Guest Post From a Hong Kong Local

One of the best things you can do when living in or traveling to a foreign country is to befriend a local. This may seem intimidating, but if you can accomplish this feat it can completely change your entire experience and perspective. I was fortunate enough to befriend Cynthia during my time in Hong Kong and it totally changed my time in Hong Kong. Besides Cynthia being an extremely fun pal to have, she also showed me places and foods in Hong Kong that I would have never discovered otherwise and taught me things I would not have noticed on my own as foreigner in Hong Kong. Being friends with Cynthia was truly key for me to understand and better appreciate life in Hong Kong. Because I cannot have a true local perspective, Cynthia agreed to share a little about why Hong Kong will always be home for her. I hope you enjoy reading more about her local perspective!

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Expectations & Reality in Hong Kong

If I haven’t made it obvious already, my perception of Hong Kong before coming here was extremely limited. But after traveling for 4 months throughout Europe prior to coming to Hong Kong, I had made a few expectations that I thought were obvious. After living here for almost 2 months, it is somewhat funny looking back on the few expectations I thought I had right. Mostly because I was wrong.

Hiking in Hong Kong

Only 24% of Hong Kong is considered developed land, with only 7% used for housing (which is a whole other story). But what this means is that there is some absolutely amazing hiking all over Hong Kong! Part of the reason I love Hong Kong so much is because of these spots that give you a break from the city.  Below are some pictures from each of the hikes I’ve done so far, although I’ll have to say my iPhone camera doesn’t do the best job of capturing the true beauty here.

Hong Kong ≠ China

Before coming to Hong Kong I was continually asked what relationship Hong Kong had with China. Was Hong Kong an independent and separate country? Was Hong Kong still part of China but with less regulations? I had also heard the phrase “2 systems, 1 country” thrown around, but didn’t really understand what it meant. From a few googles, I also knew that Hong Kong had been a British colony until 1997. But I still struggled to understand Hong Kong’s current status and couldn’t give anyone a clear answer.

The People you Only See on Sunday

Central District has been toted as the “most celebrated financial district” in Hong Kong, and on any typical weekday you would see men in suits and ties and women in heels and dresses on their way to their respective banks. During the lunch hours between 12-2pm the sidewalks are also flooded with people, but it is the same men and women you would see in the morning on their lunch breaks. But Sunday is completely different.

a leap of faith

The closest comparison I have for choosing to come live and work in Hong Kong for the next 2 months is cliff jumping (which is one of the many things on my bucket list for my time here).