Brett Keogh

The University of Adelaide, Australia
Exchange to The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong

The place where East meets West – Hong Kong is a place like no other and taking an exchange in Hong Kong was the best decision of my life. Hong Kong brings memories of chopsticks, dim sum, night markets, exotic fruit, a travel hub, super quick public transport, impressive hiking, meetings, world-class engineering, herbal tea and an interesting nightlife.

Having lived 18 years in a country town in Victoria, coming to live in Hong Kong was a real eye opener to the rest of the world. The level of engineering is world-class, from reclaimed land to skyscrapers. It seems everybody lives in a high-rise. However, even though on first impressions there seems to be a huge building on every corner, you discover that Hong Kong has large amounts of non-developed areas boasting good opportunities for hiking and other adventures. I highly recommend the hike from the University of Hong Kong to Victoria Peak.

Studying in Hong Kong was something within itself. There is a real culture about the University of Hong Kong. All the students are very passionate about their faculty or the various societies they are involved in. The students seem to have a meeting for any possible excuse, all of which are highly formal and often run late into the night. If you’re required to attend a meeting, don’t forget your suit, even if it’s a meeting for the rugby team. It seems the most effective form of learning is to make good friends with students in your classes. The local students are friendly, extremely helpful and have very defined study resources and methods. Don’t miss out on the chance to see the real culture at the university.

The food in Hong Kong is a huge contrast to Australia. It seems that so many people eat out. It was simply fantastic to eat out at a restaurant for every meal. However, there is no doubt when you order, you are never quite sure what you are going to get and no matter what you order, you never get exactly what you want. Stick with the local food and simply enjoy the luxury of skipping dishwashing for a semester. My favourite part about the food is the access to fresh fruit on the street. The selections of exotic fruits are fantastic. I will certainly miss the easy access to rambutan, mangosteen and the small sweet bananas. If you’re open minded to try something new, you’ll love the food in Hong Kong.

Hong Kong is a great spot to travel to other destinations in Asia. Many of my exchange friends seemed to spend more time traveling than their time in Hong Kong. Save yourself some cash and take a flight from Shenzhen or Macau. However, you don’t need to travel far to see something different. Escape the big city life on Hong Kong Island by taking a day trip to the smaller island of Cheung Chau. Find yourself in old Hong Kong and bring your camera for some of the best shots of traditional maritime life on the South China coast.

Coming to Hong Kong, I often wondered if there would be any time for sport. I thought that Hong Kong would be crowded and have no room for this kind of thing. However, I ended up doing a lot of hiking, tennis, squash and soccer. If you’re staying in student residences, take full advantage of the facilities at the Flora Ho sports centre.

The nightlife is certainly a contrast to Australia, but don’t think it’s because you will be the only Westerner at the pub. The nightlife in Hong Kong is for Westerners and my local friends prefer other forms of entertainment. “Club 7-11” in Lan Kwai Fong was the most popular watering hole where exchange students can enjoy the cheap prices and the novelty of drinking beer on the street.

Take a chance, try something new, investigate the culture and you can’t go wrong in Hong Kong. The opportunity provided by Cheung Kong has truly changed my attitude towards others and my views of the world. Spend time with other exchange students, but also take the time to make some great relationships with the locals. Hong Kong has many good memories but the most important thing I will take from the exchange is the great friends I have made. Lap up every moment and take it all in because I had so much fun it felt like it was all over before it started.

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