Summary

• Expectations vs Reality: "English First" doesn't work. Service speed is tied to the city's fast pace rather than just language.
• Cultural Tension: Strong preservation of local identity through Cantonese, despite visible political shifts.
• Urban Reality: Witnessed stark wealth inequality and cramped living conditions, which explains the constant rush and impatience.
• Appreciate what we have: Our freedom, stability, and comfort.

Introduction

Before our trip to Hong Kong, Rachel gave me a strict rule: always speak English first. She values comfort and good service, and she knew the local reputation. Hong Kongers are known for being impatient. They also have a history of giving bad service to Mandarin speakers due to tensions with mainland tourists.

I believe in finding the good in people first. To let them prove you otherwise. So I encouraged her to give them a chance. Together, we went to Hong Kong with a fresh perspective, aiming to observe and form our own opinions about the places that we visit.

Forced way of life

Walking around spots like Ngong Ping and Disneyland, the recent political shifts are obvious. China and Hong Kong flags fly side by side. The new laws force a certain way of life, but you can still feel a quiet tension on the ground. Locals seem to protect their identity through language. They show a special warmth to anyone who speaks Cantonese. It feels like their way of staying "Hong Kong."

In our experience, speaking English did not change the service quality. Life in Hong Kong just moves on fast forward. If you are not ready to order, they will get annoyed regardless of the language you speak.

It was obvious we were not from the mainland anyway. Our Mandarin is mixed with "lah" and "lor". We switch languages in the middle of a sentence, which probably confused them. Once locals realized we were Singaporean, the mood often softened. A taxi driver even spent an entire ride complaining to us about tourists.

The reality of living there

You truly start to understand their impatience when you see how they live. The city is heavily congested and the wealth gap is huge. You see shiny new Teslas sharing the road with old taxis. Extreme poverty sits right next to wealth in places like Mong Kok. Space is small, meals are expensive, and you have to climb hills everywhere because escalators are rare. When you just want to get home to rest in such a crowded place, it makes sense that people are on edge.

Appreciating what we have

Visiting Hong Kong made me look back at Singapore. We are both developed cities, but the differences on the ground are stark. Hong Kong shows what happens when a city grows but leaves people behind. It highlights the inequality that happens when success becomes more about who you know rather than how hard you work.

We take our life in Singapore for granted at times. As Singaporeans, we tend to complain about our life. How things are expensive. How high stress, pressure cooker environment that we are in. Yet, the grass is always greener on the other side. We have freedom. We do not live in fear. We are working towards a more equitable society. We are progressing towards a utopian society.

This however, may not last forever. Which is why we should work hard to make sure our society does not end up with the same divides. To gather our Kampong Spirit, identify issues, and drive meaningful change that will leave a lasting impact for our future generation.

We cannot take our stability for granted. True progress only matters if no one gets left behind. It starts with us choosing to look out for one another today, so we can protect the home we have built for tomorrow.