第1章 Preface by Mr. Eric Berti

Soon after my arrival in Hong Kong in autumn 2015, I had the chance to meet Christine and Stephen(Yan) Cheung. I was immediately impressed by their friendliness, openness, and radiant francophilia. Should I add that while Christine showed a discreet smile, Stephen could burst into a very contagious laughter.

It is therefore with great pleasure that I accepted the kind proposal of Christine to write a short foreword for her book "Gweimui's Hong Kong Story". This book is all the more valuable in the eyes of the newcomers like me and my wife as Christine gives many keys to better understand Hong Kong and its neighbouring city, Macao, and China.

This book relates the story of a double encounter. The first one, very touching, took place in Paris at the beginning of the 80s between Christine, a young art student, just arriving from the French countryside and a Chinese student, Yan. Between them, it was love at first sight. A beautiful painting representing Christine and Yan in front of the Luxembourg Palace in Paris, at the time of their meeting, adorns the family dining room. Our two uprooted youngsters seemed somewhat lost in this Renaissance decor, but we can feel this powerful bond that already unites them. Christine tells with humour these first steps of the young couple in Paris, Nanterre, and Hong Kong.

The book also recounts the meeting between the young French lady and Hong Kong, an intimidating city if any. She discovered the city with caring guides, Yan and his family, including this "Mammy" who immediately adopted her with great love. Christine gives us what we would today call an "astonishment report" about this amazing world city, through the eyes of a young French woman who had previously little travelled. In 1985, the city had little more than 1,780 registered French (comparing to 15,560 nowadays) and was beginning to prepare its return to the bosom of China, in great economic and cultural effervescence.

Christine Cheung evokes with sensitivity and humours this new world, the populous and colourful markets, the passion for the good cuisine that France and Hong Kong share, and the passionate games of mahjong. The young French student did not know it yet that Hong Kong would soon become her second home. She endeavoured to learn its Cantonese language, which is so complex, its traditions and customs. Christine opens delicately this "gate of propriety" of Hong Kong which will allow the gweimuis and the gweilos as well to appreciate and respect more its richness and diversity. I wish to thank Christine Cappio for this beautiful book that she has illustrated herself brilliantly, delivering an admirable travelogue of her long journey from Paris to Hong Kong.

Eric Berti

Consul-general of France in Hong Kong and Macao