I think I can actually do this.

As I mentioned in my first post, I initially had a lot of trepidation with the idea of moving to Hong Kong. These fears later turned to intrigue and curiosity, and then after our visit last month, excitement and readiness. It’s crazy how quickly things changed, especially knowing so little about Hong Kong in the first place.

Perhaps it was my ignorance that helped me get to where I am right now. Because I knew so little, my expectations were pretty minimal. I also figured that if I my expectations weren’t that high, I would have an easier time liking the place (does that sound bad?) – I’ve been known to do that a lot in my life, psyche myself up for something to be totally great, only to have my expectations be far greater than the actual experience. But, I digress. Of course, I did some research prior to our trip, but I really wanted to immerse myself in the city without having read too much on the Internet beforehand, this way, I could form my own opinions and allow myself to think more freely.

Once I was actually there, I was happy to learn how – in many ways – living in Hong Kong is really something I could actually do. In fact, many of the same comforts of home are present in Hong Kong. This comes as a surprise to many (myself included) who frequently ask questions like: how do people get around over there? What kind of food do they eat? Won’t you get sick of eating Chinese food all the time? Are you going to learn Mandarin?

First, we’ll tackle the transportation. Many of you have asked how easy it is to get around, and fortunately, I have to say that it’s pretty dang easy. I love Philadelphia, but they really have a long way to go towards improving their transit system. For starters, coming to Hong Kong and not having to deal with tokens to get on the subway was welcomed change. Easily enough, Hong Kong uses one card (eat your heart out Philly) for city travel. It’s called an octopus card, and people load money on to it and can use it freely on all forms of public transportation, except taxis. Want to know another cool fact about the octopus card? You can also use it at supermarkets, convenience stores, various retail and some fast food restaurants. It’s like being in college again and using your student ID for EVERYTHING. There’s also Uber in Hong Kong, so that, of course makes getting around easier.

Additionally, all of the street signs are in English, which brings me to my next point: Most people in Hong Kong speak English. Of course, the main language in the city is Cantonese (not Mandarin), but I found it surprisingly easy to communicate with locals while shopping, eating and basically doing all of the normal things people do while living in a big city. I think the former British rule has influenced this a lot.

Lastly, we have the food. I mentioned this in my last post, but the food scene in Hong Kong really is unique, and probably a little surprising. While on our trip, I loved checking out the diversity of cultures you could find throughout the city. To recap, we ate a ton of dim sum and visited a few traditional noodle shops, but what made the food scene so interesting for me was seeing the various types of eateries hidden on every street, even a few that left me with the warm and fuzzy comforts of being at home. If you find yourself craving a burger and fries (guilty) you can find that. Pizza? No problem. Tex Mex, you got it. On our last night we dined at a Brazilian steakhouse, and I actually ordered pasta.

In my research, I’ve found that over the last 10 to 20 years, Hong Kong has really expanded its offerings of multi-cultural cuisine. You can now find restaurants specializing in Thai, Indonesian, Indian, Peruvian, Mexican, Italian and more. Another interesting facet to the food culture in Hong Kong comes directly from the city’s roots as a former British colony, in that, many hotels in the area still serve high tea in the late afternoon, something I look forward to experiencing.

Don’t get me wrong. I know that living abroad is only successful when you completely immerse yourself into absolutely everything you can, and going outside of your comfort zone, and trust me, I plan to do that completely. But it also doesn’t hurt having a few things, like what I mentioned above, to make the transition a little easier. And pizza. I’m very thankful to still have pizza.

These views though.

I saved this one for last because it was hands down my favorite part of the entire trip and the most unexpected. I know my words won’t be able to do it justice, but it’s worth a shot. The views in this city are absolutely remarkable. When I did some research prior to coming on the trip, I saw photos online that looked great, but nothing could have prepared me for what it would be like in person.

When describing these views to a friend I said it was like “Jurassic Park meets Manhattan” minus the dinosaurs. The tropical temps and rainfall create incredibly lush vegetation in the mountains and on the various islands (Hong Kong is made up of more than 200 islands). On Hong Kong island in particular, the vegetation seems to hug the outskirts of the city, making it an especially unique place to photograph, especially from the Peak. Then you have the city itself, home to some of the world’s tallest buildings, which only adds to these unbelievable views (and increased fear of heights, if you’re me).

Whether you’re staying on the ground and exploring Central, or headed straight up, tackling some of the most scenic hiking trails, you’re bound to find several Instagram-worthy moments while being in Hong Kong. This scenery goes beyond what you can see out of a car window, or apartment window. After only being there for less than a week, I could already feel the views of this city bringing about a fresh new energy within me. It’s through the 7 million people who pack the streets day in and day out, it’s the skyscrapers, it’s the beaches, it’s the nightlife, it’s the food…it’s all of Hong Kong.

And in less than one week, it’s all mine.