Would you move to HK again?
- 06-10-2011, 02:22 PM #25Banned
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komo: our son used to have the same issue cough/cold every month we used to go to our ped every month and then we switched to Homeopathy ( IMI) and it really worked wonders for us.
- 06-10-2011, 04:30 PM #26Registered User
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I was born and raised in HK but have spent almost half my life overseas in the US and Canada before moving back to HK 4 years ago. Although I have the comforts of family here and my husband (an American expat) and I make a more than comfortable income, the pollution really is the deal breaker for us. It's gotten much worse progressively over the past 10 years and the government here seems powerless and very nonchalant about taking care of this issue. Expensive property prices are also another glaring issue for us. Although we love many things about Hong Kong, these two issues are becoming more difficult to ignore and simply 'accept'. We have not exactly 'given up' on HK as we plan to stay here in the long run (say next 10 years at least); and I believe the best solution is to put pressure on legislation to make meaningful changes in regulation. However, I've probably taken this view simply because I am a Hong Konger and not an expat. I do see these issues as major hinderances for Hong Kong to attract and maintain expat talent. Unless something is done, we may be losing a lot of talent and creativity to more increasingly attractive Asian destinations such as Singapore.
- 06-10-2011, 04:33 PM #27
with today's heat, i just wanted to point out that a lot of expats have problems with the humidity levels here.
- 06-10-2011, 09:14 PM #28Registered User
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“Many women have described their experiences of childbirth as being associated with a
spiritual uplifting, the power of which they have never previously been aware …
To such a woman childbirth is a monument of joy within her memory.
She turns to it in thought to seek again an ecstasy which passed too soon.”
~ Grantly Dick-Read (Childbirth Without Fear)
Mother of Two
JMW, boy, born November 29, 2007, 9:43 pm, USA
MJW, girl, born March 17, 2011, 4:14 pm, HK
- 06-11-2011, 01:31 AM #29Registered User
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Hk is great if you are single not great with young kids. But in hk lots of money can buy you some happiness.
- 06-12-2011, 01:46 PM #30Registered User
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We have been here 3 years and are returning to the States this summer. Very glad to be moving back, for reasons similar to what others have said: to be closer to family, less pollution, a big yard, etc. But--am I glad we came? you bet! I think it's really valuable to live in a new culture and meet people from all over the world. Makes you realize how big and small the world is. We have loved our time here, though I think it's at least in part because we only planned for it to be temporary, so we didn't get too upset about annoyances. We also loved how easy transportation is, loved walking everywhere and not driving (we gain weight every time we go back to the states and lose it as soon as we get back here!), and a huge one for us is that we could afford to live on one income here. My husband is a teacher, and so I'm sure you can imagine what that would be like in the US! But living here has given me the chance to stay home with kids in their baby years, and I'm extremely thankful for that. We have also loved the beaches and hiking in the parks. Despite what has been said about HK Island, it actually is quite easy to escape the congestion even here--I would venture that hiking paths are actually much closer to the "downtown" area here than in many "world cities" like NY, London, etc. Schooling, however, is a serious issue to consider. If your husband's job won't pay for it, you need to get some estimates and figure out if you'll be happy with what you can afford.
And in a little bit different vein, I've been thinking a lot lately about the differences in living someplace "new", as an "adventure", and just living someplace. There's an excitement and a constant observation that goes with being in a new place. I honestly am a little bit scared about going back to just "normal life"--afraid that my attitude towards life will be different. Does that make sense? I guess partly what I'm saying is that there is something valuable about simply being outside of your own culture and in a new place that doesn't really matter where that new place is. Because after all, for many people here this is "normal life" and they don't see it in the same ways that I do.
- 06-12-2011, 07:44 PM #31
makes perfect sense. i found the culture shock going home for a holiday the first time was awful! i could have sworn that my friends were sitting on the same bar stools, drinking the same pint and having the same conversation as the day i left! i had experienced so much and they were really interested... for the first 4-5 minutes, then it was back to "the game" that night on the tv....
- 06-13-2011, 08:58 AM #32Registered User
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That's exactly one of the reasons we decided to come here - because we knew we'd be missing nothing at home, so why not take the opportunity. Everyone would still be getting on with their lives, same pubs, same restaurants, same jobs, same talk, so why not experience something different whilst it's on offer? As you say, when we go back and have had a 30 min chat about what we've been up to, it's back to exactly as it was before we left! Just like we've never been away. The first time we went back, I must say it completely reassured us that we'd done the right thing, despite the 'problems' in HK (pollution etc etc).
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