Maggie CHEUNG | Memoirs from Alumni

Memoirs from Alumni - 2018-19

Maggie CHEUNG

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

As an Australian-born Chinese, my parents immigrated to Australia from Hong Kong. I loved being able to grow up in such a multi-cultural, friendly and welcoming country, and am thankful for all the opportunities that Australia has given me. I feel so lucky to be one of the many second-generation immigrants to be able to thrive in such a beautiful country, but a part of me always wondered what it would be like if my parents had not migrated and I grew up in Hong Kong.

A lot of people asked me why I chose Hong Kong to study abroad. Well, apart from the occasional two-week visit during Christmas time, I never really got to truly experience what it was like to live in Hong Kong. The place where my parents grew up and the place of my ethnicity. So, whilst my friends went to foreign places like Finland and the States, I chose to go back to my roots and study at the University of Hong Kong.

The first couple of weeks were more about settling down and getting everything sorted. I chose to stay at the university's residential hall and was lucky to have the best roommate! After attending a few events for exchange students, I made a bunch of new friends from all over the world. It was really eye-opening to hear their stories of where they were from, giving me a global perspective, even though I was only in Hong Kong for a few months.

After settling down, I was out and about, exploring Hong Kong, making new friends and immersing myself in Hong Kong's culture. Whilst I dedicated sufficient time for mystudies, I also enjoyed going beyond the city and exploring the rural side of Hong Kong. My roommate and I took on multiple hikes and day trips to nearby islands, where the locals enjoy a peaceful life.

One of the most memorable experiences for me was being able to participate in the Chinese New Year traditions. After the semester ended, I thought it would be a good idea to stay for Hong Kong's (and most of Asia's) biggest holiday festival. As someone who has never been a part of the traditions held here, I was lucky to have my aunty show me everything this time around. Long story short, she took me to "bai leen", which is Cantonese for paying a visit to your elder relatives at home to wish them good luck for the new year and you get a red packet (with money inside) in return. She also took me to a couple of family dinners, where I was able to meet a lot of relatives whom I have not seen in a long time or have not met before.

To sum up my exchange experience, while it was mostly fun (and a bit of university work), I genuinely learned a lot about both my background and about myself. Living out of home for the first time, I learned to be more independent and not rely on my parents for everything. I had to make decisions by myself and being away from my shelter, I had to look after myself. To the person reading this, if you are ever considering going on exchange, just do it, or you may regret it when you graduate!

Content on this page requires a newer version of Adobe Flash Player.