In late 2021, I moved to Hong Kong for six months. My partner and I enjoyed it so much that we ended up staying nearly a year and a half. We moved to New York City shortly after that, and I started my job at Figma. 

I always thought I’d document the trip some other time—which I did a little bit, but largely never got around to. We recently returned for a short visit, and I wanted to scribble down some notes so I didn’t make the same mistake as last time:

• I grew up in North America, so I’m fluent in speaking and writing English. (I’m known as a jook-sing (竹升), the opposite of a FOB. Neither of which were originally used as positive terms). I felt incredibly confused about my identity—was I Canadian, Chinese, or Hong Kong? I’m not saying I don’t feel confused anymore—but after living in Hong Kong, things make a lot more sense to me now.
• I can only speak Cantonese, and until I moved to Hong Kong I felt embarrassed about it. I felt disgusted when I heard my own accents and mispronunciations, and other people often responded with courtesy, confusion, or condescension. This was particularly difficult for me because my command of English is strong enough for me to write a book, and yet I was so illiterate in Chinese and Cantonese that I needed to rely on translations. I heard praise for non-Chinese people who spoke Chinese fluently, but Chinese people who can speak non-Chinese languages (like English) are a dime a dozen—nothing worth noting.
• On my first couple of short visits to Hong Kong, I could barely give instructions to a taxi driver. But after actually living in Hong Kong, I had more opportunities to speak, and my competence and confidence developed. When I returned to Canada for a quick visit to my family, they were shocked at how polished my spoken Cantonese had gotten. Friends would challenge me to order at a dim sum restaurant, and I’d happily rise to the occasion.
• Hong Kong is particularly good for a jook-sing to learn Cantonese because many people here speak three languages—Cantonese, Mandarin, and English—and they have no problems mixing them together in the same sentence.
• I started recovering many memories from a really early childhood trip to Hong Kong (the only time I left North America before I could pay for my own travel) and remembered the initial culture shock, and eventually developed a really strong appreciation for the culture, environment, and design. For example, I really enjoyed mall culture and how well connected everything was in Hong Kong—I would draw environments like that as a child whenever I had spare time. 
• If you really want a glimpse into how some locals live, check out the mall. Malls are where many locals choose to spend their time. (This was a lesson I took with me to Ala Moana in Hawaii.) The retail workers aren’t setting tourist traps.
• Even though I look and can speak like a local, my tastes and behavior probably bear much more resemblance to an expat. I vowed to do my best to fit in when I moved here, and felt bad when I failed to connect with the local scene, but I realized that this was unnecessary pressure I was putting on myself. On the plane trip from New York to Hong Kong, I saw many fellow passengers totally comfortable with being themselves—and it was a helpful reminder for me to do the same.
• I previously mentioned a photography exhibit I came across, and I was shocked at how little I knew or could visualize about how my parents grew up. Hong Kong bears little resemblance to those environments now, but I can see how difficult it must have been for them (and why they might want to move away). Our experiences with Hong Kong are very different.
• I started writing every day at this blog in Hong Kong. In fact I just sat in the same room—table and chair—that I started this practice earlier today. I like to think I would have made the same decision somewhere else, but I made it happen here. I feel grateful for that.
• It’s a weird time to tell people you’re going to be in Hong Kong, when a lot of people have left, and even more people are moving in. It could easily be a full-time job to catch up on all of the reading and opinions. I am in the lucky position of being informed enough to know how much more informed I could be.
• There are many people who have left Hong Kong decades ago that still tune in to the news and media—enough for a handful of businesses like Fairchild TV to serve this need. It seems like people can leave but their hearts and minds find it difficult to let go.
• My taxi passed 11 Skies last night and I was very impressed. The closest thing in Manhattan is Hudson Yards, and it’s not in the same league.

I’m glad I wrote all of that down. It feels great—like I’m coming back home, in some ways. (I feel the same about returning to Toronto and now New York.) Still, clearly, writing to think and very hungry to learn more.