Hong Kong From My POV

Despite feeling anonymous in the large population and enveloped in the environment, I felt a sense of homeliness. Hearing strangers talk in Cantonese, my native language, about the most mundane things pushed forward a foreign and soothing feeling that was not present in my hometown.

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Although we stayed in a hotel in the center of the city and had a nice view and access to a variety of attractions, we mainly visited rural areas. Getting to experience both made me fall in love with Hong Kong even more. Everywhere we went looked like it came out of the scrapbooks my parents created to document their travels. During the day time, we would explore temples, take walks throughout the many scenic locations nearby, and greet all the diverse street vendors and welcoming people. At night, the buildings would light up and the ferries would set across the ocean. 

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However, the gap between the rich and poor could not be hidden behind the wonderful experience I had. The clear-cut image I formed in my mind was now blurred with the realization that there were individuals and families who called a cage their home. Building after building, there were stacks upon stacks of human life confined to four walls of wires.