Study university in Hong Kong

Do you know that less than half of the Hong Kong students prefer studying in university?

47.2% to be exact. The figure is way higher in other places though, with 80.9% in South Korea and 70.2% in Singapore. It’s not really healthy for a modern society like Hong Kong, is it?

How about we consider this: only 18% of the students in Hong Kong gain admission to publicly funded university, while South Korea has more than 80%.

What about the remaining 82% students? Well, what else? They pay the school fee themselves.

Some researchers suggested that the fierce competition and the school fee scared the students away and worried that since the students are not expecting university education, they may not put much effort in their study.

Aside from the financial burden, Hong Kong students also have to worry about the “usefulness” of a university degree.

A recent study shows that the median income of Hong Kong fresh university graduates has dropped by nearly 20% in the last 20 years. That seems to be the result of the huge increase in university places over the years. The abundant supply of university graduates means employers have way more choices and can offer a much lower salary level. Not to mention the increase of university places without careful planning leads to the mismatch between the degrees available and job vacancies.

So in other words, the value of university degree is depreciating.

And the government officials plan to make Hong Kong’s economy a knowledge based one…

Good luck, because they will need it, lots of it.

I mean, who would want “knowledge” if it’s not affordable or practical?

Un-Happiness in Hong Kong

Do you know most Hongkongers can’t live a happy life?

No, I didn’t make that up. Ever heard of Gini’s coefficient?

For those who haven’t, Gini’s coeffieient is a statistical measure which can represent the income distribution of a nation’s residents. So in other words, more or less an indicator of inequality, with 1 (100%) indicating the maximal inequality. This basically means the higher the number, the sadder a place is.

South Africa has the highest Gini’s coefficient in the world (0.62).

And Hong Kong gets 0.537 in 2016.

Of course this number isn’t an absolute yard stick of how happy (or sad) a place is.

But I can tell you that number does make sense. Hong Kong has the worst economic inequality in Asia; over-population in such a small city results in the lack of housing and resources; over-competition leads to really stressful and apathetic lives; government and corporation exploiting Hongkongers means non-wealthy citizens don’t have much chance in “moving upward” in the social hierarchy…

I can keep the list going, but I guess no one is genuinely interested.

Well, who am I anyway? I am just some random dude whining on the internet…

Now, if you excuse me, I will proceed to cry in the corner. Have a nice day.

*sob*   

Octopus in Hong Kong

Do you know that the Octopus card of Hong Kong is the one of the first electronic money in the world? Uh, no… It has nothing to do with octopus.

Lame joke aside, it is called “Octopus” card because an octopus has eight tentacles, and the number eight matches the Chinese name “八”達通(literally eight-arrived pass), which is actually from the Chinese proverb “四通八達” (reachable from any direction). And “to reach everywhere, and can be reached from anywhere” is more or less what to Octopus card was designed for.

It was first launched in 1997 as an alternative method to pay for the trains’ fare (pay for the train and you can go anywhere, see where the name comes from?) in Hong Kong. Seeing the success, the card company later expanded its usage so that it can be used for payment in stores, supermarkets, restaurants, car parks and even for vending machines.

It does have its security problems and scandals about selling its user’s personal data, though. So even though it does “make our everyday lives easier” as the company suggested, there are still issues that we can’t overlook. I guess everything has it upside and downside?

Relaxation in Hong Kong

Do you know that according to a recent survey, Hong Kong has the worst work-life balance in the Asia-Pacific region, like Hongkongers still have to take work-related calls or emails even on Holidays?

But let’s not talk about work today, life is about enjoyment! What should we do if we want to relax in Hong Kong?

How about embracing the nature? There are so many scenic trails and country parks in Hong Kong; you are bound to find at least one you love! Hiking, sightseeing, meeting wildlife animals (the non-dangerous one), picnicking...there are so many things you can do in the countryside.

What? You don’t like trees and grass?

That’s totally fine, we have even more things to do in the urban city.

Is museum your cup of tea? You have so many choices when it comes to museums in Hong Kong, like museums for astrology, science, trains, historical heritage, art, food, wax figure…Makes you wonder why Hong Kong is ridiculed as “cultural desert”, no?

Or maybe you prefer shopping? Then you really should go to Sheung Wan to buy some dried seafood and Chinese medicines; or visit Graham Street Market in Central to experience how people buy and sell, old school Hong Kong style.

Wet market is “dirty”? What about Mong Kok, where you can buy “expensive things” from modern shopping centers, and “cheap things” from small shops and street stalls.

And if you like amusement parks, why don’t you visit the Ocean Park or Hong Kong Disneyland?

…Though these two places get really crowded during holidays, so “relaxation” may not be what they can provide.

You still can’t relax?

Then stop thinking of going anywhere, just be a couch potato, drink some soda, eat some snacks and watch some TV.

Or join me, and be an internet potato.

Hong Kong has the highest internet speed in the world, remember?

Wildlife in Hong Kong

Do you know that around 75% of land in Hong Kong remains undeveloped in the name of “nature reserve”? Of course there are other sneaky reasons behind, but let’s just leave them for now…

But thanks to the reserve, a huge variety of wildlife gets to live peacefully on the countryside.

You can find different species of butterflies in the Butterfly Garden; meet the famous crocodile Pui Pui in the Hong Kong Wetland Park; enjoy the scene of migratory birds taking refuge in the Mai Po Nature Reserve; look for the Chinese white dolphin around Hong Kong waters…

You don’t want things that only flourish in eco-tour ads? What about something more common?

Like monkeys? If you have been to the country parks in Hong Kong before, you may have run into them, or the other way round. They are there for food. They can be pretty hostile when fighting for their stomach, and they come in groups. So if they see you carrying anything that looks like food or plastic bags from grocery stores…then beware, and be prepare to abandon what you have in your hands.

And have you seen wild boars before? Usually they can be found in New Territories. While they tend to stay away from humans and urban area, some will stumble upon parks or residential area by accident. And you think hungry monkeys are bad? Well, wait until these things charge at you… They may look like cute piglets, but they can be dangerous, especially when scared.

There are also the dangerous Homo sapiens called “Hongkongers”, which can use weapons and can get really aggressive over monetary interest…

Oh look, I am so witty that I make fun of my own species!

…Yeah, that’s why I have no friend.

Transportation in Hong Kong

Do you know that over 90% of daily journeys in Hong Kong are on public transport, which is the highest rate in the world?

That’s what the government says anyway…But then again, Hong Kong’s well developed infrastructure and transport network does make travelling around easy. Here is some iconic transportation you can find in Hong Kong.

Taxi…Well, there are taxis all over the world, and it’s not like they can fly or something. What is so iconic about those in Hong Kong? What is special is that there are 3 kinds of taxi, each with different color. The green one runs in New Territories; the red one is urban taxi; and the blue one can only be found on Lantau Island. Their fares are the same.

Then there comes the classic tram. Yup, that thing you see in those Hong Kong tourism ads running on the tramways. They can be found in northern part of Hong Kong Island. Despite being slow, they serve as a pretty interesting contrast to our fast-pace and modern lives. People said that the tram lines mark the land which came from reclamation.

I hope you don’t get seasick, because we are going on the ferries! While there are different ferry companies serving different coastal parts in Hong Kong, Star Ferry is probably the most famous and historical one. Founded in 1888, Star Ferry is still a reliable maritime transport between Hong Kong Island and Kowloon. Taking the ferry is a great way to enjoy the view of Victoria Harbor, too.

What? Rickshaw?

No, we don’t actually use them to travel. Not anymore, at least. Though you may still find some in tourist districts. But it looks a bit inhumane to those who drag the rickshaw, don’t you think?

Hong Kong Railway Museum

Do you know that the Hong Kong Railway Museum was originally the Old Tai Po Market Railway Station?

The (old) Tai Po Market stop used to be one of the stops for the Kowloon-Canton Railway (British Section), which was opened in 1910, connecting Kowloon and Guangzhou. Later, since the trains started to be electrified, the station was out of service in 1983. It was then declared a monument in 1984. The railway company gave the abandoned station to the government and the museum was finally finished and opened in 1986.

What can you do inside?

Well, you can read about the detailed history of the museum and how Hong Kong’s railways were developed; you can admire the old train station’s unique and classic architectural style; you can walk along the rail tracks and be amazed by the display of locomotives, old station sign, old ticket samples…; you can also get on the old train compartments and experience what a train journey in the past feel like; there are also the exhibitions of Japanese Shinkansen and Eurostar. In simple words, you can do everything that makes a train lover’s blood boil!

The museum is in Tai Po Market, just a 10-minute walk away from the (new) Tai Po Market train station. And did I mention that it’s free to enter? Just don’t be like me and visit on Tuesday because it’s when it will be closed (on Christmas and Lunar New Year as well).

Oh man…I got so excited just from the talk. I was so crazy for trains when I was a kid, and the museum was more appealing than any theme park to me.

Right, let me go there and be reminiscent…

Dang it! It’s Tuesday again!

Electricity Usage in Hong Kong

Do you know that Hong Kong‘s electricity consumption per capita is higher than that of China?

Not just a bit higher, but almost double the usage!

That is pretty shocking (no pun intended) when you consider the difference in their land sizes and population sizes.

Even though Hong Kong is a modern metropolitan city, such a high consumption rate still seems a bit off the chart. The government explains that is because Hong Kong has many trade and industrial activities. Lots of buildings in Hong Kong require lightings and conditioning 24/7. Not to mention infrastructures like water supply, drainage and railway also need to consume a really high amount of energy… Alright, that figure makes sense now.

But how do we deal with the energy usage? Over 50% of Hong Kong electricity comes from burning coal, and this, while cheap, is obviously not a good thing because of the pollution it causes and it not being renewable. That is why we try to seek other energy sources, especially renewable energy like solar, wind and even energy from waste.

The question is: are these alternatives plausible?

Utilizing solar energy requires building lots of solar panels, while wind energy requires turbines, and both of these require land, which is what Hong Kong severely lacks. And some critics also argue that it is difficult to cut the reliance on coal seeing how our economic trend goes.

If only we had some kind of perpetual motion machines…

…Yeah, yeah, it won’t work. Laws of thermodynamics, right? *sigh*

Ocean Park Hong Kong

Do you know that in 2014, Ocean Park Hong Kong (香港海洋公園) is the 13^th most visited theme park in the world, and the largest theme park in Asia?

 

It is located in the southern part of Hong Kong Island, opened in 1977 by the Hong Kong Governor Sir Murray MacLehose. As the name suggested, it is a marine life theme park which does not only provide animal exhibition, but also exciting rides.

The park can be divided into different attraction areas, and each of them has its own theme, like “Polar Adventure” focuses on arctic animals and rides naming after “arctic” or “polar”; “The Rainforest” focuses on the exploration of rainforest plants and animals; “Amazing Asian Animals” lets you visit different interesting and rare animals which are mainly found in Asia, like pandas, red pandas, golden monkeys and Chinese alligators; And “Whisker Harbor” (Whisker is the mascot sea lion of the park) provides attractions for children like Ferris wheel, merry-go-around and playground.

Yeah, there are lots to play and see. But what if you are tired?

Don’t worry, you are free to take the 1.5km-long cable car ride. Each cable car can hold 6 visitors, and the journey will take about 8 minutes. It is not only a good time for you to catch a breath, but also a great chance to enjoy the magnificent view of the South China Sea. Or you can take “Ocean Express” if you prefer something faster; or maybe that 225m-long escalator, if you prefer standing.

What’s funny is that there is a law in Hong Kong forbidding visitors from bringing their own food inside (I am serious!). So…be a law abiding visitor and visit the park’s restaurants instead, ok?

And, more importantly, be prepared to queue for a really looooooooong time before you do anything in the park because it’s… crowded, very crowded.

Though on the bright side, the park doesn’t only provide entertainment, but also opportunity for you to pursue your inner peace and train your patience, right?

Recycle in Hong Kong

Do you know that the daily waste generation per capital in Hong Kong is high when compared to other similar Asian cities? It is obviously not something to brag about, though.

 

According to the HK government survey, the daily domestic waste generation per capita is around 1.36kg, which is higher than that in Taipei, Tokyo and Seoul. A pretty astonishing amount, if you ask me.

And not to mention that because of the lack of land in Hong Kong, combined with all those environmental regulations, it is really difficult to look for a suitable site for landfill or incinerator. That is why the HK government has been promoting the recycling of waste.

If you have some understanding about Hong Kong’s waste recycling policy, you should have heard of “Blue for used paper; yellow for aluminium can; brown for plastic bottles” (the colors refer to the colors of the recycling bins) and the “3R”: reduce, reuse and recycle. However, the result seems to be somewhat disappointing since, unsurprisingly, not much waste can truly be recycled and, sadly, Hongkongers don’t know much about the importance and practice of recycling.

Can we change? Obama said “yes, we can”, but what will Hongkonger say to this matter?

Working hour in Hong Kong

Do you know Hong Kong has no legislation on maximum and normal working hours?

…Damn it!! I got all irritated just from mentioning that!! Grrrrrrrrr……

According to the “Price and Earning” Study by UBS, Hong Kong ranked 71 out of 71 global cities on the length of average working hour per week, which is around 49-50.11 hours. For comparison, Paris people have it best, with only 30 hours or so.

While office hours in Hong Kong tend to be 9:00 – 18:00 (excluding 1 hour lunch break), that’s not true in most case, especially when you work in retail industry or work on shift. Not to mention lots of offices also open on Saturday (some half-day, some full-day)…

And did I mention anything about overtime work? While some decent companies will at least try to pay the employees for working overtime, some (or maybe even lots of, from what I’ve heard) companies won’t, claiming that “you have to work overtime because you are slow, and that is not the company’s responsibility to pay you”.

Yeah… some people really are shameless as long as they can save money. And of course you can look for another job; it’s just that no one can guarantee the next one would be better, especially when you consider that this is the problem of the whole society, not just one or two individual firms…

And this is how the “high competitiveness of Hongkongers” comes from.

Yeah, I am so proud of it…

Foul Language in Hong Kong

Do you know that swearing words in Cantonese are referred to as 粗口 (literally “coarse mouth”)?

And, man, Cantonese really is good for cussing because of its flexible sentence structure, how easily the swearing could be learnt and how the swearing can be used in different situation. As long as the speaker is creative enough, he or she can always come up with unpredictable combinations of profanity to insult their enemies in an impressive way!

Be warned though…the content below contains offensive words.

Those who are allergic to foul language, PLEASE LEAVE.

Those who are still reading…I take it that you are ready?

Well then, let me introduce you to our…

“The 5 Great Swearing Words in Cantonese” (廣東粗口五大字)!!!

屌 [diu2] – It can be used as noun, verb and interjection. It means “male’s sexual organ” (like “dick” or “cock”) when used as noun, and means “to penetrate with penis” (which is the equivalence of “fuck”) when used as verb. It is probably the most commonly used swearing word because of how flexible it is and its unique pronunciation. Seriously, nothing beats shouting out a huge “屌!” when frustrated.

Example:

屌! (Fuck!)

屌你! [diu2 nei5] (Fuck you!)

屌你老母! [diu2 nei5 lou5 mou5] (Fuck your mum!)

㞗 [gau1] – It is more commonly written as鳩 (pigeon), and mainly used as a noun, adjective, adverb  and sometimes particle. Another noun that refers to male’s sexual organ. When used as adjective, it can be used to describe others being stupid, useless, or ridiculous. Usually the word is combined with 戇 [ngong6] to form 戇鳩, conveying the meaning of “fucking dumbass”.

Example:

乜㞗呀? [mat1 gau1 aa3] (What the fuck?)

屌㞗你! [diu2 gau1 nei5] (Fucking fuck you!)

你戇㞗架? [nei5 ngong6 gau1 gaa4] (Are you fucking stupid / crazy?)

𡳞 [lan2] – Usually written as 撚 [nan2] (toy with, tease). Another word for male’s sexual organ (yeah, that’s the third one). This can be used as noun, particle or indicator of sarcasm. Just put this word after a confirmation and it will flip the meaning, like we turn “it’s good” into “it’s good…my ass!” in English.

Example:

你做乜𡳞嘢? [nei5 zou6 mat1 lan2 je5] (What the fuck are you doing?)

你識𡳞呀? [nei5 sik1 lan2 aa4] (You know everything my ass!)

𡴶 [cat6] – Yes, it means male’s sexual organ again (I wonder if Cantonese speaking people have some kind of phallic fetish…)! Usually written as 柒 (seven). Its usage is similar to that of 㞗, though with the extra meaning of “penis-like” or “embarrassed”. It can be combined with 頭 [tau4] (head) to form 𡴶頭 and becomes a really literal way to call others “dickhead” or “penis-face”.

Example:

你今次好𡴶。[nei5 gam1 ci3 hou2 cat6] (You are fucking embarrassed this time.)

望乜𡴶? [mong6 mat1 cat6] (What the fuck are you looking at?)

屄 [hai1] – Originally pronounced as [bei1], it refers to female’s sexual organ (finally something new…). When used as noun, it is like “cunt” and “pussy” in English, and a derogating way to address female. Its adjective form is used to describe others being cunning, cheap or simply unlucky. It can also be used as particle or sarcasm.

Example:

正臭屄! [zing3 cau3 hai1] (You stinking / fucking bitch!)

佢份人好屄。 [keoi5 fan6 jan4 hou2 hai1] (He has a shitty personality.)

Tired of cussing with only “fuck”? Now you can do it in Cantonese!

Or better, you can even come up with your English-Cantonese crossover swearing, like “fuck 𡴶 you” or “you fucking屄”.

Remember; don’t let the language barrier stop you from performing your art of insult!

Smartphone in Hong Kong

Do you know that Hongkongers have found a new way to use smartphones?

What is this “new” way? Well, what else but speculation?

While speculation of smartphones isn’t exclusive to Hong Kong, Hongkongers really are famous (or infamous, depend on how you see this action) for it. You can actually look up for related news or posts on the internet, and you will probably be surprised by how Hong Kong people are crazy about this kind of “buy low, sell high” activity. If you know where to purchase and where to sell, you can sell it for double the original price.

Yes, double. You read that right. And that is more than what a normal salary man can earn in a week.

“It’s legal, so they are free to do what they want,” you said?

Yes, you are right. And the problem is that you are right.

This, coming from an insignificant guy who barely earns more than the minimum wage, may sound hypocritical and ironic, but sometimes, we hongkongers are just too superficial and can’t look past the monetary value of something. That, in my opinion, really is unhealthy for both the individual and the society.

What gives me the right to preach though? And it’s not like no one knows that.

Hong Kong - Name of Origin

Do you know that there are different theories on how Hong Kong got her name?

First, we need to know what “Hong Kong” stands for.

It’s 香港 in Chinese. “香” can refer to “fragrance”, “sweet smell” or “incense”, where “港” means “harbor”. So, basically Hong Kong is a “harbor of fragrance / incense”.

Some people suggest that Hong Kong is a harbor city which used to sell / produce incenses, hence the name. The explanation is…too convenient, if you ask me.

One theory suggests that the Guangdong Province is abundant with trees that can produce fragrant wood. And Tsim Sha Tsui (尖沙咀, southern part of Kowloon) was the trading port of the wood. Since Tsim Sha Tsui used to be called 香埠頭 in the past and was a place that processed fragrant wood …Yeah, you can guess the rest.

Some say that there was a river that flew into the sea. It’s rumored that the water in that river tasted so fresh and sweet, thus being called “香江” (Sweet River). Guess where the river located?

There is also a funny story. When the westerners first visited Hong Kong, they went to Aberdeen (香港仔, literally “Little Hong Kong”, see how the name is similar to “Hong Kong”?) and asked a local villager where they were. Out of laziness, the villager simply responded with the abbreviation “香港”, instead of the full name “香港仔”. So the westerners ended up thinking that the whole city was called香港.

And there are still many theories out there, though no one can tell the real reason why Hong Kong is called “Hong Kong”…

Wait, why does it sound like the ending of some horror stories?

Water in Hong Kong

Do you know that Hong Kong’s water usage per capita is higher than most first world cities? Over 2000 million liters a day, to be exact (excluding 7 million salt water for flushing). So, yes, this is even higher than that in cities like Paris, London and Singapore.

Most water is used on domestic level, and most domestic water is used for tapping and bathing. Some argued that this is because Hong Kong’s water tariff is amongst the lowest in the whole word; while some defended that it is difficult to control water usage because people don’t have exact figures on how much they are using.

Whatever the reason is, Hong Kong government has been looking for method to ease the problem, like promoting the idea of saving water and building desalinization water plant.

Still, Hong Kong’s water supply mainly relies on the Dongjiang River in Guangdong.

But lots of people don’t really like this, not only because it is getting more and more expensive, and the water quality is really questionable, but also because the water supply from China could be unstable.

The growing populations, extensive amount of water for agricultural and industrial uses in Guangdong, and the occasional drought in China, all these factors suggest that the water supply from Guangdong may not be as sustainable as it seems.