Anastasia hits up Hong Kong

I’ve only been in Hong Kong for a month and already I’ve seen so much: the busy city life, the corporate world, the local life, and the hidden peaceful harbors just a few minutes away. When people come to HK, they expect traffic, crowds, and skyscrapers; but HK is a coastal city, and with that come tremendous rains and golden beaches.

Everywhere there is food and shopping of all sorts. I’ve met a local girl, Candice, and her friends; when I’m with them, we go out for Chinese or Thai food, ordering several dishes and sharing. The sauces are rich and spicy, and my favorite local menu item is milk ice tea. However, HK is also a city of expats, foreigners living in HK for a couple of months or years, so western food is available closer to Hollywood Road in the Central district.

Hong Kong is less known for its developing arts,

but I have visited the Hong Kong International Art Fair and an exhibition of art up for auction by Christie’s. Whereas the art at the Fair was bold and modern, the auction pieces were ancient jade figurines and carved rhino horns. The art fair was a busy occasion in a giant space at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Center in Wan Chai; the auction exhibition took place in the same building but was much more quiet and upscale. I got a chance to meet some of the giants of the Hong Kong corporate world there.

The business culture is different as well. Working in an investor relations firm, I have learned about the friction between U.S. investors and Chinese firms. Whereas the U.S. investors prefer to be informed of negative news and think for themselves, Chinese companies have a strong sense of honor and “saving face,” preferring to focus only on good news, even if they are faring better than their competitors. The internship, with Elite IR, is one of the best I’ve had; so far, I have not had a single day of “busy work,” only meaningful assignments. I am working with corporate profiles, investor report PowerPoint presentations, and investor relations websites. Next week, I will be visiting the headquarters of a major client, City Telecom, in Guangzhou, China.

At the end of the month I will be moving on-campus at the Chinese University of Hong Kong, which is located in the New Territories up north. Away from the center of the city, English is less widely spoken, but I’m sure I’ll connect with other foreign students in the International Summer School program and will keep up with my expat friends from Central. I have already met one of the students who will be in the program this summer. My local friend Candice is leaving to study abroad in London and Paris, but she has introduced me to her friends from school, with whom I will still meet after she’s gone off to Europe.