Language barrier
I read in a Chinese newspaper that a government official was retiring, because his colleagues were increasingly using Cantonese and this made him feel alienated.
I do not know if this represents the views of most of the non-Cantonese-speaking people who work and live in Hong Kong.
I hope that they will not assume that when people are talking in their mother tongue, they are showing a lack of respect.
I grew up in Hong Kong and was not exposed to other countries' cultures, so I do not feel I have the courage to talk to people coming from a foreign country.
It is not because I do not like these people. I would like to speak to them, but I am afraid I might unintentionally offend them, because I do not understand their culture.
I also find it difficult to get on with foreign colleagues in my workplace.
I hope people from foreign countries understand this and that they will try to take the initiative and talk to local people.
People of different cultures should try to communicate with each other.
K. Y. CHU Wan Chai
