09 Dec Start of my Journey in Hong Kong
In the past, I have transferred at the Hong Kong airport many times but never stayed. So when I was on my flight from Sydney to Hong Kong for my internship, I felt familiar but strange at the same time, since Hong Kong will be my final destination this time.
Since I arrived later than the pick-up time, I had to take a taxi to the housing by myself. Seems like an easy task? Not really. After circling around in the airport for a while, I finally found the taxi stand. Unexpectedly, the taxi driver was unwilling to take me, for reasons possibly being that I couldn’t speak Cantonese. The airport staffs were really kind and helpful to me, while they kept trying to persuade the driver. Apparently this kind of situation happened before and the staffs called the airport assistance and even the police to, putting it in their words, ‘discipline the driver’. In the end I got into another taxi however that could be the most dramatic taxi experience I’ve ever had.
View from my room
Arriving at the housing, I was so excited to meet my roommate, and her mother who came with her all the way from UK. As a British, she can also speak Cantonese very fluently. Our room was nice and tidy, with a view combined of the high-rise buildings, the river and the mountains at the far horizon. The welcome pack was really sweet, with all the little essentials inside including a sim card, an octopus card and some snacks.
The welcome dinner was held at a really fancy Chinese restaurant. There we were, seven interns who just arrived in this new city, and our Program Coordinator. I was surprised by how small our group is and then found out that there will be many more coming two weeks later. Feeling a bit shy, I was also thrilled to finally get to know the people who will be my ‘mates in Hong Kong’. The food was absolutely stunning, and I had a wonderful time chatting and drinking beers.
My desk at my internship
After the dinner, we decided to go around and see the city at night. We wandered to Lan Kwai Fong, the most well known area for nightclubs and bars. We sat down in a bar and chat over more drinks. I knew that Hong Kong has an extremely high population density, but I was still impressed to see the huge crowds of people everywhere.
First day at my internship
Since our housing is very close to my working place, there was no major challenge walking to work on my first day, besides following the GPS closely. Two HR staffs greeted me, while the others had not arrived yet. Sitting in my desk with three monitors in front of me, I felt so pumped and full of anticipation. I was so surprised that the company held a welcome lunch at a fancy Yum Cha restaurant, for me and another girl who was also at her first day here. I got the chance to meet people from other teams and departments, and some of them are from Sydney too!
After first day of work, all of us interns met at a bar to chat about our experiences over some happy-hour drinks, and of course, taking photos of us in suits to document this amazing day!
As my Hong Kong internship getting started, I look forward to all the challenges, the fun, and the life-changing experiences.
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