People tell me I’ve been brainwashed in Korea and that Hong Kong is the “real world”. “Welcome back to the “real world”-you must be happy!” people say. But I’m not happy. In fact, I think I’m being brainwashed here in Hong Kong.
I keep seeing billboards that send really strong subliminal messages. They have taglines like- “Be the Legend” (Work your ass off so you can be rich and die with the most toys- hence people will remember you.)
Or, “Explore the Possibilities”- This billboard featured a leggy blonde with long hair sitting in a tub surrounded by jewels. She was blowing bubbles made with pearls. While this tagline could be innocuous, the image really sends a strong message: Only by having money and stuff can you have ‘possibilities’ (or gorgeous leggy blondes bestrewn with jewels)
My personal favorite is this one: “Money- Too Exciting to Keep in a Safe” This billboard has a couple running happily through some barren field, (possibly a beach or a desert) in search of adventure. In the front of the billboard is this AMAZING shiny silver vintage convertible. I’m so ignorant about cars, so I couldn’t say what kind it was but I liked the car. I must say, the car was cool. However this billboard did imply that you needed money to have fun.
Now if all this is not brainwashing, I don’t know what is.

I’ve been having a love-hate relationship with wealth. I sometimes feel guilty about enjoying what my husband has worked so hard for. Especially when I know that there are other people who are struggling just to eat. Hong Kong seems to be all about hoarding the wealth and flaunting it. Greed is good. It’s all so nouveau riche. I was having this discussion with someone the other day and he affirmed my suspicion- It’s not enough to be ‘well-off’ in Hong Kong. You have to be filthy stinking loaded to keep up with the Joneses. This truly irritates me. I don’t want to play this game. It’s a game I don’t want to win.

I was hanging out with my girlfriend the other day and she had a long list of things to do.
1. Get a pedicure
2. Get her legs waxed
3. Get her highlights redone

Other than that, she was free for a coffee and a browse through Lane Crawford.
I came to the conclusion that women with pedicures on their list of things to do should be counting their lucky stars. Anyway, after so many days of being idle and living the tai-tai life (Yes, I have had pedicure on my list of things to do) I’m frustrated, guilty and bored with it. I need to find something meaningful to fill my time with-like good friends, sports and a job I like. I’ve been doing research on putting together hiphongkong.com and trying to see if it’s viable, but Hong Kong seems oversaturated with publications. I have to be superwoman to compete in this environment and I don’t know if I have the energy to do it all again from scratch. Everyone says I’ll adjust, that I’ll find my friends and find my footing. Right now I wish this culture shock phase of moving would just pass.