When my family dropped me off at the airport January 3rd, I was overly confident, thinking, “Oh I’ve already studied abroad once, doing it again should be a piece of cake.” What I didn’t know was that this experience was going to be even more difficult than the previous one last year, when I was privileged to study abroad in South Korea alongside my older brother. This year I embarked on a journey to Hong Kong all on my own.
A valuable lesson I learned is the importance of approaching such experiences with humility rather than overconfidence. Although I have more traveling experience than most people, they were never solo experiences, from dealing with immigration to navigating the airplane,I realized this was going to be a very new and eye-opening experience. The first couple of days were difficult as I tried to find a balance between a healthy amount of calling home and understanding that I would have to be independent and not depend on the presence of my family anytime something went wrong.
Studying abroad is a great way to not only get out of your comfort zone but to also become more independent and do things for yourself not for others. This leads to my second point: the importance of thorough research. I wish I knew to research absolutely everything, from all the possible means of transportation from the airport to sim cards. Upon arriving to Hong Kong, coupled with jet lag and going off of 5 hours of sleep, I realized I still had to make my way to the dormitory. The Hong Kong airport is on a separate island from my dormitory, so figuring out how I wanted to get there stressed me out for a while. Not having a concrete plan, I went with the easiest choice, Uber, though I will say now I am better prepared for my trip back to the airport when the time comes.
Based on bad previous experiences with sim cards and my phone, I was unsure how it would be this time around dealing with an international sim card. I read online that airport sim cards were more reliable than most other sim cards in Hong Kong, so I went with that option. Eventually, I found out that choosing the airport sim card I got a better deal than most other exchange students because the local sim cards sold at the stores were more expensive and offered less data.
In terms of education, I do wish I was better prepared for was about the class enrollment process at Hong Kong University given how complex it is. Having experienced Drexel’s competitive enrollment system, I thought I was well-prepared, but the intensity of securing class spots and then awaiting approval was a new level of stress I hadn’t anticipated.
Reflecting on these experiences, I realize the importance of preparation prior to a study abroad experience. I’m excited to share my upcoming experiences during my journey in Hong Kong!
