american-born Chinese don't harbor any special feelings for Hong Kong

although many of those who do visit the territory

appear to be seeking something they've lost

Boston Chang Lim spent a small part of his childhood in Hong Kong with his parents

in 1986 he enrolled in Beijing University to study Chinese

returning to Hong Kong in 1988

he's been living here ever since

Ellen Siu's parents emigrated to the United States from Taiwan in the sixties

grew up in New York in May last year she came alone to live in Hong Kong

born in the United States

Linda Tom is a third generation American Chinese from San Francisco

she's been here since the beginning of the year

what Eleanor has to say may will echo the sentiments of most american-born Chinese

Aluna says that as a child

she had resented the feeling that she was neither entirely American nor entirely Chinese

it was only when she arrived in Hong Kong but she felt the advantages of having such an identity

less than three weeks after coming to the territory

Ellen found herself with a choice of three job offers by the time

by the time she had spent a year as sales manager for one of the companies

another firm offered her the position of regional manager for Asia

she says a person of her age and experience might not have reached a similar position so easily in the United States

by contrast Hong Kong offers far more opportunities

since arriving in Hong Kong Linda has been to 13 job interviews

three of them successful

not satisfied with a working environment she's turned down all of them

though practically a stranger in town

Linda feels that with her background she can easily find work

Cheng Lin works as an associate producer in a video production house

an economics major he spent his four years in Hong Kong job hopping

that is until he found his present position

More fluent in English than in Cantonese

Chang finds it all to natural to speak English

when his with friend to share his background

communicating with locals Qiang tries to speak Cantonese as much as possible

as a child he had resented being Chinese refusing to learn the language

now he feels is woken up to reality

since I came to Hong Kong Chang has seized every opportunity to learn Chinese

when he sees a Chinese on board it takes time to read it

when he watches TV it reads and learns from the Chinese subtitles

Linda understands Cantonese but can't speak it

when she was in the United States

her parents had forced her to learn Chinese for four years

and would only speak Cantonese to her at home

but her heart was never in it

it is only after coming to Hong Kong that she's real why her parents did it

to make up for what's she's missed

Linda says she must take advantage of her time in Hong Kong and learn Chinese

Both of Mr. Hui's daughters Elsie and Serena

were born in the US and they came to Hong Kong when they were barely 10 years old

they never stopped arguing when they should return to America

it's been 17 years since mr. Hui went to study in America

Mrs. Hui emigrated to America from Taiwan over 20 years back

seven years ago mr. Lee returned with his family to pursue his career

It is the first time Serena's written in French to her pen pal in Canada

she feels that French is easier than Chinese

Serena and Elsa go to an ESF School in Hong Kong where English is the first language

when selecting a second language both of them opted for French rather than Chinese

they can understand and speak both Cantonese and Mandarin

but whichever dialect the parents use they always reply in English

the longer the same Hong Kong the more they seem to resent using Chinese

apart from suing the resistance to pressure the girls refuse to use Chinese

because they want to be accepted by their friends and schoolmates

in Serena's class there are both Chinese and non-chinese pupils

there are times when Serena finds it somewhat difficult to identify herself

miss Hus teaches Chinese at the Chinese international school

today she's using the Ching Ming festival to introduce a class to Chinese tradition

every year the same lesson gets repeated to her daughter's naturally at gravel land

both Elsie and Serena emphasize that they know more about things American than things Chinese

that they barely understand Chinese culture

after seven years in Hong Kong they still hardly know the place

apart from home in school the only area is they're familiar with

a central Admiralty and Causeway Bay

where their favorite shops and cinemas are located

more important English is widely understood by people there

at places frequented by american-born Chinese distinct social circles have developed

Eleanor says that is in such places that she finds the American lifestyle she knows

what's more there's a better than fair chance of running into friends

lan kwai fong in central is one of the favourite homes

despite what she says about coming to Hong Kong to find her roots and understand Chinese culture

helena is reluctant to part with her American ways

Chang sees this differently

Linda still hasn't found a suitable job

being part of the rush-hour crowd does not prevent her from feeling out of place

To these American Chinese Hong Kong may well be just another chapter in their lives