has progressed even more and the development is quite amazing; it was also a meaningful trip to me personally, because I showed my girlfriend my birthplace and introduced her to my relatives back home. I am very glad to finally bring her home and tour the Chaozhou vacinity.
Besides, I went to the HK Disneyland Resort, even though it was soooo crowded. I think it is a nice experience, not just because that was my girlfriend's first Disney experience, but also was a great time we spent together. Also, one just needs to have a magical aspect in life...and I do think Disneyland (though expensive tickets) fulfill that part of a life value - Realizing our dreams...
For the first time in my life, I really paid for a lot of expenses (e.g. the hotel and transportation fees, meals) for my parents and even some pocket money to my relatives back in hometown. These are all people who I love in my life and I finally have to chance to treat them well; and I feel really glad but at the same time I feel strongly I am now a grown up adult that I do bare more of the responsibility to support my family.
