The End!!!! Bittersweet!!!!

The MS in Commerce Program sadly ended last wednesday (june 23), with our capstone project presentations and a small ceremony to celebrate the end of the year. For all of us, it was also a celebration of new beginnings. New jobs, new life, no set path from now on.

I have to admit that the end of the MS in Commerce Program, meaning my student career, at least for a while, is over. Now, I have to be ready to affront real life and the different things that come with it. It is scary but at the same time exciting!!!!

After our presentations and a small wrap up to conclude the MS in commerce Program, we all headed around 6 pm to Lautau Island, an island with many seafood restaurants. Getting to Lautau Island requires a boat trip that lasts about 45 mns. During these 45 mns, I have enjoyed the scenery of many of the islands that form Hong Kong (Kowloon, Hong Kong island, Stanley Island among others), as well as huge bridges, cruise boats etc...

During the boat trip to Lautau Island, many enjoyed drinks (beer or soda) while having conversations with classmates or faculty. Others enjoyed a drink while looking pensive and thinking about the life ahead of them. and of course some people got seasick.

At the arrival at Lautau Island, we walk from the Pier to the restaurant. Upon our arrival, we saw the cooks taking several alive fish from an aquarium and killing them to prepare our dinner. The menu was delicious and was comprised of prawns, rice, garoupa, lobster, crab, fruits for dessert.

We all enjoyed our meals and for the second time I learned a valuable life lesson: never seat at a table with 8 hungry men, or if you do, make sure you always get food first, or..... you know......

Around 9 pm, we took the boat back back to Hong Kong Island. Many of us were hoping to be back before 10 pm and go to bars to watch the US-Algeria game. Excitement was in the air. Obviously, everyone was hoping that the U.S will make it to Round of 16.

When the boat arrived at Pier 9, many of us decided to head to Lan Kwai Fong, an area in Hong Kong known for its many clubs and bars and well frequented by foreigners. We decided for a bar transmitting the U.S game live, which was right across from another one transmitting the England game live. No need to say that at the end of both games, it was impossible to walk between these two clubs, since Americans and English were on the streets screaming, drinking and partying.

After so much excitement, the group that enjoyed the game at the bar, was joined by another which enjoyed the game at the hotel with some professors. At 12:30 am, we all head to a club nearby where we danced and drank together for one last time. The goal was to enjoy our last few hours together as much as possible and it was accomplished. About 25 of the students will go back to their country of origin, and the rest will be dispersed in the U.S working in different states. Around 4 am, we sadly head back to the hotel, making plans for the rest of the vacation (many of us continued on visiting South East Asian and Mainland China), others jumped on the 9 am plane back to the U.S in order to start their jobs today (Monday). I really do not envy the latter!!!! Starting a job while jet lagged must suck!!!

Anyway, this was the last day of the program. I hope to return to South East Asia very soon. It is an experience that I will never forget. This is not completely the end though for me!!!! Stay tuned for my trip to Mainland China on Saturday.