Live Abroad: The Hong Kong Experience
Getting the opportunity to live abroad is every wanderlust-consumed babes daydream. So naturally, when I was presented with a chance to study in Hong Kong, I packed my bags and on I went. While I have traveled to many incredible places in this world, I wasn’t prepared for the beauty and adventure that awaited me in South East Asia.
Here are some highlights of my three month stay in paradise:
The City
I have been a city girl my entire life. I can remember hailing my first cab in Manhattan as a 5-year-old so naturally, I fell deeply in love with the bright lights and hidden gems of Hong Kong. There is something so exciting about the crowds and hustle of those city streets. The nine story malls in every district and the countless skyscrapers (doubling that of NYC), Hong Kong did not disappoint a city chic like me.
The Food
Besides travel, I find one of my greatest passions to be food - I mean, who doesn’t? And while lots of people believe the food in Hong Kong to be strange, that actually couldn’t be further from the truth. Hands down, some of the best meals I have ever eaten in my life were on those city streets. Between the fresh sushi and seafood, the endless ramen spots, authentic Chinese, Indian, and Japanese cooking, and of course the spicy Pad Thai I enjoyed in Thailand, it is what I miss most now that I am in the States. And the desserts... if you ever find yourself in Hong Kong, do yourself a favor and get an egg waffle.
The Views
The magical thing about Hong Kong is that, it’s not all city hustle & bustle. My roommates and I used our weekends to island hop, hike and camp, lounge on the beach, and soak up the stunning views. There are endless amounts of lush mountain ranges, sleepy fishing villages, and untouched beaches waiting to be discovered and as an avid hiker, I was thriving. I strongly believe, if I lived there for the rest of my life, I would never run out of new places to explore.
It's hard for me to explain how special these months spent discovering this beautiful foreign land were, from the relaxed Sundays spent exploring different secluded beaches to riding elephants through the jungles of Thailand. I have always had a thirst for travel but to fully immerse yourself in another culture is an experience on its own. It really taught me how valuable each and every day is. That there is always a new adventure waiting to be had, a new spot to discover, an interesting food to try, or amazing people to meet. I am dying to get back out in the world and keep exploring.
If you are ever given the chance to live abroad, take it and never look back.