I had heard this before, but its more true than ever. Every conversation (well, almost every) I overhear in and around this metropolis is about money. From work colleagues to the sushi chefs preparing lunch behind the bar. Most recently, my colleagues seems to know the price of everything. If I ask their interest in a particular activity, say BBQ at a park, the response is not a "Yes, interested" or "No, thanks", rather it is a "$53HKD per hour". I'm typically dumbfounded as that doesn't clarify whether they want to do it or not.
Similarly today I was picking up dessert bar food overhearing the sushi chefs chat about charging customers "extra $12 for type X of food", or "why would I go to that noodle restaurant since the fishball soup went up by $2".
I hate to stereotype, but if you take time to listen to conversations (mostly in Chinese, unfortunately) on the MTR Subway, its the same....
So Asians are good with money. I would argue though, a bit obsessed with nickels and dimes.
Friday, March 30, 2012
Monday, March 26, 2012
Lost my voice, HK "elections", 13k Trail Run, Singapore
I have lost my voice. Probably a combination of the bad cold I caught from Singapore's 35C then Air Conditioning last week + karaoke + gin tonics + volleyball?! Anyway its the first time I ever remember this happening, so I took today as a sick day!
Hong Kong "elected" their new Chief Executive yesterday, CY Leung. Apparently its a select group of 1200 pro-establishment and pro-business people who get to 'vote'. Lots of protests around. Both Leung and Tang are backed by Beijing. And the Democratic Party guy didn't get many votes. On the one hand, this is not a democracy at all. On the other hand, its not clear to me that HK was ever a democracy even under the British?! And whoever has been in charge thus far seemed to fully back 'free business' (best place in world for corporations, low tax etc), at the extreme expense of quality of life for average citizens. Apparently only 20% of Hong Kongers pay income tax (and its pretty damn low tax rate to begin) because their incomes are so low. And the air and housing quality leave much to be improved. I'm going to keep my eye on this. Hardly patting myself on the back for being politically involved, but I'm becoming more "aware" than other Expats who just "use" this city temporarily and don't care for it.
On the work front, I spent a few days in Beijing where the weather was pleasant. However my hotel experience horrifying (dirty water from 5 star hotel tap). Also caught up with Hong Kong colleagues some of whom thought I was not even based here! Other than that, nothing particularly interesting, yawn.
On the home front, Stephen and I have been more active and social. We completed a very hilly trail run on Mar 18th (Hysan) at Tai Lam Country Park (near Yuan Long). The final 800m was a vertical climb - highly demoralizing and unheroic finish! It was a sudden 27C and hot that day so water was much needed. Thereafter we enjoyed a nice buffet in Mongkok's Langham Hotel with two other friends. We also had nice meals with out of town guests from UK (Sam Cho) and JP Kong from France at Lei Yue Mun seafood (rip-off) market and Korean in Causeway Bay. Stephen's MBA friend also moved here from Toronto. Also volleyball was enjoyed again finally (its SOO hard to book courts here) followed by a good Thai restaurant in Pok Fu Lam (Kennedy Town).
I spent a few days in Singapore primarily with Family. Drama. Was glad to be back in Hong Kong!
Looking forward to travels to Yunnan province over Easter after my friend Nancy's wedding here in Hong Kong. And we signed up for our first half marathon (night run in Singapore)! Yikes!
Hong Kong "elected" their new Chief Executive yesterday, CY Leung. Apparently its a select group of 1200 pro-establishment and pro-business people who get to 'vote'. Lots of protests around. Both Leung and Tang are backed by Beijing. And the Democratic Party guy didn't get many votes. On the one hand, this is not a democracy at all. On the other hand, its not clear to me that HK was ever a democracy even under the British?! And whoever has been in charge thus far seemed to fully back 'free business' (best place in world for corporations, low tax etc), at the extreme expense of quality of life for average citizens. Apparently only 20% of Hong Kongers pay income tax (and its pretty damn low tax rate to begin) because their incomes are so low. And the air and housing quality leave much to be improved. I'm going to keep my eye on this. Hardly patting myself on the back for being politically involved, but I'm becoming more "aware" than other Expats who just "use" this city temporarily and don't care for it.
On the work front, I spent a few days in Beijing where the weather was pleasant. However my hotel experience horrifying (dirty water from 5 star hotel tap). Also caught up with Hong Kong colleagues some of whom thought I was not even based here! Other than that, nothing particularly interesting, yawn.
On the home front, Stephen and I have been more active and social. We completed a very hilly trail run on Mar 18th (Hysan) at Tai Lam Country Park (near Yuan Long). The final 800m was a vertical climb - highly demoralizing and unheroic finish! It was a sudden 27C and hot that day so water was much needed. Thereafter we enjoyed a nice buffet in Mongkok's Langham Hotel with two other friends. We also had nice meals with out of town guests from UK (Sam Cho) and JP Kong from France at Lei Yue Mun seafood (rip-off) market and Korean in Causeway Bay. Stephen's MBA friend also moved here from Toronto. Also volleyball was enjoyed again finally (its SOO hard to book courts here) followed by a good Thai restaurant in Pok Fu Lam (Kennedy Town).
I spent a few days in Singapore primarily with Family. Drama. Was glad to be back in Hong Kong!
Looking forward to travels to Yunnan province over Easter after my friend Nancy's wedding here in Hong Kong. And we signed up for our first half marathon (night run in Singapore)! Yikes!
Thursday, March 8, 2012
3-8 International Women's Day
Today is 3/8 (Mar 8) - International Women's Day. I look back at the last year and reflect on how much more aware I've become of women's issues and progress in the workplace and in society as a whole. To be honest, out of the 60+ directors and VPs in my department, only 4 are women (including the head SVP, thank gosh) - so 6.7%. Not great at all. You can excuse it on us being in the 'high tech' industry, but honestly its pretty bad at senior levels in finance or any major industry. I was even voted to represent the Hong Kong office in our internal women's network. But most of my colleagues are interested in social activities and not real women's issues (I can't force them, but it is disappointing to see). Additionally per the APEC Women's Summit back in Sept in San Francisco, women's representation on boards, at senior levels in industry and beyond mid-level is declining in mature countries. But it starts in the home and from local culture (in my view). And Hong Kong is far more progressive than other countries - even in North America!
Long story short - we have tons of work to do to progress women to be equal participants in our society and economy. The question is, do we all care enough to even set this as our goal?
Long story short - we have tons of work to do to progress women to be equal participants in our society and economy. The question is, do we all care enough to even set this as our goal?
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