Director of Goethe-Institute in Hong Kong shares his journey of cultural exchanges from Germany to the world, and how he thinks of Hong Kong as a work destination.
By Jette Kremer
Moving from Brazil, Latvia, Korea and then Hong Kong, Arendt Röskens, who is from Wilhelmshaven, a city in the north of Germany and around five hours away from Berlin, has lived in different parts of the world promoting German culture.
As the director of the Goethe Institute in Hong Kong, a significant part of his role involves meetings with cultural departments and artists to discuss new project ideas. He is deeply involved in designing these cultural initiatives, which he finds rewarding due to the curiosity and spontaneity of the Hong Kong people.
The institute, with 150 branches in 99 countries, is the official cultural institution of Germany, offering a platform for international cultural exchange as well as learning German.
Events like German film screenings offer a glimpse of Germany while promoting language learning.
“The German language is not the central theme all the time but is always conveyed in some way,” he says. The director also enjoys attending various cultural events.
Röskens has to rotate every few years to different countries. He came to Hong Kong before settling in the city two years ago. “When I had to apply for a new position after my previous one, Hong Kong was advertised. I already knew Hong Kong and liked it a lot,” he says.
“In terms of work, Hong Kong is extremely interesting due to its rich and dynamic culture. Hong Kong’s global connection is strong, hence there is an interest in the exchange with Germany too,” Röskens says.
“With all the Filipinas and Indonesians working in households here, and the large Indian and Western communities, particularly from Anglo-Saxon countries, Hong Kong is already a huge melting pot. Of course, this is also evident in the culture, which is less strict in many respects than in other East Asian locations,” he adds.
Based in Hong Kong now, Röskens particularly likes the natural beauty in the city and appreciates its large variety of landforms, from beaches to hills where there are hiking trails.
“It’s a city with a high quality of life. The infrastructure is very good. Everything works, from public transportation to healthcare,” he says.
Food is another highlight for him here. “Ichitora Ramen” in Wan Chai is his favourite food spot. “It is a vegetarian restaurant, which can be a little bit hard to find in Hong Kong, and they are very, very delicious,” he says.
Röskens finds it easy to build a social life in Hong Kong where English is one of the official languages. “There is no language barrier. One has the opportunity to build a diverse circle of friends here,” he says.
While enjoying all the fun living in the city, the 56-year-old father also faces challenges about handling family issues. “When you have children, for example, you are facing questions such as education. Is there a German-speaking school, or will the child go to an English-speaking school, or perhaps something completely different?” he says.
Another challenge, he shares, is the working opportunities for spouses. “They are generally not allowed to work outside Europe if they move with their spouses, only under specific circumstances such as an independent work visa,” he explains.
“You have to be aware that you’ll be moving again every time. You always have to start from zero. That takes a lot of energy. I really enjoy doing that. But you have to want it,” he adds.
It is not yet known where Röskens will be posted next. “When you go abroad, it’s important to have a job that you enjoy because otherwise you’re bound to suffer,” he said.
Edited by Mike Chu
Sub-edited by Alexa Lau
