Hong Kong is home to more than 2,000 wild macaque monkeys. It would be fun to see them in person, but that's not really possible... right?
The Amazing Race is a popular reality show on CBS that follows contestants globe-trotting their way from one international adventure to the next, in a high-drama race for life-changing money. Back in the spring, Justin Murphy '27 caught an early episode of season 37 and he wasn't just entertained, he was jealous.
"The contestants were in Hong Kong and they were in this place called Monkey Hill and they were just completely surrounded by wild monkeys. Then they went to the Tian Tan Buddha. The massive sculpture is more than 100 feet tall. It's incredible."
For an hour, Murphy lived vicariously through the contestants, but never considered he'd meet the monkeys or stand in awe of The Big Buddha. Those opportunities are made for TV; they're not real life options for college kids on the other side the world. But, just two weeks after the episode aired...
"Patti Smith (assistant director of accessibility) happened to mention that Siena offers a four-week summer abroad program in Hong Kong. I was already planning to study abroad in the fall, and my mom was feeling a little anxious about it. We both thought it would be a good idea to try a shorter experience first. So I applied to the program and got in."
Last month, Murphy re-traced the steps of the contestants in Hong Kong, and he found the monkeys.
"You see all of these things on TV, but you never expect you'll be able to experience them. Honestly, it was an out of body experience. My expectations were exceeded to a whole different level."
Murphy studied the history of Hong Kong post World War II at Lingnan University, and had plenty of time to see and do and experience everything on his list (and unlike the contestants he watched on TV, he was able to take his time). Murphy immediately fell into a clique, and in a way, that also reminded him of reality TV.
"There were eight of us. Eight people from eight different countries. There's something about being in that new environment together, you bond just like you see on reality TV shows. We were able to learn from each other and appreciate different cultures. That diversity was really special to me."
Murphy's roommate was part of the group. He's from a small town outside of Paris, and Murphy will be spending his next semester in Lyon, France. They've already made plans to connect in the fall. Maybe it's serendipity, or maybe it's just another amazing coincidence - like living out a TV fantasy. Or maybe that's just what happens when you take advantage of opportunities at Siena.
"The whole Study Abroad team is really inspiring. They help you through the whole process. Sometimes it can feel complicated, but they were amazing. My whole time there I felt like I was living in a postcard."
When you open yourself up to adventure, reality sure beats the reality you see on TV.