Trip to Hong Kong
In all honesty, one of the greatest things about living in Shenzhen is its proximity to places like Hong Kong and Macau. They are just a day trip away, and believe me, getting away for a while to places like these is necessary.
Why am I talking about making trips to Hong Kong? Well, China has a tendency to require foreigners like me not only to leave China every 30 days, but also to require them to get new multiple entry visas every two or six months, depending on if it’s your first and second or third time and beyond getting a business visa (the first two times you must get a two entry 30 day visa, after that you can get a six month unlimited entry visa).
China Teaching Visa
During my time as a teacher this was not a requirement. Teacher visas are also multiple entry, but they are good for a full year and do not limit each stay you make in China. I really don’t know what foreigners in the middle of China do when they have business visas and have to leave every thirty days, fly into Hong Kong? Perhaps China did this to keep unofficial businesspeople such as myself very close to the border, and away from the interior where some of us might corrupt the minds and lives of more innocent Chinese people.
Visa expires tomorrow
Anyway, being in Shenzhen is good for both of the reasons I outlined above, i.e. being able to hop over to Hong Kong for a quick day trip when desired or necessary. And, as luck would have it, my six month multiple entry visa expires… tomorrow. So, to Hong Kong for another fun filled day of Mexican food, DeliFrance, some much needed reading, and another glimpse at the real world that eludes me from day to day in Shenzhen.
Why I love Hong Kong
I love Hong Kong, really. The food is great, the people are much more friendly (and better looking), there is a whole lot to do, and there are books that I want to read. In English of all languages! Being in mainland China the only English reading available is classics, and you can only take so much of that before you go back to struggling through Chinese books or want to jump off the People’s, I mean stinky, Bridge.
Beyond that, the buildings in Hong Kong are magnificent, and the city has many different levels, and is just clean. Shenzhen is flat, has for the most part uninspired architecture, and is dirty in the majority of places.
Ah, I very much look forward to going.
