Networking

Networking, for some reason, only seems to apply to the business community. Although there are numerous other instances of networks being utilized to get job positions or favours, one never hears about a geologist getting a business-lunch. This stereotype is no doubt enhanced by films such as "Wall Street" and "American Psycho", but it exists no the less, and today I attended such an event.

Arranged by the Danish Chamber of Commerce (DCC), a privately funded organization with the goal to enhance businesses in their local area, the event was an informal networking lunch in Wan Chai for all Scandinavians. Since several other GLOBErs were going, I had the day off, and it was an all-you-can-eat Indian buffet for 110 HKD, I decided to sign up for it.

It turned out that we were 14 participants, 5 of which were GLOBE students. The others were representatives of the DCC, the Swedish and British equivalent, and the Danish Consulate. After politely greeting everyone and raking in 3 business cards, I sat down and meticulously worked myself through the delicious selection of dahl, curry, samosas, chicken, salad etc. Between plates, I picked up very interesting, though completely non-business related, conversations with two non-GLOBE Danes. People left after an hour or so, although the GLOBErs and the two Danes stayed for coffee.

One seems to leave those events on a very anticlimactic note - the importance and grandeur imagined is replaced with what was basically a lunch in ones native language. It was polite of them to invite us, especially since one might feel a bit alone in Hong Kong (which also explains why expats tend to cluster together when abroad). But it struck me as peculiar that they called it a networking event (perhaps to get our attention), because although I got their business cards, I'll probably never see them again in my life. Totally worth going though, for the experience and the food - suji halwa is one of the best desserts I have had so far in Hong Kong!