[takoyakiballs]

I am new in HK, just moved here for a new job. I have been working overseas (within asia) for more than 10 years in a professional field. I believe I have reached certain level of paranoia from being treated differently, in varying degree, in a country not my own. Two of my recent experience are, one in pacific place, when I was sitting with my legs crisscorssed on one of the benches in the lobby, with my earphone, listening to mp3. I barely noticed that a guard was yelling at me telling me to move my legs down. I followed in an impulse and discreetly. While the guard was proceeding his way he passed by these 3 big caucasian guys (back packers, i supposed) who were actually sitting on the floor and he just went pretending that he didnt notice them. Another experience is in my workplace itself. I have to ask an IT staff to fix some problem with my desktop, a local HK guy came to my desk to fix the problem. As he was doing it he was murmuring telling me that "I belong to the race who works as domestic helpers in HK and I should not be asking much from him"..he was smiling though while saying this...

[reei]

sorry to hear about your experience.
being chinese,, though not local, i do not experience any kind of discrimination like that and i think your IT guy is so shallow!

[Azuremain]

Originally Posted by takoyakiballs

I am new in HK, just moved here for a new job. I have been working overseas (within asia) for more than 10 years in a professional field. I believe I have reached certain level of paranoia from being treated differently, in varying degree, in a country not my own. Two of my recent experience are, one in pacific place, when I was sitting with my legs crisscorssed on one of the benches in the lobby, with my earphone, listening to mp3. I barely noticed that a guard was yelling at me telling me to move my legs down. I followed in an impulse and discreetly. While the guard was proceeding his way he passed by these 3 big caucasian guys (back packers, i supposed) who were actually sitting on the floor and he just went pretending that he didnt notice them. Another experience is in my workplace itself. I have to ask an IT staff to fix some problem with my desktop, a local HK guy came to my desk to fix the problem. As he was doing it he was murmuring telling me that "I belong to the race who works as domestic helpers in HK and I should not be asking much from him"..he was smiling though while saying this...

Wow, that's tough and surprising to hear such a story.
Hongkongers are very pragmatic people and that doesn't leave space for racial bigotry and sh*t, because all that counts to them is money, money and err... yes money. Oh, almost forgot: money.

But seriously, there's not much to worry about here in HK. There are countries with areas where you get beaten up on the street at daylight just because you look strange. That doesn't happen in HK.

[climber07]

Sorry to hear about your experiences but unfortuantely I'm not at all suprized. Bigotry exists everywhere (some just hide it better than others). I've observed plenty of open racism in Asia (Japan is one of the worst). But it's very prevalent in Hong Kong.

For example here in HK, the Filipina DHs are treated as Second Class citizens. On a recent Schenzhen trip I learned that even with their Hong Kong IDs they can't go through the regular resident lines in Immigration, they aren't allowed in most social clubs and even after legally living in Hong Kong for 7 years and paying taxes, they cannot get Permanent Residency.

When I was in Tokyo on business trip during the Virginia Tech shooting int he US, earlier this year, I couldn't belive the media which was focusing on the Shooter and making a strong point to mention that he was Korean (as that was the most important factor in his violent behaviour). To most in the US that kid was just an American crazed teeneager.

Being a Caucasian in Hong Kong has both advantages and disadvantges because of racism. For example police will often not bother harrasing you and many "privileged" services will be offered to you purely based on your race. At the same time you have a risk of being ripped off by paying "gweillo" prices.

It's sad, but you have to find a way to deal with shallow morons.

[PDLM]

Originally Posted by climber07

For example here in HK, the Filipina DHs are treated as Second Class citizens. On a recent Schenzhen trip I learned that even with their Hong Kong IDs they can't go through the regular resident lines in Immigration, they aren't allowed in most social clubs and even after legally living in Hong Kong for 7 years and paying taxes, they cannot get Permanent Residency.

The first of these is simply not true - DHs go through the Resident line at HK Immigration. The second is limited to a very few clubs these days - the vast majority have no such restriction (e.g. HKFC, HKCC, FCC,...). The third is, unfortunately, true and is outrageous racial discrimination.

[meemiathai]

I think they discriminate their own people worse.

Mainland Chinese cannot come to HK to work as domestic helpers. Mainland Chinese married to HK citizens are not given ID cards up to until over 5 yrs so they can't live and work in HK.

I am not saying it is right or wrong but HK is too small a place to give away permanent ID cards too easily.

By the way, do domestic helpers have to pay tax?

Back to the OP, are you male or female? Are you from the Philipines? I am sorry that you are right that racism does exist here in HK. But I don't think it is bad enough to really affect your daily life.

For that security guy, perhaps write a letter to complain?

For me I will walk up to him and tell him to fxxk off.

[Max]

Originally Posted by takoyakiballs

I am new in HK, just moved here for a new job. I have been working overseas (within asia) for more than 10 years in a professional field. I believe I have reached certain level of paranoia from being treated differently, in varying degree, in a country not my own. Two of my recent experience are, one in pacific place, when I was sitting with my legs crisscorssed on one of the benches in the lobby, with my earphone, listening to mp3. I barely noticed that a guard was yelling at me telling me to move my legs down. I followed in an impulse and discreetly. While the guard was proceeding his way he passed by these 3 big caucasian guys (back packers, i supposed) who were actually sitting on the floor and he just went pretending that he didnt notice them. Another experience is in my workplace itself. I have to ask an IT staff to fix some problem with my desktop, a local HK guy came to my desk to fix the problem. As he was doing it he was murmuring telling me that "I belong to the race who works as domestic helpers in HK and I should not be asking much from him"..he was smiling though while saying this...

easy solutions here.....

was the security guard a slightly older man? if so then he would have found it easier to pick on you than 3 ...um, "big" caucasian guys. If so, call him over and yell into his ear "DO YOUR JOB, YOU WUSS!". I'm sure he won't bother you after that.

as for the IT guy, were you wearing heels? then right after he said what he said, you should have jabbed one of them deep into his foot, and "pretended" to apologize..., after all, that's not asking for 'much' now, is it?

Come on woman,...keep your chin up. This sort of stuff happens everyday in many other places. No reason for it to get you down...

[HKChigger]

Originally Posted by PDLM

The first of these is simply not true - DHs go through the Resident line at HK Immigration. The second is limited to a very few clubs these days - the vast majority have no such restriction (e.g. HKFC, HKCC, FCC,...). The third is, unfortunately, true and is outrageous racial discrimination.

PDLM - I am pretty sure climber07 meant the e-channel (you know the computerized immigration clearance that all residents can use -except DH) I was with him when he went to Shenzhen and I noticed two-three Filipinos in front of us at e-channel trying to use it but failing. It came up clear as day to go to the "traditional" counter. I remember reading that before that folks on DH visas can't use e-channel.

Mainland Chinese cannot come to HK to work as domestic helpers. Mainland Chinese married to HK citizens are not given ID cards up to until over 5 yrs so they can't live and work in HK.

Many Many times if a Chinese person marries a Hong Kong person it is purely for immigration purposes. I am not saying all the times, but such a number that they need to make people wait long enough to feel comfortable that the relationship is real. Mainland people married to Hong Konger's can still live in Hong Kong, they just can't work or get an ID card. As for the reason they can't come as DH, that I am not sure. Suspect it is also a fear of illegal immigration, but I am not sure.

Speaking of that someone who works with Kelly has a friend who was a mainlander married to a Hong Konger for immigration purposes. So he went up to Lo Wu to visit Shenzhen and Immigration questioned him. He didn't know his wife's name, where she worked, her cell number, address etc.

Let's just say I doubt he is staying in Hong Kong.

[KnowItAll]

>> I belong to the race who works as domestic helpers in
>> HK and I should not be asking much from him

If you're senior enough, report him to his boss by simply asking if this is the company policy.

Fix issues like this, which are in your control pro-actively.

What Max suggested... plus ask the guy for his name and his supervisor's name and proactively go to the management office and report him.

Rest... sometimes you just cannot let it get to you and have to move on.

In my experience, racism can often be attributed to ignorance or stereotyping (which is ignorance + lots of hearsay) and rarely the malice and provocative behavior that you see in the western countries.

Lets just say.. things are much better here in HK, in 2007 than they were in 1997.

[Star Gazer]

Filipina DHs are treated as second class citizens....
buzz buzz WRONG!!!

Filipinas / Filipinos are perceived as second class citizens period

I have a filipina friend who is not a DH and applied for a temp job here. She was filling out an application together with an American Korean woman who just transferred to HK.

The American Korean woman saw the Filipina writing down her nationality on the form prompting her to ask later on whether she was a DH.

It is sad that someone coming from a supposedly first-world country would jump to that conclusion.

Should have told her to ask the Korean, if she worked in a launderette.