{"id":1840,"date":"2025-10-06T12:48:30","date_gmt":"2025-10-06T19:48:30","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogschapman.wpenginepowered.com\/center-for-global-education\/2025\/10\/06\/sailing-to-the-fragrant-harbour\/"},"modified":"2026-07-24T18:40:42","modified_gmt":"2026-07-24T18:40:42","slug":"sailing-to-the-fragrant-harbour","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.chapman.edu\/center-for-global-education\/2025\/10\/06\/sailing-to-the-fragrant-harbour\/","title":{"rendered":"Sailing to the Fragrant Harbour"},"content":{"rendered":"

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Amongst this densely packed metropolis, everybody is constantly in a rush. There is not a second throughout the day where t<\/span>here isn\u2019t something going on in the bustling city of Hong Kong. To some, it\u2019s nothing but an international business hub; to others it\u2019s a juxtaposition where East and West intertwine and where tradition meets modernity. To many people it\u2019s a place of culinary excellence, while others only see the congestion of the city, but nestled within this vivid city is the place where I found myself.\u00a0 <\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Coming to college, I didn\u2019t care much about studying abroad, I have travelled to many places, never failing to go on a trip out of state at least once a year for as long as I can remember. What can studying abroad do but add another check mark to my already long list of places I have travelled to?\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Two years ago, I\u00a0had a conversation\u00a0with\u00a0one of my\u00a0cousins that changed my whole perspective on studying abroad.\u00a0He is well into his 30s now, but he, along with his wife, strongly urged me to study abroad especially since neither of them got the chance to.\u00a0My cousin\u00a0doesn\u2019t\u00a0have strong opinions on things, so when he urged me to study abroad, I knew\u00a0that\u00a0there\u00a0must be\u00a0something special about\u00a0it.\u00a0The rest of the conversation was a bit of a blur to me,\u00a0but I trusted him\u00a0because he has always taken care of me and still does to this day.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>As I started researching places where I wanted to study abroad, one thing was for sure, it had to be in Asia. Everything from the cheap eats to vibrant culture, to the levels of safety and efficiency, and even the fast and widespread public transportation drew me to this region of the world. As I continued in my research, I narrowed down my choices to Hong Kong, Japan, and Korea. Hong Kong was out of the picture as I didn\u2019t see that as an option. I opted to not pursue Korea as I thought Japan would be the best fit for me. I was super excited and started preparing for my departure. But soon after, I found out that Japan was no longer a viable option for me. I was super bummed and frustrated, but I continued to research my possible options. <\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

It turned out that I didn\u2019t do enough research initially. Hong Kong was an option! With one week to turn in the application I had the support of my advisors as well as family members goading me on. I was able to turn everything in on time and got notified that I would be attending The Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK). I was ecstatic at the opportunity to explore the city where my moms side of my family is from and to rediscover my roots on my own terms.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"For me, attending CUHK wasn\u2019t just about going to a random university across the world to gain a new perspective, it was to better understand myself, my roots, and my family history. Back in the 80s, my uncle attended this exact university. I grew up hearing stories about his time here and how influential that experience has been on his life. My sister nearly attended CUHK as well for a semester abroad. Unfortunately, this was just around when COVID hit so she was unable to go.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

I knew that going to Hong Kong and specifically attending CUHK was the right choice and everything leading up to this was meant to happen. I wasn\u2019t just going to Hong Kong for myself, I was going for my sister, my uncle, my cousin, and my entire family. Every fiber of my being knew that I had made the right choice.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

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Studying abroad in Hong Kong was one of the most impactful experiences of my life. I am proud of the person I have become and the person that I am becoming. Through this experience I not only was able to rediscover my roots and my cultural identity, but I also evolved as a person. I gained new perspectives on life, a better understanding of who I am, and was able to connect with people from all over the world. I’ve grown into a more confident and self-assured person– no longer scared of the unknown nor discouraged when something doesn\u2019t go my way. When you step outside of your bubble, you will discover who you truly are and how much your environment dictates who you are. Don\u2019t be afraid of the unknown, it\u2019s the best thing that can happen to you.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

I have painted a picture of what my journey of going to Hong Kong was like, but something that is severely underscored throughout this blog is the amount of anxiety, pressure, and stress I felt through this entire process. Deciding to study abroad was not something that I took lightly. Yes, my family and my background played a part in my decisions, but I almost said no because of my fear of the unknown. Through this experience, I learned to be scared and take risks at the same time. It is better to try things and fail than to regret not taking any steps towards your goals or ambitions. I almost let my worries and fear hold me back, but now I get to look back and smile at the memories that I made and everything that I have accomplished.\u00a0 <\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

So, what would have happened had I not taken that leap to study abroad?<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n