Andrew Cowan

Where did you live? Would you recommend it?

Hall accommodation, university Hall, Male hall only. I would recommended it for those looking for an original and unique experience.

Put simply for the students in Hong Kong, it's like going to oxbridge - each hall has its own way of life, a community. This means all the halls are very competitive in the sport/cultural competitions they have. The very big downside I had is that if you are a light sleeper it was very difficult to get to sleep most of the year as unfortunately there was no control on when people should be sleeping, with hockey being played at 2am most nights along the corridors any other noise would also be heard because with the building existing since 1905 the floors are made of wood and therefore any sound travelled easily between floors. Little 'discipline' was placed on those responsible for making noise.

Which department(s) did you study in?

Department of Geography (which is small enough to get to know all the staff on a 1 to 1 basis-very handy!).

How does the workload/classes/teaching styles vary to Sheffield?

The Workload was more substantial, the classes however are much smaller and therefore far more interactive in terms of being able to ask questions etc. With regards to interaction, the geography department is very keen on getting students to do presentations and therefore puts into practice a very important skill for the world of work. I certainly have never been particulry confident when it comes to public speaking, but this certainly helped.

What did you do for fun at the weekends and during the holidays?

At the weekends I would explore Hong Kong, alone (fairly easy with a map and excellent public transport) and of course with friends. Would also go with friends to see horse racing, going to the beaches or just general tourism, clubbing etc.

As to the holidays - I didn't do any serious travelling until after I had finished the last semester and I then went to Singapore and mainland China. I also went to Malaysia during a reading week.

Did you join any societies or clubs?

Athletics - highly competitive, you have to very good to be considered part of the team, unfortunatley for me the humidity was too much!

Describe the University/City/things to do

The university is campus based, but fairly open despite the densely compacted buildings and population density which characterises Hong Kong. The city is like Asia's version of New York, one minute you can be in very traditional areas, the next looking straight at huge skyscrapers. The best thing though is that you can see a very different environment in a very short space of time.

Could you give any travel or immigration tips?

Travel - just stay safe. As for immigration - just make sure you get the paperwork sorted ASAP.

Could you give any advice or tips to a student preparing to go or tell them anything you wished you knew in advance?

Be prepared to be patient about almost anything. HK is very bureaucratic and there is a lot of form filling!

Would you say it is cheaper or more expensive to live than Sheffield?

Cheaper by far, but you have to pay for a lot unknown extras. Remember, 1 pound = 20 HK dollars!