My 2012 : Year Summary

So what did 2012 look like? to me this was a year focused around academia. After settling down into the PhD program and generally figuring out what my research directions are, my travels were mostly around the places where my academic journey has led me.

 

Since I’m always behind on my blogging – now more than ever – and the 2011 summary ended in November , I’ll start with wrap-ups of 2011 up to November 2012.

 

Wrapup of travel in 2011

• Beautiful Xiamen : Trip Summary & Suggested Itinerary
• Seoul Trip Summary : Korea
• Southern Philippines Island Trip : Summary & 7D6N Itinerary
• From Ann Arbor to Washington DC : US/Canada Road Trip Summary
• Washington DC Trip Summary & Suggested 5 Days Itinerary

 

Wrapups of December 2011 in HK

• Clockenflap : Nova Heart – Helen Feng
• Clockenflap Music Festival 2011 : Hong Kong
• Sai Kung Peninsula, Geo Park & Hap Mun Bay : Boat Trip
• Sheung Yiu Folk Museum : Sai Kung
• Pak Tam Chung Nature Trail : Sai Kung
• Hong Kong Street Fashion : Face Hunting with Jin Wong

 

January 2012

In Shenzhen:

• Lizhi Park : Shenzhen
• Israeli Restaurant in Shenzhen : Ahava
• Shenzhen – China : 6 Days Travel Itinerary

in Hong Kong :

• 2012 New Year in Hong Kong : Dragon-Lion Dance Parade

 

February 2012

Was TAing in a course…

in Hong Kong :

• Studio Photo Session : HKUST Photographic Society
• Horse Racing Sundays : Sha Tin

 

March 2012

Not much travel on March. Too much going on at school, I guess.

 

April 2012

My father comes for a visit in HK and we venture off to China

In Hong Kong

• Bank of China Tower Observation Deck: Central HK
• Spectacular Hong Kong Views from ICC Sky100

Nanjing & Suzhou

• Nanjing Xuanwu Lake at night
• Gate of China : Nanjing
• Confucius Temple : Nanjing
• Nanjing Purple Mountains & Botanical Gardens
• Lion Forest Garden : Suzhou

Beijing

• Beijing : Visit Summary & Suggested 4D3N Itinerary

 

May 2012

Taught an intense summer course at HKUST. Busy, very little time for anything else.

In Hong Kong:

• Where We Stand : Yoav Horesh Photo Exhibition at JCCAC

 

June 2012

I went for the APS conference in Chicago

• University of Chicago : Campus Walk
• Museum of Contemporary Art : Chicago
• Blue Bars : Chicago
• Wicker Park : Chicago
• Chicago Museum of Science and Industry
• Cloud Gate "The Bean" & Crown Fountain : Millennium Park
• Museum Campus : Chicago
• The Gorgeous City of Chicago : Skyscraper Architecture Tour
• Lincoln Park Zoo : Chicago

More to come on Chicago…

 

July 2012

In Hong Kong

• Harbor Grand: HK Fireworks
• HK Museum of Medical Sciences : Sheung Wan
• The Sheung Wan Magic : Hidden Temples in HK

In Shenzhen

• Dafen Artist Oil Painting Village : Shenzhen
• Spectacular Shenzhen Views from Kingkey 100 Saint Regis

 

August 2012

Spent a few weeks in Israel to visit my sister’s first born.

• Alma Zohar live performance : Hansen Former Leopards’ Hospital

Then headed over to the US for a research exchange with a stop at Boston on the way

• Visions of Boston : Instagram
• Peabody Museum of Archaeology & Ethnology : Harvard University, Boston
• Harvard Campus : Boston

Still have A LOT coming up from that trip…

 

September 2012

Moving into a new country, settling down in Tallahassee and starting with Florida State University took longer than I expected.

Still, things worked out eventually, and even got to see a few things …

• Tallahassee Museum

 

October 2012

Mostly in Tallahassee, with a trip to a conference to Gainesville and a bit further around eastern Florida.

• Museum of Florida History : Tallahassee
• Downtown Festival & Art Show : Gainesville
• Saint Augustine Beach

Still have A LOT coming up from that trip…

 

November 2012

Puerto Rico -  Visions of Puerto Rico : Trip Preview

Still have A LOT coming up from that trip…

 

In Tallahassee:

• Tailgate Parties : Seminoles versus Gators
• FSU Seminoles versus UoF Gators Football Match

 

December 2012

Visited New York City to see my dear sister and meetup with my parents flying in for a Christmas & Newsyears visit : Visions of New York City : Trip Preview

Still have A LOT coming up from that trip…

 

Other

Also managed to squeeze in a a short visit to Taiwan…

• Xingtian Temple : Taipei
• Puppetry Art Center of Taipei : Small Museums in Taipei
• Museum of Drinking Water : Water Park – Taipei
• Museum of World Religions : Taipei
• Taipei Treasure Hill Artist Village
• Treasure Hill Temple : Taipei

Still have A LOT coming up from that trip…

 

Overall 2012

Overall, this year I’ve been to China (Shanghai, Nanjing, Suzhou, Beijing, Shenzhen, Xiamen), Taiwan, Israel, United States (Chicago, Boston, Tallahassee, Gainesville, Orlando, Daytona Beach, Saint Augustine, Pensacola, NYC) and Puerto Rico. A relatively humble year compared to my 2011, 2010 and 2009, but it somehow still feels like I’m moving around all the time.

 

What else in 2012?

• Finally got myself a decent mobile this year (Samsung Galaxy Nexus), which led to starting an Instragram account (~110 photos, ~55 followers).
• Kept going with the Management and Social Psychology blog (Twitter account here, ~110 followers).
• Started Acadecomic (~55 Tumblr subscribers).
• Started a research WIKI.
• Closed Chinalyst (now redirected to It’s Hong Kong). Had no time to maintain or upgrade it, and there are much better alternatives.
• Fili’s World has ~1150 followers on Twitter (daily digest here) and ~240 followers on Facebook. Not much growth, but that’s expected.

 

Other travel-unrelated thoughts :

• Doing a PhD : Costs & Poverty Line in Hong Kong
• Travel Numbness & Decreasing Newness : My Perspective
• Sh*t People Say to PhD Students
• Sh*t Hong Kong People Say to White Guys
• Sh*t People Say to Bloggers
• Shit People Say to Expats Visiting Back
• General update : From Hong Kong to Florida

 

Happy new year! Have a great 2013!