Interview with the "first expat to live on Park Island".

I recently met Frederik, who has lived on Park Island for many years, and claims to be "the first expat on Ma Wan". I asked him to respond to a few questions for my blog. Here is our conversation:

-Were you really the first ex-pat on Park Island?

Yes, I really think so. I came here just when the first phase was completed. It was at stage where I would still get people looking at me just because I was a foreigner. That no longer happens, but it was fun at first being special like that.

-How did you end up choosing Park Island to live?

I was sent to HK to work for a Danish shipping company. I came to HK not with specific ideas about where to live. Most ex-pats come here and live in Mid Levels, Happy Valley, Discovery Bay. I did not know about areas, so I looked more on the map to see what could be suitable. For many Europeans, we really need clean air and open spaces, so that played a big part. Back then, the rents were also very cheap at Park Island. I liked the facilities, and it was close to the airport, so I moved there, and am still here. Once I found an apartment my wife (who was my girlfriend at the time) joined me. I knew I also needed a nice place for her to enjoy Hong Kong.

-Did you not feel strange being there at first, with no other ex-pats?

Not really. Well, not more than being Danish anywhere, as there are not too many of us in any single location. This is HK after all, so of course I expected to live among many Chinese people! Some funny things did happen at first though. For example Park Island has a great sauna and spa and hot-tub complex. I first went there to enjoy it and relax, but I went naked (as is normal in my country). I then realized that Chinese people wear clothes to do that. Then a sign was put up, in English, that we must wear clothes. And I knew it must be specifically for me, as it was in English! So then I started wearing swim shorts for the sauna, and since then I noticed older Chinese men will go naked, and younger men wear shorts. Back then the security guards also could not usually speak English. Now they are all bi-lingual, as many foreigners live there.

-So have you noticed more foreigners? When did they start coming?

It was a slow trickle at first, then more and more, and the last year especially its very noticeable that foreigners are coming. Nearly every week you see more foreigners moving in, looking around with agents, and you see more in the club house, on the beach, in the library, at the restaurants. What happens is that you get a friend who visits, and then they move there or tell their friends. So for example we had another colleague from Denmark, who visited us when he moved to HK. And then he moved here. Actually many people from Europe came to know about Park Island. We have groups of Germans, South Africans, Fins, French - they seem to each be growing populations of expats who know each other.

-What about Americans?

Well, interestingly its more Europeans that come here. Americans seem to prefer living in Discovery Bay. Perhaps more of ignorance, as they probably know if as their friends or colleagues are there. In the last 18 months, the number of Australians on Park Island seemed to really go up. Some are pilots, and they also of course like outdoors, and BBQs, beaches and clean air. So Australians and New Zealanders seems to be coming a lot more lately.

-Favorite place to eat on Park Island?

For snacks by the beach I like Romas or the German restaurant. Also the Thai one. For Chinese food, I go into the Ma Wan village. I cook a lot at home too.

-How about schooling for your son?

He goes to the local kindergarten, and is learning English and Chinese. For school, we will send him to the Primary School on Park Island. The teaching will be both English and Chinese, and the style of teaching is apparently more relaxed and fun, not so strict as traditional Chinese schools, which is exactly what I want for my boy. I want him to enjoy school and have fun and be creative. I don't want him to be stuck at a desk memorizing and rote learning, like children at other schools in Hong Kong.

-Best thing about Park Island?

I feel like I am on holiday each day. It feels like a beach resort, and I feel so relaxed as soon as I arrive home from work.

-Worst thing about Park Island?

First of all, is that prices for rentals keep increasing. The secret about Park Island is out, and many more people want to move here. That means landlords will take advantage of the demand and are pushing up rental prices. Second of all, I feel there are too many rules. For example, say if one person has a loud party at his apartment on the weekend. Then later everyone will get a newsletter in their mail box reminding you to keep quiet at night. Or how you can only have dogs on certain beaches on the island but not others. The rules mean you have a very orderly clean organized place to live, but its a bit like Singapore if you have too many strict rules. I think with more foreigners coming it might actually get a bit more relaxed here in terms of living rules.

-How do you get to and from work?

Bus/MTR. It’s very easy for me, which surprises some people do not know about all the transport options on Park Island. In the evenings if I am in Central for entertainment, I will take a taxi home. It’s around $160 and 12-15 minutes depending on how fast he drives!