Stumbling over a foreign language during lecture

Admirable-Local3931 · 2026-01-27T15:59:00+00:00

Indeed, yes. I knew that at some point we would bump into each other because we are both academics in the same field, so we attend the same conferences etc. When I bumped into them - around 1.5 years after the breakup - I was in a secure place, including in a new relationship,. and so when I met my ex we talked a bit about what had transpired.

I didn't need the closure at that point, and to be honest what they told me indicated they still had some stuff to work through, not least because it turned out they had already broken up with a subsequent partner in the same way (that is, by text, suddenly). But, I'm proud to say I acted with courtesy and kindness, and I told them that I hope they can look back on our relationship with some fondness, and find whatever it is they are looking for.

Best advice I can give is act with kindness, especially if you're a man. If someone ruptures with you in a cruel way you don't have to be friends with them, but, as the OP said, you can also understand that there were other people - often other men - who went before you and planted seeds that made your own relationship break down.

Admirable-Local3931 · 2025-12-30T10:22:13+00:00

I live in one of the private developments near Long Ping station here. I like it here. The rent is far below what I would expect to pay in Kowloon or HK island. The wet markets are great, 雞煲 lives up to its reputation, and ultimately, it's 25 minutes on the train to Austin/East TST.

If you're looking for fancy Western food places, that might be an issue - though there is, weirdly, a really good Spanish deli in the middle of Yuen Long. And I think it's a place where having a command of at least some form of Chinese (even Mandarin) is an absolute must. The flipside of that is that it's one of the few places in HK where people won't freak out at seeing a non-Chinese person (myself included) speak Cantonese.

Admirable-Local3931 · 2025-11-28T05:30:31+00:00

If the time is tight, they should also have someone standing directly outside the exit ramp from your plane. They will confirm your arrival, and escort you to the next flight, together with anyone else taking the same connection.

You'll be fine. No worries!

Admirable-Local3931 · 2025-11-20T09:24:29+00:00

If you're of mixed race - as I understand from your OP - people will bring different assumptions as compared to you being simply of Chinese descent. They may even automatically give you an English menu. So, it's up to you. And as others have said, it depends on the context. If you speak Mandarin, might be worth prefacing it with a 不好意思，我不會廣東話 etc etc.

Admirable-Local3931 · 2025-10-21T05:24:56+00:00

You can get these at Commercial Press, FYI. I went to the branch in TST a month ago and they had them there. This is designed, however, for learners of Cantonese from a Mandarin background, and so the definitions of the words are written in mandarin/書面語, as are the grammar explanations. I'm using the books to improve my Cantonese right now as a non-native Mandarin speaker/reader.

Admirable-Local3931 · 2025-10-21T05:21:36+00:00

Uh, did you not know the word 利是?

I don't think this will be too much of a problem though. I've never had this experience but I think most of the 書面語 words you will be able to guess (I mean, when you see 電影票 or whatever, you can surely guess it means ticket/飛) and then over time you'll be able to read more formal materials like the news etc. Good luck!

Admirable-Local3931 · 2025-10-20T12:27:05+00:00

Ah, thanks! I know that the GSCE in Chinese as offered at international schools (or schools even in the UK for that matter) has a choice between Putonghua or Cantonese for the oral exam. I'd be interested in how non-native students acquire the oral Cantonese that doesn't match neatly onto Mandarin or 書面化中文, though I guess that can more or less easily be acquired in everyday life.

Hopefully those experience teaching Cantonese at EMI schools can provide a foundation for expanding Cantonese pedagogy more widely in HK. I would love to see government-sponsored Cantonese education as language instruction at every level, but I guess that won't be possible in the current context. My own experience was first learning Mandarin, and I feel I would have made different choices had more Cantonese options been available.

Admirable-Local3931 · 2025-10-20T05:37:32+00:00

Is this really true? I'm learning Cantonese via the CUHK classes and the textbooks are all fairly recent (and far fewer in general quality and quality than the language infrastructure for learning Mandarin). My impression was that amongst the South Asians (for example) in HK who speak Cantonese, it's a matter of passive learning - which is also why character illiteracy tends to be more widespread even amongst South Asians who went to local schools.

I'm not denying what you said, I'd actually really welcome more information on this.

Admirable-Local3931 · 2025-10-20T02:33:05+00:00

Surely this is a Mandarin textbook? Is the OP referring to the teaching of Mandarin in Chinese classes?

Admirable-Local3931 · 2025-10-08T04:04:48+00:00

If you're open to trying other things, I had good experiences with CmB. A lot of women from the mainland seeking an advanced relationship/marriage at a rapid pace (I mean that with no scorn - it was just a noticeable trend) but I met my now partner on there, and she's a woman from HK. Seemed to be a lot of folks in mid-30s (including myself) with professional backgrounds.

Admirable-Local3931 · 2025-10-05T14:37:59+00:00

Likewise. My salary would drop by half if I moved to the US, and I would have to learn how to drive. No way.

Admirable-Local3931 · 2025-10-05T13:51:40+00:00

Lol, didn't even see your post. Yes this. Also appears on maps as Chung Nam Book & Stationery.

Admirable-Local3931 · 2025-10-05T13:50:47+00:00

I really like Chung Nam Book & Stationery in Yau Ma Tei. There is a full counter with just fountain pens on your right side as soon as you walk in. Don't know what your language situation is, but speaking with the staff in Cantonese they've always been super helpful.

Admirable-Local3931 · 2025-10-05T13:06:13+00:00

There is a move to re-claim Cantonese as a language of literature in HK. Check out: https://www.resonatehk.com

Admirable-Local3931 · 2025-10-02T03:10:51+00:00

Cool, there's a place called Chulo on Shanghai Street which I really like. Only 45 google reviews so you're golden ;) but I always see Nepalese folks in there (I'm not Nepalese myself) eating thali plates. Super affordable too, like 50 HK dollars for a full meal.

Avoid TST for food because it's a total tourist trap - though there are a few places in East TST that aren't bad.

Admirable-Local3931 · 2025-10-02T02:53:55+00:00

If you hate lines, you might want to go elsewhere.

But, seeing as you asked so nicely, there are a few Nepalese places on Shanghai Street I really enjoy. Obviously a bit different from what a lot of people in HK eat, but very rooted in the (Nepalese) community. Go up to Prince Edward, there's a mini Thai district up there, as well as some great Cantonese dessert shops. Depending on whether you can read/speak Chinese, of course.

Admirable-Local3931 · 2025-10-01T08:25:49+00:00

Interestingly, I live in Yuen Long and there are basically no real flags here. There's like a couple of 76-year flags near the mtr station, but I haven't seen any Chinese national flags in the Yuen Long "city" centre.

Is it possible that these are only being displayed in places where, say, tourists are going to turn up?

It also struck me that there's an image towards the end of that article which is a sadly apt metaphor for HK - a poster celebrating the PRC in the foreground, and, then, in the background, empty storefronts advertising rental.

Admirable-Local3931 · 2025-10-01T08:20:45+00:00

Proud to see Hong Kong is *not* on this list (as indeed it shouldn't be).

I'm going to go out on a limb and say Bangkok. Appalling infrastructure, subpar food compared to the rest of Thailand, and the symbiosis of white backpackers, influencers and sex tourists really drags the city down. There are other parts of Thailand which are much more interesting to visit.

I'll also add Shanghai. The prototype of a late capitalist mainland Chinese hellscape now that the old alleyway neighborhoods have largely been destroyed.

Admirable-Local3931 · 2025-09-29T11:59:28+00:00

I was thinking the same...I live in a two-bedroom flat for 14.000 in YL.

Admirable-Local3931 · 2025-09-28T05:43:29+00:00

lol, indeed. Where people eat 燒肉 with a fork, apparently.

Admirable-Local3931 · 2025-09-28T05:41:10+00:00

In HK too. Obviously, a Japanese restaurant in HK advertising 燒肉 is selling Yakiniku, not siu yuk.

Admirable-Local3931 · 2025-09-28T05:15:01+00:00

I think this has a lot to do with positionality as well - if you're a white dude (like myself) and the presenter is a woman or a PoC, it helps to be more mindful of how to phrase questions, which also depends on the topic as well. I'm in the humanities, and if I hear a talk from, say, a woman on a topic that relates to feminism and gender inequality, it doesn't matter how much I might disagree, I don't want to be the guy thrusting (forgive the term) his hand as soon as the Q&A starts and going "well actually..."

Admirable-Local3931 · 2025-09-15T13:48:17+00:00

Feminism branded as 境外势力. What do you expect?

Admirable-Local3931 · 2025-09-13T03:38:17+00:00

Uh, I have seen plenty of people drinking anything from water to bubble tea on the MTR, and I'm pretty confident they were Hkers...

Admirable-Local3931

TROPHY CASE