Hong Kong's Dirty Little Secret

Cosmopolitan London – Photograph from Shutterstock

Another beautiful day on Hong Kong island. I woke up with a really discomforting feeling so I leapt out of bed and ran straight out. The last few days have been sunny and hot, which has been really nice to run about in.

Opening my email, a friend had sent me a really interesting but sad article "Hospital Pays Compensation Over 'Racism' Death", and then this follow up article, "It Seemed Impossible, But At Last Martin Jacques Got Justice For The Wife He Loved". WOW this case really hit me hard. "Hong Kong's dirty little secret". I immediately wrote a quick email to Martin Jacques to thank him for his writings, and for his lengthy fight for justice for his wife. I mainly wanted to thank him for his acknowledgment of a reality in Hong Kong and South-East Asia that many are not even willing to entertain. He is an example of a truly open expatriate, living his life abroad, and making his world a better place day at a time. People often confuse expat living for open-mindedness... and I can tell you from plenty of personal experience it is NOT!

A mere 4 months into Hong Kong and it didn't take long to feel this state of constant judgment, because of the colour of my skin. I was born in the UK, and had been lucky enough to spend my childhood in not one, but two countries, so I was used to a bit of name calling, and ignorant statements about what people thought of me, or what they believed I believed. The worst it had ever gotten in school was the boys trying to rough me up, but not realising that I was a tough cookie that knew how to throw a good right hook back! So I could take what Hong Kong had to throw at me. I had been warned by other travellers that Asian culture would judge me by my darker skin tone, but I had no clue I needed to expect it at all from a city that is considered one of the most cosmopolitan and modern in this region. 

Growing up in suburban Surrey in the 80's and 90's, being the only non-white family down our road at the time, we definitely stuck out. And then moving to Sri Lanka at the age of 10 and being the novelty "coconut" – brown on the outside, white on the inside – was an unwanted label to grow up with. I was accepted in neither, in the UK I wasn't 'English', in Sri Lanka I wasn't 'Sinhalese', so from a very young age, I learnt that I had to think for myself, and be independent of wanting to belong to social groups or categories, because simply, I was always going to be "different". As I got older things got better, having moved back to the UK full-time from the age of 18, and moving into London, a city where multiculturalism is strongly advocated. I heard less ignorant chat, and noticed less judgemental looks. Londoners didn't care that I not only looked different, but also dressed and behaved differently. I became part of an innovative and ever-evolving city culture which is still to-date the reason I will love London forever. 

I think what shocks me more in Hong Kong is the hesitation people have to talk about it, or even acknowledge that it is real. For example, if I happened to bring it up in conversation, very commonly through an event or experience that I had recently encountered, often times I found people getting very uncomfortable and changing the subject. Or even worse, telling me that they didn't see it at all. I mean I get it. How can you walk a day in my shoes when you refuse to even try my shoes on? ᐂ