Acculturation

1. :  cultural modification of an individual, group, or people by adapting to or borrowing traits from another culture ... as a result of prolonged contact - Merriam-Webster Dictionary

Recently, over glasses of wine and bowls of soup, my friends and I got onto the topic of the phrases we've picked up since moving to Hong Kong 3 years ago.... 

"No Need"

"The Bin" 

"Rubbish"

"Lovely" "That's just lovely."

"It Finish" (meaning 'all out of')

"chop" (as in 'stamp/seal... making papers official')

and... admittedly .... I find myself saying these ones now in the classroom:

"tidy up, children!" (I never say 'clean up' anymore!)

"put it in the bin"

"sit up properly"

BunnyCakes has picked up a few: "as well" and "that is correct" being her favorites. 

Words like "fat" and "lazy" are tossed around as if one were saying "that car is blue" or "he is just so tall". No fear of complexes here...

Contextual realities affect us whether we pause to consider them or not. Best to be mindful of what we are picking up - be it language, behavior, expressions, or expectations.

Becoming more "Hong Konger" ... 

... the way I don a jacket in 50 degree weather

... becoming more patient with the slower and unpredictable movements of city crowds

... being ready to zig-zag around all the people staring at their phones

... dance class in socks instead of bare feet (humidity makes it too sticky)

... not tipping

... ordering the 'duck confit donuts' and 'truffle toastie with quail eggs'  - no big deal

... the way I feel ashamed when I fail to hold my credit card reverently with two hands

... the way we run to the beach the moment the sun reveals that the sky is in fact blue 

Shek O Beach

Stanley Main Beach

that's RedHill - our peninsula - with all the houses in the background

Here we have SAND instead of lawn for our outdoor play space. This is where the magic happens: worlds invented, pirates fought, treasures unburied... this is our home, guys. Not vacation. I mean, c'mon. It's ridiculous.