21 Jun So it is now one week until my adventure in Hong Kong begins
So it is now one week until my adventure in Hong Kong begins and I could not be more excited! Naturally, I have been thinking a lot about what to expect from the month’s experience.
With respect to the living arrangements, I will be staying at a hotel with limited cooking facilities, but that is not an issue at all for me because I am such a foodie! I cannot wait to try all the weird and wonderful Hong Kong delicacies. I have already promised myself that whatever is put on the plate in front of me, I will at the very least give it a try! Luckily there is a gym onsite at the accommodation so I can try as much as I like!
This will be my first time living completely independently from my parents so, embarrassing as it is to say, I will be experiencing daily activities such as doing laundry for the first time. I am looking forward to increasing my independence in this way in preparation for my study abroad in California which begins in September of this year.
I have been assigned a roommate who I know absolutely nothing about. This might not be a big deal for most, but I have never had to share a room with anyone before! I am excited about the prospect of sharing this major experience with her but I am also quite apprehensive about whether she will be my cup of tea.
Moving on to the internship, I have been assigned a position in a Swedish investment bank, where I am expecting to carry out various research tasks in relation to the financial links between the Nordic region and Asia. I assume the office environment and culture will be very similar to that of my previous internships which involved working with Europeans in the investment banking space. Hopefully, I will be working near to some of the other interns because I definitely want to explore the surrounding area out of my work hours!
Quite a few people I know, particularly from my university course, have a relation to Hong Kong, so I have been asking them a lot of questions to get a perspective of the region itself. The first thing most of them have mentioned is that I will be drenched in sweat most of the time because it is just so hot! Even so, any kind of heat would make a nice change from the weather in London.
They have also commented on the fact that the transport system is one of the most efficient and cleanest I will ever come across. This is extremely convenient as I would like to see as much of the city as possible.
From what I understand, there is a large population of westerners in Hong Kong. The lack of a language barrier will come in handy with the countless times I will (inevitably!) get lost. Nevertheless, I hope it does not limit the extent to which I can challenge and immerse myself in the culture of the locals.
I am planning to take roughly £100 per weeks’ worth of Hong Kong dollars, which is slightly more than was suggested in the Absolute pre-departure pack; only because I have been told that Hong Kong is a relatively expensive place to live if one plans to socialise most evenings, which is definitely on my agenda!
All in all, I just cannot wait to arrive and see if my expectations match up to the reality of living in Hong Kong!
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