What Are Hongkies Like
Having lived here for a number of years, people back home always like to ask me what Hongkies are like. Well, two characteristics define them as far as I’m concerned. “Oi min” (want face) and “yin sat” (dunno what’s the exact translation for this but kind of like no money no talk kind of philosophy).
Why Hongkies are so oi min? I guess it’s a competitive society so, everybody wants to be better than their peers. For example, in KL, if you can’t find a job, you will probably broadcast to everyone and tell people, “Aiya, no work-lah. How, ah?” But in Hong Kong, if people are out of work, they would rather hibernate at home and not tell anyone until they find something to do. Get my point? Two very different mentality.
So, if you happened to bump into someone who has been retrenched and still jobless, questions like “How long already no job?” or ”Got interview or not?” are better not asked, unless he himself volunteers the info. Sensitive-lah, you know, since people here so oi min.
Also, Hongkies also tend to be very yin sat. Good or bad, depends on how you look at it. Good, because it is practical and if there is no mutual benefit, why want to friend-friend, right? Bad, because it makes everyone more cautious when it comes to friendship. That’s Hongkies for you, in general.
I guess my husband sums it up well. He says everyone is “kam sau” (beast?) here. People take care of themselves first but I suppose everywhere is the same, only the extent of it. Maybe people has less compassion here but it is also what gives Hongkies that kind of survival instinct. A dynamic city Hong Kong is.
You have no idea how your post cheered me up.. I’ve resorted to taking a day off from work today because of some unfortunate experiences with my so-called friends (hongkies and malaysians that behave like hongkies). Having innocently believed that they are like family to me, it is painful to admit that in reality, I’m of no importance to them unless in times when they need something from me. Its sad but true, and I’m trying to figure out a way to break away from it all in search of new friends that are true to me. (P.S. Am also a 30+ Malaysian working abroad for the last 5 years. Hence, the need for some connectivity with people with the malaysian mentality. Unconditional friendships without any expected returns… I think sometimes ang mohs make better friends).