Ever since I was a freshman in college (I am now a soon to be senior studying at the University of Wisconsin-Madison), I had always dreamed about studying abroad in some far off, exotic place and experience what my older peers had all been through. And now, I am incredibly humbled to have the opportunity to study abroad in Hong Kong at the Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK) from June 29th to August 5th.
Why did I pick Hong Kong? One of my most important criteria was that it the program and classes had to be in English. I took Spanish for many years in middle and high school, but it's been quite awhile since I've even spoken a complete sentence. Even when I graduated high school my Spanish was pretty average. About a week ago, I used to think my Putonghua (Mandarin Chinese) was pretty acceptable; I always speak it at home with my parents and usually don't have to subject them to my cringe-worthy Chinglish. However, after coming to China, I'm just constantly laughing at myself at just how much I don't know how to say or understand. My writing and reading is also a joke. So English it is.
Another big component was that it had to be during summer. Although it would have been an incredible experience to be abroad for several months if I had gone to study during the fall or spring semester, I didn't want to miss my life at home, such as my friends, my family, my roommates, Badger football games, and Circle K. No, we are not the gas station/convenience store chain (and apparently there's one in Hong Kong that I have yet to find!). Circle K International is the largest, oldest, (and coolest), student-led collegiate service organization in the world. We do A TON of volunteering and community service with our clubs on individual campuses all over the world and have endless leadership opportunities. I'd have to say I met the mass majority of my friends through Circle K and I don't think I could have up and left those friendships for that long.
Finally, of all the programs and places I could have applied to, I wanted to come to Hong Kong because it was somewhere I could see myself coming and living in after I graduate from UW-Madison (I haven't put much thought into it though). I love big cities with lots of people, and Hong Kong has over seven million (New York has around 8.3 million). Hong Kong was given back to China from England in 1997 so English is still a part of the city. (Although from what I've seen so far, it's very broken English.) I was also told barely anyone spoke Mandarin Chinese but my Putonghua has gotten me over the border from Shenzhen (where I flew to in Mainland China and then took the subway to CUHK), through customs, and finally to my new home for the next few weeks. I love the water, and Hong Kong is surrounded by it. I'm also obsessed with Chinese food, so all the more reason to come, right?
Just a few fun facts about Hong Kong:
-It has the most skyscrapers in the world, with 8,000 buildings having more than 14 floors... Almost double that of New York.
-It consumes triple the world average of tea.
-It has the highest IQ average at 107
-It is actually composed of over 200 islands
-Bruce Lee and Jackie Chan live here. What more needs to be said?
I hope to find even more reasons to love this place in the next few weeks to come and hope I don't get too hopelessly lost in the meantime. Joi Gin (Goodbye in Cantonese) for now!
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