Staff + Student LoginChinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK), Shatin, Hong Kong SAR. This is university I will be spending my B semester (with different start and end months of course). Getting off the plane into Hong Kong (HK) may have nothing to write about, but the climate of an extremely powerful summer is. Back home in Hamilton, we are just getting into spring from the winter, about 10C to 20C. HK is about 32C, and ALOT more humid. You kind of think that after living in humid summers in NZ all your life, you would be used to humidity, but I'm not. This is on top of packing some of the worst gear possible in your luggage: a few jackets (I thought it was actually going to be winter) and alot of jeans (same reason).
A recommendation for any future student going for a student exchange in HK around Sept-Dec: pack your luggage like it's a summer, including something for the beach.
Apart from the wrathful weather, HK is facinating, vibrant, and modern. You cannnot possibly experience all of what HK can offer in less than a week. That means that HK is more than just shopping and food, although you should still try as much as you can while you are here. You may regret not doing so.
The number and variety of international students in CUHK is extensive. The number of students is approximately 450, and range from:* America
* China
* Canada
* Germany
* Italy
* France
* Poland
* Sweden
* Korea
* Singapore
* UK
* Mexico
* Australia
* Kuwait
I'm almost sure I got them all, but one thing is certain: I am the only kiwi. Definitely makes for an interesting start to a conversation.
The university itself is something that needs mentioning. It would be wrong otherwise. The campus 135 acres and is spread across the side of a very steep hill. This hill can make for some really good cardio workout. On one of the many bright sides, the views from the many hostels is astounding - especially during the night. To help offset some of the effort required to scale and transverse the hillside, there are free shuttle buses and lifts in the campus, effectively cutting around 10min off your time travelling. The facilities here are both extensive, efficient and most off all cheap. Extensive in the library resources. The library statuses of each book is traced online, and you can gain access to texts off campus from other universities such as Hong Kong University. There is a 'dairy' on campus that sells most essentials, and you can have breakfast at a canteen for just over NZ$3.What makes the most of my semester so far is the number of students whom I have met in the past week, and experiencing some of HK's attractions in good company (i.e. Victoria Peak, Avenue of Stars, Symphony of Lights, etc.). It is also nice to have a nice, cold beer at the end of a hot day. On the other hand, I can't really say much about drunken antics yet.
And to think that I have only begun the actual semester at CUHK.
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