People always want a "local" POV when traveling but let me tell you... expats give you a very special kind of context.
I spent my week in Hong Kong with a bunch of foreigners who've lived in the city for 2-10 years and it was such a unique way to see the city.
Locals don't always know what's different or unique about their culture because it's all they've ever known.
Expats know what sticks out and they've been around long enough to explain the context behind it.
My entry point into the expat community in Hong Kong was through my now-friend Gabe.
A few weeks ago, I asked for Hong Kong recommendations on Instagram and an old friend was quick to reply. She grew up in LA, but I met her in CDMX... and now her high school boyfriend runs a Mexican restaurant in Hong Kong.
(What are the odds? 😆)
They've kept in touch so she was quick to offer up an intro. And luckily, Gabe was down!
And that’s the first thing about expats: we’ve all been the new kid far from home. It doesn’t take much for us to agree to a coffee date with a mutual friend. And, if you pass a vibe check, we’re quick to CC you on all our plans for the week.
Which is basically happened to me in Hong Kong!
I spent several nights bar crawling around central Hong Kong with Gabe and his friends. And, because he works in hospitality, he knew someone everywhere we went. Sometimes they were the owners or bartenders, and sometimes they were other hospitality folks just out for a night of their own.
We met people everywhere we went—from the mainland and the US, but also Ukraine, Sri Lanka, India, Australia, and a dozen other places I can't remember.
It was the kind of trip that I could never replicate because I was mostly along for the ride. But that sort of ephemeral trip magic always makes for the most unique experience.
One where I learned a lot about a city I didn't know much about. Not from people who were born there, but people who chose to be there because they want to be.
A few things that stuck out:
- It’s humid as hell - like 100% humidity every damn day. I was there for the first week of summer (mid-April)... which lasts all the way until November. 🙃
- The city is full of hills and stairs, which means you will arrive everywhere with a thin (or not-so-thin) layer of sweat.
- English is pervasive. Every bar/restaurant/store has English speakers and even hole in the wall noodle spots had enough on the menu that I could order with a point and a smile. I don’t think I used Google Translate once.
- The city is (geographically) tiny and the amazing public transit makes it easy to get around. (It's not going to save you from the hills though.)
- Everything is fast and efficient. Shit just works. I didn't notice until another expat pointed it out and I think that's because I'm used to efficiency looking neat, orderly, and/or technology-advanced. But even when it's not that, HK has a way. Even the aforementioned noodle stands have a process that gets your order in your hands quickly with no fuss and no mutual language.
- Expats are everywhere. There aren't more than in other big cities, but they're your bartenders, waiters, office workers, etc. in a way I don't see elsewhere. Apparently it's much easier to get a work visa in Hong Kong than it is in other places (where they're usually reserved for super skilled/senior workers). Gabe got his first visa to work at a restaurant with just an associate's degree and a few years of experience... which is wild in comparison to the US, Europe, and even Mexico.
- Languages aren't a barrier. I asked a bar owner if it was hard to support so many languages, and he said it was a non-issue. They always had Cantonese, Mandarin, and English covered and that was without much effort. He said it like languages were at a surplus, and he himself was an expat who didn't speak Cantonese or Mandarin.
Speaking of the bars...
Where to Drink in Hong Kong 🇭🇰
I wouldn't be me if I didn't round up my favorite drinking spots in the city!
Including one bar that's going on my personal "favorite bars in the world list," if only because it's a great bar that could only exist in Hong Kong. And in a connected world like ours, bars like that are getting harder to find.
Next up: a few weeks of train travel through Japan!
In the meantime, maybe forward this to your friend who has Hong Kong on their bucket list?
