Making new friends is hard enough. As an adult, my sister and I find ourselves intentionally signing up for hobbies we enjoy (pilates, yoga, tennis) hoping to find people with similar interest and connect naturally with others.
Connection doesn’t always come from where we expect it to.
Navigating different cultures, language barriers, and unfamiliar customs can feel intimidating. There’s always that underlying hesitation at first, Did I say the wring thing? Did I misunderstand someone? Was I misunderstood? But when you think past that initial discomfort, it’s rewarding to discover a shared thread, something small but meaningful that two strangers can relate to.
In Hong Kong, we took a train to Causeway Bay with one mission in mind, to find SUQQU, a makeup brand that my sister and I have used but can’t get in the U.S. I first learned about it from Mario Dedivanovic, founder of MAKEUP BY MARIO, who has publically praised the brand’s ability to create natural, skin-like finish. Over five years ago, I bought my first SUQQU The Foundation while traveling in Japan with my parents, and it has remained to be one of my favorite foundation (along with Armani Luminous Silk).
After searching various levels at the mall, my sister and I finally found the SUQQU counter and browsed their new Spring collection, while my brother kept a watchful eye from a distance while we shopped.
Once we left the mall, my sister was determined to get her daily fix of bubble tea, with extra chewy tapioca pearls. We quickly found a nearby shop. My brother and I sat on a bench in front of a TV while my sister ordered in Mandarin. I passed my time scrolling through photos on my camera that we had taken earlier in the day.
That’s when something caught my eye. A woman in her early 20s walked in and began filming a vlog using a DJI Osmo Pocket 3 . I had seen content creators talk about this product online, but this was the first time I had seen a creator use one in real life. The way she effortlessly maneuvered the camera, filming and talking, was captivating and natural.
Without overthinking, I walked up to her. I was holding my camera, a Canon G7X Mark II. I told her (with a mix of English and hand gestures, heart hands too) that I loved her camera.
She smiled back and told me she liked mine too.
I mentioned that I was considering buying one and asked if she recommended it. Without any hesitation, she handed me her camera and encouraged me to try it for myself. She told me she had recently purchased it in Hong Kong as she introduced herself. She asked me to wait while she grabbed her bubble tea order. She said she would come back with her boyfriend who spoke better English.
A few minutes later, she returned. That is how we met Bonnie and Adam.
Over the next 30 minutes, we learned a few things.
They had driven about an hour and a half into Hong Kong for a day of shopping because there was no sales tax. Bonnie recommended I do shopping in Hong Kong as opposed to shopping in Mainland China.
They work together at Adam’s family business
Adam frequently travels to California for work. Bonnie has never been to California (not yet).
Bonnie sells products through TikTok Shop.
Despite the language difference, we all participated in the conversation. We all exchanged WeChat contacts. I told the couple to reach out next time they are traveling to the U.S. Even though we had just met, saying goodbye felt surprisingly difficult.
There was something genuine about the interaction. We had found a common thread (travel and cameras). It reminded me how much I value the smaller, more intimate interactions over a larger social setting.
Days later, while we were in Mainland China, they messaged us to check in and see how our trip was going. We’re still connected on WeChat, casually keeping up with each other across continents.
It makes me wonder, Which will happen first? Will Bonnie and Adam make their way to my home state or will the three of us find ourselves back in Hong Kong again?