About 5,500 kilometers away from home, two girls from Kazakhstan have come to study in Hong Kong, carrying both tender memories of home and bright hopes for the future.
Dana Ospanova and Dariga Shagayeva come from Kostanay, a city in northern Kazakhstan, and are now first-year communications students at Hong Kong Baptist University. Both went through a competitive selection process to attain full non-local non-mainland scholarships at HKBU.
When asked why they chose Hong Kong for tertiary education, the two gave very similar answers: its multiculturalism, the high quality of its universities, and its status as an international business hub – reputations which have materialized into reality since their arrival last August.
"Hong Kong is one of the best places where many cultures and nationalities come together," said Dana. Dariga similarly noted that she has "enjoyed learning about different cultures through conversations and group projects" at university.
Compared with her previous studies in Kazakhstan, Dana said, "In Hong Kong, at university, there are more resources and better access to technology, which makes studying more flexible and advanced."
Dana added that she especially appreciates the city's safety: "I feel comfortable going outside or walking alone in parks at night. In Kazakhstan, it would feel less safe."
The convenience of Hong Kong's transport is another draw. "I also really like how efficient everything is here. The MTR is fast and everything feels well organized," she said.
Kazakh students at the Nauryz celebration
Traces of home have helped with homesickness, with a tight-knit community of about 60 to 70 Kazakh students enrolled at HKBU, according to Dana. The campus hosts multicultural events, including a celebration of Nauryz in March – the ancient spring festival observed across Central Asia and the Turkic world – which featured dombra music, handicraft workshops and food tasting.
Both girls performed the Kamazhai dance at the festival and on a HKBU "Cultural Night" last November. It is a "Kazakh national dance," they said, with "movements often imitating the sinuous, graceful movements of a snake, a nod to ancient beliefs."
Dariga performs the Kamazhai dance.
"After the performance, many people came to me and said that they really liked it and found it beautiful. I felt very proud that I could represent my country," Dana recalled.
The girls are also building bonds in their new home. Under HKBU's Host Family Programme, Dana stays connected to a local family who has shown her around Hong Kong – from tram tours and ferry rides to halal restaurants and historical sites in Ping Shan – and shared heartwarming moments like homey Christmas celebrations.
Dana takes the TramOramic Tour with her local host family.
As for Dariga, she has begun cycling and hiking with friends, exploring different districts where she discovered "really nice cafes, parks and waterfront spots." She said she finds "vibes similar to Seoul, New York, and Los Angeles" in Hong Kong.
Now in their first year, Dana is majoring in public relations and advertising, while Dariga is also focusing on PR. Both indicated the possibility of staying in Hong Kong for work after graduation, given the attraction of what they called its "international and professionally competitive environment."
