Emma Barmett

Swinburne University, Australia
Exchange to Hong Kong Baptist University, Hong Kong

I arrived, small, timid but LOUD in a city I couldn’t find space in. I left, at peace, having found a little place in the heart of Hong Kong.

My exchange to Hong Kong Baptist University can be described paradoxically as the shortest and longest time abroad and the best and worst (not so good) time of my life. My memories have withered slightly, however, thankfully I have an informative family to remind me. Apparently, when I first arrived in Hong Kong, I hated it. This is, however, a feeling I only vaguely remember. Hong Kong was a smoking pot of pollution, people scurrying around hectically like stressed ants and a land of unknown. I had arrived in Hong Kong 2 weeks before the semester started to get a feel for the place before I had to settle down and study. I spent my time traveling around Hong Kong, utilizing its state-of-the-art transport system and submerging myself into the culture. Before I knew it, 2 weeks flew by (I think) and I was eager to see where I would be spending the next 4 months at Hong Kong Baptist University.

My first impression of the university was that it was really large, however there was an exciting buzz in the air about starting the university year. My roommate had not yet moved in so I had the room to myself for a few days. When I did finally meet my roommate she wasn’t exactly what I expected but no less appreciated. I thought that, being in Hong Kong, I would be staying with a Hong Kong local or Mainland Chinese student. I was at my desk catching up on some reading and into my room walks a blonde Swedish bombshell, my roommate, Erica! This is a small example of how not everything you expect happens whilst you’re on exchange. The important thing I learnt was to let go of my expectations and inhibitions about meeting people and integrating into a culture I knew little about.

You realize that it doesn’t matter where you are, it’s the people you meet that make your experience memorable. Together with the amazing people I became friends with, we challenged most of what Hong Kong has to offer. The diversity of Hong Kong is such that the insanely condensed city is only a 20-minute ferry ride away from some deserted island beaches. It was here that I was able to climb through hidden caves and enjoy the white sand and clear water, feeling like I was somewhere much more tropical like the islands of Thailand or Indonesia. Every spare moment I was able to fill with the many activities to do in Hong Kong. Hong Kong is a city of opportunity, thriving business and a world accelerating into the future at a phenomenal rate. It is, however, not without a rich history imbedded under the tall skyscrapers that soar above the chaos. It was interesting to note the post colonial British influence and the Cantonese people’s attitude towards their recent history with Britain handing Hong Kong back to China in 1997.

Walking around the cramped streets and markets, you are inevitably confronted with kitschy Mao, popculture memorabilia and ancient relics of the opium war, such as pipes, snuff bottles and opium beds. Hong Kong has everything anybody could ever need or desire. The city is such a hotbed of life, energy, imagination and inspiration that it has the tendency to get quite overwhelming. There is nothing quite like the many markets in Hong Kong, a consumer paradise, where you can buy anything. People are plagues of locusts frantically rushing around, eager to eliminate their seemingly endless lists of things to do. Lights, signs and actions are constantly screaming out at people, neon flashes with crazy canto-pop blaring into the street. The commotion can become all-consuming and lock you into the hole of over-stimulation. It was times like those that I wanted to escape the city of ecstasy. Waiting for me on pier 7 was the ferry from Central to Lamma Island where I could unwind in this small hippy town, feasting on organic vegetarian food and visiting the unique shops, quaint and confidently content with being no more, nor less, than they appeared.

While in Hong Kong, I made several trips to its neighbouring city, Shenzhen, and a major trip to Beijing. With China at my fingertips, and Hong Kong at my feet, I had never felt happier or more content. I am so grateful that I had the opportunity to experience such a (insert the word for amazingly awesome, best time of your life) time. I have taken so much away with me from Hong Kong which I will treasure, harvest, and put to good use.

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