I know that almost everyone you talk to about their study
abroad experience says that it was the greatest experience of their life.
Unfortunately, I continue to fill this cliché when I say that my study abroad
trip to Hong Kong was beyond anything I could have dreamed. Never have I cried
harder than in my taxi cab on the way home from the airport!
My program involved studying Supply Chain Management through
the McCombs School of Business at UT and the business school at the Chinese
University of Hong Kong (CUHK). My program didn’t just involve sitting in a
classroom, however. I was able to get a hands on experience in the whole world
of supply chain management by traveling to various areas around the United
States and Asia and to follow the complete production of 4 different products
in reverse, all thanks to Target.
We started at a local SuperTarget in Austin and then
traveled to a Regional Distribution Center in Midlothian in May. While the
members of the trip were still awkwardly getting to know each other, we
anxiously awaited being reunited in San Pedro, California, where we would spend
a weekend in June visiting ports and a Deconsolidator. We arrived at the
airport at 3 PM on Monday, June 8th, and awaited our flights in the
wee hours of the morning. Anyone who was hungry squished into a small Mexican
joint at the baggage claim of the international airport, since we couldn’t go
through security until four hours before our flight boarded. It was incredibly
disappointing that we had to stare at the beautiful airport California Pizza
Kitchen and Pinkberry from afar.
I had never felt more nervous than when I was standing in
line to board our plane. I looked at my friend and said to her, “Is it weird
that I feel kind of terrified to go on this trip?” Her response was pretty on
point when she responded, “No, but at least you’ve been to China before.” That
statement is true, I had been to China when I was entering my junior year with
30 other members from my high school who took Chinese. I know what you’re
thinking. Yes, I do speak Mandarin, and I have taken classes in it for 7 years.
Hong Kong welcomed us at 7 in the morning with 95 degree
weather and 70% humidity. We had to lug our 100 lbs worth of baggage up a steep
hill in this weather… for about half a mile. We stayed in dorms and prepared to
adjust to the brutal time change post our 14 hour flight.
To say that Hong Kong is absolutely stunning is a complete
understatement. It looks like we stepped into a Jurassic Park movie, but with
skyscrapers. And without the dinosaurs, of course. We traveled to Macau by
ferry for one night, where all 30 of us on this trip rented out the penthouse
of the Venetian Hotel to bond after our sightseeing. For those of you who don’t
know, Macau is similar to the Las Vegas of China. It was an incredibly unique
experience to say the least.
We alternated taking classes in Supply Chain Management in
Asia, which was taught by prestigious professors of CUHK, and Intro to
Operations Management, which was taught by Dr. Michael Hasler and Dr. Guoming
Lai of the McCombs School of Business. We had class everyday from about 9-1.
The material was so fascinating and the professors were so stimulating, class
time flew by and we were more than ready to spend the rest of the day exploring
the wonderful city.
In lieu of making this blog post more like an essay, I’ll
highlight some of the most wonderful adventures of my Hong Kong trip.
By far the most breathtaking experience in Hong Kong was
climbing (well, going up a trolley and a bunch of escalators) to the highest
part of Hong Kong, Victoria’s Peak, where we were able to get a 360 degree view
of the whole city. I stood staring off into the buildings, greenery, and water
in complete silence and awe. It was that moment when I realized how fortunate I
was to be spending a month and a half in such a glorious city. We spent the
rest of that night eating Bubba Gump from a window view at Victoria’s Peak and
watched the incredible light show that causes the city to glow at night.
We spent one of the weekends in Beijing to explore some of
the touristy sites. We traveled to the Forbidden City and Tian An Men Square,
and of course, the Great Wall. I had been to Beijing before, but I hadn’t taken
a chairlift up to the top or taken a slide on the way down. I felt so free and independent
standing up there just looking out over one of the Seven Wonders of the World. It
was also pretty cool to use the Mandarin Chinese that I learned there, since I
wasn’t able to use it in Hong Kong.
We also spend part of our time in the southern part of China
exploring factories that made the products we were following. It was so fascinating
to get a first-hand look at a Chinese factory. My favorite factory was Hong
Kong City Toys. It was crazy to see how dolls were made. I was also incredibly
curious as to how they managed to put the hair on the dolls, so that was pretty
mind-blowing if I’m being totally honest.
I could talk for hours or pages on end about the
rewards of going on a study abroad trip, but I was thrilled that I was able to
spend time in a place like Hong Kong. It was such a life altering experience
having been involved in such a culture shock and being so far away from home,
but I wouldn’t change any of it for the world. I created friendships and
memories that I will forever hold near and dear to my heart.
ZLAM,
Savanna Fields PC '14
It was finally that time of year.. RUSH WEEK! After months and months of anticipation and preparation, we were finally ready to welcome all of the potential new members (PNMs) to the Zeta house. We had spent so much time preparing our chants, getting our dance for philanthropy just right, and creating the magic of our skit that we couldn't wait to share them with the many girls going through recruitment! Everyone from sophomores to seniors was excited to welcome in our new pledge class, PC '15. We couldn’t wait to have sixty new sisters! 
During Rush Week, we all arrived at the house early each morning ready to greet the PNMs with a smile and a trademark Zeta hug. During Open House, we all matched in our khaki shorts and sneakers, and on Philanthropy, our house was jam packed with blush pink dresses. Skit night was especially entertaining, with all of the songs and funny costumes, and I loved to watch the PNMs' faces light up while getting a taste of the Zeta humor. Half of the time the cast couldn’t keep from cracking up mid scene! Our Preference night ceremony was held outside; it was a beautiful summer evening and we all enjoyed hearing the seniors share their favorite memories in Zeta. It was a special time to share our love for our sorority with the girls on their last day of recruitment, so preference night was a night sure to stick in many a Zeta's mind.
