Christian NG

Griffith University, Australia
Exchange to the University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong

My full academic year at the University of Hong Kong (HKU) brings back many fond memories. I am grateful for the Endeavour Australia Cheung Kong Awards and the Australian Government in funding my program. I was interested in studying in Hong Kong for a number of reasons. Aside from the fact HKU is ranked #1 in Asia, me being Australian-Born Chinese – I wanted to experience and live in the city my family originated from. The city is a blend between East and West due to its British heritage and I wanted to see how cosmopolitan Hong Kong really is. The hustle and bustle, bright lights, and crowded streets of the city instantly caught my attention. Hong Kong is so different to Australia, so having an open mind was needed to fully appreciate what this city has to offer.

Its central location also gave me many opportunities to travel to nearby countries during the year: Thailand, Taiwan, Macau, Korea and multiple trips to China. It was remarkable to witness the unique lifestyle, culture and cuisine that was prevalent in each country. The majority of my friends were also on exchange, so not only do you become culturally aware of Asia, but also that of America and Europe. In this sense, you effectively become a global citizen. The people I met at HKU will remain friends for a lifetime. We shared a journey together; lived and travelled together; and those experiences and memories helped to shape my 2010 and allowed me to understand more about the world we live in, and also who we are as people.

After class each day, we would venture around the city, exploring new attractions and trying new restaurants. We soon became more familiar with the city than the locals. Shopping till midnight, riding the ding ding (tram) from one end of Hong Kong Island to the other, and having yum cha at 3am were some of the crazy things that only happens in Hong Kong!

But it wasn’t all play in Hong Kong. I completed an internship in Institutional Banking with National Australia Bank. It was interesting to sample my life post-graduation. Through working on transactions and performing financial analysis I was able to apply theory learnt at university in a practical way in the corporate world.

This year-long adventure has shaped my destiny, as I am confident I will be back. Hong Kong has become a second home. I’m currently working at ANZ Bank, which has a strong focus on Asia, and I have strong intentions of transferring to Hong Kong down the track. I have told countless people that going on exchange was the highlight of my university life, and I’m sure it will be yours too. You will not regret it.

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