First time go to Church in Oxford

I went to St Ebbe's Church with Julia and her friend Helen. Today's topic is Our Work. The speaker reminded us that work is not just for money. God creates the universe and asks human beings to manage it, it is the first work God assigned to us. Our work can also be a testimony and a place to preach the Good News. A good reminder!

Nelson Mandela Lecture Theatre

Wei Lay (Malaysia), Melody (Shanghai), Sirena (California) and Jenny

SBS = networking & career centre

You can double-click to see how many prestigious companies are coming to Oxford U for recruitment.

The Oxford Pursuit

Hong Kong Last Governor - Chris Patten

Starting from yesterday night, many recruiters and alumni from Morgan Stanley, Lehman Brothers, McKinsey gave us briefing on job search. Our career team reminded us that many firms have their deadlines soon, such as Goldmen Sachs on this Sunday. I don't know whether I should apply or not as it is very time consuming, in particular, we need to spend at least 3 hours for each application letter and undergo over 10 rounds interview. Bear in mind that we need to do company search and attend various seminars for preparation of the interview.

After being bombarded by so many recruitment information, the only thing that interests me is Chris Patten (Chancellor of Oxford U) who introduces George David (CEO of United Technology Corporation) in the Distinguished Speaker Seminar.

I introduced myself to the Chancellor, of course, emphasized that I come from Hong Kong and told him it is my great honour to take a picture with him. He replied "It is also my honour to take a picture with you." 肥彭,唔好玩我啦,你實在太客氣了. Before he was leaving, he reminded me to enjoy the life in Oxford. I love this photo which is also my first photo taken in Oxford!!

Wadham Garden

Wadham Chapel

Must do items for freshers

A few must do items for freshers arrived here:
1. open bank accounts : already opened an HSBC UK bank account in HK
2. set up internet in accommodation : successfully set up on the date of arrival, many of my classmates still struggle on it, some need to carry their laptop and use the WIFI in SAID
3.buy a pay-as-you-go calling card : I bought my Mobile World calling today, 15 pence (HK$2.3) per min for local call and sending text. Calling to HK is even cheaper, just 6 pence (HK$0.9)per min using mobile phone and 3.5 pence (HK$0.5) per min for using post office calling card.
4.collect university card : my name is wrongly printed there because they use my chinese name as the first name and results in Sau Y HUI. I am waiting for a revised card
5. register student visa in police station : only a few of us need to register again in UK after obtaining the student visa in their home country, GBP34 is bloody expensive
6. buy sub-fusc : we have checked with a few shops, I will probably pick the one charge GBP41 for whole set.

As I got all the above items completed promptly, I can have more spare time walking around. Let's see some photo below.

ChristChurch College is famour for Harry Potter

Alice in the Wonderland Shop

More on Said Business School

There is a CV discussion session with SAID career centre today, so, I can access the lecture room and take some photo outside the the lobby. I was told that HK and PRC employers start the recruitment very soon, with some deadines in these two weeks. I need to hurry up though I don't like job hunting. SAID staffs are very nice and helpful, we are like staying in a 5-stars hotel, very impressive!! No matter why they charge us huge amount of tuition fee. ^o^

First time to Said Business School

Said Business School is just 10 minutes walk away from my hostel (this is also the reason I chose Wadham). I feel happy getting there and find it familiar because I have already "visited" it through virtual tour on internet. I will spend a lot of time here because our courses run from 8:45 to 4:45, almost five days per week.

Touring around Oxford

Bodleian Library used in Harry Potter's films as Hogwarts Sanatorium.

Many tourists on the street

Covered Market

Many shops selling sub-fusc i.e. full academic dress to be weared during Matriculation ceremony (school starts), Graduation ceremony and examinations. I will buy a set in these few days for the matriculation in October.

Wadham Library

Wadham Library (24 hours open) is adjacent to my room, it just take me 15 seconds getting there. I guess 6 seconds are more than sufficient if I run and do not need to lock my room. I cannot be the narrator this time because we need to keep quiet inside the library.

More on Wadham - Video 3

More on Wadham - Video 2

More on Wadham - Video 1

Wadham College - The place where I live

My dormitory

Gatwick Airport

It is my first time visiting UK, I feel a little reluctant to switch my watch 7 hours earlier because it seems that I started to disconnect for HK after doing such. The feeling is complicated, started to miss all things and people in HK.

12 hours flight is not very difficult to me. I pass the immigration counter smoothly because I have the school offer letter and my bank statement ready; I also bring along my health check report just in case. Everything run smooth than I expected except for my mini cooper key holder which is now become a Mini Cooper Convertible開逢車
.

I hurry quickly and catch a coach X80 to Oxford just 5 minutes before its departure. Thanks Emily and Jeff for printing the coach timetable to me so that I don’t need to waste another hour in the airport. Wadham College is the last bus station of this route, so I can relax in the coach and write something for my blog during the 2.5 hours. Actually, I don’t know where my hostel is after getting off the coach, I also don’t know where to collect my U card, library card, and accommodation key, buy phone card etc. Everything is new to me and exciting…………

Flight Delay

Oasis is famous for its delay but I don’t expect it would happen on me. My flight is scheduled at 00:50 but the billboard states “Est. of 0400”. I don’t realize its delay when I am waiting at the boarding gate until a student passenger comes over and asks me does 0400 mean delay? Obviously, YES! I then take a meal coupon and have a drink upstairs. It is wise that Jeff reminded me to keep a few HK dollars so that I can return home one year later. Now, I worry I need to utilize such dollars to go home immediately. It is bad to have flight delay because I can’t sleep as I need to keep a close eye on my hand carry baggage. I also don’t want to go back home and repeat the farewell exercise again.

When I am having my drink and want to check email using WIFI, another student passenger comes over and asks me does Oasis make any announcement on early departure, the billboard now changed to 0230. Again, I don’t realize that and I wonder why the passengers love to ask me. I think over and draw two conclusions: (1) I appear smart, reliable and accurate (sorry, just my wild guess……….) (2) God sends many angels surrounding and protecting me in this one year trip (I am confident on this conclusion.)

Hong Kong Airport

I packed my baggage in the last minute with the assistance of Stanley then set out to HK Airport. As my flight is 24 Sept 00:50 which is rather late, so we tried to make my nephews staying at home. Joshua cried and urged to go with us. Irene asked him the purpose to go to the airport; he could not reply initially because he was already very sleepy, “I don’t know….. Go to the airport to play with cousin.” Alas, he answered correctly, “Go to farewell 細姨 as I won’t see her for a year.”

The check-in counter staff is very nice, she just said “No overload next time.”, and so my 30kg baggage (overload 7kg) can go safely with me to the UK. After saying goodbye to my family members, I entered the immigration gate myself. My feeling is strange, somehow it likes a dream and somehow it likes I am just going for a short business trip. This study trip has been planned for nearly one year and now it REALLY HAPPENED!! I think I still need time to digest my plan/feeling. Another feeling is that seems I am doing something makes my parents sad, I feel sorry for that….

Tyhoon Signal No. 1 is hosted, see the view from the plane.

Goodbye Hong Kong

I am heading to the airport now, will take 00:50 flight. Goodbye to Hong Kong and my friends here!!!

Last night @ home

很多朋友問我執完嘢未、心情緊唔緊張. 其實要拿去英國的東西已經收拾好, 只是擔心過磅, 所以要有contingency plan, 預計有哪些東西可以隨時拿走, 遲些才叫Angus拿去英國. 心情無話好唔捨得, 因為個旅程已經plan咗好耐,有晒心理準備,好似身邊的人重緊張過我. 另一個原因是太忙,忙着收拾家裹的雜物,再加上由公司拿回來書和其他東西,真是今人頭痛,所以我暫時未有時閒整理自已的思緒. 情形好像有點似返公時趕着明天放假去旅行,走之前要寫leave memo, set定out of office email 一般.

幸好ニ家姐來幫我執屋,我們夾手夾腳巳把80%的東西整理好,明天返完教會後要繼續. 同ニ家姐一起執嘢的感覺很特別,因為之前我忙着返工,佢忙着照顧兒子,後少機會–起合作完成一件事,佢不斷講"dump咗佢dump咗佢",差不多巳把我全屋的衫dump晒!! 我把很多東西pack箱in case屋企裝修,其實我肯定明年回來時巳忘記我啲嘢收咗係邊,因為實在太趕了! 最搞笑是家姐的工人著住件Oxford U 的T-shirt. 原來她之前的顧主住在Oxford,所以她在那裹住了三年, 她還說Wadham College 很近超市. 原來識途老馬就在身邊,早知多多向她請教請教!

有些東西很有記念價值但因太浪費地方,所以要忍心丟去,所能做的是拍照留念. 相中的畫是我在教會明友心目中的形象,唔好叫我解畫,有些我巳忘記了.....

Dates of Term - MBA Class 2007-08

Formal classes start on the Monday of Week 1 and run through to the end of 8th week. 9th week is normally a revision week and 10th week is usually devoted to examinations. Please check the timetable below if you wish to visit me in Europe ^_^

Michaelmas Term : 1 Oct – 7 Dec 2007 (Exams 10 – 14 Dec)
Hilary Term : 7 Jan – 14 Mar 2008 (Exams 17 – 21 Mar)
Trinity Term : 14 Apr – 20 Jun 2008 (Exams 23 – 27 Jun)
Consulting Project/Summer Electives : Jul and Aug 2008
Final Session : 1 Sep – 12 Sep 2008

Packing

Nearly finished packing, the most critical thing is to tidy up my room before departing. Need to hurry up tomorrow. The right one is to be carried by Angus in mid Oct.

第–次用手寫板

多謝Stanley送我一個手寫板及Jeffrey幫我安裝, 以後可以更加放便溝通了.雖然有時一個字要寫幾次它才能估中, 但比起我以前用Word Document續個字來翻釋巳是方便很多了.

晚上去了Times Square 小南國跟Dept 7 97 batch 的A1吃飯,都很齊人,除了Emily & David 分別在Canda & Beijing 外, 其餘8人也有出席了. 這次除了是歡送我外,也是10 years reunion. 每次見面我們總是提及亞糞的西瓜波底衫, 有人上training時反白眼,以及David的麥提沙事件,真是講極都唔嫌! A1的生活是最搞笑的!




今日見了Polly導師, 她幫我定下了幾個目標:
1. 把握時機重建與上帝的關係
2. 做–個使人和睦的人(使人和睦的人有福了, 因為他們必稱為神的兒子。Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God. Matthew5:9)
3.認識並且自己要做一個有生命感染力的人

我很感動,忍唔住喊咗出來,因為沒有想過讀書可以有那麼高尚的情操和目標. 這些目標比起什麼dean list來得寶貴和有意思,我會努力的!

An important person

Without Yammie, you will have no chance reading my blog because she is the person who initiate me to take the MBA. We know each other since F.2 and we have many things in common : Christian; play handball and basketball; go DEA camping; walk down the HK Club Bldg emergency staircases accidentally...........The most valuable thing is we are spiritually bonded.

We went shopping and bought some souvenior for my prospective classmates, also my tiny crystal party handbag ^.^

More scarf

More gifts to add on my neck. One of the scarf is from a Taiwan friend while the other is from brother Jo who always looks cool when taking photo.......The lovely travel make-up kit is from my little sister Emily who is a make-up artist, I like it very much!!!

I did some shopping today and add a few more winter clothes because pilot Angus will help to carry my luggage directly to Oxford in mid Oct. A BIG thank you to him. I don't need to worry about luggage overload anymore ^.^

St Marians - ladies category

Thanks lulu for taking my last KPMG picture, though we forgot to close the door behind...........






I have finished many tasks today : 1. obtain IRD tax release letter 2. obtain KPMG last payment 3. applied for international driving permit 4. collected international student card 5. cash in some sterlings. Also have lunch with Sandy in Mandarin Mo Bar and dine with Camie/Marge in 魚一丁.

I always wish to have high tea in Central when on leave, today I really did it! Please also look at the 魚一丁glasses, we can't make it leaving out any of CJM. Have lunch with you gals in Central one year later.

Some tips to appear slimmer when taking picture:

1. hiding at the back of your friends

2. put your arms up

3. don't smile too much in order to show your jawline

4. Never give up St. Marians!!! (a tiny secret among CJM)

I have so many gifts to wear on my neck : 1. Bottega Veneta 電話繩 2. Krist's knitted scarf 3. two necklaces (one is still on the way) and 4. a pen with my favourite purple colour. Marge said that I would look smarter when wear such pen on my neck so that that my classmates don't mind working in the same project group with me. Let see ^.^

Gifts from my best friend

I have dinner with Marcella, Winnie, Jane and Clara in Shatin 龍華酒店, very deicious roasted pigeon. I am delighted to receive Dr. Pang's assorted gift which composed of the useful stuffs that I wish to have. She knows me well, thus, she prepared some candies, daily bread, a cross necklace, nike running socks and body lotion. This gift is very special because she started to prepare such magic box several months ago and she added bit by bit to it. Thanks again, she is always the one stands by me no matter where I am and what I have done.