Hayley MacFARLANE

Student of The University of New England, Australia
Exchange to The Hong Kong Institute of Education, Hong Kong

When I go through my scrap book of my time in Hong Kong, it takes physical effort to wipe the smile off my face. I spent 6 months on exchange to the Hong Kong Institute of Education. This was certainly the best 6 months of my life. Everyday had a small adventure, whether it was as small as trying an unknown food, or closing our eyes and pointing to a subway map to see where we would spend the day and we were ready and willing to take a chance.

I was lucky enough to go overseas with a close friend, who would end up being my roommate and provide me with food and water when I got sick, and a tissue and cuddle when I was home sick. We shared a unit with 3 other girls, all Chinese and without leaving home, they taught us how to cook, play Mah Jong, and speak small and poorly repeated phrases in Cantonese.

In our time at HKIEd, we participated in college activities with many other exchange students from Europe, America, mainland China and local students, and we tried to spend everyday doing something we couldn't do back home in Australia.

After mastering the public transport system, which took less than a full day, we couldn't believe how easy it was to get around. We spent our time being ’typical tourists’, but the host family provided by the university showed us what everyday life was like for a family in Hong Kong. I would like to claim our badminton matches as my foray into an international sport, even though my opponent was my 9 year old tri-lingual ’host sister’.

Shamefully, I was unable to return home with a new language rolling fluently off my tongue. The hospitality of everyone we met was so evident in their tolerance and patience. There was never a situation where a language barrier stopped us, where the locals would speak to us in English, or found a way to help us get to where we wanted.

The highlight of my journey had to be Chinese New Year. The celebrations included attending new year markets in a sea of a few thousands locals, spending a night in the harbour on the bow of a yacht gazing at the fireworks, chanting “Kung Hei Fat Choy” to everyone at the new year parade and stepping out and experiencing the night life. These were just a few parts that made my Australia Day weekend, and the bringing in of the new Lunar year, perhaps the most unforgettable series of days in a life time.

The thing I will continue to miss the most is the carefree attitude I was able to have, and that attitude allowed me to get the most out of my experience. I have made friends all over the world, that I will have for life, taken pictures that will always bring back the fondest of memories and been engrossed in a culture that has enriched my life, even 3 years after returning. Brilliant, brilliant, brilliant!

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