After an intense fortnight I am finally back at home, relaxing. The whole trip to Hong Kong has been quite fulfilling. I cherish every experience and all the friendships that developed in those two weeks. Now as I am settled comfortably at home in India, I can’t help but look back to those two weeks. I miss the laughter, the awesome food and the bustling city itself. Excellent bonding was created with the students from City U while friends from ASU became more intimate.
Hong Kong’s insatiable hunger for seafood is second only to Japan, with both these countries charting over four times the per capita world average of seafood consumption. Every corner of Hong Kong is filled with eateries serving delicious seafood. Apart from that, there is heavy buying and consumption by residents. The obvious question that comes to mind is, from where does all the seafood come from? About 70% import and 30% domestic production. This leads to another query: Is this sustainable? Both apparently and factually, the answer is no.
The first seven days of the trip went past in a flurry of activities. It is arguably one of the most intense weeks I have ever spent in my life. Now that I sit down to write about my experiences it feels as if I have been here for months! So much has happened. We have seen so much and done so much that even landing in Hong Kong last week seems like ages ago.
The balmy evening of Friday, June 3, 2016 will remain etched in my memory. It is on this day that I stood witness to the behemoth that is Hong Kong. Ever since I descended from the China Eastern flight, I was struck by the ingenuity and complexity presented by the city. I was greeted by a blast of warm and moist air. The airport, as usual, was bustling with activity. Innumerable tourists, businessmen and students alike thronged the immigration counters. But what really amazed me was the efficiency with which everything was handled. Hong Kong’s conducive policies toward business and tourism makes a task as daunting as clearing immigration look like cakewalk! No wonder it is one of the most sought-after travel locations in the world.
Travelling is the best embodiment of life. It is just as fluid, ever-changing and filled with new flavors. From the very beginning humans have felt an urge to push the horizon and explore the unknown. After millennia of voyages, conquests and expeditions, the modern world is now connected as never before. It has thrown open a whole new realm of possibilities for humans in every corner of the earth. Greater mobility and accessibility has engendered curiosity among everyone to venture out of their homes and seek newness. The lust for seeing a new land and its people drove me to grab the opportunity of seeing Hong Kong as a study abroad experience organized by my alma mater, Arizona State University.
