Emma Wilkie

Macquarie University, Australia
Exchange to University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong

The first day I visited Hong Kong was about a year before I travelled there on exchange. I spent only one day, yet it was one of the most diverse, exciting and frantic days of my life. I scheduled a meeting with my prospective host supervisor at the University of Hong Kong. When I arrived, I was greeted with a very warm welcome and an umbrella. I underestimated the strength of typhoons that pass through Hong Kong during the summer time. Seeing me drenched to the bone, I was immediately provided with a tough umbrella to last me the rest of the day, but that could be replaced at any local umbrella vending machine once it had expectedly flipped inside out from the gale force winds. I toured around the main campus, and was then taken to the marine laboratory perched on the southeast peninsula, with a spectacular ocean view, nestled in some very lush green vegetation. It was hard to believe the Hong Kong metropolis was only kilometres away. The night life that followed presented me with dai pai dong (outdoor eating) which, through the very resourceful use of a strong tarpaulin, survived the typhoon. The menu included a fantastic mix of pig blood, intestines, chicken feet and Chinese Tsingtao beer. I also experienced numerous bars and shopping experiences, and my favourite, the world’s largest outdoor escalator. When my head finally hit the pillow at 4am to catch some ‘rest’ for my 9 am flight, my smile didn’t fade. There was no doubt in my mind that I wanted to live and study in Hong Kong!

I will never forget how I felt the moment I learned I was a successful Endeavour Australia Cheung Kong Awards applicant. My heart was beating like a drum. I was in shock and disbelief. I needed confirmation from my office peers before I could accept the joyous news. “I’m going to HONG KONG!” resonated around the halls. One year later, I returned, but with the excitement that came along with knowing I would be there for six wonderful months. I could not have been happier.

My life in Hong Kong more than lived up to my expectations. I befriended so many local students that dai pai dong became a regular, but far from ordinary, dining experience nearly every weekend and I still did not come close to trying every dish! A very memorable experience was watching the World Cup on a massive outdoor screen with many of my closest friends who knew just the right local places to go, play Chinese games, and scream for whichever team you chose to support on the night. I also remember a very popular public holiday in celebration of the Dragon Boat festival, where we went to one of the most famous Hong Kong beaches to watch teams race their dragon boats and pop champagne for hours.

I also made many international friends that came from so many different countries, each with their own story to tell. I will miss the global influences Hong Kong has to offer. French baguette for breakfast, barbequed pork for lunch, Spanish Tapas for dinner and Italian gelato late at night (because Hong Kong never sleeps) became habitual, and the only difficulty was deciding which international cuisine would I chose that day.

Academically, Hong Kong offered me so many wonderful opportunities I simply would not have discovered if I had not taken an exchange program. As a marine biologist, I noticed so many intriguing differences, yet similarities in the local fauna that really sparked my interest in global marine ecology. Having a translator most places I went to explain my fascination with local oyster farms, constituting the main part of my research, I immediately realized was essential, and I could not have been more thankful for the translators who stuck by my side. I met professors from numerous universities, including people from China, Canada and Britain whom I still keep in contact with today, and plan to in the future. I also met the Australian Consul General in Hong Kong who I had the pleasure of guiding around the marine lab.

I have been home now for less than 2 weeks and I cannot believe I’m writing about Hong Kong in the past tense. I will go back one day, and I look forward to it. For now, I have many happy memories which are still running through my system like adrenaline. I am so grateful for the Endeavour Australia Cheung Kong Award that gave me the opportunity to study in Hong Kong. It is the most memorable experience I have to tell and I will always cherish the time I had, and the influences that it will bring into my future.

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