This fabulous resource is a networking group of expats located in many large cities around the world. You don't have to be an American to join, but you would need to be able speak some English in order to participate as that is the language used.
The AWA offers all kinds of social and volunteer activities...Mahjong, Book Clubs, New Mom Groups, Dinner Clubs, Trips, City Tours, Hiking Excursions, etc. Money raised from these activities is donated to various local charities here, so our socializing has a philanthropic purpose beyond helping expats get into their new groove. Check out their website https://www.awa.org.hk/
This time, I have been part of what's called a Foon Ying group. "Foon Ying" in Cantonese means "Welcome". The AWA groups newcomers together by their arrival dates, a fabulous coordinator (We love you, Elise!) organizes a few activities for us, and then we sort of take it from there. Our last activity was a morning trip out to Lamma Island for a walk-about and lunch.
Something amazing happens when you get a group of women, who have all just arrived in Hong Kong, together for any length of time. We can all come from very different backgrounds, be of different ages and at different stages of married life, with young kids, adult kids or no kids and still bond almost instantly via the unique experience of moving here.
My Foon Ying group has been absolutely lovely! The women are all so interesting and I've enjoyed meeting each one. A few of us are "Re-treds", meaning that we are returning to Hong Kong after a few years back in the States. It is such a comfort knowing that someone else close by is going through the exact same process at the exact same time.
I look forward to getting to know the members of my Foon Ying group better and to future social outings with them. And I thank each of them for the fun we've had so far. Cheers, Ladies!
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