First a couple of questions for you: How old is your daughter? What is the purpose of her trip?

1. Hong Kong is a truly international city. In business, in academics, in public service Hong Kong people are used to interacting with people of all races and culture, including Africans and African Americans.

2. No, general etiquette applies.

3. Don't know, but Hong Kong is one of the most communication friendly places on the planet.

4. No, not if she uses common sense.

5. Don't know about debit cards per se, but credit cards and ATM cards are WIDELY used.

6. Tap water in Hong Kong is borderline. I'd stick with bottled water, which is available everywhere.

7. Public transportation -- buses, subway and taxis -- are plentiful, cheap, safe and reliable.

8. Hopefully she will experiment with the various Chinese cuisines. If she doesn't like Asian food, there are plenty of Western options Eating is a group activity. Her work colleagues will educate her. If she doesn't like something it's okay to say no thanks.

Hong Kong for the most part is very safe. Again, common sense is the best approach.

We didn't use a sim card, but if that doesn't work out, Skype was great.

Did anyone else think this was about a girl with a drinking problem??

Joslin88, Hong Kong is a very civilized place. Your daughter will be fine. I wouldn't recommend drinking tap water though. Bottled water and tea will be readily available. I think most of the residents also drink bottled or filtered water. Unless she is permanently moving there, why risk getting sick over a glass of water, when there are so many tastier ways if you feel lucky?

She's going there for grad school work, and is 24.

Not sure what the comment was about her having a drinking problem??

A 24 year old grad student will NOT have a problem acclimating to Hong Kong. She'll have a great time. Relax, Mom, and think about visiting yher while she's there.

Yes, Lucy - that was my first thought .....and the reason I clicked on this thread!

AA = Alcoholics Anonymous.

Ditto on what Lucy said. Just a semantics thing, I guess.

Now we know:
AA = African American

But:
AA American (as referenced in Question #1) = ????

PS, the "drinking comment" came from the AA (alcoholics anonymous) handle. I had the same initial reaction.

I am also an "AA" or Asian American!

1. How will she be received as an AA American person?

While Hong Kongers are not the friendliest people on the planet, there is no especial prejudice against African Americans as far as I can tell. I will say that there are not a lot of African Americans here. There are a number of actual Africans (mainly men) from Nigeria and elsewhere who work on temporary assignments.

2. Are there any things she should be careful not to do or say?

Generally, no. It might be helpful to read up on Asian culture and the concept of "face". Confrontational, aggressive behavior is generally not the way people approach one another here. The word "no" does not exist in Cantonese; one would say "not yet" or "not ready" or "tomorrow" and by context and cultural understanding, one would know that you are being told "no". There is great respect for teachers, which she should bear in mind. This can run to the extent of not questioning what is taught by teachers, but that may not be the case in a graduate setting with other non-Asians.

You can get her a copy of the book "Culture Shock! Hong Kong" which gives a fairly comprehensive picture of culture and customs in Hong Kong. It is part of the Culture Shock series of books published by Graphic Arts Center Publishing Company . You can buy them on line from Amazon or your local bookstore should be able to order it for you.

Learning a few polite phrases in Cantonese like "hello" and "thank you" would be nice and she will then be complimented on her excellent Cantonese…

3. How likely is it that she will be able to quickly and reliably call me on her cell phone if she gets a SIM card at the HK airport?

Within moments, assuming her US mobile phone is "unlocked" and she can use a local SIM card in it. Otherwise she can buy a local phone cheaply and then use a local SIM card.

4. Will she be looked at as an easy target for cons/unscrupulous people/men?

Sorry, but is she looked at that way at home? If not, there is no reason to believe it would be any different here. Of course hanging out in the girlie bars of Wanchai may bring this on, but I have no reason to believe that she will want to do that, or that she would be a target even if she choose to do so. Hong Kong is far, far safer in general than most any US city or town.

5. She has been told to only take cash, and that her Debit cards won't be reliable. True?

My goodness, why would she want to have only cash? Use ATMs and credit cards. People have debit cards here, but they may be linked to local banks, so I can't say with certainty that a US debit card will work. But if she has an ATM and credit cards she should be fine. She can use credit cards virtually everywhere, from grocery stores to small shops. And the exchange rate is usually quite good, better than an ATM. You can also wire cash to the post office via Western Union if necessary.

6. Someone told her to drink tap water a little at a time to get used to it, as it is in most foods. True? Bottled water not widely used too?

I have lived here more than 10 years and have always drunk the tap water and I use it for cooking and ice. There is a myth (perpetuated somewhat locally) that the tap water is no good, that is not the case. It meets all international standards for safety. I think it tastes fine. But bottled water is widely available. Be careful of distilled water, which is also sold locally as drinking water, but which is not considered fit for drinking in most countries.

7. She will be traveling on bus to work. Any advice here?

Safe, reliable, cheap and efficient. If the US had transportation nearly as good, I might still be living there. She should get an Octopus card so she does not have to use cash on the bus. Where is she living and where is her work? I could give some transport options.

8. Will she absolutely be told what not to eat, and where not to go by residents?

Yes if she asks. I don't know that they will volunteer this infomation to an adult stranger, as people tend to keep to themselves. But if she asks, they will probably tell her that parts of Hong Kong are not safe. I don't find this to be the case. Relative to the US there is very little crime here, but if you have lived here all your life, your perspective is different and so people may tell her to avoid some areas. Parts of Central late a night (after 3 am or so). Part of Tuen Muen (a town in the New Territories where she is unlikely to go which does have some gang issues but which do not involve foreigners or non-gang members).

I can't think of anything that she should not eat. Food safety and cleanliness is generally of a very high standard. Many locals (including myself) avoid produce and dairy products from the PRC, as no one quite knows what it may have been treated with in terms of pesticides, or how it may have been adulterated. Products from other regions are widely available so it is not an issue. Organic produce and other foods are fairly widely available as well.

She will probably get asked a lot of she likes spicy food, and there will be surprise expressed if she does. There is a belief that Americans/Westerners do not eat spicy food.

OK, so I am a nervous nilly. Sorry, but this is a first for us! Thanks for any advice.

Hopefully you are planning on visiting so you can see for yourself that your fears are quite unfounded.

Cicerone..excelent first hand advice as usual...

Cicerone has it basically all covered. Just a few points.

1, 2, 4 & 8. There is really not much to worry about in Hong Kong. It's a safe place and no problem with being a black, though since Hong Kong is 90+% Chinese and not too many black visitors, she may get a few glances in some areas, but that's about it. Just use common sense, and no areas to avoid.

3. Prepaid 2G and 3G SIM cards are both easy to get in HK and inexpensive. However, like Cicerone says, her US phone has to be unlocked; and for 2G calling, must also have 900 and 1800 GSM. (In the US, AT&T and T-Mobile uses GSM, but uese 850/1900MHz, so a quad-band phone is required; Sprint and Verizon 2G phones use CDMA, and won't work in HK). So, do some homework about her phone before the trip.

5. Visa/MasterCard are widely accepted in HK, AE a bit less so. But many merchants do have minimum charges of usually HK$100 (US$13) to use one. If she's going to use a debit card, check with her bank/issuer about whether a pin is required for purchase, or if it works just like a credit card. ATMs are everywhere, and most do not charge a fee. However, HER BANK in the US may, so again, do ask. For example, I know personally that with a Bank of America ATM/debit card, I can get HK Dollars at China Construction Bank ATMs with ZERO fees, and ZERO exchange rate surcharge.

The easiest and quickest way to pay for small items in Hong Kong is with the Octopus card. It's a stored value card that works on most public transportation AND supermarkets, convenient stores, vending machine, etc. HOWEVER, one has to add value to it using CASH only (unless she has a local HK bank account for automatic top-up). So, she will indeed need cash - not really in her wallet, but on her Octopus card.

In fact, one of the first two things she should get upon arrival into Hong Kong is to get an Octopus, right outside the customs exit. The other is a SIM card.

6. Water is an interesting and controversial subject in Hong Kong. Tap water is indeed safe to drink, but most locals won't do it as a habit, as years ago, bateria were known to be a problem at the fresh water tanks for some highrise buildings. So, traditionally, locals boil their water before consumption; and more recently, some are okay with filters.

Bottled water, as Cicerone says, is another controversial matter. One can easily find distilled bottle water in HK, but not drinking water; and many locals DO only drink these bottled distilled water. But of course, by definition, distilled water are stripped of all minerals. Whether that's actually healthy or not is debatable, and you sure can get different opinions.

don't worry, she will be fine... it will be easier, safer and with no stress than was she going to nyc for this time frame

i thought the other AA too

What a wonderful opportunity for your daughter!

I don't know who has told you all these things about Hong Kong, but what terrible information. Let me add just a bit about money/banking issues to the excellent information above.

If you daughter is not going to have a local bank account, she needs to get a good US bank account before she goes - one that won't charge her US$5 per ATM use plus 3% foreign exchange premuim, which are the typical charges of large US banks. Some small banks, many credit unions and brokerage accounts often do not charge for use of foreign ATMs and many refund any use charges of the local ATM. Also, many of these also charge only 1% foreign exchange premium. SHe should also look at what her credit card charges. Most charge a 3% foreign exchange premium, but a few charge only 1% or some from Capital One have no foreign exchange premium. She will be using her credit card a lot for day to day expenses. If her debit card has a Mastercard or Visa logo, it should work in Hong Kong. BUT - debit cards do not have the same fraud protections that credit cards do. I never use debit cards because of this. Someone can empty your bank account and it takes time and effort to get your money back. If your credit card is used fraudulently, you can have those charges suspended immediately. I mention this not because it is less safe in Hong Kong, but because it is an issue everywhere.

Grad student will gets lots of advice and companionship at the U. This is only China on paper. In many respects half asian/half western so is a very interesting place, compared to USA. I have found esp, the public transport highly commendable, safe and cheap. Best not to infect daughter with your fears but let her fly.

Most of the worries that you list are unfounded. HK is a big international civilized place. My daughter traveled to HK and China on her own and she was 20. She was not kidnapped either.

I've observed in eating places a lot of Hong Kongers have the habit of washing their bowls, plates and utensils with hot tea/water. Singaporeans stopped this practice years ago. Anyway, I think it's more a habit than necessity.

KMLoke - It's just a habit. It is actually more prevalent now than 25 years ago. Back then, people only did it at low-end establishments where they perceived the rinsing as inadequate. Now, people do it at even mid-priced establishments. At the same time, more and more people in HK has become germaphobe, especially after he SARS episode in 2003.

I agree Hong Kongers have stepped up their game in regards to cleanliness. Kudos to them.

Rinsing spoons and chopsticks is not being clean. It's being paranoid.

I've traveled in Hong Kong solo (female) quite a lot and have always felt completely safe. My Visa ATM and debit card has never failed me there. Be sure to tell the bank you will be there. Otherwise they may put a block on the card.

I too thought that this was an alcohol tolerance-related question. Then I thought, "No, maybe it's an American Airlines employee sending a child abroad." Wrong again.

You have gotten some wonderful advice above. Hong Kong is an extremely sophisticated and wonderfully stimulating international city. How fabulous that your daughter can spend time there this summer.

I too have a 24 yo daughter. She lives in NYC and I must admit that I would be less worried about her safety if she lived in Hong Kong.

I'll add a minor comment. In Asia, people do sometimes stare at those non-Asians among us who seem extreme in appearance. I have blonde hair and blue eyes which children, in particular, sometimes find spooky looking. This is far, far more common in the PRC than in Hong Kong, but one sometimes crosses paths with non-locals in Hong Kong. Pale skin, dark skin, red hair, blue eyes, extremes of height -- all may attract some innocent attention that reflect curiosity about differences. I hope that doesn't pose a problem for her and I hope that she has a great experience.

There are few non-Asians in HK, but more so than in Seoul. HK folks are very westernized and sophisticated, much less likely to stare as they do in Korea. I found it a very safe city, so don't worry about her well-being. It's such a fabulous place that she will be swept up in it immediately. The only problem we had was fitting our enormous feet on the steps of the trolley to go to the top deck!

On my first trip to HK in 1998, we stayed at the Biship Li Hotel. A sign over the bathroom sink said "don't drink the tap water." On my last trip in 2008, we stayed for a month in the residence at the UHK and the attendant brought us a jug of water every morning which we used for coffee and brushing our teeth.

At what university will your daughter be studying?

I go through this with my Mom when I travel and I will tell you as a woman in her 20's, calm down, she'll be fine. I know she'll always be your little girl, but don't worry so much.

As for calling you immediately when she lands... ask her to call you within 24 hours of landing, NOT immediately. That way if a flight is delayed you don't panic and if she's wiped out tired from the flights, you won't panic if she forgets to buy a SIM card and it takes a few hours after landing for her to get settled in and get a SIM card. As long as you hear from her within 24 hours of landing, that's good enough. She's an adult, trust her. I used Skype and it was fantastic.

With the understanding that I was in mainland China, not Hong Kong, my debit and credit cards worked just fine. I used cash a lot more often than I do at home, but using credit cards was fine in many places. I certainly wouldn't suggest that she take enough cash to last the entire summer! Tell the card issuers ahead of time or they'll flag the accounts. Also a backup is always good (I have two checking accounts for just this reason so that if I have a problem with one ATM card I can use the other while I get it sorted out).

Common sense and common courtesy go a LONG way.

Trust that you've raised an intelligent young woman and that it's always a learning experience. I know that as a mom it's your job to worry, but try to remember that she's an adult and she'll be okay.

You can always check the airlines website to learn that the flight has landed safely.

The OP seems to have disappeared.

Hi, I am the OP! I have returned! And THANK YOU to all of you for the wonderful replies. See, I am a single mother of a single child. Hover? Uh, yep! But only till I am comfortable myself, then I thankfully back off. Some time has passed since I first wrote, and I have gained much information, here on CC as well as other places and from other folks. I am much more comfortable now. My D will be studying at City College HK, and working with refugees in HK. I am so proud of her and excited for her. If I were in better health, I would so want to visit her there, but I will have to visit through her experience. She is part Vietnamese, and will also being going there for a brief stay. I am excited for her. Thanks, everyone.

I'm sure she will have a wonderful experience. I'm sorry you won't be able to go and visit her there.

Well, here I am again, with a progress report. I am the OP, mother of an African American (AA) daughter in HK (Hong Kong). She did not call me for almost two days after arrival. Couldn't, but knowing this to be the case, it wasn't too bad. She did text me from Japan before leaving to HK. She adjusted pretty well the first week....just getting settled in. Second week she and her professors (Chinese) went to Vietnam. All had their laptops stolen from a 2 star hotel with no safe. (The school wanted to save money) Their passports were kept in a plastic bag at the desk. (Yep) That was devastating to her, as she had worked hard to get that Mac, and babied it. Of course, no insurance, no backup (for any of them). She ate the freshest seafood she had ever eaten on the beach at sunset in Danang. (Now that's worth every penny on the trip right there!) Back in HK she was bumped out into the dark by herself to find dinner the first day at work. Pretty uncomfortable (not a great area near her work) but she made it through it (without dinner). She is going hiking by herself tomorrow, and is excited. I....am thrilled.....and proud.

I also had the freshest seafood of my life in Vietnam (Hanoi). Hope you continue to provide updates on your daughter's progress

Joslin88, I did not put it together that the Hanoi post was about your daughter. Given that it was a University-sponsored trip on which her Mac was stolen, you have a few more options. For sure write a letter/email to the HK school complaining about this lapse on the part of the school. Poor supervision and what sound like inexperienced staff. If your daughter is attending the HK school via a college/graduate school in the US, then contact the school in the US and make a similar complaint, and include the point that the US school should drop its association with the HK school unless the HK school institutes better supervision. Send a copy of that letter to the HK school. Either school may have insurance that will cover the loss, or may be willing to compensate the students directly her in another way (like a refund of some portion of fees, room and board charges, etc). I would certainly ask for this in both letters.

You also may have a legal claim against either school; again you have to weigh costs versus benefits. But Hong Kong law is based on common law (like most of the US) and has a very good court system which is mostly fair (unlike Vietnam). All proceedings and filings can be in English. So brining a claim in Hong Kong is a much more viable option. You could also go for mediation or arbitration, which the US school may offer in any event.

I would never leave a passport at a hotel desk. Wile I think for the most part it would be safe there (even in a plastic bag), it is that it is too good an opportunity for someone to copy information. The passport itself is unlikely to be stolen, but information could be copied to be used to create another passport or other things like credit cards. (I don't know that anyone tries to re-use an actual passport these days, it is too easy to create good fakes. What they need is the information which it contains.) While most countries, including Vietnam, are obligated to make a copy of the passport for internal security reasons, and so you run somewhat of the same risk just with that, I would not tempt fate further by leaving the actual passport.

In addition, foreigners are required by law to carry their passports in most Asian countries and produce them if asked by the police. If the passport is at a hotel, you are usually OK as you can go to the hotel and get it if asked, but again if the passport were gone at that point, she might have more questions to answer than she would like.

I would suggest carrying the passport at all times. That is what I always do. She should ignore her professors on this point (who seem to lack common sense in any case). If she is concerned about theft, then use a money belt, and it can hold other valuables.

She should have a copy of the info page of her passport and keep it separately from her purse, like in a suitcase. You should have a copy as well which you can fax or email her as necessary. She can then use it to replace her passport in the unlikely event that it is stolen.

Cicerone I have been in a few hotels (and cruise ships) in various countries across Asia that maintain posession of your passport during your stay.

If I recall correctly, just about every hotel we stayed at in Vietnam followed this procedure. The system seems to be very organized with all passports kept in a single location. As I usually keep my passport in the safe rather than on my person, I was happier to leave it at the front desk rather than carry it around with me when there was no safe.

Where is she staying in Hong Kong? It's easy to find food anywhere and it's all safe - unless you're talking about 3am in the morning.

Thanks for the F/U and i am sorry to hear of the theft. At least the passport wasn't stolen nor was she injured. It seems you are doping well but nervous and of course that OK. Afterall you are a mom. .

Hang in there and do you have any plans to visit? HK is wonderful. I'll bet you two would have a ball seeing it. Cheers, Larry