A friend told me once she was worried that Hong Kong will change me. At that time I thought it was a ridiculous statement to make. How I wish I can tell her now she was absolutely right.
Although I am only in HK half the time, I feel like certain aspects my personality has changed. I am no longer have patience.
Examples include
- Back Home (Toronto), if my food did not come I would politely gesture the waiter to tell him / her about the problem. In Hong Kong we would’ve just told them we are not paying and that we are leaving now.
- When I am walking down in the crowded streets of Hong Kong, I find myself swearing at every 2nd person that is blocking my path.
- I snap at even my closest friends when my mood is bad.
I didn’t know when this started, but it became apparent the last few months. I am especially bad when I am tired, as I don’t have the energy to put with life’s little minor annoyances. This leads to my second point. I spend more money than I should. Maybe it’s the freedom that comes with living by yourself, but my once responsible fiscal policies have gone out the door with stupid purchases in the last few months. Not that I am broke or anything, but my savings have been stagnant. This hasn’t happen since…well..I can’t remember when that happen. Maybe it’s the lavish lifestyle that Hong Kong promotes. But I definitely don’t enjoy this.
Thirdly, Hong Kong is undoubtedly a Sin City. Meaning, people will come and go just like that. People use each other for benefits. If you have nothing to offer, you get left behind. Unfortunately, I feel like I am turning into one of those people. That is a big No.
Finally, I am no longer grounded. This is what I miss about Toronto the most. I have a supportive group that would bring me down to Earth. I think being grounded is one of the most thing a successful person must have. When you start to think you’re above everyone else, that is when you will fall hard. That being said, I do love Hong Kong. It has provided me with experiences, opportunities, and knowledge that I would have never obtained if I was back home still But when there are positives, there are bound to be negatives. What you can do is enjoy the positives, and try to minimize the negatives. In the ever changing society we live today, one must constantly reflect on oneself and make adjustments. And with the four points I noted above, I will try my best to improve. Thanks HK for the lessons. Ciao.
EAT SOME CHOI 
Hi, I always wanted to say thanks for coming all the way from the other side of the world and becoming my friend. I understand that it takes a lot of courage and “pain” to move to a totally different place when one is having a stable life. So, you are great! In my opinion, travelling does help me learn more about the world, most importantly, about myself (and what I want to do and cherish in life)! It is indeed easy to get lost in the material world in Hong Kong. Hope you will be a better man after all the travelling… Thanks for being a “lovely” presence in the past 15 months. haha
Hehe thanks Jane for dropping by.
Don’t know about being a better man, but Hong Kong definitely has changed me. Anyways, see you soon ya?!
Thanks Munky Choi for your insights. I love reading about living elsewhere in this great big world, what a difference in perspectives between the two countries. Thanks again for sharing.
Thanks for taking the time to read my post.
I have the opportunity to travel to different part of the world, and it’s amazing how different each country can be.
Hong Kong is a tough place to live in, but it’s also a beautiful city that has provided me with plenty of excellent memories.
I read some of your posts as well. Awesome reviews on the restaurants! Will continue reading.
Cheers!