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Hong Kongers and American views and learning styles collide

Posted on June 17, 2015 by
Haley-Randell

Hong Kongers and American views and learning styles collide

By Haley Randell

Have I been in Hong Kong a week already? I guess time flies when you are studying your noggin off!

Where to start? Well, I love my Chinese counterparts. My group is focusing our research on waste management in Hong Kong. There are three ASU students and three City University of Hong Kong students in our group and I have to say that we lucked out! The Chinese students are super hard working and genuinely fun to be around. I had no idea what I was getting into with studying with Hong Kong-ers (that’s how they say it!) but their English is amazing as well as their knowledge of worldwide waste management. But there definitely are cultural differences that make for interesting group discussions and field trips.


Specifically, it is interesting to learn the actual relationship of capitalist Hong Kong and communist mainland China. Hong Kong is very similar to the U.S. in terms of freedom of speech, people living comfortably and just style of living. However, the political system has been in flux since the British stopped ruling and they are actually voting on universal suffrage next week. It really makes you appreciate the fairly stable U.S. government system.

Speaking of unstable government, did you know that Hong Kong has three landfills that are scheduled to be full in the next five years? Not only that, but the government is not prepared to manage the waste in any other way! Today, the whole class went to the largest landfill in Hong Kong and also saw some recycling systems. You would think that China would have the most sophisticated recycling system in the world because a lot of the actual recycling takes place in China, but Hong Kong actually ships their recycling to mainland China, just like Arizona does! I think the trip is a bit shorter from here though.

This experience has been a world-wind—exciting, sweaty, exhausting, frightening and laughable. With only a week and a day left in class, it is hard to believe that we will produce two posters before then. Till next time!