ZENG Ruixiang, Jimmy

University of Queensland, Australia
Exchange to the Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong

As a Cantonese-speaker born in Guangzhou - 2 hours train ride from Hong Kong - who has lived for what is almost 18 of my 22 years of existence in Australia, Hong Kong was a natural exchange choice for me to base myself in to provide opportunities for me to experience a culture that I had missed out on due to the vagaries of fate.

The sheer variety of activities in Hong Kong certainly kept me busy during the semester I spent studying Economics at The Chinese University of Hong Kong. No doubt the people-packed MTR train rides are quite a new experience for those experiencing Asia for the first time, but adjustment is easy when there's so much to do.

When I wasn't in class, I spent every possible moment out there. Hong Kong possesses an interesting spectrum of scenery: from the tiny fishing village at Tai O to the crowded inner city streets of Mong Kok - where you can buy all manners of things and pick and choose your meals from a variety of establishments. At the end of the day, I chose to unwind at one or more of the many vibrant bars and clubs located in popular nightlife areas Wan Chai, Central, SOHO or Tsim Sha Tsui. I never went hungry in Hong Kong. From street side "Cha Can Ting" to restaurants boasting tastes from all across the world it was difficult not to be tempted by the mouth-watering morsels on offer.

The locals are known for an attitude of "work hard, play harder" and I did my best to keep up, but I must admit at the end of some days, all I wanted to do was take a breather. Hong Kong offers a wealth of opportunities that are darn hard to say no too. Over the course of 6 months spent abroad, of which 4 months consisted of university semesters, I traveled to Beijing, Shanghai, Hangzhou, Wuzhen, Guangzhou, Kaiping, Foshan and Macau in China, as well as Okinawa and Kyoto in Japan. Many fellow exchange students also went to South East Asia and some even went to Europe.

At the end of the day, I am still a student. The classes were all lectured in English, making Hong Kong an even easier choice: you won't need language proficiency in Cantonese/Mandarin Chinese at all. Hell, take some language classes as part of your exchange studies even.

Hong Kong is a great base for Asia, offering plenty itself to keep you grounded. I want to thank the generous financial support given by the Cheung Kong Group and the Australian Government that gave me this opportunity to rediscover an ethnic history I never grew up in and strongly encourage other students to look at Hong Kong and Asia as an amazing exchange destination. You will not forget the people you met, because I know I didn't.

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