The First Days in Hong Kong

We arrived safely in Hong Kong last April 1. Wim and I had a good flight. Michael and Richard took us to the airport. After checking-in, we had a quick dinner at the airport restaurant. Leaving my two kids was quite hard for me although the boys were taking our relocation easy. They assured us that everything will be fine. I can’t help crying when I realized there is really no turning back for me. Goodbye Holland, Hello Hong Kong! At the same time, I have learned to admit that I will be leaving in another country for at least two years, or perhaps more.

I was glad that the flight was smooth and we could rest well as we were given business class tickets. It was indeed a comfortable trip and I had all the time to think what I have left behind. Upon arrival, we checked-in at Excelsior Hotel in Causeway Bay where we stayed overnight. From my hotel window I could see The Harbourside, our future apartment.
At 9:30 am sharp the following day, we were picked up by our relocation agent and took us with our 5 large Samsonite luggage to our new apartment at The Harbourside. I was teasing Wim that when I arrived in the Netherlands, I had only one small suitcase. Now I have 5 large ones. Wim as usual in his a matter-of-factly attitude replied: “Not bad at all, Mom!”

We went for dinner and we reached a street which seems to be selling only mobile phones. Endless types of phones and all kinds of trademarks. We went inside in one of the shops. An hour later, we came out with my Blackberry mobile phone. I have now a mobile phone number!

When we arrived, everything was settled for us. Two concierge people took over our luggage and brought them to the 43rd floor. What a relief! The landlady was already there and showed us the apartment complete with all the papers (a thick dossier of information about the regulations for the new tenants). In a Chinese way, she presented us a tin can full of self-made Chinese cookies. A striking difference than the Dutch usual way. In Holland, I should have received a bunch of flowers! The relocating agency which helped us all the way in finding the apartment and arranging all the papers, presented us a bottle of Champagne. I was ready to give Helena Wong, two presents from Holland: two shawls with tulips design.

Not long after, the furniture rental company rung the bell. All the furniture and fixtures, kitchen paraphernalia, linens, etc which we rented for four weeks were ready to be delivered. We let 4 people to come in, and in fast tempo they set up the furniture including the linens! I just have to watch them did their work and at times tempted to set up the bed myself in my own but Wim winked his eyes telling me to leave the people do their job. In about an hour, they were ready and signed the turnover papers.


Then the bell rung again. It was the concierge. They have to connect the water and checked the appliances. I have to listen to all the instructions on how to use the washing machine, how to defrost the refrigerator, and the small gadget on the kitchen which turned out to be a small TV! Not that I have to watch TV while cooking but I listened patiently to the instructions. At the same time I felt that I was feeling drowsy and having headache. Probably due to the jetlag and all the excitements combined. Then the phone rang again. The person in-charge of our language course wanted to know when we will start with our Cantonese language course. I said we will call back. In the meantime, I actually have started my Cantonese lesson privately –self study. I can already count 1 to 10 in Chinese and write 1 to 10 in Chinese characters. I will surprise my Cantonese language tutor.

Just as the concierge left the premises, we heard another door bell. The PCCW men arrived. They have to connect our internet, cable and landline telephone. I opened the door and there they were two Chinese young men with their tools. In less than thirty minutes, the internet, TV cable and the landline telephone is connected! We have a nice landline telephone with a viewer. Here in Hong Kong it is very common to have an Eye Phone, that is you will see on the screen you are talking with. I dread to use the phone early in the morning when I am still with my pajamas! So it was going and out of our people, the first day of our stay at our apartment but I am relieved that we accomplished many things and now I can send you this email.

So then, in less than 12 hours, Wim and I have furnish our house and in the coming weeks, we will start buying our own things since the furniture rental is only good for four weeks. The efficiency of the services here in Hong Kong continues to amaze me. Not bad at all.

At night time, we can see the laser show from our balcony that is if it is not misty. I was informed that every 8 pm, there is a laser show in the harbor mostly compliments by multinational giants such as Canon, Toshiba, Panasonic, the hotels, etc. You can see the lighted boats plying between Hong Kong and Macau.

I woke up early today. At 6 am the Hong Kong skyline is still cloudy. It almost 8 am now and the sky is getting clearer and I can the mountains behind the skyscrapers clearer now. Wim will report to his office today. Me? I will see what I will do today. I just made an appointment at the Immigration office for our immigrant ID. The appointment is done online within 5 minutes!

This is the first day of my stay in Hong Kong. The next weeks will be spent for formalities. We need to go to the Immigration Office to get our Hong Kong identity card. I have received a few invitations from several people in Hong Kong to meet. One is from the Dutch Embassy who is an expert in Microfinance (for personal introduction arranged by a former colleague at ON); another one is an Australian Columban priest introduced to by a former Australian first whom I know way back my social action time in the Netherlands; the other one a Filipina who is married to an Irish Cathay Pacific airline pilot….who knows these people would be my initial nucleus of friends in Hong Kong. I welcome all the opportunities.

There are more than 200,000 domestic workers in Hong Kong mostly from the Philippines, Indonesia, Sri Lanka, etc. I read in the Hong Kong The Standard, an online newspaper that live-in helpers may soon earn HK 12,480 (1 Euro= HK$ 1) – nearly 250 per cent more than their current HK 3,580 (euro 358) a month – if they are not exempted from the minimum wage protection. If the proposed statutory hourly minimum wage across occupations is set at HK$ 30/hour, they maybe paid at HK 12,480 (Euro 1,248) by working 16 hours a day, 26 days a month, according to the newspaper. The proposal has met many objections from the employers’ association stating that they have to spend at least HK$ 6,000 a month on keeping a live-in domestic helper because lodging, meals, transportation, and in some cases even cell phones, and clothes are provided for.

The Filipino community in Hong Kong is about 140,000. Most of my neighbors here in our apartment have a Filipina domestic helper. Wim got one, via the Netherlands!!!

The sky is overcast today in Hong Kong. The temperature is 19 degrees celcius. I guess it is colder in the Netherlands today but the sun is shining over there. It is almost the same weather when I arrived in the Netherlands in October 1979!