海内存知己，天涯若比邻。

University of Illinois Urbana Champaign (UIUC) is meshed with the twin city Urbana Champaign. Most of the people in town are employees of the University which makes students' lives easier here.

 

UIUC provides great opportunities for international students (13%) while the culture here is more or less localized since more than 80% of the students are from Illinois. Chinese student are the largest group of the international students. More than 400 new chinese students from mainland (including undergradute and postgraduate) have enrolled this year. The chinese students organization CSSA is 'very powerful' (said by International Student Service Manager).

 

UIUC has old style buildings with red bricks outside and glorious chandelier inside. Despite lordly, these buildings are also equipped with good facilities. e.g. the computer lab in the main building has around 50 25inch screen Macs) 

UIUC is famous for it's Engineering College (Programs ranked top 5 in most Engineering areas). Facilities and designed for paralyzed and blind people are easily seen in the main campus.

 

(PICTURES COME SOON......................................................)

 

After buying life necessities from Walmart, settling my cell phone and registration and going back and forth between my living hall and the main campus (5 minutes distance by walk), I felt I was not a new comer just on my 2nd day here, especially when facing a bunch of also new international students on the orientations. 

 

next step: select courses and clubs.

 

最近常常听见同学们对西藏打砸抢烧事件,奥运圣火传递和西方媒体不实报道的观感, 深深感觉到在香港的大陆同学心系祖国之情, 让人振奋不已.

但就此系列事件而言, 我的看法却相对平静.

虽然我对最近这一系列事件没有什么深入的了解, 但我认为:

人们因为爱国而引发的愤怒很快会过去, 而西藏问题等困扰着中国的问题不会在未来的几十年内消失, 国际社会对中国的关注和攻击也将在未来的很长时间内持续.

中国已经崛起了, 但中国要真正强大, 就不可能绕过这些根本的问题.

 

我们似乎可以出自己的一份力来反击西方媒体, 来维护祖国尊严.

我们还可以出一份力来支持北京奥运.

但是反过来想想, 这些似乎又都"没用".

什么叫"没用"呢? 就是不能真正帮助解决问题. 问题不在外国身上, 问题在我们自己身上.

而我们有没有责任去解决问题呢? 有的.

那为什么更多的讨论不是如何去了解问题解决问题而是群情激奋呢?

我想这本身就是个问题.

 

我想以客观的态度, 长远的眼光来思考和关注国家的发展, 是我们更应该做的事情, 也是真正对国家的负责的态度吧.

 

 

 

  

我们是否也应该有一个类似的评选让我们来选美国的十大问题呢,呵呵?

Swire Canteen had been suffered from its reletively further distance from the center of the campus and lower quality of food. It was closed at the end of last semester. It seems that since this semester, HKU has arranged another canteen ---SU who runs successfully for years to take over the business temporary. This action is taken mainly in the purpose of mitigating the burden of huge people flow at peak time. 

 

Unfortunenately, from my observation there are still only a few people who are willing to go to the Swire canteen to have lunch (even less than last semester) and obviously, the temporary canteen run by SU is not the final solution. 

 

How can Swire Canteen survive, especially in the University who has a strong faculty of business and economics and full of future business men and government officials? 

 

I am at library, 3:00pm, 3rd floor, sitting beside the right corridor...

Everything is just like it was 3 months ago, but something is missing, feeling can tell.

I stand up, go straight to the back of the hall, large tables beside the bright windows...where is your smile...

I turn back, wandering towards the old wing...there is no empty bottle at all...

I can't stop myself heading towards to the 4th floor... though I know I can't find it either...

and I have already known it long time before.

But not until this very moment, I didn't know the feeling of lost is that real and sorrowful. 

 

--For the days we spent together @lib! 

                      P2P是一次艰难的鏖战, 一个难忘的夜晚, 一所激励的驿站.

 

终于, 一份30页5万余字的BUSINESS PROPOSAL在今天早晨9:30分正式出炉了.

照理说应该很疲倦才对, 3天来我就在自己的房间里度过了8个小时, 另外在一楼自习教室的沙发椅上躺了2个小时.

但事实是在这个大战过后的夜晚,我仍然精神矍铄.

不知道是生理出现了无法自我调整的问题还是自己其实不愿暂别这样的节奏.....

 

这里不能不提及我的战友, 不是你们我也不会被搞成现在这样.

我有5个战友, 个个武艺高超,身怀绝技, 不过她们有一个共同的特点. 

脑筋急转弯: 请问共同的特点是什么呢? 呵呵.

 

由于时间紧迫, 数据短缺, 供给有限, 昨晚的时间大概是这样度过的:

"啊哟, 肚子好饿啊"

"恩, 我刚才吃得太猛了胃好疼"

"要我帮你揉一揉吗"

...

"啊哟喂, 我眼睛疼"

"恩, 我也看花了"

"没什么, 我脑子已经不转了"

"恩, 不行了, 我趴一会儿"

"恩, 做人嘛, 要倒下, 那就倒下吧"

...

"大家加油啊, 做好了晚上就去兰桂坊LADY'S NIGHT咯"

"那我怎么办"

"保镖嘛"

"没关系啦, 你去泡妞吧"

"靠,太直白的吧. 对哦, 那我们应该用什么词"

...

"哇,Brain, 太赞了, 蜂蜜果酱玉米饼"

"Brain, 做这么好吃, 5个你随便挑一个走吧, 然后以后天天做给我们剩下的人吃"

"哦, JODY吃那么多, 就送她吧"

"不行, 不能送我, 我已经有了...."

"没关系, 送两个嘛..."

......

其实都是一些片段, 不值一提.

但当今天再重新坐下来品位我们的"劳动成果"的时候, 却怎么也看不快, 这些片段便不时地在那密密麻麻的文字后面显现出来, 以至于我终于放下了阅读而转入了SPACE的写作.

我知道不仅是我, 也许过程真的不能算愉悦, 但我们每个人都从中得到了宝贵的东西.

佳宁几乎是从前一天的中午12:00一直连续不休息地工作到第二天12:00把成品交接到在湾仔等候的田田手里...

培培不仅熬夜陪我工作(特殊表扬一下)还在早上我从沙发椅上爬起来的时候在桌上摆好了我的早餐...

田田带着严重的感冒工作了两天, 居然在高强度的工作中奇迹般地迅速恢复了...

丽婷再次发挥了她永远不倒的品质, 在兼顾从家乡的爷爷和跳舞表演的情况下还给我们带来了红烧鹅...

晓琳,呵呵, 经历了平生第一次没有合眼的夜晚...

 

诶, My girls, allow me to end this blog with a 'famous' quote:

"Love is like the wind, i can't see it, but i can feel it."

Lynn:"oh, it's so touching..."

Elaine:"oh, Bert, i can't believe it's from you..."

Tania: "oh, shall we be together forever?"

Catherine: "oh, come on..."

Jody: "haha, haha...."

 

Bert: "Anyway, this is indeed a walk to remember."

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Building a system is like working on a piece of art, but talking about the course "Information system" is another story.

Trying to integrate the knowledge of the Infrastructure of Computer Network, System Analysis and Design and System Developing Software in one course is an insane idea. Inattentively, I was in the framework of this idea.

In this course, we were strongly encouraged, if not compelled, to implement the idea of self-study. I am thinking about whether it’s the way people study in the university.

We were trying to build a database before knowing what an entity is. This was like being told you would have a swimming competition next week after your first swimming lesson.

We were building a system by Microsoft Access and Active Server Pages without any technique tutorials. This was like trying to construct a house with only bricks given. 

We were trying to appreciate a great system design method called Object-Oriented Design without any taste of an object-oriented programming language. This was like trying to make a salad without having your potatoes cut.

 

But that’s ok!

We took part in the swimming competition, though in a doggie style;

We built the house, though it may not sustain in a breeze;

We did the salad which looked very tasty, though it really tasted like potato.  

But that’s ok!

The problem is who is going to get the design improved? Or just say who cares about the deficiency of this “system”?

The answer is no one, because we are just poor objects living in this GPA-oriented system.

 

But wait, the only place that a system is conceived is in the mind of the designer.

I believe there are always real designers.

1.

失去了才知道拥有的宝贵, 从而懂得珍惜.

这是一条路人皆明的定律.

可是有些时候其实我们一直在失去, 于是我们变得就越来越珍惜, 于是得到了就不敢放弃, 或者干脆就是在还没有得到的时候就提前放弃......

 

2.

今天偶然在YOUTUBE上搜索"清华", 然后看了几个不知什么时候的片子, 应该是学生节的作品.

久违的温暖, 久违的. 

继续搜索想再看几个, 却怎么也找不到了.

 

在这个紧张而现实的城市, 找一份简单的温暖, 何其之难啊.

 

 

 

 

 

 

  

 

 

明天去介绍校史,复习一下.

    首先来到陆佑堂门前,校徽与校训:明德格致. 陆佑堂是香港大学最早的建筑, 是文学院的系馆. 文学院也是香港大学成立之时唯一的学院. 陆佑堂对面的建筑, 现为音乐学院的所在地, 从前是学生会的办公大楼. 进入陆佑堂, 大厅左右的两块大石记录它的年龄和大楼的创建人. 陆佑堂的每一处都透露着它的故事. 在二战期间, 陆佑堂曾经是难民的避难所. 因为燃料短缺, 屋顶曾经被拆下用作燃料. 正门台阶上两个被填补的弹孔清晰可见. 每一扇窗户上的磨损都透露着它的年代, 如果你仔细在它的前面多停留一会儿...

    走上陆佑堂的上层, 经过创始人的铜像, 就来到了通往图书馆的走廊. 港大图书馆藏书大约100万册. 咖啡和书本的味道在开心花园共存, 惬意而轻松. 

    穿过开心花园, 宽阔的台阶出现在眼前, 中山阶直通莲花池, 那里端坐着同时是国父和校友的孙中山先生铜像. "我有如游子归家"是孙先生1923年回母校留下的话. 孙先生1887年毕业于香港西医学院(之后并入香港大学).

    沿着石阶继续上行, 进入壮月明学生娱乐中心, 这所大楼是李嘉诚为病重妻子的母校捐赠建造的, 遗憾的大楼还没有完工, 妻子就已经去世了. 地处要害, 功能多样,使这所大楼现在已经成为学生们活动的中心之一. 里面有食堂, 咖啡厅, 超市, 银行, 学生办公室, 剧院, 俱乐部, 音乐舞蹈教室, 多功能室等等. 

    从壮月明楼顶出来, 眼前出现一片开阔的平地, 月明泉和仪礼堂让我们眼前一亮. 这里原本是由梅堂, 仪礼堂和另外一做舍堂组成的学生公寓, 现在只有前两座保留下来, 分别成为了新闻学院的系馆和办公大楼.

    导游到此告一段落.

 

 

1月22日的夜, 16楼的洗衣机在呜咽;

1月22日的夜, 113的鸡翅在流血;

1月22日的夜, 脑海中不过浮现着你的一切...

 

如果你不离开, 图书馆的书架也不会如此拥塞;

如果你不离开, 天星码头的旧钟楼又怎么会拆!

如果你不离开, 我又怎会如此荡失路在铜罗湾独自行街...

 

为了你的返屋企, 香港股市正在雄起;

为了你的返屋企, 5宋饭将不再遥遥无期;

为了你的返屋企, 你知道我什么都可以放弃...

2007年来了,

北京下雪了,

上海下雨了,

香港流血了.

 

有的人已经离开,你的行囊里,是否塞进了我的祝福,随你到远方;

有的人就要离开,你的梦境里,是否留下了我的泪光,痛定天方亮;

有的人选择留下,你的餐桌上,是否准备了我的酒杯,星辰沐月光;

有的人还会回来,你的手机里,是否保存了我的短信,温柔中带伤;

 

最终,我们都会走去不同的方向.

长长的路上,每个人都带着自己的信仰, 没有什么可以阻挡.

敢问祖国的花朵们,何时绽放?

 

仅以此篇送给我的朋友们.

 

 

 

 

生活在继续，知识在流淌，感动在敲门，震撼在回荡。
稍不留心就会滑过，所以我要把它们记下来。

 

微观经济学的课程终于开始铺开社会之效率与公平的矛盾；
香港人奉管理、创新和人性化为至尊；
港大国辩队里正展开“政府公共服务外判利大于弊还是弊大于利”的讨论；
图书馆门前正筹备声势浩大的公投，伴随着激烈地陈词和辩论；
有多少民主的声音，又有多少贫困的农村；
《万历十五年》，让我试着用大历史的眼光来衡量现世的体温；
呵呵，混沌的世界让我头昏。

 

LGBT（lesbian,gay,bisexual,transgender在港大的组织）在散发传单，我竟然也为他们而热情洋溢；
sexual and gender diversity的课上老师在偶然的机会自报有30年的cross-dressing的经历；
基督教会的分享堂上我提出了自我实现和上帝赋予的问题；
而小王子却又以最贴近心灵的方式对我发出质疑；
张爱玲的故事中有最成熟的和最深切的，纠缠的爱情；
而我的，却永远是一个人的孤寂。

 

这些都值得记录，这些也都值得思考。
是我的水珠，虽然最终都属于大海……
 

最近比较忙,怠慢各位啦, 不好意思.

我加入了IET----Institution of Engineering and Technology的student session, 工程师协会的学生分部.

主要是香港五所拥有工程学院的大学共同的一个组织,主要涉及为工程学院的学生提供参观,讲座,实习的机会.

听起来挺大,但这个组织其实人数不多,但作为第一个大陆学生的参与者,还是很高兴的.

有意思的是可以认识很多人,而且几乎全部都是工程师....呵呵.

 

还加入了港大明年面向大陆学生招生的计划, 不出意外应该有幸回人大附做宣传,我是组长,很有趣.

这件是其实大家都疑虑作了有没有意义,对自己有没有好处.

你们说呢?

 

三个项目都是学术的.

第一个是product developement, 本学期的任务是通过design a mobile phone case to learn the basic progress about engineering design.

the second is the project on the course Introduction to Business and Management, we are assigned to research the clothes industrial this semester including the history, developement, manufacturing, cooperations.......

third one is the English writting class project. we are going to finish a elastic paper vehicle which can be propeled by elastic power for a distance of 10 metres.....all the material is a elastic band and tapes and recycled paper......

gosh.....

 

my red heart.......!

数学课上, 我在全神贯注地听老师很快的英文....一个小时内,从全微分定义讲到方向导数到梯度到求曲面极值.....

虽然是复习, 但还是有些不知所云...local们本来就朦胧的眼睛此时更加黯然无光......

然而习题课他们倒做得挺不错的......我不知道他们知不知道定理的由来,回家是不是下了很多功夫....至少应用得驾轻就熟是不假......

旁边有人问我题...我用中英交替解释....我还没绕出来...她/他似乎已经豁然开朗了.....

 

制图课上,我正睡得很香.....猛抬头,发现开始发作业了.....一人两个零件,直接画三视图+立体图.....我疑惑这里的45分钟好象可以是清华的2个礼拜......然而大家画得精精有味......

 

我惊讶于这种接受程度, 我觉得很有意思.

 

有人批评香港的教育是实用主义,有人说港大学都是资本主义制度下的专业化教育.

我觉得要看你怎么对待这种"拿来就用主义了",呵呵.