Mary Pho

Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology, Australia
Exchange to Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong

My time away on exchange has been such an interesting and unforgettable experience. Deciding to go on exchange was one of the best decisions I’ve made in my life. At first I was really unsure about it, but being such a valuable opportunity, I knew that I would deeply regret it if I let it pass by.

The Endeavour Australia Cheung Kong Scholarship Programme – which I am ever so grateful for, was what made funding my trip to Hong Kong possible. It provided me with the rare chance to step out of my comfort zone for once and do something different with my life and now I have many memories from this adventure that will last for a lifetime.

Initially I had dreaded feelings of not wanting to leave the familiar comfort of my home and there was even a hint of fear of living away from home for the first time but soon after I arrived in the lively, vibrant city, anticipation took over. While I did struggle with home sickness on and off, I was ultimately able to immerse myself into a completely different world away from the one I knew, and allowed myself to be absorbed into the exciting city that is Hong Kong. Although I had visited Hong Kong on family holidays before, it felt very different this time. Because this time, I knew I had to create a life there. And now that I’ve left my home away from home, I can’t begin to tell you how much I miss it.

I stayed at the university student halls which buzzed about with thousands of other students who also lived there. As I nervously stepped into the student halls for the first time, it hit me that this was where I was going to call home for the next 4 months, regardless of whether I liked it or not. It really didn’t take long for me to realize that Hong Kong was not a place that would ever quieten down. Trying to survive the constant hot, humid weather conditions was enough to make me wish I was back at home. However to my relief, it eventually cooled down and I even experienced my first typhoons.

Walking through the crazy crowded streets amongst all the skyscrapers, squeezing through busy markets, you can’t help but suddenly feel how small you are in this world. It was defiantly an overwhelming contrast to the empty Melbourne streets I was so used to. This was really a city that did not sleep; everywhere you looked there was bustling energy! Bright neon signs, lanes of red taxis, people on their phones rushing about... It wasn’t until I visited places such as the New Territories and Lamma Island that I became aware that Hong Kong actually did have quiet spots where you could relax.

The food in Hong Kong was certainly not disappointing. I fell in love with taste testing all the Hong Kong-style snacks I could find. I really enjoyed going for dim sum — my ultimate favourite would have to be the delicious freshly baked warm egg tarts! And when they say that Hong Kong is a shopping heaven, they really aren’t kidding! I just absolutely could not resist the countless stores offering a huge variety of anything and everything and for a great bargain too! I basically kept myself busy just shopping till I dropped! I was even able to meet some local celebrities at shopping malls which was quite exciting. Usually after a full day’s worth of walking, it was always satisfying yet painful when enduring the long walk back to the halls from the MTR station carrying dozens of bags and an empty wallet.

Hong Kong would not have been as memorable as it was, if it wasn’t for the great friends I met there. Being an only child, I was thrilled to be living with people my age for the first time. Although I met fewer locals than expected, I was glad to be able to meet some other exchange students who became almost like a second family for the time I was there. We were able to exchange cultural knowledge as well as jointly face the new learning experiences that Hong Kong brought us. I discovered that the environment you’re in isn’t always important when determining how much you enjoy yourself; it’s the people around you that have the most significant impact on your entire experience. Together we spent our free time exploring all that Hong Kong had to offer; sightseeing, shopping, dining out, and the occasional nights out at LKF. I was also lucky enough to take time out to visit Macau, as well as spend a week traveling throughout Taiwan.

As the semester came to an end, I was in disbelief at how fast time had flown by. I didn’t want to leave everything in Hong Kong behind, just as much as I dreaded coming to Hong Kong only months ago. But overall the variety of experiences (some good and some not so good) I encountered whilst on exchange have been incredibly rewarding. It’s taught me more about tolerance, maturity, independence and confidence. I realized that by meeting different people from all around the globe whom I never would have had the chance to back home, I now have a clearer perspective of what is out there beyond the realms of my usual circle. Being overseas has made me appreciate Australia more than ever before, yet nevertheless I will always have a special connection with Hong Kong. This whole exchange journey has been one of the biggest challenges I’ve ever faced and overcome, and probably one of the proudest achievements I can now put my name to.

© Copyright 2018 CK Group. All rights reserved.