The American editor who hitchhiked to Hong Kong, and found himself at home in a changing China
- Author Tom Gorman, who passed away last year after a battle with cancer, on making his China dream come true
- He bought a one-way ticket to Hong Kong in 1974 and never looked back
Hooked on: I grew up on the north shore of Chicago, in Wilmette, Illinois, near Lake Michigan. My love of water, water sports and fishing started at a young age. I never imagined the extent to which fishing would grow in importance in my life, becoming a means to understand and appreciate the natural environment, a driver of adventure travel and a source of relaxation, reverie and wonder.
It has taught me patience and through a common interest in fishing I have made many cross-cultural friendships.
My parents were devout Catholics of Irish and Scottish descent who taught my three older siblings and me to work hard, be considerate, humble, optimistic and grateful. I recall us behaving with an unusually high degree of politeness, which began at home but extended outside as well.
With hindsight it was an asset for me in transitioning to the generally very polite and deferential Chinese culture, but I did not realise this until much later.