Mini Vacation: What Hong Kong meant to me

A well-earned and well-needed mini-vacation! ^^

We've all had those super busy periods in our lives where we're constantly doing something everyday and know that we're really busy but don't really notice just how much we've been doing and how little we've been resting until we actually stop. I've just experienced this. Work's been manic with extra work, extra classes, an extra school to work at, and the hot, humid weather has given me extra lazy, unmotivated students to teach. And with exams approaching, classes have been extra tiring. Trying to cram as much revision as possible and motivating students is a lot harder than it sounds. I've also had to juggle my social life with birthdays, special occasions, the gym and trying to sleep at some point, too. I love having a busy life-style, but I have a bad habit of driving myself into the ground and neglecting my health sometimes.

Like a lot of people, I'm guilty of knowing that resting is important but don't do it enough. Sometimes I push myself too hard and make myself ill. I've been really ill recently; the worst I've been since being in Korea (I've been here for 13 months now). Luckily, unlike some people, I have a pretty good immune system. Even when I get ill, I've never gotten ill to the extent that I'm bed ridden or incapable of carrying on with my normal routine. I tend to just work through my illness and keep going. People say it's not healthy, but it's always worked for me, and I'm the type of person who usually sticks to what I know unless needed to change. I find getting on with it and being pro-active is a lot better than laying around in my own misery. Staying at home doing nothing usually just makes me feel worse and makes the illness seem like it's getting worse when it probably isn't.

Despite being ill, I've recently visited Hong Kong for a weekend to see 2 old friends that both happened to be visiting Hong Kong at the same time. This is very unlike me. I'm not a very well-traveled person because while I've always had an interest in learning I've never been very interested in travelling; however, this has recently changed. I'm not a very exciting, spontaneous or adventurous person, I now find myself in Korea and travelling Asia. I've been a lot more adventurous (by my standards at least) and have been travelling and doing a lot more things independently than previously.

It was amazing to see old friends and to eat food that reminded me of home and family. It was amazingly and comfortingly familiar. I'm no longer homesick, but it was exactly what I needed to lift my spirits after a mind-grueling and exhausting couple of months.

My friends were awesome. They took really good care of me. I stayed at my friend's family apartment for free, they helped me arrange things, kept checking on me, jammed as much tourist things that they knew I'd like into a day, introduced me to new friends, paid for things for me etc... They're not 2 of my oldest friends for nothing. They're amazing girls and I wouldn't keep them in my life if they weren't good friends or good people.

This was my first time to go to Hong Kong despite my family originating from there. I've never had a reason or opportunity to go as all of my family and friends have always lived in England. But of course, my siblings and I have always wanted to visit. We're not very attached to our Chinese heritage but it's hard to not have some curiosity or some lingering attachment to our roots. So I'm really glad that I've finally visited Hong Kong, even if it was only for a weekend.

I'm not entirely sure why, but I felt strangely at home in Hong Kong. Maybe because of my roots, maybe because of my 2 friends, maybe because of the familiar Asian culture. I'm not really sure. But it was really uplifting for me to feel so free, happy and comfortable. I love Korea; I love my job and new life, but there was something about Hong Kong that completely clicked.

I don't want to jinx anything or get ahead of myself, but while I'm writing this and reflecting on my trip, all I can think is how perfect Hong Kong was to/for me. I didn't think it was especially exciting or special (partly because I didn't stay for very long). But for me personally, it was exactly like what I've been saying what I want; the best of both worlds; my life in Korea merged with my life in England.

As much as I love Korea, I sometimes get homesick purely because of people. I miss people from home and I haven't met many people here that I click with as well as I do with my English friends. In England it's very easy for me to make friends, and it's the same case in Korea, but it's hard to maintain friendships with Koreans because they're always so busy. The Korean hardworking culture means my friends are always commuting far and working ridiculously long hours; making it really hard to see them on a regular basis. I have my group of western friends, but although they're amazing, it's strangely harder to click with westerners than Koreans here (so I've found at least). This makes me miss home and British people sometimes. Sometimes you just want friends that are there without having to arrange to see them in advance. And sometimes we want/need friends that know you well enough that when you seek advice or want to simply converse, you don't have to explain everything about yourself and your past. So sometimes I long for those friends and situations which I have back at home.

I've coped with homesickness fine. I'm somewhat strong and understand that being on the other side of the world to my home country, friends and family is going to lead to some homesickness. However, one of the amazing things about Hong Kong was that I was able to click and gel with people exactly as I always do with people in England. Conversations came naturally and from the word "Hello" I became best friends with complete strangers. This social aspect of Hong Kong was exhilarating and has made me happy. Korea has taught me how important good company is. It's also taught me that I am able to find and do a job that I enjoy, and how amazing it is to do it. I dare say, I might be able to find both good company and a good, enjoyable job in Hong Kong. I'm not sure what the future holds, but working in Hong Kong is a definite possibility.