Today, we began the first of our company visits in the morning. Our group visited AmCham, the American Chamber of Commerce in Hong Kong.  We listened as the President of AmCham shared her insights about the current business climate in Hong Kong.  It was an engaging discussion, to say the least.

You can sit in a classroom and learn about what is going on in the world but there is hardly a substitute for hearing about it and experiencing it first hand. A discussion against the backdrop of the city of Hong Kong brings to life what we’re just concepts the day before.

This is a problem today. Lots of people share their unverified experience online and inside the comfort of their own homes. There is no credential to back up their claims about immigration and government trade policy. They share information about foreign policy without ever stepping foot on foreign soil. There is no curiosity.  There is little wonder about the world outside of our own borders. Step across the border and you might find a vibrant city where some of the same problems exist as in Des Moines. The cost of living, office space prices, dealing with congestion and a changing and growing infrastructure are all current problems in nearly every city.

I appreciate Hong Kong. As far as culture shock, there was none for me. It is relatively easy to move through a daily routine here. I had no problem communicating relatively simple needs at a place we stopped quickly for lunch.  Some of this may have been because we are in a group, essentially living in a hotel.  Oh, and I am puzzled by one thing. I have not seen a housekeeper in this hotel yet. Magically, our rooms are neat and tidy when we return. It is a mystery.

I will try and cover the magical housekeeper fairies later. If I could employ one of them, I would bring the magical housekeeper fairy home and put it to service.