Top Ten Tips for Studying Abroad in Hong Kong

Before you go:

1. Stay on top of deadlines

   • Whether it's scholarships, applying for housing, or even getting your visa, it’s always better to do it early and have a big buffer period than to do it at the last minute and have something go wrong. Remember, a lot of things (especially housing) are first-come, first-served.

2. Consider your cellphone plan

   • A lot of people get international plans, which is great (I did too). However, you can run out of data really quickly, especially if you’re not being careful, and there’s nothing worse than being in a foreign country with no cell service. In Hong Kong, I got a SoSim phone plan for $33 HKD (~$4 USD) that came with a Hong Kong Phone number and 60 GB of local data & calling a month. This was really good since I had access to local apps like food delivery, etc.

3. Get a card with no foreign transaction fee.

   • Foreign transaction fees can start to add up, especially if you’re frequently withdrawing money or paying with a card. I used my Hawaiian Airlines credit card or my Apple credit card for any credit card transactions. For withdrawing cash, I opened a Charles Schwab checking account that would refund any ATM fees that I might incur. The Charles Schwab card was definitely a lifesaver since there are places that only accept cash.

4. Check the weather before you go

   • If you’re going to Hong Kong in the spring semester, make sure you check the weather when you’re packing. It can reach 40ºF or lower in the winter months, which can come as a surprise to those unprepared (me). Make sure you pack accordingly, especially if you’re sensitive to the cold or have never lived in weather that cold. However, as it warms up around April and May, it gets hot and humid fast, so be prepared.

5. Stay in contact with your exchange coordinator

   • Having a point of contact before you go to a foreign country is very helpful. They may not have the answers to all your questions, but they can definitely guide you in the right direction. The exchange coordinators at the host universities want you to have a good time and are a great resource for not only school-related information, but for activities as well.

When you get there:

6. Attend Orientation Week

   • Yes, it might seem like a drag because you’re jet-lagged. But orientation week is the best time to meet other international exchange students in your program. You’ll see the same people frequently (in-class, on-campus, at the dorms) so it doesn’t hurt to get to know them and make a few friends. Orientation week also allows you to familiarize yourself with the campus (which can be very confusing) and gives you the opportunity to step out of your comfort zone and meet people from all over the world.

7. Buy portable napkins (Tempo)

   • Hong Kong restaurants rarely give you napkins. You tend to learn this the hard way, so take my advice and buy travel-sized napkins. They sell Tempo in pretty much any convenience, grocery, or drug store (pharmacy) you may go into since it’s ingrained in locals' daily life. Surprisingly, they come in really handy as both napkins and sometimes toilet paper, since not all bathrooms in Hong Kong have toilet paper.

8. Be prepared to be overwhelmed

   • Hong Kong is a bustling city with millions of people crammed into a pretty small area. Everything is built upwards and actually has the most skyscrapers in all of Asia. So it’s normal to be overwhelmed at first, I sure was, you just need to learn to embrace the culture, people, and experience to make the most of your time there. Take the time to appreciate the city and explore different neighborhoods.

9. Don’t expect good service

   • Coming from the US, people often expect to take their time at a sit-down restaurant and for servers to be overly polite and friendly. Hong Kong is the opposite of that. They thrive on efficiency and will have your food out within 5-10 minutes of ordering. The servers are blunt and don’t make an effort to be nice, as tables are frequently turned over, and tipping culture is not a thing. Don’t take offense at it. It’s just their culture and something I’ve come to love about Hong Kong since everyone there has a no-nonsense attitude.

10. Don’t be afraid to explore by yourself

    • Hong Kong (in my opinion) is very safe, I feel safer walking around Hong Kong at night than I do walking around Downtown Honolulu during the day. Everyone minds their own business and mostly keeps to themselves. I have left my laptop and phone out on a table (unattended) for long periods of time without anyone ever stealing my things (but always be cautious, just in case). That being said, don’t be afraid to go out and explore Hong Kong by yourself. If there’s something that you want to do but no one else wants to go, go anyway. Take yourself on a date and do all the things you want to, because honestly, when is the next time you’re going to be in Hong Kong?

    
    

Bonus – Places to go:

1.        Sai Kung – quaint fishing village with lots of good cafes (great study spot)

2.        Sham Shui Po – lots of local foods and markets

3.        Fa Yuen Street, Mongkok – street market where locals shop, prices are better

4.        East Tsim Sha Tsui – best views of Victoria Harbor and lots of shopping

5.        Art Park, West Kowloon – good for relaxing and great if you like museums

6.        Causeway Bay – lots of great restaurants, bars, and shops

7.        Mongkok – the heart of Hong Kong, has everything you need/can think of

8.        Central – Nightlife, food, and more

9.        Shenzhen, China – you can get a 5-day visa and explore (cheaper than HK)

10.  Macau – take a ferry or bus and check out the architecture, casinos, and history