Calling freshers from Hong Kong: how do you adapt to Cardiff life?

As an international student considering studying abroad, you must be very curious about how it is like living in a new city and a completely unfamiliar culture.



Cardiff is a small but mighty city. Compared to skyscrapers, Cardiff has a good mixture of modern and Victorian architecture. Shops and amenities are within a walkable distance. As a student who did my undergraduate and master’s degree at Cardiff University, here are a few tips,

1. Get to know your Residence Life Team

If you are living in university residences, you need to know your Residence Life Team. Residence Life are a group of students and staff members with various cultural backgrounds providing support in different ways, from events to welfare checks. We host a lot of cultural celebrations and events which will be a good way to meet new faces. Check out and follow our Instagram page to know more about upcoming events and other useful tips!

2. Join societies

We have lots of societies in Cardiff Student's Union that would be a nice place to join if you would like to find friends speaking the same language or who have a similar background.

• Cardiff Uni Hong Kong Society 
• Abacus - Association of British & Chinese University Students

If you are interested in other societies, make sure to check the open days in the Freshers' week. There are so many other societies in Cardiff University Student's Union for you to enjoy.

3. Finding restaurants and food

Food is definitely one of the things you will miss the most. Here are a few personal favourite restaurants that serve Cantonese cuisine that may cure a bit of your homesickness.

• InCafe Cardiff - Hong Kong authentic cuisine 
• Zi’s café 
• Happy Gathering - Traditional Dim sum place
• Fang’s Oriental Bakery - Hong-Kong-style bread and bakery
  

If you are good at cooking or a snack lover, there are a few places where you can get Asian seasonings or products.

• Cardiff Korean & Japanese Food - a local shop selling various East Asian food and products
• Wanahong.com - an online store even selling traditional Hong-Kong seasonings
• Local supermarkets (Tesco, Lidl...) - Local supermarkets have various basic Chinese seasonings, including soy sauce, sesame oil etc.

4. What else can you do?

Compared to the shopping malls and the varieties of leisure activities in Hong Kong, Cardiff is relatively small. However, that doesn’t mean you get bored in this city. You can explore local shops and cafes, weekend vintage flea markets and the surrounding neighbourhood. If you know how to drive, it would be really nice to explore nature in Pen-y-fan and the Brecon Beacons. If you don’t know how to drive, you can still cycle around using OVO bikes to Cardiff Bay.

It is challenging as an international student. But the school provides various supporting services and resources for you, so don’t hesitate to reach out for help. Hope this article makes you feel a bit less anxious and more welcoming. Hope you enjoy a lovely uni life in Cardiff! Croseo!