After three years in Hong Kong, I've totally figured it out.
Before coming to Hong Kong, I was like an idiot, thinking this place was the Pearl of the Orient, where everyone was civilized, open, and had an international flair.
After living here for three years, renting a place, working, and drinking a lot, now I just want to shout at the air: Wake up, bro.
This place looks shiny on the surface, like a freshly polished Rolex, but deep down, it has more pettiness than any old lady in a Beijing alley.
First, let's talk about the people.
Hongkongers really aren't that welcoming to mainlanders.
Don't hit me with that international metropolis nonsense.
In Central, when you're suited up and wearing a tie, they nod and smile at you, being overly polite.
But once you start speaking Mandarin, especially loudly, that smile instantly turns into a professional fake one, with their eyes clearly saying: 'You're being a hassle.'
I have a few local Hongkongese friends who, when drunk, confide in me: 'There are too many mainlanders around; hospitals, schools, and public housing are all overcrowded.'
The phrase 'Another mainlander is here' is as common in their WeChat groups as saying good morning or good night.
The typical local middle class with properties and cars: they act all buddy-buddy with you, ready to split the bill for dinner or karaoke.
But if you really want to be invited home to meet their parents and enter their inner circle? Not a chance.
They'd rather hang out with expats, Singaporeans, or Taiwanese than get too close to us 'northern cousins.'
Since 2019, that wall has been built even stronger.
Still holding on to the fantasy of 'blood is thicker than water'? You're not naive; you're just clueless.
Let's talk about stablecoins.
The Hong Kong government is always shouting about becoming the Asian crypto hub, issuing licenses, promoting Web3, and making it all sound exciting.
What about ordinary Hongkongers? Their reaction after hearing that is just: 'Oh, and then what?'
What they really care about is whether property prices will keep dropping, if interest rates will rise, whether their kids can get into Band 1 schools, and if their MPF is enough for retirement.
When you chat with them about USDT or USDC, they might just roll their eyes and say, 'Yeah, I've heard of it; is it another type of speculation?'
After that, I continued scrolling on my phone, checking the Hang Seng Index and Japan flight tickets.
The real players in this game are still the money from the mainland, foreign banks, and those crypto enthusiasts looking to get licensed.
Local Hongkongers really don't care.
For them, this crypto stuff is just like the previous Bitcoin craze or the virtual banking hype—it's all a fleeting buzz until the retail investors get wiped out and it goes cold.
Hong Kong has limited prospects.
It does have its perks: fast service, a somewhat rule of law, relatively safe streets, and the roast goose and wonton noodles really are delicious.
But at the same time, it's stingy, exclusive, and has a full islander mentality.
It welcomes your money, your spending, and your submissive attitude, but it definitely doesn't welcome you bringing your loud mainland style and presence.
Want to get by here? Take this piece of advice from an experienced guy.
• Learn Cantonese quickly; even if your skills are poor, it's still better than strolling around with Mandarin.
• Stop talking about how 'we in the mainland...' No one wants to hear your lecture.
Get your position right; you're here to make a living, not to be the host.
Three years in, I have no regrets, nor am I bragging about it.
Hong Kong is just Hong Kong; it's not paradise or hell, just a cold, hard reality.
The more expectations you have, the harder it will hit you.
If you're also drifting in Hong Kong or planning to come here, I'd advise you to take off your rose-colored glasses before boarding the plane.
When you get here, keep it low-key, be tough when needed, but don't take yourself too seriously or act like an outsider.
Otherwise, you'll be taught a lesson by this city sooner or later.