Would you move to HK again?

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....
 
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).
 
monte said:
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.
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I think this is a good point to bring out too. As monte has only been here for three years, HK is still probably somewhat of a "new" place. It took me a few years before the newness of HK wore off. I really enjoyed my time here pre-children and especially when I hadn't yet been to all the parks and hiking trails and pretty much seen and done it all.

I think it's the same thing as back home--where I live has many national parks and tourist destinations--do I go to those places? Not very often. Why? Because I LIVE THERE--to me it's not that interesting--because it's available. Those of us who have been here for the "long-haul" seem to start to notice the problems more and more and maybe it's also (like in my case) that the option of "escaping" back to one's own country doesn't seem as feasible after awhile. (I say that because even though I have holiday during the summer because I am a school teacher the tickets to go back to my home place with children are at the cheapest 32,000 HKD--that's $4,000+ USD--for 2 adults, 1 small child and an infant--that doesn't count the amount of money it costs to actually live and enjoy one's holiday--so essentially we're stuck in HK--however, if I had an employer who would foot the bill for me to go home for annual leave it would be a different story) But, again, it totally depends on how you get brought to HK and your reasons for staying here.
 
carang said:
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....
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Ha ha ha! Cara, this totally reminds me of my hometown. Sometimes I think people are waiting around waiting to die--no sense of adventure or even realization that life exists outside the city limits. I feel like a foreigner when I go home now--which is every 3-5 years nowadays. Boo :(
 
to be perfectly honest, if given the opportunity to move "home", i would probably take it. i miss my mum so much (we are very close).... BUT the prospect also scares the living daylights out of me! i moved here when i was 22. i've made my life here, i own 3 businesses.... what would i do if i moved "home"? how would we make our living? is it everything i envision it to be or am i wearing rose-coloured glasses? would my friends and i pick up where we left off 16+ years ago? they've had their own lives for that time as have i, and we have only been a part of each other's lives for dinner once every 2-3 years.... they have "new" friends etc. i know they make time for me when i go home, but what would happen if i moved there? where would i fit in now?
 
I can't wait to move back. Been away in Asia nearly 10 years and have seldom visited. Where yo fit in? Well, no where, really. Since we all have our own families now, wherever you live you are that independent unit. S, doesnt matter, really. Will I get bored after a while? Probably. Will we move back overseas? Quite possibly. Will it be to HK again? Very unlikely.
 
sadly, that place fell through (after i'd already signed the prelim lease!) it was in tai po, not far from the tai wo mtr station. i'm quite bummed we didn't sign the lease. i thought it was an all-go situation...
 
Sorry to hear that! I checked the commute and it's two changes on the MTR and 46 minutes - not including the home>Tai Po and Central>office legs... so it might be done in an hour or so but it's a bit painful!.. can't imagine anyone would get a seat travelling at peak times either.

Good luck finding a new place - we are also going through signing a new lease and HK landlords seem to have no scruples!
 
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