One reason why I chose to go to Hong Kong for my study abroad was due to my exposure from my Chinese class back at Drexel where I had to do research regarding a region of China of my choice to which I chose Hong Kong. Hong Kong fascinated me because despite it being a region in China, it has a rich and complex relationship with the British which has resulted in an interesting mix of culture and I wanted to see it for myself. This is an important consideration for choosing where you do your study abroad, whether it be in Hong Kong or a different country. The decision to do a study abroad is a big one, and I think when you select where to go, it should be to somewhere where the culture is different from what you’re used to and it should also be a culture you are interested in experiencing and immersing in. That sounds like a given, but don’t do a study abroad program just because, but make sure there is a reason why you chose to go somewhere.
Hong Kong became a British colony due to the Treaty of Nanking after the Opium Wars, and the handover back to China occurred on July 1, 1997. This makes July 1st an annual holiday celebrating the transfer of sovereignty over Hong Kong from the United Kingdom to China. Because of its close proximity to the Fourth of July, American Independence Day, the other US exchange students and I thought there was no better way to celebrate than by hosting a BBQ. At HKUST, there is a BBQ site on the northeast side of the campus, complete with fire pits and a sea-facing view. I have also recently gotten into photography due to taking a photography class here at HKUST, so here’s a picture of the view. I might discuss the class in a future blog post so look out for that.
At the BBQ site, we set up fires in the fire pits and bought sausages, shrimp, corn, and other BBQ food from the school grocery store, Fusion. We grilled the food and chatted with students from other universities and countries. It was another opportunity for cultural exchange and meeting new people. It was a blast, and we ended the night with roasted marshmallows over the fire. This was also the first time all seven students of the Drexel 2024 HKUST ISP cohort got together at the same time, so here’s a picture of all of us!
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