PinkRoom nail school organises overseas trips for students every year. This year, I had the chance to go to Hong Kong and Korea with the school. Trip to Hong Kong was at the beginning of November 2011. The main objective was for the Pink Room Team to participate in the International Nail Competition in Hong Kong. That is the trip's most stressful part for me ~the nail competition~ after that was happy happy eat, shopping & tour all the way!! ^^
The trip was a "free and easy" one and not tour-packaged. I prefer it this way, as it was cheaper and more flexible for all of us. Many of us gals in the
Pink Room Team came with friends/family as Hong Kong is easy to travel around as we are so familar with the place! I had great fun bonding with everyone, as it wasn't something we would have done together if we were in Singapore...
Finally arrived at Hong Kong's airport~!!
Briefing by Principal Rachel at the Hong Kong Airport...
Check out the super kawaii colorful luggages!!
The first day was spent unpacking and meeting the local models for our competition day. The school managed to find models for all of us, and had made arrangements for the team to meet with our models before the competition.
All the models are locals Hong Kongers and it was interesting trying to communicate with them. We had time to prep the nails and our Master Trainer Joe went through each of our models' nails, advising us how to prep and work on their nails; Because this is the first time we are meeting these models & have to work on their hands the next day, so I am super appreciative of this session. I know it is not every competition that we can work on models hands in advance. It may be just a few hours, but this session helped us a lot in the competition the next day. SUPER THANK YOU!!!
Even during supper, we were still learning about nails... I don't think any of us had much sleep that night as it's competition day tomorrow!!
Every one must be super nervous like me! But it's inevitable~ it's our first time >.<
COMPETITION DAY!!
The day everyone in the team was working hard for had finally arrived! After so many Sunday trainings in Singapore, it was time for the actual competition day!!! Everyone was very hyped up that morning... excitedly anticipating the day ahead! It was very exciting as it was the first time for most of us who are competing. It was an eye opener!
The whole experience is different from what we had experienced during our school's examination. I can now finally understand what Principal Rachel meant when she said that this trip is an important experience for every nailist.
The day everyone in the team was working hard for had finally arrived! After so many Sunday trainings in Singapore, it was time for the actual competition day!!! Everyone was very hyped up that morning... excitedly anticipating the day ahead! It was very exciting as it was the first time for most of us who are competing. It was an eye opener!
The whole experience is different from what we had experienced during our school's examination. I can now finally understand what Principal Rachel meant when she said that this trip is an important experience for every nailist.
Before the competition, the hallway leading up to the competition hall was crowded with people! I could see people from all over the world...Korea, Japan, Singapore, Hong Kong and even Russia!!
It was quite exciting and yet scary at the same time, because I would be competing against these people from every where... I was trying not to be nervous!
A bit lost & confusing at the registration counter...
Some models are not here and did not ever answer the phone!! *Panic Attack*
Thank God that we came with the Pink Room Team & our school trainers settled everything for us! ~ Everything turned out ok in the end. ^^
Registrations ~ Competitors Tagging ~ Model Tagging~
Our shi-fu aka PinkRoom's Master Educator, Joe Chua, making sure that the model's nails are ready before the competition! I'm sure all of us were glad that he was there. Else, we would be far more anxious, worst... with NO one to turn to! >.<
Everyone's preparing and setting up all over the place... no one bothers about how they look anymore... ( T.T )/
All smiles before the competition starts...
Everyone was nervously waiting for the signal to start. To make things more complicated, the emcee spoke in Cantonese, which some of us couldn't understand. The whole hall was silent once the competition started, as everyone was concentrating on producing their best works.
There were three different time slots with many different Divisions for amateurs & professionals; and many different categories to compete in... like Gel French Sculpture, Design Sculpture and Acrylic Sculpture etc.
Some students who took part in all three different categories, and had to compete back to back, with less than 30 minutes between each event.
There were a lot of waiting, rushing, preparing & running about~
You would had realized by now that we PinkRoom team can multi-task and pose for photos during our competition and finish on time!! We must be the only crazy girls who could be bothered to pose for pictures DURING the competition!! Hahahaaaa~
The Pink Room Team looked super professional (and cute, of course) with our kawaii pink aprons, face mask and trays. It wasn't hard to spot us!
After each nail category is completed, the models had to go for the under curtain judging. Curtain judging ensures fairness as the judges couldn't see the models' faces.
Our Principal, Rachel Tang was one of the panel of international judges. The judging panel had judges from all over the world!
I noticed that Rachel seemed to be quite close friends with most of the judges, especially the teams from Japan & Korea. I guess she got to know them from all the International Competitions she judged over the years! There are so many of Japanese & Koreans competitors!!
While we were busy competing, Principal Rachel was busy judging and marking our works... The Mix Media Nail Art Category was also very interesting. We can do it in Singapore and then bring over to submit for competition. There is also a Fantasy Nail Art Category where the models are dressed up & graded with their elaborate nail designs!!
After our nails were judged by the panel of international judge, they had to be judged and scrutinized by the most strict and stern critic.... our Master Educator Joe!!! *shivers*
We all know that even the most perfect nails would be picked at... He went through each of our mistake and told us what not to do for the next time... Although it can be scary but I know it is for our own good and improvement. This is also exactly the reason why I love my school so much... they give us all "tough-love", that makes us better person and better nailist...
THANK YOU VERY MUCH~ !!!
Hehe~~ I sound very drama... but it's true! I've learnt sooo much from this whole trip and from Joe and Rachel. I'm sure the whole team felt the same way!
Once all the nail category had been completed, we can all relax abit while waiting for the results to be calculated. Everyone starts to take photos as usual... hahaha!
The girls managed to grab a quick shot on the stage with our Principal, Rachel Tang and trainers, Joe and Nicole. Everyone was all smiles as the competition was finally over!!
Group pix on the stage in our kawaii pink apron~ ^^
AWARDS CEREMONY TIME~
Actually all of us gals were all quite relaxed chit-chatting as we waited for the results, maybe it was because we did not put any hopes in winning anything against all those from Japan & Korea.
How wrong we were... I guessed we should had have a little more confidence in our skills and training from PinkRoom! The PinkRoom team bagged ten prizes in total, including the top three prizes for Gel French Sculpture and the first, and third prize for Gel Design Sculpture.
PinkRoom's winners with Principal Rachel, Master Educator Joe & our lovely trainer Nicole~
Token of thanks for the judges from the Hong Kong Professional Nailist Union.
Principal Rachel giving out awards.
Yipee to PRINA-Team's Nicole for placing Outstanding Award for One-tone Sculpture for Professional Division!! She is the only non Japanese or Korean to win in this category!!!
\( ^.^) /
Congrats Cynthia for placing Outstanding Award for her Salon Success!!!
Yipee to PRINA-Team's Yvonne, Margaret & Wen Qing for Manicure Art Competition!!
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| Yipee!! PRINA-Team, for the Gel Design Sculpture Competition! Congrats to Margaret & Joleen for winning the 1st and 3rd prizes in Gel Design Sculpture!! |
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| The PinkRoom team bagged ten prizes in total, including the top three prizes for Gel French Sculpture and the first, and third prize for Gel Design Sculpture. |
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| Group photo with the Japan Team! Japan Judge is Principal Rachel's buddy.. ^^ They took many prizes too~ |
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Night ended with a celebratory dinner treat by Principal Rachel at a 茶餐廳 cha chan teng in Mongkok.
It's not all work and no play! To reward ourselves for the weeks of hard work, we spent a few more days in Hong Kong after the competition for yummy food, sight seeing and our favourite hobby, after nails... shopping!!
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| What's Hong Kong without dim sum breakfast! Super long Q at a famous dim sum store...but the food was yum yum!! It was worth the wait *thumbs up* |
Rachel with her frozen yogurt from Panda House *happy*
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Our first MTR trip... Check out our Octopus card, their form of ez-link card. Hehe We must have attracted lots of attention by taking the above pix in the middle of a crowded MTR station~!  Hehe~ Secret shot of our super cool Joe >.< We visited Wong Tai Sin Temple, which was very different from the temples in Singapore. |
Check out the super-glam lift lobby of the resturant!! They had crystals hanging all over the resturant~
Inspirations for our yummy-dessert nailart~!!
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| Local Hong Konger Q-ing overnight for Iphone 4s!!! This was taken at 2am~ |
Delicious street snacks of Hong Kong!!
We visited the Jumbo Floating Restaurant. It was so cool cause I've seen (on TV) and heard about it but I've never thought of going there~ On one of those nights, Rachel suggested, and we thought why not!! And we took a mini bus to the jetty, and a boat to the restaurant. It was so grand!!
The lights you see behind us was the Jumbo Floating Restaurant in the middle of the sea~
And more touristy photos......
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| Last picture before we fly back to Singapore. Every one was so coordinated in black~~ |
Hope everyone had fun!!
The time and effort was all worth while! For me, it was an experience words couldn't describe.
I would like to thank all our trainers - for sacrificing their one and only off day every week, for the past two
months to provide training for us.
Lastly, I would like to say a big THANK YOU as all the logistics for the whole trip, booking of hotel, arranging of models etc was really out of goodwill from the school & you guys didn't charge us any extra cost for all these done..
Thank You from the bottom of my heart! This trip let me have a chance to learn & grow as a person! ^^ Hehe. Super mushy, but I meant every word!
Lastly, I would like to say a big THANK YOU as all the logistics for the whole trip, booking of hotel, arranging of models etc was really out of goodwill from the school & you guys didn't charge us any extra cost for all these done..
Thank You from the bottom of my heart! This trip let me have a chance to learn & grow as a person! ^^ Hehe. Super mushy, but I meant every word!
~a live report by a kawaii pinkroom.gal~
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