TSANG T   

New tutor

Multilingual tutor making Cantonese, Mandarin, and English practical and engaging

What is your favorite word in your language and why?

My favourite Cantonese word is 人情味 (jan4 cing4 mei6), literally "the flavour of human feeling." It describes the warmth you find in a neighbourhood where the shop owner knows your name and the dai pai dong auntie remembers your order. As an urban studies researcher, I think it's the best word for what makes a city feel alive, and Hong Kong is full of it.

What is your favorite dish from your hometown? If you no longer live there is there a good local restaurant that serves it?

Char siu (叉燒), Cantonese barbecued pork with a sweet, sticky, slightly charred glaze. My favourite way to eat it is the simplest: sliced over steamed rice with a little sauce- the classic 叉燒飯 from a roast meat shop with ducks hanging in the window.

Besides the languages you teach, do you speak or study any other languages?

I speak a little bit of Polish and Japanese, and I'm learning German. Growing up in Hong Kong, switching between Cantonese, Mandarin and English was a normal part of daily life, so I understand how it feels to juggle languages.

What are your interests outside of teaching at Strommen?

I'm an urban studies researcher, so I'm always exploring how cities work: street markets, public spaces, architecture, transport, and how neighbourhoods change. I also enjoy hiking, bouldering, and reading. I'm happy to bring these topics into lessons, especially for students interested in Hong Kong culture or city life.

What do you consider your hometown? Why do you love it?

Hong Kong. I love the contrasts: you can go from neon-lit streets to a quiet hiking trail in twenty minutes, and from a centuries-old temple to a glass skyscraper on the same block. It's dense, fast and loud, but it's also deeply local and full of small traditions, and studying cities has only made me love it more.