Having been at home for a 3 month long summer I have had a lot of time to reflect on my year abroad. It really is true what everyone says, my year abroad did pass in the blink of an eye. For a long time, it was the main focus of my life and a huge upcoming adventure which I cannot believe has already come to an end. I found it surprisingly easy to settle back into the routine of living at home and although I am very happy to be back with family and friends, I do really miss the opportunities of travel and adventure that living in Hong…

A post about where I enjoyed eating in Hong Kong… Dim Sum Dim sum is a type of Chinese cuisine where you order smaller dishes usually dumplings, wontons and buns and share. Dim sum at Tim Ho Wan is really cheap, you could probably eat a filling meal for around £4, However the menu is that not extensive, the barbeque pork buns are pretty famous. I think the best dim sum in Hong Kong is Din Tai Fung. The menu is more extensive (and tasty!) than Tim Ho Wan, however it is not as cheap, but still affordable. It’s a really good option to take visitors.

After living in Hong Kong for 8 months, I finally got round to doing the famous Lion Rock hike which gives you the most incredible views of Kowloon and the main island. I thought this would be a good time to reflect on my second semester so far just before the exam period begins and the semester comes to an end.

After spending a few weeks at home catching up with family and friends it was soon time for me to travel back to Hong Kong to start my second semester. Unlike starting a new term at Manchester where nothing much changes apart from maybe subject choices and timetables, starting the second semester at PolyU almost feels like starting again. Of course Hong Kong is not new to me anymore and I knew what to expect when I arrived at the airport and how to get to class. The main difference this semester is that most exchange students were only here for semester one, so this term there is a whole…

Location The Hong Kong Polytechnic university is located in Hung Hom which is in Kowloon. Although it is not on the island, there are excellent transport links including MTR stations, buses and ferries which can take you almost all over Hong Kong (the MTR does not yet reach the south side of the island). Hung Hom is a more local area so it can be tricky to find western food, however the main benefit of this is that the local food is much cheaper than western eateries which there are many of on the main island. There are many restaurants and 2 main supermarkets within walking distance from the halls…

In this post I have explained some of the key academic differences I have experienced between Manchester and Hong Kong. I hope this will help you when choosing an exchange university or for guidance if you will be studying at PolyU.

Its been a while since my last post and all of a sudden I found myself in the depth of deadlines before I finish for Christmas in two days’ time. Describing my first semester in Hong Kong as full on would be an understatement. Doing 5 modules which are all coursework based has meant I have spent most weekdays at the school working, however I always made time at weekends to explore and hike somewhere new. These 5 modules have also meant I have found myself under more work pressure and stress than I ever anticipated before coming to Hong Kong, especially as my grades count towards my final year and…

Upon my arrival in Hong Kong three weeks ago I was preparing and expecting to arrive at a place completely different to my home in England. Whilst Hong Kong has no resembelence to a small town in Buckinghamshire, I feel surprisingly comfortable and at home here already. My first few days in Hong Kong were dedicated to mundane and somewhat stressful activities such as sorting out bank payments for the halls, registering on classes and buying bedding, toiletries and stationary. In hindsight, I think I should have arrived in Hong Kong at least four days or even a week before the official move in day to sort all these things out…