Hong Kong
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3 weeks in Thailand on the way home from Hong Kong
After finishing up my time studying in Hong Kong, I thought I would make the most of being in south east Asia and cheap flights, so met up with a friend and spent three wonderful weeks exploring the south of Thailand. I would have loved to have done the north, but didn’t have enough time and decided it would be better to spend more time in each place to properly see it then rushing around just to tick off the whole if Thailand. Phuket: I spent 2 nights in Phuket as this is where I flew into. Phuket was probably my least favorite place in Thailand, I stayed in Patong…
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No Guidebook for This: Diaries of a Black (African) Female Solo Traveler
By Zahra Sachikonye, University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong Decolonizing Solo Travel: Why Representation Matters When I would research different destinations to travel, almost all the blogs and travel guides I read were from a very similar perspective. These articles were written by mostly white, mostly Western points of view. Their advice, whilst useful, was only relatable to a point. When thinking about safety, I had the added task of researching the levels of racism in a place, something most people have never even thought of doing. As someone with an African passport, I had to apply for visas for countries most of my friends could just walk into. This…
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No Plans, Just Presence: Let Go of the Itinerary
By Zahra Sachikonye, University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong ‘What’s on your bucket list for Hong Kong?’ Nothing. ‘Any must-see spots?’ No. I’ve finished my year abroad and I still don’t have a list (Please don’t click off the article yet, I’m not crazy). When I landed in Hong Kong, I had no idea what I was walking into, and that might’ve been the best thing I did for myself and for the places I visited.
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An Indoor Climate Crisis: Lessons in Cross-Cultural Understanding
By Zahra Sachikonye, University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong I won the roommate lottery. From the day we met, my roommate remains one of the kindest and most brilliant people I’ve known. I remember the moment I met her and how grateful I felt to have her company and share a space with her. Here I was, halfway across the world about to share a room with a stranger for the next 9 months.
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To Hong Kong, With All My Heart: For the Friends
By Zahra Sachikonye, University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong ‘You will never be completely at home again, because part of your heart will always be elsewhere. That is the price you pay for the richness of loving and knowing people in more than one place’ (Miriam Adeney)
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Best Food Spots Near PolyU Halls
By Anna Belsham, Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong One of the biggest adjustments when moving to Hong Kong was having to eat out for most meals. In Hong Kong the groceries are super expensive and at PolyU halls there are limited kitchen facilities, so it works out cheaper to eat out for most meals. There are 1000s of restaurants in Hong Kong and it can be overwhelming, after living in halls for a year I found some great nearby places to eat that are not too expensive. Here are a list of my favorites:
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It Was Not Supposed To Be This Good: My Trip to the Philippines
By Zahra Sachikonye, University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong When I booked my trip to the Philippines, I thought I might meet some people to have dinner with one night but expected to be alone most of the time. I even brought a novel and colouring book, thinking I’d spend my time alone on the beach, reflecting and maybe journalling. I was not expecting to find myself in the presence of strangers and come back feeling like a piece of my heart had been left behind. What was meant to be a short solo getaway became one of the most joyful and memorable trips I’ve ever taken. I flew from…
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Surviving HKU: Classroom Culture Shock
By Zahra Sachikonye, University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong ‘Ranked number 1 in Hong Kong by Times Higher Education ranking (2025), the University of Hong Kong is well-known for its high academic standards.’ This sentence may be received in two ways.
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14 Days in Vietnam
By Anna Belsham, Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong After finishing up my studies in Hong Kong I took the opportunity to make the most of being in Southeast Asia and met up with two of my friends from home to spend two of the most magical weeks in Vietnam. It was one of the most amazing places I have travelled to, bursting with culture, breathtaking scenery and the most kind people I have ever come across. Hoi An: 3 Nights Accommodation: Fuse Hostel Old Town. Would highly recommend staying here, was super social with so many hostel activities and lovely staff that will help you to book things. In…
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An Impromptu Solo Day Trip to Macao
By Zahra Sachikonye, University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong 3 hours before we were meant to depart for Macao my friend called to let me know she was ill and would not make it. The ferry was booked, the tickets were non-refundable, and I had bought a Macao data pack and cleared my schedule. I felt sad for my friend who had invited me on this trip but could not go. We both agreed that I should go anyway and make the most of the day.
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Adjusting to Life in the UK
By Madeleine Dodd, Hong Kong Polytechnic University Hong Kong The inevitable end has arrived after a tumultuous and unforgettable year abroad. It is a shock to transition from an exciting and chaotic lifestyle to a stagnant one. Where my days were once filled with questions of where to explore next, they now consist of job hunting and pulling out winter jackets despite it being June. It’s not all bad though. I had seeing family and friends to look forward to and my first night sleeping on a mattress. A full fridge, tap water and space to walk on sidewalks (Hong Kong was like playing Mario Kart every time you needed…
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Exam Season at PolyU, Hong Kong
By Madeleine Dodd, Hong Kong Polytechnic University Hong Kong, Hong Kong Exam season is always a stressful time, especially if it’s in a different country with different teaching styles and grading systems. Whilst the majority of other exchange students only faced a pass or fail outcome, my results contributed 20% to my degree and were to be later translated to the UK grading system equivalent. This only added more stress to the ambiguity of a different country’s exam style. But, like many of the host universities, PolyU was supportive and attentive to my worries. Workload Throughout the term time, lectures covered the content that will eventually be tested in the…
