(Him: Charlie)
Happy Chinese New Year!! If New Year is about embracing changes and new beginnings,
then this past New Year of 2013 was a perfect one to celebrate, as Jo and I
settled into our new life in Hong Kong!
Although I had visited Hong Kong a few times, I’ve never
lived or worked here. So having grown accustomed to the life in the Toronto
suburb, the different life style in Hong Kong did take a bit of getting used
to. To name a few changes, like millions of other people in this compact city,
we now live in a tiny little apartment among a massive housing estate; we no
longer own a car, but rely on the super efficient public transit to get around;
we no longer have the sidewalk to ourselves, but share it shoulder-to-shoulder
with a seemly never ending crowd; we no longer stock up food for a whole week,
but simply walk downstairs for a snack, or two more minutes to a lively market.
It is uneasy to forego the personal space I was used to, but at the same time,
it is fascinating to experience the sophisticated urbanism and tight-knit
communities.
Work wise, after two months of ramping up, I am almost fully
integrated into the group – this means rushing on every task and churning out
deliverables at crazy pace. So far, working has been quite challenging as I try
to grasp the way of life in the office and the expectation of boss and clients.
Colleagues are easy-going and collaborative. As for my boss, albeit being a
workaholic and demanding at times, she is absolutely dedicated to her job and is
a reasonable boss. For some reason, I feel she and my mom share a similar
personality – both have an utmost devotion to things they commit to.
The water industry in Hong Kong (possibly the whole region)
faces a lot of challenges, as many facilities have to cope with tremendous
growth demands and ridiculously tight space constraints. As a result, I see adoption
of cutting edge technologies and processes, which we only talk about in North
America. I am convinced that I will absorb knowledge like a sponge and, in
combination of the fast pace here, drastically increase my skills in the next
few years!
Having said the above, I am not sure if I can handle working
in Hong Kong forever. Life can be demanding here, so you don’t always get the
chance to look around, pause and think about where you are headed. You can
easily get overwhelmed, totally submerged, and trapped in the rat race!
Luckily, Jo and I are both adventurous people, and hopefully we can remind each
other of our aspirations and goals.
