HongKong: A city that felt like a pause button

Going home had always been like a warm hug at the end of a loooong day. Whether it was after grabbing a coffee and studying at Starbucks or Teling’s, or enduring a grueling three-hour law school class, or spending a long day with family and friends. Even when I returned from Japan in 2018 or just places outside the city had me looking forward to going home. Ina bala nga basta mapuli ko ya ah lol.

But Hong Kong was a whole new vibe. The vibrant city, the bustling streets, the people… it all gave me an extraordinary sense of belonging. Perhaps I had grown to love it, even if it was only for a few days.

On my last day, I woke up around 7 a.m. to catch my flight back to Manila. Standing alone in the airport, it suddenly dawned on me that for the first time, heading home felt less like a warm hug and more like a reluctant, bittersweet farewell.

And should we depart, for life beckons back in my city.