Pride of Place: A series in which teaching staff and students from the English Department reflect on a place in Hong Kong. [Read all entries.] [Revisit the “Pet Sounds” series.] [Revisit the “Headspace” series.] [Revisit the “Ongoing” series.] [Revisit the “Interrogative” series.]

Whenever I am asked where I live in Hong Kong, I always reply enthusiastically that I live on the island, Eastern district to be precise. For me, it’s the best area in Hong Kong. However, if you ask me what’s good about the island, I am honestly not able to come up with an exact answer.

I believe, as an English major or a graduate from the ENG department, it is unavoidable that a lot of us will call different places home during our time in Hong Kong Baptist University because we do move to different places. For example, when you live in the residential dorms in HKBU, you call the “hall” home. For double degree students, we have to call Brisbane our home when we have our immersion programme. Not to mention joining the study abroad programme or having an internship overseas.

However, the more I travel, the more I can tell the genuine feeling of home—not literally, it’s more of a vibe. I believe everyone should have one true home in their heart. It is the place where you feel you belong, the place you want to go whenever you are heartbroken, the place that contains your unique memory, the place that constructs you as a person.

I can’t really explain that feeling, but when you are there, you feel joyful, at peace, and most importantly, you feel at home.

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Lam Man Tsun is a graduate of the Department of English and Department of Education (Class of 2016).  [Click here to read all entries by Tsun.]