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Are you ever accepted as a local in Hong Kong?

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  1. #11

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    Quote Originally Posted by Skyhook:
    My main point is, how long do you have to live in Hong Kong to be eventually accepted as local?
    Never.
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  2. #12

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    Quote Originally Posted by Mat:
    So despite many many many years in Australia, you know he is Japanese, ie accent, mannerism etc...so not quite local?I am not being a dic* - just trying to understand because it's the same here. You will never really speak like a local (you can speak cantonese but there will be an accent of some sort) and I may spend 30 years in HK at the end of the day I still prefer cheese and saucisson over wantan noodles (I do like Wantan noodles tho) so it will show here and there.More importantly in HK, 96% of the population is Chinese, so you will never look exactly like a "local"/
    Actually, I have no concrete idea of how long he'd lived there as I never felt the need to ask him.

    Loved his collection of surfboards though and his local knowledge of where the best breaks are, being a new arrival to the state, myself.

    So in your mind, if someone has accented pronunciation, they aren't considered local ?

    I grew up in Footscray during the 70s, everybody had an accent in my neighbourhood.. I never once thought that they weren't 'local' it was just 'normal. Especially as bulk of my migrant family arrived in the 30's and 50's.

    We're still considered locals !
    Last edited by Skyhook; 10-04-2018 at 10:38 AM.

  3. #13

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    Like Mat said, never.

    Why would you want to be seen as a local here? There are some disadvantages, but there are also advantages to not being seen as local.


  4. #14

    Sounds like you're just living in an expat/immigrant community in Australia. Ya all just call yourself locals. I'm sure expat/immigrants in Hong Kong considered you local by their standard.

    Last edited by civil_servant; 10-04-2018 at 10:40 AM.

  5. #15

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    Quote Originally Posted by Skyhook:
    My main point is, how long do you have to live in Hong Kong to be eventually accepted as local?
    Never is my answer. You may say whatever you like about Australia(or Canada or New Zealand) and you may never ask where the japanese was from but I guarantee you that he's been asked many many times. If you don't look like the majority, don't speak like the majority, don't eat like the majority, don't gossip like the majority, many will never view you as a local. In HK and in most places around the world. Even if I moved to Australia and lived there for 30 more years, very few would see me as an aussie or kiwi nor would I refer myself as one. How many expats would travel abroad and refer to themselves as HKer? Most would either use their nationality or ethnic origin. How many expats would refer to themselves as immigrants here?

  6. #16

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    Quote Originally Posted by Mat:
    So despite many many many years in Australia, you know he is Japanese, ie accent, mannerism etc...so not quite local?I am not being a dic* - just trying to understand because it's the same here. You will never really speak like a local (you can speak cantonese but there will be an accent of some sort) and I may spend 30 years in HK at the end of the day I still prefer cheese and saucisson over wantan noodles (I do like Wantan noodles tho) so it will show here and there.More importantly in HK, 96% of the population is Chinese, so you will never look exactly like a "local"/
    No. You are wrong. And the way you are wrong is very telling Mat. Being accepted as a local doesn't mean behaving exactly like the indigenous population.

  7. #17

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    Quote Originally Posted by civil_servant:
    Sounds like you're just living in an expat/immigrant community in Australia. Ya all just call yourself locals. I'm sure expat/immigrants in Hong Kong considered you local by their standard.
    Nah not really, semi rural yes, but even out here its pretty culturally diverse. Its great for my kids and my wife.. Very relaxed atmosphere, ie easy going and non argumentative. Its a nice change

  8. #18
    Quote Originally Posted by Golem:
    How many expats would travel abroad and refer to themselves as HKer?
    I do that all the time.

  9. #19

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    There is a rather tall White geezer who is married to a local living in my mother in laws public housing estate, hes been there for nearly 15 years and every time I see him walking out or going into the building I still find it strange that a WHITE geezer is living in a public housing estate

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  10. #20

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    Quote Originally Posted by SpeakCantonese:
    No. You are wrong. And the way you are wrong is very telling Mat. Being accepted as a local doesn't mean behaving exactly like the indigenous population.
    Yeah spot on mate.

    The other great thing out here is I've learnt so much about Indigenous culture since hanging out with a mate who is Aboriginal. Most of the street and town names are Aboriginal too, where I live means Big snake in English. I'm loving this aspect as I have always been pro indigenous, but up here I have the opportunity to meet people from this section of the community that wasn't that well represented in Melbourne where I grew up.