Mint Mocha Musings

The hotelier's wife: an expat affair around the globe

The Big 5: Shop till You Drop in Hong Kong

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The top five shopping spots in the Kong. Recently here at Mint Mocha Musings we brought you The Big 5: Transport Yourself into Hong Kong's Heartland, a list of those can't miss sights, when you're making that flying visit into the frenetic fusion where east meets west. Let's face it, we all like to have the insider's lowdown before we visit a new city and if we live in Hong Kong and are having visitors, it's a god send! As you may know, Mint Mocha Musings is (in the near future) moving to China! (And hopefully, you'll come with me (virtually of course.) So as my parting gift - this month, ladies and gents, it's about the true essence of Hong Kong. Yep! We're going shopping! All you self-confessed shop'oholics out there, grab your most fashionable walking shoes and arm yourself with a serious pair of bag-carrying biceps. First time in the world's shopping capital? It's game on. Having paced the streets for a good few years now, sniffing out the best spots for some serious retail therapy, I'm going to narrow it down to those five areas worth trekking to, especially if you're on a tight schedule in the mighty Kong. #1 CENTRAL - Like it or not, you just can't miss an excursion to downtown Central. This is undoubtedly Hong Kong's hub and even if you don't pick up anything in your travels, it's certainly worth a look for the sheer frenzy-factor alone. Warning: it's crowded, so prepare to make like a bull in a China shop and charge! (Either that or get swallowed up in the madness.) From luxurious designer digs like LV, Coach and Prada, to the ancient lane ways, bearing cheap and cheerful trinkets, there's something for everyone here, you just have to look. The Landmark Shopping Mall on the corner of D'aguilar Street/Queens Road is where you'll find a myriad of glamorous high-end shop fronts like Dior, Balenciaga, Chanel, Armani and Jimmy Choo as well as Asia's only Harvey Nichols. Opposite is the famous Abercrombie & Fitch standing statuesque with its red velvet carpet, glitzy chandeliers and booming tunes. Up a little further, in much the same vicinity you'll find flagship retailers like Marks and Spencer, Cotton On, Gap, Top Shop and most recently the city's biggest and brightest Zara! There's also a very suave Shanghai Tang just off Queens Road in Duddell St. If you're after a quality Chinese suit, dress or handbag to remind you of those oriental days in the fragrant harbour, this sophisticated store is the place to be. Further down, you'll find quintessential Hong Kong. Li Yuen Street West and Li Yuen Street East, known as The Lanes are  markets selling everything from Chinese dresses, kid's clothes, silks, handbags and trinkets, at very reasonable prices. If you're up for a walk, keep trekking along Queens Road to Sheung Wan, where you'll find a smorgasbord of dried food shops stocking all sorts of weird and wonderful treats, including dried abalone, black moss and snakeskin - essential items for the traditional Chinese kitchen! There's also Cat Street, which has nothing to do with our furry friends, but instead houses plenty of souvenirs (including much-treasured Ming Dynasty furniture). There are also plenty of charming little cafes springing up along Tai Ping Shan Street, if you need to relax and regroup before the next retail round! Head further up the hill, either on foot (heels not advised) or take the Central-Mid Levels escalator (this is the world's longest outdoor escalator by the way) and stop off in Soho for a host of cute boutiques, galleries and historic antique shops. Here you'll find that something extra special and out of the ordinary. It's thirsty work but don't worry, there's a plethora of cafes and restaurants beckoning you to take a pit stop. Stay on until early evening and soak up the lively Soho/LKF outdoor bar atmosphere. Watch as the city really wakes up! #2 CAUSEWAY BAY - It's shopping mania and if you haven't keeled over yet from all the excitement, jump on one of the city's oldest modes of transport, the double decker tram or for a slightly quicker arrival (depending on traffic) take a red cab and head to Hong Kong's New York city equivalent, Times Square! With 16 floors, you'll find it heaving with everything from high end to high street fashion. But if you feel like you've seen it all before, don't despair - head over to the city's biggest department store, Japanese retailer SOGO. A mere 13 floors, SOGO sells everything from beauty to fashion, as well as electrical goods. Don't forget to stop in Forever 21 on the way past, this clothing store is worthy of a good browse with endless racks bringing catwalk fashion prices to the affordability of high street! (Don't miss the top floor for a treasure chest of accessories.) For some more market action, it's worth scooting through the narrow and crowded Jardine's Bazaar, just in case there's a teeny tiny stall holding a bargain with your name on it. Don't be afraid to venture into some of the smaller shopping malls in Causeway Bay either - it's here you'll find all sorts of quirky fashion pieces. #3 STANLEY MARKETS - First time to Hong Kong (even second or third) you really can't miss Stanley Markets. Away from the hustle and bustle of Hong Kong, this quaint village is a scenic ride (via cab or bus) that winds along Hong Kong's stunning south coast. Here, you'll find everything from local trinkets and oriental souvenirs to galleries boasting paintings of all things 'Hong Kong,' handbags (two for one ladies), linen, costume jewellery, sneakers, kids toys (big and small) and kids clothes, plus men's clothing in larger sizes. Keep your eyes peeled because you might also come across some genuine designer brands on display as imperfect seconds or factory surplus stock! NB: Most stores do allow bartering for your bargain, but beware - prices are not as low as other Hong Kong markets. The best bit, after you've huffed and puffed your way through the narrow lane ways, treat yourself to lunch or dinner alfresco style. Perch yourself on a seat along the picturesque promenade at one of the many western style restaurants. Exhale and cast your eye across the beautiful bay. You're in Hong Kong! #4 MONGKOK LADIES MARKETS - Got a taste for the local market scene? Then, my friends, the famed Ladies Markets are not to be missed. Open every day of the year, except the first day of Chinese New Year, this is officially the world's most crowded and prosperous corner! Located on Hong Kong's Kowloon side, take the MTR or a taxi where you can spend at least an hour roaming this one kilometre stretch of stalls that are literally overflowing with more hand bags, iPad cases, children's dress-up costumes, cheap jewellery, travel goods and denim than you can poke a stick at! Here, bartering is in full force, so you can haggle to your heart's content.  The rule of thumb is to go down to a quarter of the cost and if need be, double it so you end up paying around fifty per cent. Bear in mind if you're one of the first customers of the day, you're considered 'lucky' and might be in line for a cheaper price. Don't forget, much of Hong Kong sleeps until noon and these markets don't really liven up until around 2pm. If your bargain seems to good too be true, relax, there's every chance it is. The busiest corner of the world is home to a lot of counterfeit goods. (You can check out my previous post 'Counterfeit Craze' here.)  With everything produced in China, it's shipped over the border and sold at rock-bottom prices. In other words you get what you pay for. It's all in the name of good fun though! Right?! While you're there, adjacent to the markets, you'll find Sneaker Street and Sim City. Sneaker Street is loaded with shops carrying the obvious. Sim City is an electronic lover's paradise, with computers, accessories, software and cameras lining the shelves... and all of reputable quality, I might add. (Trust me on this, I even brought my husband's birthday present here!) Still cashed up? The day's not over yet - walk under the subway across Nathan Road and you'll find Langham Place - with more than 200 shops, including an entire floor dedicated to shoes and another one purely to cosmetics, shoppers, how can you go wrong! It also sporting a very busy H & M with Esprit and Gap just a hop, skip and a jump across the road. All this shopping making you a bit famished? Don't be afraid to try the city's famous Dai Pai Dongs or street food stalls. You might be surprised at just how tasty fish balls, congee and milk tea are (not to mention dirt cheap)! More money to shop with right! #TSIM SHA TSUI - Locally known as TST, on Kowloon side - you can catch the iconic Star Ferry from Hong Kong Island. Here you'll find everything in one block (albeit a rather big one). Harbour City Shopping Centre is (naturally) packed with your regular designer digs (you're in Hong Kong remember) including Manolo Blahnik, Hermes and Chanel. Upstairs Zara and Nine West flank swanky cafes along with a range of shops perhaps a little more unique to Hong Kong. Walk right through to the end and you'll find yourself in Ocean Terminal. This is mainly for the little people. Kid's clothes galore in every shape and size (warning: they may be for the small person, but many are still designer digs, and come at a designer price!). There's a rather GI-normous Toys R Us, that you may never, ever escape once you enter. If you can, from here, it's worth a walk up Canton Road for a spot of gold jewellery shopping (and plenty of people watching) or start the trek along busy Nathan Road, which is filled with nail salons, tailors, more jewellers, cosmetics and quite simply, most things imaginable. Don't mind the local hawkers trying to sell you copy watches and bags, they really are pretty harmless! Phew! So, from me to you, that's one way of shopping till you drop in the mighty Kong! If you have the time and want to get a bit more local with your shopping experience, this post here, Word on the Street might just satisfy your curiosity. Happy Shopping!     … [Read more...]

Stop the Press: We’re Moving to China!

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Almost four years on board the expat train in the multi-layered metropolis of Hong Kong, it's time to call it a day. I knew this post was coming… in fact I've known since the day we decided to pull up stumps and relocate from our home in Australia -- that one day it would all come to an end. To be honest with you, the day I stepped foot in humid, heaving Honkers - I already had my eyes on the finish line. I'll give it two years (at best) I thought, then we'll go home. But with time comes acceptance, assimilation and ultimately adoption. I've unexpectedly fallen in love with this intoxicating city, enough to start a serious relationship and call it home - 43 floors up.  In fact, I've spent more of my married life in Asia's World City than in Australia and have experienced the biggest life-changing event of all in the city that (appropriately) never sleeps - motherhood! When my toddler asks where she's from it's Hong Kong (Kowloon to be precise) her home is a very tall building called Gwun Lum Tin Ha and she thrives on a diet of dim sum and rice. Truth be told, I've also (surprisingly) become a little bit addicted to expat life. It sneaks up on you. Before you know it, you're hailing cabs like a woman possessed, wielding chopsticks with an element of finesse and crowd jamming with the best of 'em. For the last 18 months though, 'normal' life has been interspersed with a roller coaster ride of emotions - heart racing moments, highs and lows, plenty of what ifs, what next and how the hell?! With a husband in hotels, they like you to progress and conquer, meaning the next role is never too far out of sight. There's an unspoken rule…don't get too comfortable, for soon it will be time to move on. This time it's for 'top dog' -- General Manager -- the very reason we started this expat journey. The ball started rolling as the clock struck midnight 2013! No sooner had we clinked champagne glasses, pondering what the future may hold …the phone literally lit up with calls. (Who needs fireworks!) First cab off the rank (unexpectedly) Sydney! Yes! Sydney!!  It wasn't for top dog. But it was Sydney!! Our home. It's like being offered your favourite pair of warm fluffy slippers after you thought you'd lost them or a warm blanket when you've been out in the cold too long. So very tempting to slot back into that old life where good friends, good jobs, a city we love and precious family not too far away, co-exist all in One. Single. Place. Really - what's to think about? Call us crazy (yes the really loopy in the head kind of crazy if you must) but… it wasn't time. It was too soon. We realized then and there, when fate slapped us in the face, we'd changed. The excitement of living amongst a different culture, constantly learning and forever adapting -- being in a place where each day brings new surprises, some good, some bad and some just plain bizarre had caught us in its grip, more tightly than we'd ever anticipated….and so we said no to Sydney -- for now. Then a month later, Wuhan, China came knocking at our door. And just when we thought we were hardened expats, ready to embrace the next big adventure, Wuhan wobbled us off our expat axis…. With two days to decide, we took a frantic flight to the place they call Asia's furnace. I'll spare you the drama, but  if you missed it, you can read about the slightly harrowing, yet enlightening experience in my previous post - Do All Roads Lead to China? So, feeling weary and weighed down with the pressure of making the right decision again, we wiped our brow, took a few deep breaths, dusted Wuhan off and carried on enjoying life in the fragrant harbour. Breathing in Hong Kong air never felt so good! Then, about a month later, just chilling on the couch, a late night email came through. This time - the arrow had spun around, landing on - Bangkok! We tried to contain our excitement, hide our smug grins (it is the 'Land of Smiles' after all). This was the prize winning lotto ticket (after Hong Kong). We could do this! No consideration necessary.  A quick google search for the hotel… it met all our expectations - perfect for a first time GM. A sparkling city boasting plenty of culture and charisma. As any expat would know, when you get this kind of call, as much as your head tells you sternly not to start planning, you let a little bit of your imagination run away….just a little. You start picturing what daily life in that country might look like. Where you might live. What you might do each day? Imagine yourself walking the streets amongst the Tuk Tuks, temples and famous Thai cuisine.  A new culture to explore and conquer. We're in! But we weren't. Disappointed, you tell yourself it's not to be. About now, a little bit of panic sets in. What's next then, will China call again? Brace yourself, you can't say no forever. You also breathe a small sigh of relief, knowing it buys you extra time. Time in your haven where you can almost pretend you're not going anywhere. Life goes on as normal - school run, work, socializing, trips away, shopping….doctor's appointments. But just as you let your guard down, relax and almost convince yourself you're here to stay, the inevitable happens. When my husband comes home from work in the middle of the day, bearing a Mint Mocha, I know it's serious. "How does Melbourne sound?" he says ever so half heartedly. Then more enthusiastically, "This time it's top dog!" My heart skips a beat. We've got 24 hours. 24 hours to make a decision to put ourselves forward as one of three candidates for a role which could potentially change our lives. We talk it through…over and over. We text family… we try to get a feeling one way or the other. It's home but it's not really home. It's still too far from family. It's a great opportunity but is it a great move financially? Great city, but we're not convinced it's for us. We can't decide. There are tears of frustration, heated words. We make a list of pros and cons. We think we should go…but when it comes down to it, we realise, neither of us really wants to. What's happened to us? They joke people (namely expats) get lost in Asia. Is this us? Much to the surprise (shock) of friends and family we decline Melbourne and deep down know this may very well be a decision we long live to regret. But still, we feel OK. We know we've got unfinished business in Asia. If we end expat life now and go home, we'll never know where it may have taken us. Another few weeks go by after the emotional upheaval… and again 'normality' resumes, that is until we hear the top spot at one of the company's other hotels in Hong Kong is up for grabs. Could this be ours? A chance to stay in Hong Kong! Is it too good to be true? Yes it is. This one's got a list as long as my arm and we're not at the top. My husband's getting itchy feet …should we have gone home? Are we going to end up in the back of China? Probably. It's hard to make plans….how long have we got? Do I sign up for that work event? Should Ava start her new school? Should I say yes to that Junk boat invitation next month. Can we book a flight home? Then it happens again, lying in bed one night, another day is over…James quickly checks his emails - a few expletives…then, "The W Koh Samui - They want to put me forward as one of three!" Uh oh.. here we go again….a restless night ensues, simultaneously, we toss and turn. Another long three weeks go by, waiting…waiting - stomach in knots…is this the one? I've never been to Koh Samui, but it's hard not to have heard about it. That famous Leonardo DiCaprio movie The Beach springs to mind. Amazing location. But an island? - me on an island? Until recently we'd all but ruled-out resorts. Too isolating for us city slickers we'd joked and brushed the idea under the carpet. But after the last six months, lazy days by the pool suddenly sound very inviting. I picture a relaxed, family lifestyle, lots of delicious writing overlooking the powdery white sand and crystal clear waters…life in a variety of techni-coloured sarongs. Am I dreaming? From 7-million to 62,000 people! Suffice to say, I was dreaming, it didn't eventuate. Disappointed, again, we take a collective sigh and try to carry on as normal. The next email comes a month later. The desert heat of Doha is calling. I'm scared because it's the Middle East and it's not familiar, but I'm also keen because I actually know people there. This could work….I start to envisage Arabian nights under the stars, but after a month the project is placed on the back burner and the idea of camel rides in the sand is quickly blown away. Hot on its heels comes Goa, in India! By this point my husband is calmly throwing these locations out there over dinner and I'm usually replying with a nervous half chuckle, too scared to acknowledge it might be the one. I've never heard of Goa but our English friends tell us it's the perfect island city. Again my imagination does a little dance and I think about life on a diet of curries and a place where cows roam the streets. But again I'm quietly anxious. It's a time when India is front and centre in the news for all the wrong reasons… So,  maybe it's just as well the powers that be rendered Goa not the place for us. Swallow, inhale, exhale, repeat! At this point I'm stuck between desperately wishing for a crystal ball and just forgetting this limbo land exists! My iPhone weather app seriously can't take any more cities. But it's going to have to. A little town in China comes up called Heifei. Unfortunately a quick google tells me it's one of Asia's 'other' furnaces. This little town has seven million people and it's still considered a backwater! The city's nickname "nowheresville" jumps out at me from my screen. I anxiously read on and discover it's a place where people can't park their own cars. I picture myself being flagged down by rich Chinese in Mercedes and asked to parallel park for them. We say no to Heifei. It's not long before bikinis are back on the agenda. It's Bali but a sideways move for James. We debate the merits and as much as we'd love to dabble in the Island of Gods, it defeats the purpose of this adventure.  Relaxing back home over a little Christmas lunch with the family Down Under, the faraway land of Seoul in South Korea springs up! On paper, it sounds oh so very sophisticated, but by this point in the game we barely bat an eyelid… just as well because by New Year, Seoul is off the cards. Another day comes, another Chinese city. ChongQing. The third furnace in China… also known as the 'fog city.' Somehow we narrowly escape this one. Then Macau is placed in our laps and we almost somersault with unbridled excitement! It seems like a done deal and while it lacks the excitement of exploring a new, unknown culture, a stone's throw from Hong Kong it gives us the opportunity to cling onto much of our old life. We happen to be in Macau on a weekend holiday so we snap pictures outside the half built hotel, daring to wonder if this will become a significant moment in our future. But our snaps end up being deleted. Macau is not where we belong. Our brief love affair is over. Then… just when I start to think we might be destined to remain in Hong Kong, along comes a place we realize we can't refuse. Oh yes, it seems the path to China is set in stone (or rather clay) and truthfully we almost sigh with relief at this point. Our new home is also home to those famous Terracotta Warriors.  Xi'an means Western Peace and is regarded as one of the fourth oldest cities in the world, along with Rome, Cairo and Athens, although I'm pretty sure it's not nearly as esteemed. But what I'm comforted by, is it has character and it has soul (and it's not the fourth furnace)! The odds are surely in my favour, there are direct flights to the Gold Coast and there's a Starbucks opposite the hotel. Xi'an, you had me at hello! Something tells me this is where the real expat journey begins….(thank god for those few Mandarin lessons….and thank you Beijing Mandarin for teaching me how to order a Mint Mocha in Mandarin today!) So, it's time to say 'thank you' Hong Kong. Thank you for showing me a life I could never have imagined in my wildest dreams. As excited about this new adventure as I am, I'm also slightly terrified! So stick with me, because I'll see you on the other side!   Pssst, i'm almost positive you'll have a very good picture of Xi'an by the time we leave, but here's a short video to give you a sneak preview.  Anyone interested in the Westin Xi'an.... this is what it looks like! … [Read more...]

Spoken Like a True Expat: Learning Chinese!

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What's the first question you ask Google madly, when you find out you're moving to another country? For me, "Do they speak my language?" is up there with the best of them!  And what's the one question I get asked by friends and acquaintances who now know I've moved overseas and immersed myself in the Orient?  How much Chinese can I speak?  Oh yes, that old chestnut; the expat's nemesis!  My answer usually involves my eyes quickly averting (shamefully) to the ground. I hear myself stammering,"umm, errrr not much I'm afraid - ok just taxi lingo - you know, Jik Hui, Lee Doe, N'goi (Go straight/Stop here, Thank you)!" Then I mutter something about not really needing to and how you can get by 'perfectly fine' in Hong Kong, without Chinese. Thank you very much! Repeat, Perfectly. Fine. Which is absolutely true! You can. (Tip: Head further north to the Mainland and you've got buckley's!) But, oh how there are those days, when I'd LOVE to know how to speak a little more of the native language rather than screeching at my seemingly impervious taxi driver, "Stop here!" (Sometimes with added expletives.) It seems the longer you live here, the LESS you try to learn and the less, it seems, you care! Expats are such a Laissez Faire bunch aren't they! When I first arrived in the frenzied financial hub of the East, I remember being mildly shocked that some friends had been living amongst the delectable Dim Sum and dazzling dancing dragons of Hong Kong for almost five years and yet knew little more Chinese than I did.  Huh? But how can that be, I pondered into my Jasmine tea (embracing my new oriental environment with a naive enthusiasm).   I frantically Googled where to learn Cantonese and then wondered if I should learn Mandarin instead? Or both! I won't survive here, without learning Chinese, I shuddered.  But all and sundry put me off…. Understandably, there's a gentle whiff of 'negative attitude' wafting through the expat air when it comes to embracing the native lingo. "You'll never be able to learn it unless you're forced to speak it," they implored. "You don't need it." "It's REALLY difficult." "Did you know there are tones. Four in Mandarin and NINE for Cantonese. Impossible!" And, "Have you seen those Chinese characters? Talk about complex." (FYI there are around 80,000 characters and to get through a Chinese newspaper,  you need to know about 3000! Woaahhh..) Copyright: simlik / 123RF Stock Photo One-fifth of the world's population, speak some form of Chinese as their first language.  Cantonese is primarily spoken in Hong Kong, but Mandarin (or Putonghua) is spoken on a more global level. In those early days not speaking the local language mattered to me. Sitting in a hair salon not being able to communicate exactly how I wanted my hair (first world problems) or ask the hairdresser where he lives (no I wasn't trying to stalk him, though he is cute). Getting my nails done while the 'girls' bantered in Chinese all around me (probably about the Gweilo and her insatiable demands) was frustrating! Catching a taxi, heading in the wrong direction, unable to tell the driver where I wanted to go was often torturous! The very idea of catching a cab with a new baby, alone, would have me sweating pools of water for days in advance!  While, many, many Hong Kongese speak English and speak it exceptionally well, for a lot of locals, it's limited to basic conversation level. If you want to get any deeper, you'll go round and round in circles and usually end up smiling politely, both parties none the wiser for your efforts.  I've given up trying to explain to my ever so lovely hairdresser, "I'd like a less 'gold' slightly more 'ash' tone through my hair and if you could just blow dry it without so much of the 'Bold and the Beautiful' volume, that'd be bonza mate!"  Our conversation is mostly limited to "Hi and how are you?" (Big toothy smiles.) "Are you busy?" With the odd (throw caution to the wind) chat about going on holidays (and more often than not, in the end realizing we are talking about two completely different places! What it's Yantian not Vietnam! Oh). As for the taxis, I now know enough about the geography to gesture madly or simply get out and walk…. and I know there are places to catch taxis and places to avoid!  As for the constant stream of Chinese conversations going on around me… these days as a more often than not brain dead sleep-deprived mother, I've come to appreciate it as a great opportunity to, quite frankly, tune out.    Thankfully, interpreting those incomprehensible characters is generally not required with most signs in Hong Kong in both English and Chinese, making for an incredibly easy city to navigate, sans the native language.  But…(there is always a but) whilst I'd long given up hope of learning anything remotely oriental to dazzle you with, my 3.5 year old daughter - who is now in nursery class at school - has two teachers, one who is solely mandarin speaking!  She's started coming home spouting off words, phrases and songs, supposedly in Chinese. Well, to be honest, it was that or gibberish and telling the difference for me, was nigh impossible! In fact, out to dinner one night, a friend pointed out to me, "You know she's counting to ten in Mandarin?"  "Say what!!?" At the parent-teacher interview (yes they do those for three year olds here) the Mandarin teacher was trying to explain Ava's progress IN Mandarin. Shoot!  And so…it began.  The Gods heard and clearly realized an intervention on my Chinglish was required. I ironically had some inquiries about collaborating on this very site with some local language schools and before I knew it, I was logging-in 'online' for my first ever lesson in Mandarin. I know, I'm just as baffled. SO…my original thoughts were to put myself through the paces, mainly in the name of #blog research (naturally with my curiosity levels piqued at just how hard it would be).  I'd do a few lessons in a few different formats to gauge the best learning tools and environments out there and regale you all with the best options for YOU. Honestly, I was a little anxious about the online classes, very skeptical about how well it could actually work. I didn't even really 'get' how it could. Some sort of course you loosely navigate your way through between bouts of lazy procrastination?  With Beijing Mandarin it was a case of being sent an email to join the class about ten minutes before. Being technically challenged I wasn't sure how I'd get myself in to the class (it's amazing what happens when you follow the instructions). Voila! I was in and there LIVE (just like Skype) was the sweet smiling Michelle - ready for action! We jumped straight into the Wo Shi Nicole and Ni Hao Ma?…. I thought it would be awkward, stilted and difficult to understand. Michelle had headphones on and suggested I get some too but reassuringly I've found it perfectly clear and easy to understand, without. (Don't want to ruin the hair-do, do we!) The classes are 45 minutes and I'll admit, they are intense. After my first one, my head was threatening to spin off my stiff and strained neck, in fact I needed a stiff drink! I don't think my brain had worked that hard since French in high school (no wait, French was my best subject, this was more like economics)!  But I was also elated. By the end of it I could say, "Hello, How are you? I'm very good thank you." The basic greetings and name all of my family members. (Even you Poppy!)  Of course, I'm not going to be able to sit down and rattle away, fluently in Chinese about the ins and outs of the current political climate; like any language I imagine, unless you are immersing yourself in the middle of said country, it's not going to be a sure thing …. but baby steps, are currently walking the talk.  I've even practiced Chinese with my girl AND mysteries have been unravelled! I finally realized the song she sings constantly around the house is the Chinese version of her end of the day "goodbye" song. Huzzah!  Progress! High fives all round sister!  Mind you, she did get a little over excited at practicing with mummy and started peppering her Wo Hen Hao's with "mintmochamusings dot com!" (Have I really brainwashed her to say that!?)  But in all seriousness, it's a win win - hopefully it helps refresh the little bits she's learning at school in her mind too. I even found myself chiming in smugly, saying "good bye" in Mandarin to the teacher!  Check me out, sista!! (Struts out of the classroom!) I also went to a group lesson. Ok, so definitely not feeling as smug out in the big wide world!! Live it China is an umbrella platform for all sorts of Chinese learning opportunities. They embrace many schools, including Beijing Mandarin and another called Celebrity Mandarin (you know how much I love a Hollywood theme) which is where I ended up one Thursday evening in downtown Central - oh yes, in the midst of a Mandarin Challenge!! (I registered the words "for the super ambitious" and clearly got a little carried away, imagining myself at this superior level!) Oh yes! They were beginners alright, but with quite a few more lessons tucked neatly under their celebrity belts, than I. We were talking tones, the time and full on 'round the table' fast and furious conversations. Did somebody say, "I'll have a round of cocktails please!" There is the small but persistent issue in Chinese of one word having many meanings, depending on the tone. They say it helps if you are musical. Unfortunately musical ability and I are about as compatible as chocolate and fruit. I was so obviously in another league, but with a clever and fantastically patient teacher and two capable and easy going class mates we battled through and I let my head inhale as much of the Chinese mother tongue as I could.  I emerged totally overwhelmed, but the adrenalin was pumping!   This challenge is three months of intensive 'one on one' lessons, group lessons and weekend catch ups with language partners. If you need to learn Chinese and learn it fast, this is the place for you! They are fun, friendly and first rate. As much as I'd like it to be the place for me, sadly at the moment, it's not….BUT with six lessons under my belt plus this liberating group lesson, I've realized it's not quite as daunting as I'd always anticipated. It's also (surprise surprise) rather enjoyable!  The best part is there are a limited number of sounds in Chinese. To give you an example, there are around 1200 syllables, where as in English there are over 8000! Chinese grammar also appears pretty straightforward. (Yep! You read that right.) Plus there's an amazing little thing called the Pinyin which converts the word into a phonetic spelling! Winning!!  So guess what? I have decided to continue with my lessons, albeit at a slightly slower, more measured pace, for now. (In future, I may hook up with a Language Partner to help with the progression and if I'm game, go back to a group lesson or three.) Whatever stage you're at, it's possible. Dare I say it, I am feeling empowered! (Just call me powerful Chinese dragon woman!) Stay tuned….I promise to keep you "posted" in all senses of the word (and characters...and tones)....  Pssst....if you see me on the street, promise you won't start conversing in Chinese. ;) If you're interested in stepping off the plank and learning Chinese with me, here are a few great places to start.  LIVE IT CHINA http://www.liveitchina.com/ BEIJING MANDARIN http://www.beijingmandarin.com/ CELEBRITY MANDARIN http://www.celebritymandarin.com/ FLUENT U   … [Read more...]

Red Taxis, Chopsticks And Chinglish: 10 things that make me a happy Gweilo…

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Latest column for Expat Focus... I know eventually there will come a time when I am (through no fault of my own) forced to (with a very heavy heart) pack up my chopsticks (just kidding I don't really own a pair), put away my Octopus card and leave those clean, clean (did I mention clean) toilets behind for less superior greener pastures. With the notion that relocation comes to all hotelier's wives at some point on my mind (no matter how long you try to hide the passports) I started thinking about what I would really miss most about Hong Kong life. No. Really miss!!What is it about this melting pot of cultures, customs and far too many swanky restaurants serving up tiny cakes for High Tea to count, that will leave me wanting, yearning, heart broken for possibly years (decades) to come?Albeit slightly tongue in cheek (with just a teensy hint of the truth) here's my list! Brace yourself! Click here to read more over at Expat Focus..... … [Read more...]

Fashionably Faux Pas: Where are the Asian faces?

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For me, it was a headline that was hard to ignore. "A young Korean woman goes to extreme lengths to transform herself into Australian super model, Miranda Kerr!" We're not just talking about a simple change of hair colour here, or even purchasing some baby blue coloured contacts (which for the record, she did). No! This was much more that that. It was going under the knife! A nose job and eye surgery. Now, it's clearly no secret, there are plenty of people who indulge (over-indulge if you like) in cosmetic surgery all the time to 'look' a certain way. Mostly, it's in the hope you'll look like a younger, new improved version of YOU, not so much a different version. And of course just quietly, who wouldn't like to look like the ever-stunning, jaw-droppingly gorgeous super model from DownUnder - Miranda Kerr! When it comes to good genes, there's no doubt she's got the x-factor - but for most of us poor cousins, we're faced with the reality that, (sigh) looking like Miranda Kerr is about as achievable as having Channing Tatum for to dinner! So, we get on with attempting to straighten our unruly locks, rub in that collagen firming cream with a little extra gusto and pull up the Spanx! But this story was about a young Asian girl changing her looks to resemble someone of a completely different nationality, an Australian with a very different genetic make up. It's not the first time I've noticed the word de-orientalise bandied about in the news of late. Men and women in Asia are undergoing surgery at a rapid rate to make their eyes bigger and noses more pointy to take on a more 'westernised' look. In South Korea it's being called the 'K-Pop plastic surgery obsession.' To keep up with their rich and famous idols, young people are getting V-line surgery (which involves (shriek) breaking and shaving the jawline) which is often (gasp) a gap year gift - from parents! Even Miss South Korea (2012) has confessed to going under the knife.  In China, spending on cosmetic surgery is now coming in fourth behind houses, cars and travel and it seems the most popular surgery asia-wide is the double eyelid procedure to make eyes appear larger. As a westerner in awe of the Asian beauty I see paraded before me on a daily basis here in the Kong and beyond, it's a little perplexing. But I get it, you always want what you can't have. It's certainly nothing new and in every culture, there are those who go to great lengths to achieve a certain look (that often defies what nature intended).  And just for the record, I am sure that a lot of ethnic Asians choose to go under the knife for a lot of reasons other than trying to look more westernized.  Nonetheless, Asian countries have long histories of utilizing white skin as a key criteria for beauty. In Korea, flawless, freckle-free white skin has been preferred since the first dynasty, while in China, milk-white skin has long been held up as a symbol of beauty.  Don't get me started on the plethora of whitening creams lining many a cosmetic shop in Hong Kong! So much so, this sun-loving Gweilo can't find a tanning cream within a 100 kilometre radius! (FYI, if you're new to the blog, 'Gweilo' is a slang term (I like to think of it as affectionate) for foreigners in Hong Kong. It means ghost!) ;) First world problems aside. What really worries me though, and mainly for those more impressionable, younger members of society, is the obvious over-exposure to western faces on advertising billboards, namely for fashion labels and cosmetic brands.  You see, my local shopping centre is overflowing with 'Gweilo' faces peering out from exquisite boutique fronts with their sultry smiles, piercing blue eyes and wavy blonde locks, shop after shop, after shop! With a heavy colonial influence, Hong Kong is no doubt a melting pot of cultures, but the predominant look on the street is Asian. Where we live is not exactly considered 'local' but on most days, the number of blondes pacing the mall with a mini blonde in tow is limited. More often than not, it's just me myself and I… the lone Gweilo traipsing the mall clutching a Mint Mocha and an H & M bag (and the occasional small person)! And even I - the 'brown-eyed'-blonde feel a little cheated looking at these glossy images of blue-eyed beauties on display so prominently before me!  Is this the standard we are all aspiring to? I'm aware this superabundance of westernised advertising may well be the location of 'Elements Shopping Mall.' A potential hub for mainland Chinese crossing the border, its retail nirvanas target the extremely wealthy who crave the big brand-names and the way of life they represent.  'Central' though, Hong Kong's heartland, I'm afraid to say is not that much different. Nicole Kidman (as much as I love a fellow aussie girl in town) looms down at me with a knowing look, showcasing her flashy Omega watch; Gap, who is credited with being on the more culturally diverse side is still missing an asian face on this supposedly multicultural billboard. And when she is on show, she's sporting blonde (platinum blonde) hair, as is the Shanghai Tang Asian model. Don't get me wrong - there are Asian faces to be seen in this city. The MTR is plastered with pictures of locals doing their thing, but for the most part it's for 'things' that don't involve beauty or fashion. Ironically, a lot of the ads are for cosmetic surgery!  And as a Hong Kong cosmetic doctor pointed out to me, in the more local areas of Hong Kong, it's still not Chinese images that are being featured but rather those East Asian faces of South Korea and Japan. So, I've often wondered how women of Asian appearance feel about this over representation of caucasian faces beaming out at them from every open space available to savvy marketers. Is it culturally insensitive? Or is it something they're just used to/have come to expect/or for that matter, want to see? How would I feel if the roles were reversed? I'm not sure I would care so much, but I suspect it may subconsciously encourage me to look towards a different ideal of beauty. I know just living here amongst the many Asian faces, I often find myself coveting their (generally) thick and shiny straight hair, full-lips, wrinkle-free faces and slim physiques. And I'm sure I'm not alone.  I put the question to Hong Kong locals and interestingly got a mixed response…. many had never thought about it, others had but weren't bothered by what they see as typically western brands, naturally advertising with western models. Would a Chinese brand use a white face, they asked? Probably not. But to me, the difference is these aren't small, western brands, they are major 'global' brands. And truth be known, their goods are probably made in Chinese factories. The world's largest cosmetics company is L'Oreal and China is it's 3rd largest market. The company even has a Research and Innovation Centre in Shanghai with manufacturing centres in Suzhou and Yichang, where it produces most of its mass and professional brands. Isn't there a duty of care to showcase every type of nationality and perhaps cater a little more to a country's people that advertisers are pitching to? To quote 90's runway model Veronica Webb “When you see someone that looks like you, it makes women feel beautiful, and it makes women feel they belong.”  The irony of it is - most of the western models gracing the front of fashion houses in Hong Kong wouldn't even fit into the clothes these shops have in stock.  From my own personal experience, cosmetic counters are often guilty of not selling the right colours for a Gweilo girl's skin (despite the shop front being emblazoned with America's all time California girl). With most Asian countries boasting their own national movie stars and pop stars to revere (Katy Perry who?) you have to question why campaigners aren't cashing in on Asia's famous faces. Do they know something we don't? While, I've been told Asian stars probably wouldn't consider modeling as the face of a product, I would also hazard a guess that there's a 'method in their madness' approach by marketing gurus of the big fashion labels and cosmetic houses. They aren't just ignorantly placing western brands with western faces across the far East for fun, with a "we can't be bothered shooting ads for individual countries!" attitude. It's a sure bet there is some hardcore planning and politics by some heavy duty masterminds behind these strategies. An article in Women's ENews had this to say a few years ago about the subject. "I think it's a conscious effort that they are featuring Caucasian models," Royce Yuen, chair of both the Ogilvy Group in Hong Kong and of Hong Kong's Association of Accredited Advertising Agencies, said. Caucasian models, he said, are used to sell everything from real estate to cheap clothing. The advertisers are not doing it because they "might as well" use the same ad in Hong Kong as elsewhere, Yuen said. They do it because "it gives people the impression that they're more international and premium brands." While mainland China is not known for embracing western ideals, it's widely acknowledged that western countries produce and consume higher quality consumer products and as China becomes a more affluent nation, it's tastes for luxury western products are in hot demand. You can read more about the Chinese consumer's penchant for big name brands here in my earlier post Design of the Times.  With over half a billion women in China and Asian women today living in the fastest growing consumer market in the world -- more cashed up than ever before -- clearly today's ad campaigns are working!  They're popular and sell the products in question…. But does that make it OK to use women and men - who's face and body type is generally not attainable (for sheer genetic and race reasons) to advertise to the masses? Some argue western media has effectively set a new standard of beauty in Asia. Does it discourage people to appreciate beauty in its many forms? Or is the equation much more simple than that? As a Price and Murray study in 2009 pointed it out "it's anticipated that female Asian consumers would be less potentially intimidated by attractive western models as they draw less direct comparisons due to the models being less similar, therefore resulting in more positive attitudes and purchase intentions." Today Asian faces are definitely being utilised more and more by luxury brands - I'm just struggling to see much evidence of it here! As one Fashion Designer put it, "In order to sell to Asians, you have to put your merchandise on white models." Fashion Faux Pas? Or should this concerned Gweilo just mind her own business and as they say, 'Let Sleeping Dogs Lie.' Perhaps this quote by Francis Bacon sums it up? The best part of beauty is that which no picture can express.  What do you think? … [Read more...]