It's been a month since I overstuffed a taxi with luggage, got to the Hong Kong Airport, and flew back to the states. Although I have made my way back home, a piece of my heart still remains in Asia. All the memories of going on adventures, eating interesting food, and shopping a little too much continuously flood my mind. I know that I'll be back one day, but for now I will share about the experience I had.
WHY HONG KONG?
To start, the reason why I was in Hong Kong was for study abroad. A couple of my friends convinced me to go and it sort of worked out naturally. I've always been very drawn to Asia. So, I figured that study abroad will help me see if I like living there. I can certainly tell you that I LOVED it!
LIVING IN HONG KONG?
Hong Kong is very different from America in many ways. They drive on the left side of the road, speak Cantonese (although many people speak English), and have a very efficient public transportation system. The best ways to get around Hong Kong are by the MTR (metro), bus, or taxi. I'm not very used to public transportation, but I had no problem using it there. It was so clean in comparison to the grimy transportation in the states! As for the language barrier, it wasn't too big of a deal. Since Hong Kong was once under British control, almost all of the signs are in English and most people can speak English. However, there are some local areas were everything was only in Cantonese.
SHOPPING?
One of the best parts of Hong Kong is shopping. Most of the MTR stops were connected or near shopping malls. The malls in Hong Kong are completely on another level! Being an interior designer, I appreciate great design and these malls were beautiful! Some of the best were the IFC and Pacific Place. In addition to beautiful malls, there are also less glamorous malls that are packed with tons of clothing shops. I loved these just as much as the nicer malls! At these places, you can get a ton of clothes at very reasonable prices. Some of these places include the Argyle Center and Kwai Chung Plaza.
EATING?
As for food, it's very hard to not find something to eat. The blocks are full of restaurants and shops full of flavor! Practically all of the food is delicious. It's great if you are adventurous so you can try the unique dishes. One of the greatest dishes in Hong Kong is dim sum. It is soooo yummy and I highly suggest it!
FAVORITE PLACES?
As for my favorite areas in Hong Kong, I loved Central, Mongkok, and Kowloon Bay. Central has a ton of art and nice restaurants. This area has the most foreigners so there is a ton of English everywhere. Mongkok is like Time Square in which there are tons of shops and many people in the streets. One of its highlights is the Ladies Market, a street market full of items that you can haggle. Kowloon Bay is a really nice area and they also have great shopping centers.
Overall, I loved exploring Hong Kong and learning about its culture. I really cherish the friendships I made there and I cannot wait to return!
