15. sitting with strangers in the cha chaan teng

a rumination on personal space in hong kong

January 22, 2024. Lower Sheung Wan, Hong Kong

For me, it’s an uphill battle to go find my first meal upon arriving in a foreign country. Hunger, jet lag, and anxiety brawl as I try to plan my first venture outside of the security of my hotel room.

My first morning in Hong Kong, I google-gathered all the essential Cantonese phrases to communicate the basi…