As the end of 2014 is approaching, I’m reflecting on my experience living here in Hong Kong. I have now officially been here for 4 months and time has swept by. In a sense, I feel like I have been here for a long time already, but I can’t even notice the time because of how busy I have been in the last few months. One of the biggest lessons I have learned is that everyone’s experience is different and how they enjoy the city is really dependent of what they had encountered.

Here are a couple of things I’ve enjoyed about living in Hong Kong:

1. Multiculturalism: Hong Kong reminds me of home to a certain extent. Despite that most of the population is Chinese-based, there are many expats and ethnic minorities living in the city. Not to mention domestic workers from Southeastern Asia such as the Philippines and Indonesia are seen all over the city. Coming from a multicultural city and country, I’m used to having a variety of authentic cuisines at my fingertips. Hong Kong gives me that diversify and I can always find different types of food at each corner of the country.
2. Bilingualism: Despite the majority of the population is Chinese, Hong Kong is a city known as the “East meets the West.” As a British Colony before 1997, there are many signs in both languages: English and Chinese as the official languages. Many expats never spent the time to learn Cantonese, even though who have lived here their entire lives, and just escaped going to an international school system where English is the dominant language. In a foreign country, oftentimes it is hard to communicate if you don’t know the language, but in Hong Kong, you can survive on only knowing English (although at a disadvantage). You may sometimes be surprised the older generation have a good level of English and that there are still English-based public schools in the country remaining.
3. Convenience: Hong Kong definitely prides itself in its efficient and amazing transportation system. In the city, there is no need to buy a car because according to Wikipedia, over 90% of the daily journeys are on public transport, making it the highest rate in the world. You can get anywhere on public transportation, and if you wanted to get a taxi, all you need to do is wave your hand in the air as they are all on the streets everywhere. It is also very cheap to get around, and all the systems are based on distance, so you pay less for shorter trips and more for longer trips.

It’s a common question I get asked as a foreigner: How do I like the city? Well, to be honest, I like it here. I don’t love it but I do not dislike it either, and that is completely based on my experiences. In the past few months, I haven’t really encountered any problems or life-threatening situations, and that makes such an impact on how I enjoy my stay. It’s been the best year abroad by far.

Everyone has a story.

This is mine.