An Unexpected Journey (for my exchange friends)

The world did not end, the Maya´s were wrong. They gave me the opportunity to write this last blog, to close a Journey that turned out to be such a wonderful and precious experience, one I could have never ever dreamed of. Because over these past months, while I lived and studied in Hong Kong, I have become part of something beautiful, something unique. I stayed in Hong Kong for four months, studying, travelling, getting to know another culture, and more important: making new friends. And I started to feel like a local Hong Kong citizen, even though first sight would suggest I’m not even close to that.

I cherish a lot of awesome memories from this exchange, and I shared most of them through this blog. I wrote the blog in Dutch, for my dear family, friends and colleagues in Holland, or the Netherlands as we officially have to call it. But I’m writing this last blog in English, for all my dear friends from this exchange, which has sadly come to an end.

I´m writing this last blog on the plane back to London and Amsterdam, and i'm finishing it in my living room back home in Apeldoorn, the nice town where my parents and sisters live. Reviewing my past four months with some rainy weather in the background, there are so many things that come up in my mind. Spontaneously going with a big group of awesome people to the Big Buddha, my first time Mr Wongs, and all those times in Lan Kwai Fong and Wan Chai.

What to think about Billy Boozers, the pub I will never forget, the pub where so many good memories started, and also the pub where I planned two of my trips. One to Singapore, with my dear friends Cammy, Michael and George, staying in ‘the beary good hostel’. And the other trip with my friend Angelica, Angie, to Taipei. The two of us planned it in Billy Boozers on a Saturday night and booked the tickets and hotel on Sunday, the day before we left. Taipei, with Da’an District, the Taipei 101, with my friend Marianne to show us around, another great experience to cherish for the rest of my live.

When I think about travelling I also think about Macau, my first trip during my stay. Walking around in the biggest casino in the world, gambling and partying alongside my friends Cammy, Alex, Charlot, Verelyne and Lise ‘Schiet op slome koe’. Together we had great fun in Macau, and shared a lot of more great moments during the rest of the semester. A semester in which I met so many great people, people from all over the world. In Europe, America, Australia, and of course Asia. I consider myself lucky to have met so many people, so many friends.

Not only did I explore places outside Hong Kong, I also explored Hong Kong itself. It became my home, and although it is relatively small for the amount of people that live there, it has so much to offer. The Peak offers a great view on Hong Kong, the avenue of stars is an amazing place to walk and enjoy Hong Kong from the ground, the ICC sky 100 allows us to view our city in such a special way, especially when the sky is clear. Lamma Island and Lanteau Island were both definitely worth visiting. I went to Ocean Park with Eva, and Disney Land with Malte, Thordis, Yoki and Jenny, theme parks I enjoyed very much. And let's not forget the smaller things like festival walk, our student residence, and even Homeys Kitchen, those are places that make Hong Kong special for me, for us CityU students.

I am very happy that I have met a lot of local students, from which some of them I consider to be very good friends. I had a lot of fun during my courses, and had some awesome groups. I got to know new friends at the student residence, playing table tennis and other games with Jay. Jay might have kicked my ass with table tennis, I will never forget her. And besides getting to know people at the residence, I also made some close friends from the Exchange Student Club, the committee that made our stay in Hong Kong more enjoyable with their introduction program, a boat trip and a farewell party. Dear Pinkie and Sea, and all other members, I'd like to use this last opportunity to thank you for that.

I did some unexpected things during this exchange, like going to the Ritz-Carlton in the Ozone bar at the 118th floor of the ICC, getting drinks for 17 euros, something I had never done in my life before. I did Karaoke, I went to two of the five biggest skyscrapers in the world, I've been to the great wall of China, and of course I went to Mong Kok, which according to the Guinness World Records has the highest population density in the world (mean 130,000 per km2).

Actually, my whole exchange has been an unexpected journey. Like the one from Bilbo Baggins in the 'The Hobbit', full of adventures and excitement. See, when I first started thinking about going abroad it was just a vague idea, I did not know if I wanted to go, or which place I actually wanted to go to. But I started thinking I shouldn't limit myself, I should go, because an exchange is a once in a lifetime opportunity. I once read: "Don’t limit yourself. You can go as far as your mind lets you. What you believe, remember, you can achieve." And that is what I did. Going on an exchange was something new, something unknown, it was so worth it.

What made this exchange the most special is not Hong Kong itself. We all could have had an awesome exchange in Amsterdam if we wanted. As long as everyone, my dear new friends, would have been there. Never forget, it is not the place itself, but it is the people that make the place to what it is. A place is only as good as the people you know in there, keep that in mind.

This journey has come to an end. But I don't say goodbye. To all my Dutchies I say see you soon. To all my other friends, from all over the world, I say see you next time, you never know where we end up in the future. Just remember you all are welcome in Holland, anytime.