Week 7: 昔年快乐！

Happy Lunar New Year! For Lunar New Years, I had the entire week of school off and most establishments in Hong Kong either closed or closed early. I spent the week at my grandmother's house, where I received 利是 (red envelopes filled with money), ate special new years dishes, and played mahjong! Although I celebrated Chinese new years every year with my family back in Hawaii, it was my first time spending it in Hong Kong. It was a different yet somewhat nostalgic experience being able to spend it with my father's side of the family in Hong Kong.

I got accustomed to life in Hong Kong fairly quickly. Although I miss being able to drive everywhere back in Hawaii, I love being able to take the metro everywhere. It can get tiring having to walk everywhere, but I just tell myself it cancels out whatever meal I’m about to have. I usually spend my free time checking out different malls and having lunch with my friends who are also on exchange-- so far I've met exchange students from South Korea, Italy, and Croatia! I also made a few local friends, which is incredibly helpful given my Cantonese is as good as a preschooler's.

I've been trying to make the most out of every day here, but I found myself getting burnt out fairly quickly. In my first few weeks out of quarantine, I went out almost every day and lately found myself not wanting to go out as much. My advice to others about to study abroad is to take it day by day, and don't feel too pressured to do something everyday. Next month I'll be returning home to Hawaii for a week for my sister's wedding, so I’m looking forward to relaxing and eating the foods I miss the most!