Hello everyone! My name is Neela Jane Somasundram - I’m just about to turn 21, just about to graduate from Nottingham University and just about to embark on my next adventure: a year living and working in Hong Kong! This diary is going to document my year away in Asia’s number 1 cosmopolitan city, a far cry from my countryside roots of village life in Brompton, North Yorkshire! Rather than walking down Northallerton high street and knowing approximately two thirds of the people passing by, (so-and-so’s uncle, such-and-such’s sister, my old babysitter, my mum’s hairdresser, etc, etc), I’m going to be pushing my way through crowds of bustling streets, probably getting very lost indeed and miming animal impressions whilst trying to order a chicken sandwich with my lack of Cantonese. On the one hand it’s a terrifying though; being such a country bumpkin, I’m worried about successfully navigating my way out of Hong Kong airport, let alone getting about the city and finding my way to work everyday. But at the same time it’s incredibly exciting. As much as it is nicer going to sleep with the distant sound of baa-ing sheep than of whirring police-sirens, I did love the city-life of Nottingham. So I’m really excited about the huge buzz of Hong Kong, not to mention all those shops! I also miss the university life terribly already. Being back at home has many pros: the constant supply of food, sky digital, the miraculous way in which my washing goes into a laundry bag and emerges two days later in a neat clean pile on my desk, but it just isn’t the same when you get woken up by a knock on your door and rather than it being your housemate with a hangover and a hilarious tale about the night before, it’s your mum, and she wants to hoover the floor. And so, I am jetting off in August to become a GELT (graduate English language tutor), with the purpose of helping wee Cantonese nippers to speak better English, whilst exploring the East and experiencing a whole new culture. And what an excellent way to conveniently delay that ole’ career-decision process! Neela |
