But, this day made us feel like a real local. Actually, Ellis was involved in a Flag Day through school, but that doesn't really count because it was a bunch of international school kids doing what their teachers told them.
Claire and I were legit. Flag Day for Mother's Choice.
Here's the Wikipedia explanation of HK Flag Day:
Flag Day (Chinese: 賣旗日) in Hong Kong is a day on which public fundraising of charities takes place. Organised public fundraising in Hong Kong must be government-approved. Historically, it had been held only on a Saturday. It is currently, however, organised on Wednesdays and Saturdays. Flag-selling (Chinese: 賣旗) hours are from 7:00 in the morning to 12:30 in the afternoon on a flag day.[1]
On a flag day, volunteers with some stock of "flags" and a bag to collect donation (money) stand on streets to raise funds from passers-by. In the past, actual small flags were handed out to people who gave money. Nowadays, people receive a little sticker, which typically bears the name and logo of the beneficiary, to place on their clothing after they donate money. Those stickers for particular use in a flag day are still called "flags", in both English and Cantonese.
So, truly, we didn't have to say one thing. We stood outside the MTR station and people walked by and placed money in the bag and then waited for Claire to put a sticker on their clothing. Everyone just knew what to do.
No, this is not me! This is our friend, who is 18 years younger than me.
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