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Noby Leong
University of Adelaide, Australia
Exchange to University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong
Hong Kong is one of the most amazing cities in the world and I am so glad to have had the opportunity to study there. There・s always so much to do and see. Every step of the way, there was something exciting to be discovered. When I first came to the city and took my first steps at The University of Hong Kong, everything was different. Even though I・d been to Hong Kong before, it seemed different viewing everything not as a tourist. The weather could melt steel and the humidity made every step on Hong Kong・s hilly terrain a sweaty one. In those first few days, I definitely had a newfound appreciation for escalators and air conditioning.
Student and dorm life was interesting, but well worth it, considering the stockpile of stories I・ve accumulated. Watching the secret lives of freshmen was itself a treat. I remember the countless times being woken up at 7 am as the new batch of freshmen participated in military-style loyalty marches, pledging allegiance to their Hall. And I certainly remember trying to go to bed at 1 am, only to be distracted by a dozen hall mates singing Lady Gaga. I definitely will not forget all the crazy hazing and ritualistic punishments, not all of which were PG-rated.
Hong Kong is a dynamic, confusing and ultimately ridiculous city to try and understand. Even with my six-month stint, I still know there・s more to learn. This mountainous city with concrete arteries and a seven million strong army of locals, expats and everything in between, always had me excited for weekends and holidays. Whether it was the horse races at Happy Valley, a Halloween night at Lan Kwai Fong or spending New Year・s Eve on a rooftop overlooking Victoria Harbour, there was always some event to be in the midst of. And the FOOD! No one does food like Hong Kong. Anything and everything can be sampled here, whether its ostrich kebabs, seafood BBQs on the beach or the finest in traditional and contemporary Chinese cuisine. And who could forget dim sum at 3 am, the world・s best hangover cure!
This was an experience I will always remember - not just the big things but the little things too, like failed attempts at navigating taxi drivers in Cantonese or riding the mini-buses at 100km/h. I was able to explore a whole new city and a culture that・s worlds away from life back home. It wasn・t just the culture of Hong Kong, but the cultures of all the other exchange students I encountered. It was such an opportunity to be able to meet people from Scotland, Norway, America, Japan and all those countries in between. It was always fun to swap our respective vernacular and laugh at the strange pronunciations of common English words. I・ll still remember the first time I tried haggis and learned what a ．palava・ is.
Inside and out, Hong Kong was an amazing place to go on exchange. I feel so lucky to have met the people I did, see the places I saw and experience a brand new life. I・m incredibly thankful to the Endeavour Australia Cheung Kong Awards scholarship for giving me this opportunity and couldn・t have asked for a more rewarding time. If anyone reading this is considering going on exchange, Hong Kong is the place to do it.
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