I’ve been in Hong Kong for 2 weeks and I’m neither dead nor lonely (Hong Kong Pt. 1)
Going abroad, I had two major fears: either I’d get horribly sick, or I’d be really really lonely. It’s only been two weeks, but I’m getting less anxious and more confident every day.
Planning my trip, there were a lot of sources for anxiety. The internet told me about dengue fever, dirty water, unsafe street food, and sketchy hostels. My doctor gave me seven vaccines and told me the only way to really be safe is by staying home. My parents asked me why I’m going to the other side of the world when they worked their butts off to and immigrate to Canada. I’m inherently anxious about my health, so none of that made me feel great.
Plus, the summer after first year I took a job in my university town and it was the loneliest 4 months of my life. There were several times when I called home to my parents and broke down crying on the phone. My university is only 1 hour from home, how was I supposed to handle Asia? Not to mention my boyfriend and I decided not to do long distance.
As you can probably tell, going into the summer I had a lot of doubts. But, despite it all, I was still really excited. The internship sounded like my dream job — product management at a genetics company. The city, Hong Kong, had all 5-star reviews from past fellows. Plus Srinjoy and Miki (2 other fellows) would be in Hong Kong too.
My trip started with 4 days in Patong, Thailand. I thought it would be a great way to kick off the trip because Patong is known for being touristy and thus safe(ish). To my surprise, on the first day, I got really anxious during breakfast . The familiar feelings came out of nowhere, and I couldn’t pinpoint the thoughts behind them. Doubt crept back into my mind — how was I going to make it through the summer if I can’t get through one meal? I cut breakfast short and went back to the hotel. Taking a few hours to cool off helped a lot with the anxious feelings, and pretty soon I felt ready for the rest of the day. Throughout the 4 days, anxious feelings came and went, but never as intensely as the first time. This made me realize that even when I’m scared, I have the power to take a break, and the doubts and worries will pass. Even in these foreign places, the anxiety is transient. That experience also got me ready for the rest of the summer! If I can get through the first bit, surely I can enjoy the rest.
I also realized something about myself during the time in Thailand: I’m much more a sights, nature, and food person than a party person. Patong was great for me because it was a chance to adjust to the heat and the time zone, but if I was going back to Thailand I’d rather go to Chiang Mai. The best part of Patong was actually leaving for a cooking class/beach day in Kata. But hey, if night life is your thing, then Patong/Phi Phi islands are for you!
So, after 4 days, I got back on the plane and flew to HK. It was 4am when we landed and I was running on about 3 hours of sleep. I didn’t find a permanent home before arriving because I heard that you should view the apartments in Hong Kong before signing. As a result, I took a temporary Airbnb. Since check-in didn’t open until 1pm, I was stuck outside for the morning with all my luggage. I was sweaty and tired, but it wasn’t so bad. I read in the park for a while and explored the beautiful 12-storey public library. Before I knew it, it was time to check in.
I thought my Airbnb was ok until I showed it to Miki, another fellow in the city. What it lacked in a front door it made up for in… actually I’m not exactly sure. In my 4 days there I killed 2 cockroaches and lost one. The room wasn’t super clean and the wifi didn’t work. But at least I knew what to look for in my next apartment.
On the last day day of my Airbnb, I packed up all my luggage and brought it to work. That night I was seeing two places. As I walked into the first apartment, some tenants were home. I asked them to candidly tell me what it’s like to live there. The tenants said they had so many cockroaches that using the kitchen was impossible. Roaches were apparently scurrying over their cutting boards WHILE THEY WERE COOKING. I was once again stuck outside with my luggage, hopping from McDonalds to McDonalds waiting for my next viewing.
At 10:30pm I was exhausted and frustrated with the house hunting lifestyle. I told myself that if the next apartment didn’t have cockroaches, I’d take it. Well, it exceeded all expectations. The place was clean and nicely decorated. It was clear that the Airbnb host cared about their home. I ended up paying 2x my budget but booked the apartment for a month. Just enough time to find another place.
A couple of days later, a girl from Germany moved in and said she’d be my roommate for the month. On that very first night, she invited me out for KBBQ with all her friends (how nice is that?!) From the very beginning it was amazing how much we had in common, and we’ve gotten quite close in a short time. She’s adventurous and kind, and a pleasure to talk to. This was a really awesome stroke of luck.
My roommate has been amazing for keeping away the loneliness, as were some other Cansbridge Fellows who came to visit for a couple of days. We explored, had life chats, and generally enjoyed each other’s company. It’s crazy to think how much I love spending time with people I met just 3 weeks ago. It was truly great to have them visit. Plus, I feel as though I’ve grown up a lot since first year. I don’t crave constant company so much anymore, and I’m much more in tune with my needs and my mental health. The entire vibe of this trip is quite different from my first time living alone.
Other than that, Hong Kong is inspiring me towards a healthy active lifestyle. I’m eating vegetarian this week, exercising, dragon-boating, and smoking shisha (it’s good to have balance :P). The bars here are fun, the people are warm, and the weather is warmer. Despite the housing mixups, Hong Kong’s first impression has been really great. Sometimes I think about how lucky I am to be where I am and it takes my breath away. It’s not every day that an opportunity like Cansbridge comes along, and you meet such wonderful people. What a privilege this has been so far. Thank you to everyone who helped make this happen.
To continue reading part 2, click here.
