One thing that peaked my interest here in Hong Kong is how convenient things are. There is a singular card that you can use to pay anywhere. But, it’s not related to any bank nor it has any fees. The octopus card can be used to pay for public transportation, can be used to pay for school utilities, you can pay in stores for groceries or even some local shops and markets take it as well beyond cash. Even then you can connect that card to apps that have collective agreements with shops for discounts and points, and with that singular card you are able to get around really easily. It makes being a foreigner in Hong Kong easier because you don’t need to worry about how to get around or how to pay you can just put money on the card and use it for everything. Through the same card you can also apply for government subsidies for transportation and daily needs. The convenience of this card has extended to Macau and even parts of Shenzhen. The convenience of this card reflects on the culture here in Hong Kong because people focus on the continence of things here, everyone is in a rush, having somewhere to go, somewhere to be, projects to finish, and having a singular card that can be used for everything makes every day transactions and processes a lot quicker. The way this impacts my time here in Hong Kong is that immediately the same day I arrived I was able to get around Hong Kong and get everything I needed from the moment I stepped foot in my dorm. Having this card has allowed me to move around within the city and use public transportation more easily, which has allowed me to learn about the city and more cultural activities here. After this card I continued to research more convenient aspects of Hong Kong like the public transportation system which is one of the best transportation systems in the world due to its multi-layered transport network. The way the governments pays for all of it construction and infrastructure is not through taxing its citizens but the the sale of land to big corporations. Which is so interesting as in a way no one pays taxes, but necessities are still being covered through the payments of big corporations, for future projects that in the end will benefits citizens as well.
