After having finished my year abroad in Hong Kong, I decided to travel to a few countries before returning to London.
Author: rivajapaul
India!
Having some time off from uni, I found an internship in India, working with a volunteering company. It was an amazing experience, India is beautiful and the work I did was rewarding and gave me an insight into what career paths I might want to get into after graduating.

In Hong Kong, there are lots of public holidays and I know that some uni’s out here get reading weeks which give you even more time to travel. My year abroad has been amazing, not just because of Hong Kong, but because I’ve been able to travel to so many interesting places for less than half of the price it would cost to get there for England.
Field Trip Opportunities
Riva Japaul/Anthropology/CUHK
One of the things that I love at CUHK is how many field trips we go on. I loved the latest one I went on so much that I’m now writing my final paper on it. The field trip we went on was to visit Operation Dawn, a faith-based drug rehabilitation centre. Operation Dawn is situated on Dawn Island, an incredible remote island.
The journey to the field trip only enhanced my love for Hong Kong, as our lecturer hired out a private boat to take us across to the water to the island. The hour long journey was amazing as it was a really sunny day and we could sunbathe on the top deck.
CUHK Campus and Accommodation
Riva Japaul/CUHK/Hong Kong
Before applying to Hong Kong, I was definitely put off by the thought of having a roommate, so much so that I almost didn’t apply. However, I’m glad I did!

Academic Differences between CUHK and Manchester
Riva Japaul, CUHK, Hong Kong
Before coming to Hong Kong I assumed that the teaching style at CUHK wouldn’t be that different to Manchester, 3 months later and I’ve been proven wrong time and time again. The language barrier is definitely a recurring theme in these differences!

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Hong Kong: First Impressions
Riva Japaul, Anthropology, CUHK, Hong Kong
I’ve been in Hong Kong for just over a month now, and it definitely feels like home. I was expecting to experience some degree of culture shock, but it’s been surprisingly easy to settle into life in Hong Kong. Although HK is completely different to Manchester and my home in London, the energetic nature of the city makes it feel familiar.
