Be Nice. Be Happy.

By some miracle of wandering around deciphering signs and retracing my steps over and over, I arrived at my friend’s flat in Repulse Bay, a swanky suburb far removed from the commercial hubs of Hong Kong island. And by far, that means a 25 minute bus ride.

*But first, let me take a moment to say that the public transportation in Hong Kong is awesome. There are so many taxis swarming around, even in relatively rural areas. And they cost much, much less than taxis in the States; for a trip of moderate distance in the city, it would cost something like 20 or 30 HK dollars, which is less than US$5.

I took the airport express train from the airport to Central. I wandered around Central until I found the right bus to take me to Repulse Bay. I carried my luggage by myself. I tried to navigate my way from the bus stop to Friend’s flat. Obviously I didn’t have a map of this remote suburb (which is really a densely developed area of expensive and modern high-rise apartments). Nobody I asked knew where the street was. Little did I know that this trend would continue throughout the summer. Nobody in Hong Kong ever knows the streets by name.

I finally capitulated and flagged down a cab. At least taxis here are plentiful and inexpensive. Even the cabbie didn’t know where this street was. He took me to the apartments on South Bay Road, but it was really the South Bay Villas at South Bay Close. I don’t blame him. The nice doorman showed me the way to my friend’s flat. Dirty and disheveled after 20 hours of traveling, I rang the doorbell.
A short and tanned woman opened the door. “Are you ___’s friend?” she asked. Was I ever! Was this Julita? Sure was. Friend had told me that she had a ‘domestic helper.’ I have never interacted with a domestic helper before. I prepared myself to be very polite, deferential, and unobtrusive to make as little work for her as possible.