At a new address / Chloe Wong
OK
In Hong Kong I Did Not Need a Car
Chloe Wong joined Škoda Auto in 2019 as a trainee. Today she leads a team in the VX2 unit that focuses on eMobility and fleet digitalisation. She came to the Czech Republic from Hong Kong for her master’s studies and ended up staying because of her job. “I like how many opportunities the carmaker offers. You can try different areas and find the place where you really belong,” she says.
At a new address
Chloe Wong
VX2 – Digital Customer Experience & eMobility
Why a Czech Carmaker?
What I appreciate most about Škoda Auto is its size and the number of opportunities it offers. I joined as a trainee, went through various departments and got to know production as well as how the brand works abroad. At the beginning I did not know what I wanted to do after university. It was precisely these different experiences that helped me find the area where I feel at home. I also like the fact that the company supports growth. I see colleagues around me who have moved over the years from IT to HR, or the other way round.
There are so many opportunities at Škoda Auto that you can find the place where you really belong.
The Czech Republic Has More Quiet
Hong Kong is an extremely dense city. Where there are people, there are shops, restaurants, shopping centres and services. You just step out of your flat and you find something straight away. In the Czech Republic, the towns feel more spread out to me. When I tried living in a small town, I was surprised that to get ordinary water I had to walk ten minutes to the shop and ten minutes back with six bottles. I did not have a car at the time, so it was not exactly an ideal start.
Prague is well known across Asia thanks to the many popular films and series shot there.
In Hong Kong, with its dense traffic and high parking prices, it is more practical to make use of what the city offers. In Czechia Chloe found that without a driving licence even buying an ordinary supply of water can be hard. So she got her licence here – and she has had good experiences with Czech drivers.
What Driving Is Like Here
I got my driving licence in the Czech Republic after my studies and found that it comes in handy even for a trip to the supermarket. I was pleasantly surprised by how considerate people are. When you join a motorway, drivers often slow down and let you in. In Hong Kong the traffic moves faster and people stick more closely to the rule that whoever does not have right of way should wait.
In Hong Kong, you are better off without a car. In the Czech Republic, I found that it comes in handy even for a supermarket run.
Skiing in Winter, Pickleball in Summer
I only learned to ski in the Czech Republic. I started on a small slope and today I ski every winter. I like the fact that you can get out on the slopes even after work. I see it a bit as training for the Alps, which is where I most enjoy going. In summer I play pickleball, which has a new community growing around it in Prague, so I go to open play sessions.
Pickleball is like badminton, tennis and ping-pong all in one.
What I Miss
What I miss most is seafood. Hong Kong lies by the sea, so seafood there is everyday, affordable and good quality. You can find good seafood in the Czech Republic too, but it is more expensive and not available everywhere. That is why I mostly treat myself to it at home. When I go back to Hong Kong, I eat a lot of Asian food – I simply have an Asian stomach.
Dumplings remind me of bread. And bread, the way I see it, is supposed to be dry.
I hadn’t expected the Vietnamese community in the Czech Republic to be so strong. I think that is why there is such good support here for Asian food and ingredients. Asian cuisine is at a surprisingly good level in the Czech Republic. Because of that, people sometimes start speaking Vietnamese to me and I have to explain that I am from Hong Kong.