This weekend will mark a year since I left sunny Sydney for the never ending hustle of Hong Kong.
The more I live here the more I love it BUT I’ve realised that I continually adopt local habits! (You can read the first few local habits here).
Here are seven more fun local habits I find myself doing on a regular basis.
Recently we celebrated the Mid-Autumn Festival here in Hong Kong and a big part of this festival is the popular tradition of eating moon cakes.
Previously I hadn’t heard many positives about Moon Cakes, especially the ‘proper’ Moon Cakes that have a salted egg in the middle, but I was determined to try one.
Over the holiday period I searched Kennedy Town high and low and eventually I got my hands on a lotus bean paste moon cake and I LOVED IT!
Since then my friends have told me how many calories they contain, but I can’t wait for the next round of moon cakes to hit the bakeries!
Back in Australia I used to love getting up early before work and going for a run around the streets or at the beach.
But here in Hong Kong, not so much.
The streets are still busy between 6-7am with oldies doing god knows what and helpers taking the kids to school (yes, kids go to ‘school’ at that ridiculous hour!).
So it’s safe to say that running on the streets is far form pleasant.
Recently I’ve succumbed to walking around-and-around in a circle at Belchers Bay Park!
Despite getting somewhat bored I do enjoy it as most people walk in the same direction, they ‘give way’ to faster walkers/runners AND I get to sing along to the Canto grandma’s tunes blaring out of her boom box as her and her friends all dance around doing their exercises!
I remember being taught in pre-school that when a platter of food is presented to you, ‘you must eat what ever you touch.’
I also remember my Pa and Dad getting very annoyed at the international uni students in my hometown who would touch, poke, prod and squeeze every fruit and vegetable at the grocery store.
However, I found I do it relentlessly here in Hong Kong. (Because EVERYONE does!).
So if you can’t beat them, join them!
Sticking with the grocery theme, I’ve finally purchased a re-usable shopping bag and I keep it in my handbag at all times.
In Hong Kong they now charge 50 cents for every shopping bag you consume (regardless of where you are shopping).
50 HKD cents isn’t that much and I like to use the bags for my rubbish, but I just couldn’t take the accusing stares and aggressive questioning anymore!
My reply to the gruffly asked question “Missy you want bag?” which is often accompanied by a death-stare is now “No thanks, I BYO’d!”
Selfie Sticks are synonymous with Asia and I love mine.
Over the last year I have bought multiple for friends and family who have visited Hong Kong and as a result, I now have a dealer!
I go to the same guy in the Wanchai market and he looks after me every time – he even gives me a discount on the coveted hand held fans!
Winning!
I first tried durian on a local food tour here in Hong Kong and I loved it!
Durian is known to taste like heaven and smell like hell, which is quite an accurate description!
As I walk into my local supermarket often I’m bowled over by the durian stench…..however, I still swing by the durian stall and pick myself up a packet of the pre-sliced custardy flesh!
You either love it or you hate it and I haven’t met too many expats here who love it like the locals and myself!
I’m an Aussie and I like the heat.
But a Hong Kong summer is like nothing else. The extreme humidity mixed with high temperatures really messes with your internal thermostat.
As a result, I find myself complaining that the ‘breeze is a bit nippy’ on a 24 degree Celsius day!
During the summer months the four air conditioners in my flat were going at top speed 24/7.
But now that the temperature has dipped to a chilly 24 degrees in the evening I have my dressing gown and slippers on and I sleep under a blanket!
However, my body temperature isn’t that messed up that I’ll wear a puffer jacket, leather pants and knee high ugg boots out during the day like some of the locals!
This cartoon from HK Magazine sums it up perfectly!
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Now over to you!
Do you live in Hong Kong (or you’re an expat elsewhere) and you’ve found yourself ‘becoming local?’
I would love for you to share your new ‘local’ characteristics with me in the comments below!
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Love,
