[makwaa1]

Hey..
i just turned 21, and i got an internship in Hong Kong earlier this year. I was really excited to start with, but now it's only 4 weeks away and I'm getting cold feet. Any advice on how to deal with this? Lots of mates have left to work overseas, and I don't remember them feeling this way. I can't back out, my dad's paid for an apartment, my travel's all booked, and I'm under contract!

[jimbo]

why are you getting cold feet exactly?

Its a once in a lifetime opportunity and plenty of others would love to be in your position.

[3bg]

lol give me your apartment! i'm in the same situation, except i want to go and still haven't found a place to live.

but in all seriousness, don't be a wuss! this will look great on your resume and you'll have something interesting to talk about at future interviews.

[makwaa1]

It's just the process of leaving... I've gotta leave my family, my girlfriend, my friends, and all the other stuff I'm used to in Sydney. I'm sure once i get to hk i'll settle in fine, but at the moment i'm not looking forward to the whole leaving process. Maybe what I should be asking is how to deal with homesickness?

[KellyInHK]

I'm sure you'd do fine! There are loads of things to do iin HK. Just be open-mind and have a positive out-look and your internship experience in HK might turn out to be the most memorable!

If it's any comfort, I recently quit my tax-exempt job in DC, broke my apartment lease, sold my car, left my friends and family behind to go to Xi'an to take part in an unpaid archaeological program. I'm surviving on my savings and have no idea what I'm going to do next.

When I was 21, I had already spent a year studying abroad in Cairo!

Besides, your dad has already arranged everything - what's there to be worried about?

[elmeque13]

Maybe these words help you in some way.

I came to HK 1 month ago. First time in Asia and I was afraid about the moving, a new country, different culture, I dont speak a single word of Cantonese, ...

But after these 4 weeks I can tell you that to get used to HK is quick and easy. In my opinion it is like any other occidental city. Almost everything works in the same way or quite similar.

Of course you're going to miss your familiy, friends, g/f but that's the price you have to pay to get a good education which probably will grant you a good job.

HK is a good place to live!!!

[spaceman]

you grow by facing what makes you uncomfortable, right?

consider yourself fortunate that you're going to hong kong in search of something, and you're not running away from anything to come here. it's tough now because you can only see what you're leaving, and can't see what you're going towards, but that will change once you get here.

meet people any way you can when you get here. go out, explore, and engage in activities that you enjoy. more importantly do and experience new things in hong kong that you couldn't or wouldn't back home.

you'll go back to sydney and everything you miss will still be there, and whether you like hong kong or not, you'll be able to appreciate your home in a different, more profound way.

now balls up already.

[goleoboy]

it's call growing up, you'll be fine. you can't stay home forever! there's a WORLD out there to see, feel, and experience. there's a reason they say "the world is your oyster" not "your hometown is your oyster"

know that nothing is forever! try it out, see if you like it, take in as much as you can and you'll remember this experience for as long as you live!!!!

[trocadero]

We go to HK in 9 weeks, and sometimes it suddenly hits me, what we're doing - dragging three kids, two of whom are teenagers, into the unknown, giving up comforts, friends etc. But what an adventure!
I think you need to think about it logically. There is tons of stuff to do and see in HK, thousands of expats in a situation similar to yourself - I'm sure you'll make some good friends soon enough.
Something that reassures me is reading the posts on geo expat. The people who live there love it, by and large. They seem a very friendly bunch! Don't forget that with skype and msn, you can keep in very close contact with your Sydney friends and family.
I've decided that when we get there, the onus will be on us to have a good time and enjoy it. Decide it's going to be a fantastic adventure. Decide to get out there and meet people and settle in fast.
I'm sure you'll do very well!

[PDLM]

You don't even need skype - the phone market here is such that calls to Australian fixed lines are as close to free as makes no odds.