Every time I go back to America, it tugs at my heart. It's not just the hills and tree-lined streets; it's the values, optimism, equality and freedom it represents. When I was six, my family moved to America, hopeful, heedful and hungry. We chased the American dream. Fifteen years later, I moved back to Asia for a better dream. The Asian dream now seems to trump the American one.
Seven years on, I am about to become a Hong Kong permanent resident. I don't know exactly how much of the Asian dream I've obtained, because I'm not quite sure what the Asian dream should include. What is the goal of a Hongkonger? What is 'success'? How do you know if you've 'made it' in Hong Kong?
Most Hongkongers would say owning a flat is a true beacon of success. Owning several flats is even better. Next is money; having enough to lunch at the Four Seasons, or better yet, join private clubs with million-dollar membership fees. And, surely, we cannot forget one's children's success, as measured solely by which schools they go to.
These pillars of the Asian dream are not the reasons I came to Asia. They are not the values I have lived my life by. Yet, sadly, they have influenced me. I find myself worrying about property, money and schools with the same fervour I used to reserve for issues like affirmative action and civil liberties. Materialism now stands where idealism once held sway.
But every time I go back to America, I remember my roots. This summer, I spent three weeks in California. I hiked in the woods and took my children to beautiful parks in posh neighbourhoods. I also hung out with working-class Americans who are struggling to pay the rent. I headed back to Hong Kong both energised and hesitant.
I am more hopeful of Asia than ever because the decay of America is becoming impossible to ignore - from the endless lines at the airport to the general torpor of service staff. Hong Kong, with its efficiency, diligence and drive, is a dream city in comparison. Our people work hard, don't complain incessantly, and don't take everything for granted.