Class of 2009
Major: Biology and Biotechnology, PreMed
Project Center: Hong Kong, China
Interactive Qualifying Project: Develop a list of alternative livelihoods re-employ a percentage of Hong Kong’s fishermen to help control over-fishing.
Shannon Brooks
February 11, 2008
We had an absolutely amazing time for Chinese New Year! It was a 3 hour flight from Hong Kong to Beijing and it was kind of weird to be taking what felt like a vacation within a vacation when we were leaving Hong Kong. The tour of Beijing was fun jam-packed experience. When we landed in Beijing, the plane stopped right in the middle of the tarmac and we were bussed to the terminal. We all noticed right away the drastic difference in temperature. The weather was so cold that it reminded me of New England weather! The second we had arrived and gotten our luggage, we met up with our tour guide and began the crazy three day tour. We got to see so many places and really got to experience mainland China while we were there.
On the first day, we headed straight to Tiananmen Square where we got to eat a large family style lunch and then walk around the square. It was awesome to be there and picture all the history that has occurred right where we were standing. After Tiananmen Square, we went to the Temple of Heaven. Right when we got there we were able to watch a traditional ritual performance that was done to celebrate the New Year. Many young men were dressed in traditional Chinese robes and wigs and were demonstrating the sword fighting of Chinese soldiers. Next, we went to a little theatre to watch performers swallow swords and other amazing feats. The best part was after being out in the cold all day, we were able to relax, drink tea, and warm up throughout the show! After the performance, the eleven of us sat down to a huge dinner at a traditional Chinese restaurant. We shared many courses and I was able to try the Chinese specialty of Peking duck for the first time! It was delicious. After dinner, we went back for the best part of the trip: the 5 star hotel! When we checked in, we were all amazed by how nice the hotel was that we were staying in. I was sharing a room with my IQP partner Olga. We got upstairs, dropped of our stuff then went exploring. The hotel was attached to a mall with many designer stores that we visited and window-shopped in. After our long day, it was time to call it a night and get up early for tour day number 2!
We woke up and after a large hotel breakfast, started off the day by going to a jade market. While there, we got a tour of the factory where the guide explained what the different types of jade symbolize and the traditions behind wearing jade. We even got to see how the workers carved the jade to make all of the patterns and designs. After trying on jade bracelets and browsing the gift shop, we were off again. Next, we went to a Chinese medicine shop where we sat in on a presentation on the different types of medicine and what they will help to heal. After the medicine shop, we went to the tombs of the Ming Dynasty emperors and went down eight stories into one of the tombs. Inside we got to see all of artifacts that were preserved in the tomb as well as the caskets of the emperor and empresses. It was amazing to think about how long those things were preserved before the tombs were excavated in the 1950’s!
After seeing the tombs and enjoying a great lunch, it was time for the Great Wall! Our tour guide showed us the beginning of the section of the wall where there were tourist attractions and gift shops and told us that we could climb as far along the wall as we wanted as long as we met back at the beginning after 2 hours. The Great Wall is designed with sets of stairs in between different watch tours. The tour guide had explained that you don’t really get a feel for the size and immensity of the wall unless you go the length of at least 3 towers. Our group was so excited to get going. We thought for sure that we’d be freezing the entire time we were there so we were all bundled up but it was quite a work out so we managed to stay warm. After 5 tours, we had climbed so high into the mountains that the view was phenomenal! The Great Wall is so breath-taking it is no wonder that it is considered an ancient wonder of the world. It goes for so long and is so steep and well-built. It is amazing to think that it is man-made. After the Great Wall, we went to see a Chinese acrobatics show then got a night tour of the city! It was awesome to see the buildings all lit up but after such a long day it felt nice to get back to the hotel and relax.
On the third day, we got up and out early and went to another medicine shop were some of our group got medical examinations and advice by the doctors there. After that we went to the Forbidden City, or the Imperial Palace, and took a tour of the entire thing. It contains over 980 rooms and is a huge estate. After the palace, we had lunch then went to an old Chinese armory where we got a tour and then a skating rink to go sight-seeing for a bit. After that, we got to drive by some of the Olympic Stadiums where the games will be held this summer. Then, our tour guide announced that we were getting a special surprise...a bonus foot massage. It was interesting experience to do and from all the walking we had done the past couple days, we all could use them. After all relaxed from our massages, we got to visit a silk factory where we took a tour and they showed us exactly how they gathered the silk from the silk warms and the process of making the silk into blankets and clothing. At the end of the third long day, we were all ready to get back to the hotel, relax, and prepare for our flight back to Hong Kong.
After getting back form our awesome vacation and getting a few days off from work and the projects, we were all geared up and ready to go. We have a lot of work to do still and it’s hard to imagine that the project is more than half way over. It’s time to start writing more and analyzing all of the information we have been gathering for the past month!
February 4, 2008
We had our last weekend of going out the ports to survey the fishermen. Unfortunately, the weather was horrendous and we didn’t really get many surveys completed. On Friday, we had planned to go out to Lamma Island to conduct surveys. Lamma Island is a beautiful island about 3 km south of the main island. We went there once already when we first got to Hong Kong and we had an awesome day. But, the weather was so cold and rainy that our sponsor cancelled the trip. Hopefully the weather will get better and we can reschedule for some day soon. Saturday, we went to Tuen Mun (a port about an hour and a half away from where we live) to conduct surveys but the weather was so bad again that even all of the fishermen had gone home! Sunday, we went out to the island of Cheung Chau and we were able to get a few surveys and we had an awesome seafood lunch at one of the restaurants out on the island so at least we were able to get something done this weekend.
January 28, 2008
For the past two weekends, my team has been traveling to different fishing ports throughout Hong Kong to survey the fishermen and gain an understanding of the skills they have and whether or not they would be willing to switch careers. It has been an amazing experience because each port that we’ve gone to has been in a part of the city that we wouldn’t have normally seen. Most people assume that Hong Kong is a busy and congested city but we’ve been able to see the less populated side. In fact, over 40% of the land in Hong Kong is conservation land. A few of the ports have been in tourist areas but some of the areas we’ve visited have been in parts of the countryside that are barely inhabited by people. It has been a nice change from the hustle and bustle of our neighborhood. All the people we meet in our travels are always friendly and helpful especially the fishermen. Once they realize that we're not government workers or missionaries, they'll invite us aboard their boat, which in most cases is also their home, and can't wait to tell us their whole life's story. It's rare that they see white people and want to take pictures with us or repeat the few English phrases they might know.
January 21, 2008
Our apartment is on the 25th floor of our building and I have an awesome view of the harbor right from my bed! The weather here is great too with an average of 22 degrees Celsius, (about 70 degrees Fahrenheit), which is a huge difference from New England weather in January. A group of us began exploring our neighborhood and went shopping at the mall down the street for things we forgot. We have to get used to looking to the right first when we go to cross the street, since they drive on the opposite side of the road here. People here drive very fast so we have to be careful not to cross too slowly.
January 14, 2008
Hi, my name is Shannon Brooks and I am a junior biology and biotechnology major from Walpole, MA. I am going to be spending this term abroad in Hong Kong with a group of other students to complete the second of WPI’s projects, the IQP. On campus, I am the treasurer of Phi Sigma Sigma sorority, a member of the women’s rugby team and a tour guide.
