I moved from California to Hong Kong. Here are 8 things that surprised me most.

• I lived in Hong Kong for five years after moving from the Bay Area.

• Living in an international city gave me a new perspective on things.

• I didn't think it would be so hard to find American food that I loved.

I relocated to Hong Kong in order to attend college.

I discovered a lot of differences between my life in Asia and my life in Northern California while I was overseas.

I decided to reflect on some of the most surprising things I experienced while living in Hong Kong.

Hong Kong was much more geographically diverse than I expected

The world-famous skyline of Hong Kong made me believe that the city would be all skyscrapers.

There are lots of large buildings, but there are also beaches, waterfalls, hiking trails, and islands to explore.

Hong Kong has the best of both worlds when it comes to nature and high buildings. It is one of the most diverse places I have ever been to.

The public transportation system was impressively efficient

I didn't need a car because of the city's robust public transportation system. It's expensive to park in Hong Kong.

The MTR can take you across the island for less than $1.

If you're not familiar with the route, the buses are more difficult to navigate.

Brick-and-mortar shopping was very popular

The world's highest commercial density is held by Hong Kong. If you live in the city, you can find a convenience store that sells groceries, household goods, and personal care products.

It is easy to shop for clothing. You're usually just a couple of subway stops away from the nearest one since there is one mall per square mile.

Hong Kong has not seen the same rise in online shopping as in mainland China, and brick-and-mortar shopping is more popular.

Chinese New Year decorations and jade trinkets can only be found at specific mom and pop shops.

Going for goods in person is a great way to find things in the city's night market.

I used to do most of my shopping in person. I like to buy things online.

Hong Kong is very international, but it was difficult to find authentic Mexican food

Cali-Mex, California's spin on traditional Mexican cuisine, can be found in many restaurants in the San Francisco Bay Area.

As soon as I left, that changed as well.

It was more difficult to find good food in Hong Kong than I thought.

The Mexican population is relatively small in comparison to other groups in the city, which may be the reason I had a hard time finding Mexican food.

I like jasmine rice but I don't want it in my burrito.

After five years of searching for a place with Mexican dishes similar to those found in California, the closest I got was a bar and restaurant. I was relieved that they used long- grain rice.

Most convenience stores didn't carry American groceries

In Hong Kong, Circle K didn't sell popular American foods like cheese, yogurt, and cereals.

I had to go to City Super in order to find them. The items were more expensive when I got my hands on them.

I could easily buy the ingredients I needed for my recipes on American holidays.

I paid between $5 and $10. In Hong Kong, I could get a local meal for less money than I could in the US.

In Hong Kong, the grocery stores didn't carry some of the produce that I buy in the US, like fresh berries and Brussels sprout.

I used to swap them out for other things. I began to eat dragon fruit, taro root, bitter melon, and daikon.

I was surprised by how much I enjoyed Hong Kong's soy-sauce Western cuisine

My socks were knocked off by soy sauce western.

European immigrants fused traditional dishes with Hong Kong's local flavors in order to create Western cuisine.

I was not familiar with these foods before I moved, but I was blown away by their blend of sweet and salty.

Hong Kong-style Borscht, a Ukrainian soup that is sweeter than the traditional version, is a popular plate.

The Hong Kong-style macaroni soup is one of my favorite Western dishes. It was great to eat it with a side of food.

There are Hong Kong-style cafés that serve this cuisine. Australia Dairy Company and Cafe de Coral were my favorite places to eat in the city.

Rugby and horse racing are the most popular spectator sports

Rugby and horse racing were much more popular in Hong Kong than they were in the US. I didn't know anything about these two sports before I moved.

Rugby and horse racing unite Hong Kong's international community in the same way that sports bring Americans together.

People bet on horse races in the Happy Valley neighborhood.

The annual Hong Kong Sevens is held at Hong Kong Stadium.

Watching the matches in person feels like a big party if you have tickets. Many spectators dress up in costumes.

Many of the people I met weren't from Hong Kong either

Many of the people I met in Central were from other places.

Hong Kong has one of the world's biggest expat populations, making it a popular option for people who are looking to work abroad.

There is a large number of expatriates from Indonesia, the Philippines, China, France, South Korea, India, the UK, Canada, Japan, Pakistan, and many other countries.

I used to ask people if they were from a certain state. In Hong Kong, I made friends from all over the world, which gave me the chance to learn about different cultures.

I was challenged to become a better listener and ask more thoughtful questions when I met people from places I didn't know much about.

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