East meets West: Spending a year in Hong Kong

"All of us are wearing the same expression every American wears here, of wonderment mixed with self-satisfaction at having cleverly removed ourselves from the quotidian discomforts and dangers of life in America while at the same time bravely exposing ourselves to the exigencies of foreign money, a difficult language, and curious food . . ."

In Le Divorce, Diane Johnson offers a brief look at Americans living abroad by chronicling the lives of two young American women in Paris. Although a fictional account, Johnson's characters experience joys and face difficulties that are true to life abroad.

I can relate to her observations about cultural differences, frustrations, joys and sorrows, and how foreigners view Americans because for almost four months now I have been living and working in a place that is completely different, yet at times eerily similar, to the United States. Bright lights, big city - ladies and gentlemen, may I introduce you to the "City of Life," Hong Kong.

On August 1, 2001, I bid an emotional goodbye to the United States and shivering with excitement, embarked on what I can now say has been an adventure. Not only was I going to live in another country, but I was also entering the post-Princeton phase of my life in which a full-time job and paying bills were part of the reality of the situation.

Looking back, I had no idea what I was getting myself into. Admittedly, I had more than a few misconceptions about Hong Kong that were quickly cleared up upon arrival. Contrary to popular belief, most people know little, if any, English, a factor that can make accomplishing daily tasks difficult. I also mistakenly thought that I could just "transport" myself to another country and automatically settle into a life that was similar to the life that I had back home. But if I just wanted to have the same life as before, then why did I move to Asia?

After only a few days in the sweltering heat and humidity that defines August in Hong Kong, I began to question my motivations for making such a drastic life change. Different countries, cultures, religions and political systems have always fascinated me, and I am a firm believer in the theory of "education through life experience." Despite my interests in all things international, I had never experienced life in a foreign country for longer than a month or so at a time.

During my last year at Princeton, I began to wonder what life beyond the gate would be like. Of course I would miss my family and friends if I moved halfway across the world, but I was convinced that the benefits I would reap from experiencing another culture firsthand would vastly outweigh any negative aspects of life abroad. I wanted my eyes to see things I had never seen before and I wanted my mind to be opened to an endless sea of possibilities. Besides, I knew that my first year post-college would be an adjustment wherever I went, so why not just dive into the deep end and find out if I would sink or swim?

In the midst of all the excitement involved in planning my relocation, I never had time to think about any difficulties that I might encounter, or the fact that I might be overwhelmed by just how different Hong Kong was from any place I had ever lived before. By the end of my first week, I realized that if I was going to "survive" in Hong Kong and also learn from and enjoy my time in Asia, I would have to adapt to the circumstances and be patient. Between negotiating the lease for an apartment with parties that spoke only Mandarin or Cantonese to trying "dim sum" to adjusting to life as a minority - gender aside - settling in was no easy task. Coupled with trying to meet people and get my bearings, my first month was riddled with some peaks and more than a few valleys.

Yet despite all the hardships I faced initially, I tried to focus what I was gaining from the experience itself. My roommate and I tried to do at least one "tourist" thing a week in order to get to know our new city inside and out. I also explored Hong Kong on foot by using my daily training runs to explore my new surroundings. Although my lungs may never forgive me for breathing the polluted air, these runs introduced me to people and places that I may never have normally encountered.

By the end of my first month in Hong Kong, I realized that I had begun to think "outside the box." Thrust into a myriad of new situations that challenged me both physically and mentally, I had not only learned a great deal about myself but also learned much about the people and places of Hong Kong, and life in a foreign country. Life is definitely different here compared to life at Princeton, but it is different in a good way. In the first month alone, I grew up immensely and learned that in order to broaden one's horizons, one must take risks and rise to meet any challenges no matter what the situation.

Johnson questions the purpose of life abroad, asking ". . . and is this not in fact the purpose of young Americans going abroad? To make them think of things they never thought of?" Approaching my four-month anniversary in Hong Kong, I can honestly reply, "without a doubt."

Bethany Aquilina '01 is a former politics major from Buffalo, NY. She is currently a Teaching Fellow at City University of Hong Kong through the Princeton-in-Asia program.