First Entry

3rd February 2026

This is going to be the first ever entry on my blog.

For the past month or so, I have been in Hong Kong for one of my major capstone projects called the IQP (Interactive Qualifying Project). My team and I have been working together with a local walking tourism company, discussing their needs, doing field research, and designing implementations accordingly. My task has been on the tech side, as I have been creating an interface that combines basic NLP using methods such as TF-IDF to return tour matches based on client inquiries, for the staff (Will be posted in ./Projects once it is over). Aside from that, it has been an interesting experience as it is my first time anywhere in Asia. Regardless, I felt right at home as Hong Kong has been providing me a familiar feeling of home, just as if it’s an amalgamation of a couple cities in Turkey (including my hometown, Istanbul.)

Our rooms are quite tiny. Like shoebox tiny. Often, I find myself in the common area, seeking human companionship and an open space. It’s quite a bustling city. People are always rushing somewhere, having places to be. At times, as I walk through the crowd, I can’t help but feel time flows slower for me, occasionally getting slammed into by someone passing by.

Ever since coming to Hong Kong, I have had many new experiences: Went to my first music and jazz bars with friends on my cohort, built my first action model (Rosan Lancer from the 30MF kits), got my very own skateboard to skate on the waterfronts, booked a music room to jam in a somewhat sketchy building, hiked for the first time, saw some colorful birds, etc. In short, a lot happened in retrospect before and during this trip.

Quite the learning experience so far.