Third year after graduation, third city to live in.  I have been living in Hong Kong for almost three months now. Earlier this year, I decided to leave Japan and come to Hong Kong. Why Hong Kong you ask? Well, first of all my parents are from Hong Kong. I wanted to know more about their way of thinking. Psychologicalist always states how adult’s behaviour is based on how they were raised up. I was raised up in Canada and my parents were raised up in Hong Kong. When I was in back in Canada, my parents and I would argue on some aspects in life. Being how stubborn I was, I would never listen to their advice. Now growing up, and growing a bit wiser, I am starting to understand their side of things. Well, a bit. I am starting to see what they want me to do in life and their reasons behind it. Hong Kong’s working culture is very different from Canada’s. It is also different from Japan’s. Sometimes we can’t fully appreciate what we have until we loose it. I am becoming more grateful throughout my travels. I am learning more things and take fewer things for granted. The only way to get things you want is through hard work. Nothing comes easy.

So, how is life in Hong Kong so far? I must say, the food is great (a reason why I came here) but things are not what I expected as much. I thought Hong Kong would be more fun than Japan because I can speak the language and there is so much Chinese food. But I was wrong. What made Japan such a special place to me were the people I met there. They want to just travel and see the world just like me. We all chose Japan to be our first country to live aboard. It was thanks to them that made my life so fun. Some people said that I left Japan too fast. At times when I am in Hong Kong, I agree, and at times I disagree. Japan was indeed the best time in my life so far. I was doing what I wanted to do. Travel. I saw many parts of Asia and experienced different culture. What made it more fun was that I had friends to do it with me. The people that were travelling with me were also people who didn’t think they would settle in Japan. That made travelling more fun. I want to travel as much as possible before I settle down. If I ever settle, that is. The main point I had to disagree was the money. Japan isn’t a cheap place to live. (HK isn’t either) I was living the “YOLO” life. So I wasn’t able to save much money. One thing I learnt about Hong Kong was planning ahead. Hong Kongers plan way ahead. They think about investment and what to do with their money very early on. Money matters. Without money, you can’t survive. That is very true. I decided to move on to the next chapter in life. Find a place with higher salary, a place where I can communicate better. I can’t live in the past. I can’t regret my choices. I have to continue on with my choices I had made. I need to start “saving” some money. Plan for the years to come. I will not give up travelling across Asia just yet. One small step at a time to becoming a responsible adult.

We need to work for a living but don’t’ make work your life. Work pays for my travels. Remember that. Have to learn how to enjoy work as much as travelling. At the end of the day, we spend most of our life working. So might as well enjoy it.