Mistakes to expect when learning about a place
"Welcome to Hong Kong, your new home for the next four months and a place beyond your wildest dreams." I mean that quite literally as I was apparently imagining a completely different city, a fact that became clear within my first few days in Hong Kong.
Growing up in the US, when I think of cities I automatically picture New York City. Hearing that Hong Kong had over 8 million people in a very small area I figured that it would look much like Manhattan - dense with lots of high-rises. And looking at pictures of the two, I unconsciously decided that they must be very similar, at least in layout.
Apparent Similarities:
1) Concrete masses
2) Skyscrapers
3) Lovely city night lights
4) Large populations and thus many things to do
Differences upon arrival:
1) Hong Kong is tropical (which i knew) and thus is part jungle (which was completely unexpected).
Note: New York = concrete mass + Central Park
2) Hong Kong is built on hills.
Note: New York is flat. When I looked at the pictures of Hong Kong I thought the difference in height was due solely to number of floors, but no. I enter some buildings on floors 7 or 12 and exit on floors 3 or basement level 2. I realized just how steep my section of Hong Kong was when I had to climb uphill from the grocery store with loaded bags in order to return to my room.
And thus I have found out that researching the micro-geography and natural surroundings of the city you are traveling to is important. I am going to dedicate this blog to other realizations this first week has brought to light.
Realization #1 - Doing two study abroads back-to-back is a ridiculous choice
When you prepare to study abroad you are taught about the different phases of culture shock and how there are four main stages: the honeymoon period, the onset of culture shock and depression, the "I'm fine" adjustments, and finally adaptation. Having spent the summer on a different study abroad experience, by the time I arrived in Hong Kong I had been away from home for two months. Tired of being a tourist, I managed to skip the honeymoon period completely and moved straight into the culture shock aspect. This has obviously made it a stressful first few days as I come face to face with a completely new climate (the source of many of my woes) as well as new cultural standards.
Realization #2 - Differences in dorms
I lived in a dorm my first year at ISU and thus I didn't think much about the fact that I would be living in a dorm once again. However, the dorms were not what I was expecting. I was aware many cultures have different standards but was a bit blindsided by this one - which I guess is the difference between knowing about something and actually experiencing it. My dorm room was not cleaned after the last occupants left. I was finding hair throughout the room and I put my backpack on the floor only to pick it up later on and find a streak of dirt across the length of it. I purchased Clorox wipes and cleaned all of the surfaces in my room before I unpacked and bought a small floor rug so that I would not have to walk barefoot when getting into and out of bed.
The second difference was that my roommate and I have to pay for air conditioning by the hour. Once I had put money into the system I found out to my distress that, while being better than having no air conditioning at all, the little unit was not strong enough to cool the entire room to a temperature that I am used to. Thus on my second day here I purchased an electric fan so that I will be able to sleep more easily.
The third difference is that there is no wifi in the dorm rooms. We apparently need our own internet modems in our rooms but since I will only be here for a few months I decided that I would just walk to the campus or retreat to the small common room on my floor to connect to the internet. No more late night browsing from bed.
Realization #3 - This was a fantastic choice
This first week has not been an easy one; I have battled with my medicine, my sleep schedule, the weather, the lack of familiar food, and language barriers. I'm fighting off sporadic bouts of homesickness as my mind tries to come to terms with the fact that after leaving my summer program I did not return home despite the fact that home would be calm and familiar after two months traveling and working. I am in a culture that is not only different from my own but one that I know almost nothing about. I've read and heard about life in London, in Paris, in Rome, but information is not very forth coming about life in Singapore or Hong Kong. But I am here and I have been trying to focus on making the most of this fact.
In the last week I have met students from around the world, eaten a dozen new foods, figured out close to thirty places and events that I would like to go to, signed up for numerous university outings and clubs, and begun preparation for the five intriguing classes I have signed up to take this fall.
I am still stressed and somewhat tired of making travel plans, but I have arrived in one of my dream places: a city with many things to do, people from all over the world, museums, beaches, and mountains. As I fill up my calendar with activities and events I can't help but think that this was the right choice - I will learn and do so much here. A synonym for "overwhelming" is irresistible and for me I find this city irresistible, full of treasures that I look forward to discovering.
Growing up in the US, when I think of cities I automatically picture New York City. Hearing that Hong Kong had over 8 million people in a very small area I figured that it would look much like Manhattan - dense with lots of high-rises. And looking at pictures of the two, I unconsciously decided that they must be very similar, at least in layout.
 | ||
| New York |
1) Concrete masses
2) Skyscrapers
3) Lovely city night lights
4) Large populations and thus many things to do
 |
| Hong Kong |
Differences upon arrival:
1) Hong Kong is tropical (which i knew) and thus is part jungle (which was completely unexpected).
Note: New York = concrete mass + Central Park
2) Hong Kong is built on hills.
Note: New York is flat. When I looked at the pictures of Hong Kong I thought the difference in height was due solely to number of floors, but no. I enter some buildings on floors 7 or 12 and exit on floors 3 or basement level 2. I realized just how steep my section of Hong Kong was when I had to climb uphill from the grocery store with loaded bags in order to return to my room.
And thus I have found out that researching the micro-geography and natural surroundings of the city you are traveling to is important. I am going to dedicate this blog to other realizations this first week has brought to light.
Realization #1 - Doing two study abroads back-to-back is a ridiculous choice
When you prepare to study abroad you are taught about the different phases of culture shock and how there are four main stages: the honeymoon period, the onset of culture shock and depression, the "I'm fine" adjustments, and finally adaptation. Having spent the summer on a different study abroad experience, by the time I arrived in Hong Kong I had been away from home for two months. Tired of being a tourist, I managed to skip the honeymoon period completely and moved straight into the culture shock aspect. This has obviously made it a stressful first few days as I come face to face with a completely new climate (the source of many of my woes) as well as new cultural standards.
Realization #2 - Differences in dorms
I lived in a dorm my first year at ISU and thus I didn't think much about the fact that I would be living in a dorm once again. However, the dorms were not what I was expecting. I was aware many cultures have different standards but was a bit blindsided by this one - which I guess is the difference between knowing about something and actually experiencing it. My dorm room was not cleaned after the last occupants left. I was finding hair throughout the room and I put my backpack on the floor only to pick it up later on and find a streak of dirt across the length of it. I purchased Clorox wipes and cleaned all of the surfaces in my room before I unpacked and bought a small floor rug so that I would not have to walk barefoot when getting into and out of bed.
The second difference was that my roommate and I have to pay for air conditioning by the hour. Once I had put money into the system I found out to my distress that, while being better than having no air conditioning at all, the little unit was not strong enough to cool the entire room to a temperature that I am used to. Thus on my second day here I purchased an electric fan so that I will be able to sleep more easily.The third difference is that there is no wifi in the dorm rooms. We apparently need our own internet modems in our rooms but since I will only be here for a few months I decided that I would just walk to the campus or retreat to the small common room on my floor to connect to the internet. No more late night browsing from bed.
Realization #3 - This was a fantastic choice
This first week has not been an easy one; I have battled with my medicine, my sleep schedule, the weather, the lack of familiar food, and language barriers. I'm fighting off sporadic bouts of homesickness as my mind tries to come to terms with the fact that after leaving my summer program I did not return home despite the fact that home would be calm and familiar after two months traveling and working. I am in a culture that is not only different from my own but one that I know almost nothing about. I've read and heard about life in London, in Paris, in Rome, but information is not very forth coming about life in Singapore or Hong Kong. But I am here and I have been trying to focus on making the most of this fact.
In the last week I have met students from around the world, eaten a dozen new foods, figured out close to thirty places and events that I would like to go to, signed up for numerous university outings and clubs, and begun preparation for the five intriguing classes I have signed up to take this fall.
I am still stressed and somewhat tired of making travel plans, but I have arrived in one of my dream places: a city with many things to do, people from all over the world, museums, beaches, and mountains. As I fill up my calendar with activities and events I can't help but think that this was the right choice - I will learn and do so much here. A synonym for "overwhelming" is irresistible and for me I find this city irresistible, full of treasures that I look forward to discovering.
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