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Life in China Hong Kong Survival Guide
Life in China Hong Kong Survival Guide | Hong Kong Survival Guide |
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| China | |
| Saturday, 23 June 2007 | |
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What is it about Hong Kong that makes you want to leave behind a Western lifestyle, and replace it with the blistering pace of machine gun yumcha rotated by the speed of an International cities ever spinning wheels? When I first arrived here in 1992, it was one of the hottest of July's I had ever experienced. In the early 1990's up to early 2000, I made my entrance via the magic of the Kaitak airport. I don't care what anyone says; you have never experienced such a heart-thumping landing, until you have had the famous Kaitak dive bomb. As long as I live I will never forget the incredulous vision, which was always - and I do mean always, accompanied by the many curious stares, directed at the Hong Kong apartment dwellers, from new arrivals in an earth plummeting aluminum cylinder. The sight from the small oval windows gave one the impression that you could almost reach out and touch the people in their homes. But alas like all things that were special, this sky dropping approach is long gone. The magic that was once experienced at the old Kaitak airport has been replaced, by a new landing not far from a fantasyland, where boys, girls, man and woman alike can frolic. A land where the once mighty dragon that soared amongst the Kowloon city skyscrapers has been forced to surrender his majestic wings, to a mouse with big round ears that can't even fly - unless you count the time he had a case of the runs, from eating bad shellfish. Sadly, the final insult to the now flightless dragon, is that the home of the giant two-legged mouse was negotiated by Michael Rouse and our very own, Donald Tsang. The ultimate betrayal is complete! Disney aside though, Hong Kong is a place where you will sometimes hear the word ‘Gweilo'. Most think of it as a cheerful way for the locals to welcome Westerners, but the privileged few know its true meaning, the white ghost man or white devil. Still despite this, during my years here I have found Hong Kong to be one of those few places in the world, where it is easier to make friends than most international cities. However be warned, mix business with friendship and you may find yourself in the situation where you have a fre-nemy rather than a palsie walsie. So tread lightly among the computer chips and try not to break them, because to say Hong Kong is a competitive part of the world, is putting it lightly. What makes Hong Kong what it is today? Well for me it is probably the level of business expertise, which is constantly displayed by astute Asian woman and man alike. It gives the city its edge over outside neighbours such as Singapore, Taiwan etc. Hong Kong also serves as a reminder that you can carve your own destiny, provided you have the right tools. Still, before you can truly accept Hong Kong as your place of abode, you need to master the skills of survival. The art of the MTR shuffle is one that should be first on your list. There are few places that compare to it, other than Shanghai, Norito, New York and London. When taking the MTR in Hong Kong during peak time, it is always important to remember that this is the time of the big crush. Take care to look over your shoulder, then from right to left, before you make your move. Also be on the lookout for the elderly, they are a force to be reckoned with. If you don't pay them the respect they deserve, these seasoned veterans will give you a lesson in the art of seat grabbling 101. In fact just the slightest underestimation of these sprightly aged folk will leave you spinning in the dust their feet make, as they race from their position to the seat that has caught their ever-watchful eye. Quite simply it is a lesson from the aged master to his pupil on when to make your move. This is much the way business is done here. Wisdom and knowledge are one with Guanxi, (connections). The time you make your move here can mean the difference with getting a seat or having to stand and wait patiently with all the rest. The next thing you need to understand is this. Whether you are here permanently or as a visitor or a guest, always respect your neighbour's backyard. I have seen far too many foreigners arrive here and act like they were special and as such deserved more opportunity and better treatment than the average Hong Kong resident. Do not tell your new neighbour how to manage his household, or think that being a foreigner makes you more privileged. Even though it could be argued that this may have been the case before the handover in 1997, it is certainly not the case now. As many of my Hong Kong friends remind me, ‘there are no free lunches!' So before you begin your journey to success here, remember to pack your lunch box. Now while you are doing that, let me quote another famous Chinese saying to you. ‘Moh Gum Dai Tsek Gup La Choi Gai Tiu'. There are no Large Frogs jumping on the street or sitting in the middle of the road.' Followed by an even more common one from the modern day Confucius. ‘Man who run after double-decker bus get exhausted.' Similar to ‘Man who run in front of double-decker bus --- he soon get tired.' So many foreigners and Chinese alike forget the wise ramblings of Confucius and believe there is a large frog waiting to be found? Do westerners even know what I mean when I say, "Large Frogs?" A Large Frog, or in particular context to Chinese culture, the Large Golden Frog, is an imaginary creature that does not exist. Because if it did you would have heard of at least one person picking up one of these elusive amphibians. Besides if a large frog were hopping around in the middle of the road, one of the local Chinese would have already picked it up, brought it home and put it in a bamboo steamer. So forget the Large Frog! Just remember that unless you are Richard or Victor Lee, you have to earn your right to be special, by proving your capability, rather than where you are from. Just don't expect everyone to think the same way you do. The last two things that you need to know as a general rule of law, as a foreigner in Hong Kong, are Yumcha and crowds. Lets start with the more pleasant Yumcha, which is a time for families, friends, colleagues and the like to partake in chat, while they chow down on delicious dim sum's. It is exactly what it means, to drink tea and talk. Just don't be too surprised if the level of chatter gets so loud that it drowns out your ability to think straight. You may also hear talking so loud that you think there is an argument going on all around you. This is often never the case. Chances are that your noisy neighbours are excitedly discussing the stock market or catching up on the local gossip. If you can survive Yumcha time, you will also be able to survive the chilling air-conditioning, which has, in most cases, been set to as low as 18 degrees. You can take comfort in knowing that when you do encounter this slow freeze, it is a clever ploy by the crafty restaurant management to get you in and out as fast as possible. This is the perfect solution for the high volume of Yumcha patrons, because it allows the restaurant to have their table turnaround utilized to full potential. The next thing you need to know about are crowds. One of the hardest things to master in Hong Kong are the cramped conditions. No matter where you go, you can never avoid them. It is a part of life here and deserves just as much attention as trying to win a seat during peak time on the MTR. So when you come across this situation --- do like I do. Take a deep breath and dive right in and before too long you will find yourself at your destination, in most cases, faster than you thought possible. This is because everyone wants to get to where they are going as quickly as possible. Just remember, if the crowds don't tame you, the humidity of June to September will. The level of heat here is timid compared to the ferocity of the accompanying moisture, which saturates the air. It is enough to make a grown man want to stick ice cubes down his underpants. Fortunately unless you are hiking up a mountain or hiding out at the over-crowded beaches, you will be able to find welcoming refuge from bursts of cool air, inside many of the air-conditioned shops, on the streets of Hong Kong. Follow these survival tips and like me, your first fifteen years will pass faster than you can say Waaaaay! Copyright © Michael S. Fletcher May 11, 2007. |
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