Two Little Stories

Visiting or living in a foreign country can always be tricky while you try to learn the customs of that place.  For instance, people in Hong Kong do not smile nearly as much as Texans do.  Trying to not smile at every person I make eye contact with is something I am still working on. 

In case you plan on visiting Hong Kong in the near future, I have two stories to help you blend in with the locals. 

Eating at a restaurant:
You and your companion walk in, are pointed to a table, and are given either hot tea or hot water.  If the restaurant is packed, you might be sharing a four-top with two strangers.  Y'all order an appetizer, a main dish, and a vegetable.  Maybe you ask for some tap water.  The vegetable shows up first, followed quickly by the main dish.  After y'all have eaten both, the appetizer finally gets to your table.  The tap water never comes.  Have no fear, you get used to it (well, maybe not sharing a table with strangers). 

Shopping for something specific:
You go shopping for something specific, like a fitbit.  You go to a store that is like Best Buy, it sells lots of electronics and small appliances.  There are at least twenty locations of this store on Hong Kong Island.  You look at all the fitbits on display and pick a style out and ask the employee what colors they have in stock of that style.  He informs you they don't have that style in stock and proceeds to shake his head back and forth vigorously, saying 'no, no, no, no, no....' while looking down and sounding if it was the most out of this world question.  And instead of offering to call another store to see if they have that particular style in stock (which, I feel, is fairly common in the States), he turns away and starts to ignore you.  You discuss with your companion if you should just get another style of fitbit.  You get the attention of the same employee to ask about another style of fitbit, which they do have in stock.  You want the black one, the employee informs you that they do not have it in black.  You ask about the dark blue, but they are out of that color too.  You then ask the employee if he could find out if one of the other locations of the store might have one of those colors in stock, he basically acts like he has never heard of the other locations and would not know how to contact them if his life depended on it.  So you leave with the lighter blue fitbit.


Here's an elephant coming out of an orange, because, why not?  I hope everyone has a good week!

Things I miss about America

We've been here for about 6 weeks, which is not a particularly long time.  However, knowing that I won't be back in the States until March has heightened some of the homesickness I feel.  These things are common in the United States, but keep me up at night here.

Full sized refrigerator.  We have a decent sized kitchen, however, our fridge is the same size as one found in a dorm room.  My toddler-sized fridge has enough room for some soy sauce, a few bottles of water and tea, and a lone lemon.

Ice.  I think this might be a southern United States obsession.  I went to New York last summer and was upset by the "iced" tea they served.  I need my glass to be filled to the brim with ice, it doesn't matter if that makes me have to refill it 20 times.  Ice is a hot commodity (pun intended) in Hong Kong.  I have noticed that most bars and restaurants get ice delivered to them throughout the day, so I assume ice machines are not common, even for restaurants and bars.  My toddler-sized fridge does have a "freezer space," but you could basically put one ice cube tray in it.  One ice cube tray worth of ice is basically a slap in the face to me and my needs.  I would like Sonic to open up a Hong Kong location, and please bring an ice maker.

Sandwiches.  This one surprised me.  I would never describe myself as sandwich obsessed, but I have been dreaming about them lately.  Sandwich bread can be found at the grocery store, but it's not quite the same, and cheese, in any form, is limited at best.  I have found a few sandwich shops that have helped ease my pain.

Walk-in closets.  Enough said.

Having said that, here is something I don't miss.  Driving, I do not miss driving at all.  The subway system in Hong Kong is one of the best in the world.  It's safe, clean, and quick.  You're not supposed to eat or drink in the stations or on the trains, and shockingly, people follow the rules.  Of course you can't have a fear of strangers invading your personal space while on the train, because they will be all up in your business during rush hour.  I have yet to see subway employees in white gloves shoving people into the trains (like they do in Japan), but I have seen employees pulling people off the trains when the doors of the train try to close on them.