Another Hong Kong — Thoughts after interviewing migrant domestic workers in Hong Kong for the Happy Homes HK program

It’s those little moments in life that just make you smile. 

My favorite question to ask the workers and their employers was, “What do you think contributes to a happy home?” Somehow they all ended up giving me the same answer: Respect, Love and Communication.

Behind each of those words lies a story. Going on a trip to Disneyland, having dinner together at a restaurant or at home, celebrating each other’s birthday, taking care of each other in times of need, and so on. None of these seem overly dramatic. Granted, more households in Hong Kong than we care to count have done all of them. 

But that’s just it, isn’t it? The fact that this project exists and that we’re celebrating it demonstrates the significance of these seemingly tiny moments—and how so many of us fail to achieve even this.

For the entire duration of the interviews I’ve conducted with our Happy Homes Awardees, I felt nothing but this profound surge of warmth. Currently based half the world away from Hong Kong, I found myself somewhat able to relate to the struggles migrant domestic workers are facing in this vibrant city. Adapting to a new environment, culture, language, being away and bearing the expectations from family, all while being responsible for the wellbeing of another, to say it’s challenging would be such an understatement.

Yet, as I was listening to their stories, I couldn’t take my eyes off the small grin at the corners of their mouth or the children’s constant chaos behind them. It was truly heartening to observe the dynamics within the family, and how the little kids would, without warning, sneak up from behind and throw themselves at the workers into an embrace.

I realized, then, that they’d found a home in Hong Kong. 

One thing resonating among all the employers I met was that the workers had established such an integral presence in the family that they had become a part of it. Indeed, with all the laughter, conversations and experiences they told me they’d shared, I suppose they’d already formed a big part of each other’s lives.

It was inspiring, really, to witness the love and care they show each other, even if it’s through camera. An employer told me that the family wouldn’t usually go out for fancy meals or extravaganza events. Simply spending time with each other is already more than enough.

It’s these little things, seemingly ordinary moments, that make me rethink this place. Hong Kong isn’t known to be the friendliest city, and rightfully so, given the immense exclusivity and discrimination we generate. But those little conversations unknowingly brought me back to my childhood and the lovely memories from home. I remembered when I, as a child, also clung tightly to my zeze after school and bawled my eyes out when she eventually had to leave for home. Underneath the countless reports of abuse of domestic migrant workers published every year, perhaps there is still hope.

It really doesn’t take much to have a happy home. We tend to overcomplicate love and understanding, but these stories are a living testament to the fact that as long as we put our heart into it, everyone can have a happy home despite our background.

After the interviews, the families sent me photos of their daily life for the articles. There was one particular family that continued to update me on their life throughout the following weeks with different photos and Whatsapp stickers. Every time I opened the chat, my heart would blossom. How beautiful it is to revisit these smiles even after the short call. In the end, I find myself smiling too.

P.S. Happy Homes HK is a social advocacy program run by Mission For Migrant Workers (MFMW), a local NGO dedicated to supporting migrant domestic workers in Hong Kong. Learn more about the program here and the organization here. This article is also published in MFMW's newsletter here.