Like me, SY has spent many years living in Hong Kong for her studies. She also worked here in the past, but her memories of the city seem to remain rooted in a quieter time—her childhood days in Clear Water Bay. Today, she doesn’t feel entirely at home in Hong Kong’s dense urban environment. When we spoke about housing and food, disappointment was visible on her face. Yet when the conversation turned to professional life, her tone shifted: “Hong Kong is a more female-friendly city. Here, women can receive equal recognition and rewards.” She misses the structure and purposefulness of a busy work routine. Now based in Kowloon, SY sighed as she described the crowded streets and complicated terrain. She said she missed life in mainland China—open spaces, flat roads, wide views.

SY has always been supportive of my research, and for our soundwalk she brought me to a coastal promenade near Tseung Kwan O. Compared to the city’s busier districts, this area felt calm and spacious. A few people strolled by, others cycled or skateboarded, and someone’s Bluetooth speaker was softly playing nostalgic pop hits from Hong Kong and the mainland. “I like it here,” she told me. “It’s open, far from school, far from where I need to ‘work hard.’ The scenery is beautiful, and the walk isn’t too long. For me, the most important factor in choosing a place is the terrain—it must be flat. I don’t want to feel exhausted, and I love cycling. This area is perfect for that.”

She lived here during the pandemic and found it especially comforting while working remotely. “There’s so much life here—people, pets, shops, exercise. All kinds of activities happen here, and they meet many of my needs. That’s why I chose to record sounds here—I feel like anything is possible in this space.”

SY described the soundscape as particularly soothing. Despite the number of pets, it never felt noisy. At night, it becomes even more peaceful. In some sections, we passed ongoing construction. I asked if she found the sounds disturbing. “Not really,” she said, “I usually wear earphones when I walk here. Unless something is so loud that I can hear it even with earphones in—like someone blasting ‘Drunken Butterfly’—then I get annoyed. But in open spaces, noise travels slower. It takes time to reach you.”

Most days, SY treats ambient sounds as a kind of white noise that calms her. But this soundwalk made her notice things she hadn’t before. “Some of the sounds are surprisingly harsh or abrupt when I pay attention. It’s like everything got amplified today.” She paused often to record along the way—always in places she regularly visits. These are places that bring her peace, allow her to enjoy the view, and meet all her sensory needs.
After the walk, she shared something that stood out to her: “This area doesn’t feel like a place where you’re being watched by men. Everyone’s doing their own thing. Walking here, I feel really at ease.”
SY hopes to leave Hong Kong soon. She’s never quite adapted to its environment and dreams of returning to a place she feels she truly belongs—somewhere farther from the sea, somewhere she can call home again.s.