I don’t know if any of you have ever fallen in love with a place, but it is a feeling that everyone needs to experience once in his or her life time. It brings you joy, curiosity, excitement, and fear all at the same time. This is what can happen when you go on an exchange; I know it did for me. Hong Kong now has a permanent place in my heart that will continue to affect me for the rest of my life. I know that going away, especially as far as Hong Kong can be terrifying, but being given that opportunity helps you improve and build your inner self.
Once I arrived in Hong Kong the idea of distance was gone, I was star struck by everything. Every day was an adventure. One of my main concerns once I arrived was the ability to make new friends, yet it was easier than expected. Everyone is in the same boat as you; they’re all far away from home and in a completely new environment. I managed to make friends on the first day that I grew very close to and ended up travelling a lot with them by the end.
I’ll first discuss university life before moving on to the adventures that I had, that’s when it gets very exciting. PolyU was an excellent school, it did push me a lot since I had a lot more course work than I am used to but it was all manageable. The university campus is very nice and filled with amazing cafeterias and places to hangout with friends between classes. The teachers are more than helpful with anything you need, and everything is taught in English! I know that that was my main concern when I arrived. I had no issues or troubles that couldn’t be solved with any assignments or tasks I had. Sure I did have to spend some late nights at the library but that’s only because I tried to balance the incredible nightlife and schoolwork.
Speaking of nightlife! That was probably one of my favorite things about Hong Kong, you really don’t know what I’m talking about until you get there. The amount of amazing bars and clubs they have in down town is mind blowing. There are places dedicated to certain genres of music and hidden gems that you can find in alley ways. One hidden gem you must try is a place called Feather Boa. It is in the District called SoHo that is right in central Hong Kong. This place doesn’t have a name on the front, just two massive doors with no windows. So if you go there I recommend going with someone who’s been there before since it is hard to find. Once you arrive you knock on the doors and a woman answers and asks how many is in your party, if you fit she takes you in and it’s like a different era. The place is decorated in a 1940’s style and they serve these amazing daiquiris in large cups covered in chocolate. It’s quite the treat. The main place to go out is LKF which is an amazing experience all on its own. LKF is the main bar and club district, you walk up the hill and once you get to the top you see all the lights of the clubs and music from all the surrounding places, it’s like being in a movie. Once you reach LKF you can pick which ever music vibes with you the best, and when you’re done with that place you can move on the next. You’re basically out until the crack of dawn and if you’re out long enough you’re lucky enough to catch the first metro of the day and have an easy and quick way of getting home after a night of fun.
The metro’s are really easy to use, I’m very bad at public transport and it didn’t take me long to catch on to the routes. And if you’re ever lost you can use their app or just ask someone. The prices are really cheap as well, and even cheaper if you get a student rail card – which I urge you to do. Besides the metro there are buses, which are a great way of transport, and sometimes more direct. You can use you Octopus card that you load money on and use it for buses, trains, and even food in some stores. I recommend getting the app City Mapper because it maps the quickest route for you (either bus or train), it has saved me on multiple occasions.
When it comes to adventure in Hong Kong it us extremely easy, basically just leave your room and start walking, every turn you take can lead you to somewhere amazing. I know me and my friends would just hop on the metro and head to a random district and start wandering, you can find hidden temples, or antique stores or even botanical gardens and zoo’s. I recommend going to Sai Kung and checking out their beaches and hidden waterfalls you can bathe in. It’s quite the trek but worth it, it doesn’t even feel like you’re in Hong Kong.
One of the most famous spots is hiking up to Victoria Peak, I’ve been a handful of times because you can find different routes to go up or even hidden secret spots. For example my one friend and I found an old abandon mansion that we climbed the roof and had the most amazing view of the city.
Or if you’re feeling lazy even walking down to the board walk and sitting on the grass near the water is an adventure.
There are also really cool places like the Ten Thousand Buddhist Monastery which is absolutely gorgeous and a must see.
But your adventure doesn’t need to just stop with Hong Kong, flights to other Asian countries you only dreamed of before are extremely cheap because of how close you are. During my stay in Hong Kong I managed to travel to Thailand twice, Taiwan, Cambodia, and New Zealand with tickets that were a lot cheaper than going from home. I had friends that also travelled to the Philippines, Vietnam, Tokyo, Singapore, and many more amazing places that are affordable for us students. Travelling around Asia was probably the best part; I ticked off so many things off my bucket list and had the most amazing time doing the most unforgettable things. I will never forget it.
Lastly I want to talk about the food, maybe people are scared of Asian food because it’s not what you order in your Chinese take-out back at home. That Chinese food is Americanized. I personally really enjoyed the food, of course there were some risky food items, like chicken feet that I didn’t go near but there are so many other options you can have. Like unlimited noodle and rice options, really cheap sushi, Dim Sum, and Hot Pot! I loved eating in Hong Kong but if you’re a picky eater there are a lot of places that serve food from other countries, like Italian, Korean, Middle Eastern, and they even have pizza places. But I strongly recommend trying the local food, some may look iffy but it’s good to let your taste buds explore.
As you can tell I had the most amazing time in Hong Kong and I would highly recommend going on this exchange. I learned so much about myself and my limits, my knowledge and perception of things grew immensely. I made friends from all over the world. So I basically have a place to crash anywhere I go, and have connections with so many more people, which is important in life. I hope you choose to have your own experience like me and feel what it’s like to fall in love everyday with something or someone new.