Saying goes, "The further away you go from Harvard (as a Harvard grad), the better it is for you."
Well, here I am, all the way across the world, in the far far east... and boy am I paying a steep price for it. There's sky rocketing expectations here for being from Harvard, it's by far the biggest brand tag to be bearing. And today was living proof, that some times (or most of the times), I just can't live up to it.
Despite being a complete junior in the field, I was given the huge responsibility of submitting a complete RFP, (Request For Proposal)for a large scale project near New Delhi. And failed I did, over and over again. I had never done a complete RFP submission and definitely was not ready to take on full responsibility for one. However, when put to the test, I did not respond well and failed to use my common sense to pick up after written mistakes and to respond to the client's requests.
I guess that the best way to overcome the Harvard name is to lower expectations by not performing up to its standard. At least I know where I stand or at least they do now...
Live and learn.
Friday, 26 February 2010
Tuesday, 23 February 2010
Chinese New Years from an Outsider's Point of View
Thought I'd write down some thoughts before I stop writing in this altogether. Ever since I've started working, seems that's all I do. It's kind of frustrating always having to work when you're in this amazing city with sooooo much more to explore. I have yet to see HK's natural environment. Hypothetically, there are hiking trails, villages within access to fishing ports and fresh seafood restaurants. Outdoor recreational activities are a huge weekend endeavor here, most locals try to get away from the crowd during weekends and even leave to China during long weekends. I have yet to go to the Peak, the famous touristic trail all the way to the top where the ultimate aerial view of the city from Lantau Island lies... it's ashame that I've already lived here for almost 3 weeks and still haven't explored such popular destinations.
So this entry isn't going to be so descriptive to HK's surroundings. Nothing reflects local culture more than spending Chinese New Years here. For me, it was lonely. I waited for the firework show along Victoria harbor for almost 2 hours, listening to others chit chat in Cantonese with family and friends. However, the fireworks were worth the wait, like everything in HK, it was multiplied by 10, it was liken to watching 10 shows in a row... all across the harbor with a backdrop of skyscrapers. The fireworks appeared to be shot directly from the buildings and large ships across the way. For the first time ever, I watched a firework show displayed horizontally across the horizon. The residue of pollution across the sky in the end was evidence of the intensity of the show.
Throughout the 1st three days, (since all of my local contacts had left town to be with their families in various cities in China) I made my way along popular sites, where families clustered outdoors at temples, along commercial corridors along the harbor and to flower markets. I could see just how family oriented the locals are and how CNY traditions are still very much a custom. When asked, 100% of my friends told me they spent their CNY going to their relatives' homes to fill their bellies and collect money. It's a total "family obligation" some of their attitudes implied, and two of them got food poisoning! I finally got a taste of Chinese New Years after the 3rd official day came to an end. Like Tet, it is celebrated all week long, and even though HKers are sooo hard working that they come back to work after the 3rd day, their new year spirit stayed with them. Despite being totally new to everyone, I was given money envelops that came in all different colors and sizes, many with cute imprints. Which was also accompanied by traditional lion dances, (you could hear drums from the dancers beating all day long because they danced across the shopping mall from door to door to collect money!), a company dim sum lunch celebration and a trail of other special lunches with coworkers. It felt like Christmas in the east, everyone was just so jolly. I got another money envelop today, I think in all, I collected HK$ 100.
So this entry isn't going to be so descriptive to HK's surroundings. Nothing reflects local culture more than spending Chinese New Years here. For me, it was lonely. I waited for the firework show along Victoria harbor for almost 2 hours, listening to others chit chat in Cantonese with family and friends. However, the fireworks were worth the wait, like everything in HK, it was multiplied by 10, it was liken to watching 10 shows in a row... all across the harbor with a backdrop of skyscrapers. The fireworks appeared to be shot directly from the buildings and large ships across the way. For the first time ever, I watched a firework show displayed horizontally across the horizon. The residue of pollution across the sky in the end was evidence of the intensity of the show.
Throughout the 1st three days, (since all of my local contacts had left town to be with their families in various cities in China) I made my way along popular sites, where families clustered outdoors at temples, along commercial corridors along the harbor and to flower markets. I could see just how family oriented the locals are and how CNY traditions are still very much a custom. When asked, 100% of my friends told me they spent their CNY going to their relatives' homes to fill their bellies and collect money. It's a total "family obligation" some of their attitudes implied, and two of them got food poisoning! I finally got a taste of Chinese New Years after the 3rd official day came to an end. Like Tet, it is celebrated all week long, and even though HKers are sooo hard working that they come back to work after the 3rd day, their new year spirit stayed with them. Despite being totally new to everyone, I was given money envelops that came in all different colors and sizes, many with cute imprints. Which was also accompanied by traditional lion dances, (you could hear drums from the dancers beating all day long because they danced across the shopping mall from door to door to collect money!), a company dim sum lunch celebration and a trail of other special lunches with coworkers. It felt like Christmas in the east, everyone was just so jolly. I got another money envelop today, I think in all, I collected HK$ 100.
Friday, 12 February 2010
Working in HK
Arup's office is located at the capping end of this huge shopping mall complex called Festival Walk. It's 5 stories high with a beautiful central atrium space and a structurally extensive skylight truss system. It's very engineering dominant, so it's nice to be a part of its smaller division of urban design and planning team--much more intimate than the corporate structure. It feels like an entire month has gone by after only a week of working here. However, the entire week went by in a flash, continuously day in and day out, or should I put it from morning to night to morning again. The work ethics here is amazing, it's over drive with over time all the times, no wonder it's such a competitive economy here. Everyone is dedicated to work, work is life, as a matter a fact, it's a way of life here.
I got a taste of that "lifestyle," just from the week of working at Arup. Despite how hard working everyone is, everyone was very kind and always had more than enough time to stop what they were doing to answer all of my questions or even over extend themselves to solve my problems such as computer and account set-up. At first I thought that I had just lucked out with a very kind neighbor, but now I know that it's just the way people are. So, it appears that friendship does exist during working hours and we spent many moments laughing and exchanging thoughts covering things well beyond of the scope of our working projects.
What I'm starting to understand is that beyond the crazy 12 hour shifts people work daily, it's actually a lifestyle that locals here set for themselves: they work long hours in order to enjoy themselves throughout the day. Despite how close a deadline is they ALWAYS seem to set out enough time to eat out for lunch and have their tea time break etc. rather than finishing the work asap. My boss was concerned when she spotted me eating at my desk. She acted like my mother when she described the health risks of not eating right. So in HK, working in a team also means working in a big family where everyone makes sure that everybody is on board. Tasks are shared and beyond that snacks, food, jokes... it seems like a cultural tradition to just share everything just the way Asian families do (I'm starting to realize that my roots really do hold true!).
So for the first week, I worked day and night towards a deadline for today. Despite being totally fresh with the project in Shengzen, (a looping campus/mixed-use masterplan between the city of Shengzen & HK), with the support of many and in collaboration with our senior architect/designer, I was able to further develop an entire illustrative masterplan. This really personally re-affirmed my "abilities" in executing design. So despite the long hours, hard work pays off in a team of supportive people (who are never in any rush to go home)and the "rush" I felt in meeting the deadline was, well, exciting. Moreover, the scope of projects here are so interesting and fast pace that it's given me some purpose in life again hehehe... trust me after the past few months of being out of the corporate structure you lose sight of things.
I got a taste of that "lifestyle," just from the week of working at Arup. Despite how hard working everyone is, everyone was very kind and always had more than enough time to stop what they were doing to answer all of my questions or even over extend themselves to solve my problems such as computer and account set-up. At first I thought that I had just lucked out with a very kind neighbor, but now I know that it's just the way people are. So, it appears that friendship does exist during working hours and we spent many moments laughing and exchanging thoughts covering things well beyond of the scope of our working projects.
What I'm starting to understand is that beyond the crazy 12 hour shifts people work daily, it's actually a lifestyle that locals here set for themselves: they work long hours in order to enjoy themselves throughout the day. Despite how close a deadline is they ALWAYS seem to set out enough time to eat out for lunch and have their tea time break etc. rather than finishing the work asap. My boss was concerned when she spotted me eating at my desk. She acted like my mother when she described the health risks of not eating right. So in HK, working in a team also means working in a big family where everyone makes sure that everybody is on board. Tasks are shared and beyond that snacks, food, jokes... it seems like a cultural tradition to just share everything just the way Asian families do (I'm starting to realize that my roots really do hold true!).
So for the first week, I worked day and night towards a deadline for today. Despite being totally fresh with the project in Shengzen, (a looping campus/mixed-use masterplan between the city of Shengzen & HK), with the support of many and in collaboration with our senior architect/designer, I was able to further develop an entire illustrative masterplan. This really personally re-affirmed my "abilities" in executing design. So despite the long hours, hard work pays off in a team of supportive people (who are never in any rush to go home)and the "rush" I felt in meeting the deadline was, well, exciting. Moreover, the scope of projects here are so interesting and fast pace that it's given me some purpose in life again hehehe... trust me after the past few months of being out of the corporate structure you lose sight of things.
Sunday, 7 February 2010
The Symphony of Lights
It's been about a week since settling here and I'm still adjusting to the fast pace flow of the city, lost amongst the masses of people and visual noise of building ads and signage. I'm so impressed yet exhausted by what the city has to offer, with only enough energy to go out a bit over half the time. The other half is spent doing what many HKers do to relax: stay indoors, at home.
The last few days were spent roaming around Kowloon's harbor, Mongkok, Central and Soho. Kowloon's harbor is breath taking, the visual sight of HK island's panoramic--180 view skyline of skyscrapers is overwhelming. HK's steep mountains make up the skyline's backdrop, while the towering masses of buildings appear to float above the ocean.
The sea of buildings were highlighted ingeniously during the showing of "The Symphony of Lights," where rays of lights beamed right thru building facades in rhythm to the sound of music. Imagine how amazing the view was when blinking facades spread across masses of towers along the horizon, not to mention beams of laser lights appeared to compete between buildings traversing the sky. The city's plan to attract more tourism with the light show is definitely effective, swarms of families gathered along the harbor at 8 sharp, to watch the lights.
The last few days were spent roaming around Kowloon's harbor, Mongkok, Central and Soho. Kowloon's harbor is breath taking, the visual sight of HK island's panoramic--180 view skyline of skyscrapers is overwhelming. HK's steep mountains make up the skyline's backdrop, while the towering masses of buildings appear to float above the ocean.
The sea of buildings were highlighted ingeniously during the showing of "The Symphony of Lights," where rays of lights beamed right thru building facades in rhythm to the sound of music. Imagine how amazing the view was when blinking facades spread across masses of towers along the horizon, not to mention beams of laser lights appeared to compete between buildings traversing the sky. The city's plan to attract more tourism with the light show is definitely effective, swarms of families gathered along the harbor at 8 sharp, to watch the lights.
Thursday, 4 February 2010
To my dear family, friends and colleagues:
I just wanted to start a blog to keep everyone posted on my new life now that I have officially moved to Hong Kong. I arrived in Hong Kong the morning of February 2nd, after a 16 hour flight departing from LAX. It was an amazing view riding from my shuttle at the outskirts of the city to HK and to the island of kowloon over a couple of bridges. Apart from it's prominent skyscrapers, a panorama of steep mountain tops made up the skyline... in my perspective, a very impressive juxtaposition of nature and the built environment.
The following days, I explored the city by foot and was overwhelmed by the intensity of people, material wealth, and commercial luxury branding. Despite the lengthy and continuous pathways within the masses of commuters, I was able to easily find my destinations due to superb signage and transit organization. To summarize my thoughts, HK's transit is like a gigantic airport, from ground to retail and restaurant sites to streetscapes.
In one word, it's all hyperdense--hyperconnected!
I just wanted to start a blog to keep everyone posted on my new life now that I have officially moved to Hong Kong. I arrived in Hong Kong the morning of February 2nd, after a 16 hour flight departing from LAX. It was an amazing view riding from my shuttle at the outskirts of the city to HK and to the island of kowloon over a couple of bridges. Apart from it's prominent skyscrapers, a panorama of steep mountain tops made up the skyline... in my perspective, a very impressive juxtaposition of nature and the built environment.
The following days, I explored the city by foot and was overwhelmed by the intensity of people, material wealth, and commercial luxury branding. Despite the lengthy and continuous pathways within the masses of commuters, I was able to easily find my destinations due to superb signage and transit organization. To summarize my thoughts, HK's transit is like a gigantic airport, from ground to retail and restaurant sites to streetscapes.
In one word, it's all hyperdense--hyperconnected!
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