Hey everyone! I’m Brooke, a third-year Economics student. It’s been almost two months since I’ve been back from my semester abroad in Hong Kong and I want to share my first month settling into this dynamic city.
Arriving in Hong Kong
The day before I left the UK, I felt excited yet very nervous. The thought of being miles away from home for a semester seemed frightening and although the first two weeks were challenging for me, these negative feelings eventually went away, and I started to enjoy myself in Hong Kong. My dad stayed with me during the first week, to help me settle in.
At the airport, we both purchased the Octopus card, a prepaid stored-value card used for all modes of public transport. This card is also accepted in many restaurants and shops. Public transport in Hong Kong is super reliable and inexpensive and it wasn’t difficult getting around the city. Hong Kong is one of the most densely populated cities in the world, with a population of eight million people, thus I wasn’t surprised to find myself surrounded by sky-high apartment buildings. Additionally, there is a fusion of East and West, traditional and modern.
To get to Kowloon Island from Hong Kong Island, we took the Star Ferry which was only around 25p. One of the most well-known attractions is the Symphony of Lights, a ten-minute display of lasers, lights and fireworks across the city skyline. This show takes place every night at 8PM and is free to watch. Another thing we did was wander around Temple Street Night Market, a market selling an array of things such as clothes, souvenirs, jade and electronics.
Accommodation
Applying for halls is extremely competitive especially as there are a limited number of places offered. I applied as soon as the application was open, which meant waking up at 3am. Initially, I didn’t get a place and was concerned about where I was going to stay as accommodation in Hong Kong is expensive. A week before I left the UK, I was informed that I received a place at Simon K. Y. Lee Hall. I was lucky to get a place in this hall as it is conveniently situated in the centre of campus and since I love coffee, I was happy to find out that it was next to Starbucks.
Unlike Southampton, hall life at the University of Hong Kong is more than just a roof above my head; every hall has its own culture and tradition, each boasting their strong hall spirit. All the residents take pride in their halls and show their contribution to their hall community by participating in extracurricular activities. Furthermore, having a roommate was a different experience for me as I am used to having my own room.
The High Table Dinner is a compulsory event that takes place every month and is organised by the halls of residence. It is like dinner at Hogwarts from Harry Potter, particularly when the dinner is held in the main building. This event is an opportunity to get to know all the residents and network with important guests.
University of Hong Kong (HKU)
The University of Hong Kong is a comprehensive research university, globally known for its first-class teaching and outstanding research. Similar to applying for halls of residence, applying for modules are on a first-come-first-serve basis and modules get full up pretty quickly. The lectures in three of my four modules were held in a small classroom consisting of 20-30 students and participation counted towards the grading. I also found the workload to be quite intense, where I was getting three or four assignments every week to complete.
There are a vast number of restaurants and cafés on campus. A meal is usually £3-4 and from a variety of cuisines to choose from, I was spoilt for choice. I mostly ate outside of campus as there are many local restaurants, a five-minute walk away from HKU. My favourite place was Bafang Dumplings, I really loved their panfried corn dumplings.
Orientation Week
Orientation week is a great chance to make new friends and meet exchange students from around the world. I was allowed to sign up to four events from a large number of activities the university organised.
The first activity I did was the hike up to Victoria Peak, the highest point on Hong Kong Island. I struggled in the first quarter of the hike due to the very steep path and the 90% humidity. I almost wanted to give up, turn around and head back to campus, but I decided to continue and eventually the hike got easier. The spectacular view of the cityscape and Victoria Harbour was very rewarding, and it was definitely worth it.
I also signed up to trying street food near campus, where I ate curry fish balls and siu mai. Finally, I went with a group of nine exchange students to Causeway Bay, a hip place full of shopping malls and restaurants.
