Andrea (Sem 1, 2023)

My Exchange at The University of Hong Kong

How I found out about the 360 International exchange programme
I found out about the 360 International exchange programme through my Global Studies faculty and from general chatter across the past few years. However, I hadn’t thought about it seriously until I talked about it with a friend, who was also interested in going on an exchange.
 
My feelings/first impressions when I arrived at my host university/city/country
After the initial rush of adrenaline and excitement wore off, I’ll admit I was rather overwhelmed. It hit me quite hard that I was in a new country, where I did not speak the most common language and had no friends. At first I questioned whether I made the right decision, however once I met other people at my exchange orientation week, all my worries immediately washed away and I never looked back.

What my accommodation was like
I stayed at the university dorms, which were a five minute walk away from campus and the nearest MTR station. The location was amazing and I couldn’t ask for anything better. Foodwise, there were a lot of canteens on campus to eat, which were both affordable and had a wide range of food. The MTR station also had a bakery, 7/11 and sushi shop, where I purchased meals from often too. The location of my dorm was also incredibly convienient relative to the rest of the city, so whenever I wanted to go out to eat, I could do so easily.
I shared a small room with one roommate and had to share bathrooms and a kitchen with the other girls on my floor. It wasn’t ideal, but majority of the other halls were the same, so I couldn’t complain too much. I was also very lucky in that I had a great roommate, which I am extremely grateful for.
 
Orientation at the host university
The students at my host university organised a range of tours around Hong Kong for all incoming exchange students, which I thought was great. This is where I met majority of my friends. If it wasn’t for these tours, I would have struggled a lot more to meet new people and make friends. They also held orientation days before the semester started for the exchange students. I attended the general one for everyone, and the orientation for business students.
 
What I thought of the courses/teaching at the host university
The courses and teaching were all run in English. I found majority of the courses interesting and overall had a good experience. I found the workload during the semester to be manageable, however, I did struggle quite a bit towards the end where I had 4 big assignments and 4 exams within the last 2.5 weeks of semester.

What the host city/country was like
Hong Kong was amazing. It was super convienient and the public transport was superb. Although it can be known for being expensive, I managed to find quite a lot of cheap food, all which tasted amazing. I went on multiple hikes and day trips to islands, which only took up to maximum 2 hours to travel to via bus and train. Although the city itself felt quite commercialised and dense, there was many other areas that I could easily access that felt like a breath of fresh air, with trees and nature. I really enjoyed staying in Hong Kong.
 
What the cost of living was like compared to Auckland
Hong Kong is known for having high property prices, however my university dorm fees were extremely reasonable. I ate out almost every day, varying from canteen food to local food stores to slightly more fancy restuarants. Overall, it was relatively easy to find some cheap meals, for example around $8-$13 NZD for a full meal, which is really difficult to find in Auckland nowadays. Transport costs were okay, similar (many a bit cheaper?) than Auckland prices. Groceries were a little bit more pricey, however I didn’t spend too much on them due to eating out so often.
 
Life on campus
Life on campus was pretty good. Although I personally didn’t join any clubs, you would always see people promoting their clubs and events, and sometimes there were events and performances, like a dance competition towards the end of the semester. There were two libraries, both which were often packed, however, they were a great study area.

Highlights of my exchange
Highlights of my exchange would be meeting so many new and incredible people. I made some great friends who I explored Hong Kong with, and without them I may not have had such a good time. I also really enjoyed exploring the islands within Hong Kong, as it was something new, and something that I did with a group of friends.

Challenges of my exchange
The challenges of my exchange were the initial settling into Hong Kong. This was my first time living away from home, so it was quite a significant change. Having to constantly think about what I was going to do for my next meal was also a challenge at first, however I got more used to that eventually. I think the big change in lifestyle overall was the biggest hurdle, however this change wasn’t necessarily a bad thing.

Advice I would give to students thinking about exchange
I would say to definitely go for it. It might be hard to take a recommendation seriously from someone you don’t know, but it really is a once in a lifetime opportunity and you won’t regret it.

If you do end up going, I would also highly suggest thinking about little things such as bedsheets, hairdryers and more – whether you plan to bring them over with you, or buy it there – as no one really tells you these things. Also pack lightly on your way there! You will most likely buy a lot of things overseas and you want to make it as easy as possible to bring everything back. Also bring some cash you with in the country’s currency. Sometimes credit cards don’t work and you want to have a backup option.

Q&A

What were some of the highlights of the academic experience at your host university?

Taking different courses that were more specific to my host country/area, that aren’t available at UoA. Also being able to see how another country taught and ran their university.

Would you recommend any particular activity/activities unique to your host country or university?

The hikes and exploring islands – I wasn’t a typical outdoors person, but I love doing these.

What are your top 3 tips for future students attending your host university or going on exchange to your host country?

1. Attend the tours during the orientation week for exchange students at HKU – it’s a great chance to meet other exchange students there
2. Bring some local currency (cash) with you – you will need it
3. Make a Hong Kong bank account – this makes buying things a lot easier, and you don’t have to constantly worry about taking out of exchanging cash from your home bank/currency

How much did you budget for your exchange? Was this enough? Were there any lessons learned that would help future students budget for their own exchange?

I recorded my spending each week and used that as a guide to know roughly how much I would need for future months.

What are your most significant takeaways from your experience abroad?

I went so out of my comfort zone – it was really scary. But I did it, and I’m so happy and proud that I did. I had the best time, met so many amazing people and experienced so many incredible things. This exchange was truly a once in a lifetime experience, and I feel like that doesn’t really set in until you experience it for yourself. I was exposed to so many different perspectives – from Hong Kong, Asia and from all the different people I met who came from so many different cultures and backgrounds.

Do you want to share anything about travels you did outside your host city/country?

I went to Shenzhen, China for a weekend – it was super fun!