Great Expectations

When I decided to live and work in Hong Kong, I was basically choosing to return to China in a slightly easier, more-livable fashion. What I mean is, I expected the city to be mostly Chinese, but rather Westernized thanks to the previous British influences. I was not trying to move to a place with a culture the same or very similar to my own, though I didn't want to live in an underdeveloped place either. Nor was I really focused on the fact that I was going to live in a former British colony.

Having lived for a brief period of time in Beijing during the Olympics, I knew a bit about Chinese culture, and I liked it overall. Although Beijing is not as Westernized, I enjoyed my time there, despite the cultural differences and such. I was shocked at first to see diaperless babies who squatted in the street and old men who walked around in public with their shirts rolled up to expose their bellies. But, I got used to those things and grew to like the city very much. The smiling faces of the Chinese children; the friendliness of most everyone I encountered, even if they didn't speak English; and the spending power of the American dollar all made China a very appealing place.

Here in Hong Kong, there are also a few annoyances. The shops that sell dry seafood from open-air containers give off a terrible smell. People at my school are so worried about sickness and disease that they keep most of the windows open during the chilly winter days. And, sometimes people just stop walking in the middle of the sidewalk for no reason, completely unaware of everyone else who is trying to get by. However, I must say that, despite the everyday annoyances or irritations, there is not much about this city or its people that I would truly criticize. Actually, I find it rather offensive to hear them disparaged because my experiences here have been quite positive.

For the next few weeks at my school, we have a student teacher, someone of English descent who has lived here in Hong Kong for the past several years. I haven't had extended conversations with this person, but it seems like every time we have spoken, some sort of negative comment has been made about the locals: how things have progressively gotten more Chinese since the handover from Britain to China in 1997, how Hong Kong's British heritage is not taught to schoolchildren, how too many immigrants from mainland China are allowed to come live here, etc., etc.

I do not doubt that Hong Kong has changed in the past 14 years or so. What place hasn't, really? And, I understand that it can be hard to see a place change before your eyes into something less familiar. For a while, it seemed like every time I returned to my hometown of Branson that something was new, and it did feel strange. But, change is unavoidable and becoming bitter about it certainly doesn't help. Plus, as a guest in a country which has provided hospitality and a pleasant environment, I find it in very poor taste to nitpick too much about the local culture.