In the eventful year of 2024, is Hong Kong still a livable place? While “displaced Hongkongers” became a new identity, the question of whether to stay or leave has become a pressing one facing many people.
Chasing Childhood Dream of Travel Photography
Capturing breathtaking landscapes worldwide and realizing her photography dream hasn’t been easy for Ms. Cheng. Not growing up with a silver spoon, she seldom traveled due to her parents’ busy careers.She started working during high school to earn a living and studied marketing at university. After graduation, Ms. Cheng managed a listed company but found solace in traveling to various places during breaks, collecting handicrafts.
Enjoying sharing the stories behind these mementos with friends, she later quit her managerial job and opened a handicraft store in Causeway Bay selling souvenirs she collected worldwide. It was during this venture that an editor approached her, asking if she would be interested in writing travelogues. Her first travelogue, “Sunshine of Iceland,” was thus born.
Writing opened new doors for Ms. Cheng. She discovered that photography and words together created warmth, allowing her to reflect on every journey’s encounters and change her life’s course. One of her most notable photographs captures her atop a jeep, holding a long lens capturing the great migration of animals in East Africa.
Over the years, Ms. Cheng authored 19 personal and collaborative works, establishing a strong network and career in Hong Kong. Why did she choose to leave?
“I believe life has different stages. I want to see the world from a different perspective, broader and farther,” she told The Epoch Times in a recent interview. “If I live abroad, I may have broader and farther opportunities in culture, arts, photography, and travel, which are crucial for a creator like me.
“As I’m a bit different from other photographers, not only am I a photographer but also a writer. I enjoy various arts like music, drama, musicals, painting, everything.
Immigration Decision in the Big Era
The space for expression in Hong Kong is narrowing, with even artistic creation subject to scrutiny. Creators often do not know when they’ve crossed the “red line.”“[I] learned to love, cherish, and also forgive myself. Only by understanding how to shed the burdensome pressures, and letting go of people and matters no longer worth the worry, can one continue forward and embark on a new chapter in life.”
Hoping to continue breaking through in her creative pursuits, Ms. Cheng believes that living elsewhere might provide more opportunities and exposure to different creative fields, which is more meaningful than simply researching online.
Asked, “Why travel?” She said, it’s better to travel ten thousand miles than to read ten thousand books. If simply watching TV or YouTube can replace traveling ten thousand miles, I wouldn’t need to travel,” she said.
“As long as I’m still healthy, I’ll carry my backpack and camera to see more places. That’s how I enrich my inner self and create more opportunities for creativity.”
Immersing in British Life to Prepare
In 2022, Ms. Cheng visited friends in the UK, traveling from Edinburgh southward through ten British cities to explore and ponder whether she truly wanted to immigrate.In late 2023, she visited the UK again, specifically in winter, to experience the local environment.
“I intentionally chose winter because I wanted to see if I could endure the toughest times. Short days, long nights, quickly darkening skies, often windy and rainy,” she said.
The workaholic devised a plan for remote work and also prepared some toys to pass the long winter days. Choosing to live at a friend’s place, Ms. Cheng believed it would allow her to better understand the locals’ daily routines and rhythm of life.
“Living with friends is very different from staying in hotels. What I want to experience is life, not travel. By living with them, I understand their daily routines: how they shop for groceries, prepare meals, and their hobbies... This helps me consider how I’ll manage my own life better in the future.”
A food lover, Ms. Cheng enjoyed the warmth of gathering around the stove with friends. Back in Hong Kong, she often invited friends over and cooked herself, earning her the nickname “Chef C.”
In the UK, to show her gratefulness for allowing her stay to experience the simplicity and happiness of British life, Ms. Cheng made Chinese sausage sticky rice, repaying her friend with her cooking skills.
“Staying with friends makes me feel warm and cared for,” she recollected. “As we grow up, we need to be clear about what we need and appreciate what others give us, as well as considering what we can give back.”
In terms of work, Ms. Cheng believes she can still leverage her expertise by organizing photography tours. While her base used to be in Hong Kong, the proximity of the UK to Europe, Canada, and the United States offers more opportunities to explore new areas she’s interested in, potentially benefiting her personal travel photography career.
However, leaving Hong Kong does not mean forgetting the city for Ms. Cheng.
“Choosing to leave doesn’t mean forgetting Hong Kong. Absolutely not!” she said.
“This place is where I grew up. She has given me so much, so I want to coexist with it and work hard for it.
“I will also introduce its good aspects to more people, leave behind many memories for those who know and miss [her[to remember, and continue her legacy in different forms.”
