Hello all!
The breakdown: part i = summary of my time here, part ii = realizations..
Part i
So, as some of you know, I’m studying abroad in Hong Kong. My decision was last minute – about a week or two before my letters were due by the Uni. At the time, I thought it was the toughest choice I’ve had to make in my twenty years of living. The circumstances were tight, let’s just say – to leave everything behind or build on the opportunities and relationships I had back at home? And now reflecting back on this, it’s scary how close I was to the second choice.
My time here has been non-stop, so to say. Since arriving on Wednesday night, the jet-lagged mornings has been the only time I’ve had to myself to just sit and…zone out. All of Thursday, I explored the campus and its surroundings, getting some of the basic necessities (sheets, toiletries, underwear…just kidding ‘bout the underwear part).
A good half of Friday was spent trying to stay awake during orientation and then I finally met up with my cousin Latina for a quick dinner. It really helped to see a familiar face in a land that seems so like New York but not, at the same time. And it was good to see her again especially after all that distance. She took me to her apartment afterwards, and her view of the HK skyline is a ton better than the one I have from my dorm. That’s definitely saying something considering I can see the waterfront and parts of Kowloon.
To my luck, when I headed back to campus Friday night, I saw some people on exchange and went to Wan Chai with them for a gathering for the orientation students. Wan Chai was interesting. The place reminds me a lot of the randomness that goes on in St. Marks. Yet, concurrently, it was so starkly different (and this goes for Hong Kong in general).
Anyways, I spent Saturday aimlessly walking with some buddies. We walked through the entire northern part of Hong Kong Island, I would say. On our journey, we passed so many shops that just had the same stuff and I wonder, what happens to the items that people don’t purchase? Especially the perishable ones? Like, it is really necessary to kill all these animals and make these products just to parade them for better prices than the place next door? But, this is a criticism of the world in general. Of course, everything probably works outs and it’s how people make a living. Globalization, much? Moving on, I saw my cousin again that night and met some of her work friends in Mong Kok. Finally got a cell phone – what a life saver…
On Sunday I explored more of Mong Kok with people and went to the Peak. I also met up with Will!! It’s good to have a friend from back home who is also abroad and can charm middle-aged wombats with his Canto. The Peak is damn chill. I’ll post pictures when I purchase a cable to connect my camera.
Part ii
Tis Monday now – the first day of classes. I haven’t looked at classes yet, actually. Now, of all the shocks I had in Hong Kong, the worst one was probably finding out that I WASN’T actually a student at HKU – despite already moving into a Hall, getting confirmation emails from random administrators, etc. So, also on Friday, I officially became an HKU student by signing ANOTHER admissions letter, but in front of them, this time. I still have to get my student visa and register into my Faculty before anything can proceed [AKA, the rest of my academic life here].
What a long post…I know that I told a bunch of you that I’d do a video blog. However, it is unfortunately 7 AM, Hong Kong time. So I look like a fright and have been awake since 6 AM, despite passing out three hours earlier.
I miss my fam and home slices back home, though. Hopefully, I’ll be making videos and sending out more personalized emails out soon [READ: the real life breakdown of what’s been happening]. But just a shout to say that you’ve all got a piece of my heart!
And so, concluding this crazy long post, coming to Hong Kong has been one of the best sober decisions I’ve ever made. All those sporadic moments when I thought going to Hong Kong was just what I needed or that I should stay back in the states seem to be irrelevant now. Although there are NO wrong paths, this seems to be a considerably excellent choice. For a little while, the night of winter vacation when I thought I was going to die - hallucinating about erratic Tasmanian devils in a speedy little car and praying that I’d be alive for Hong Kong was the epitome of realizing that this experience was exactly the one I needed. Yet, now that I’m here, I know that this is exactly the right path for me.
