Living in Hong Kong

[Yossarian]

Sounds about right - rents have gone crazy over the last few years. But there are still some bargains to be found - especially if you're willing to live in an old building without a lift - and islands like Lamma are still cheaper than the city.

The "haunted house discount," however, is becoming a thing of the past.

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB100...1763650.html?mod=WSJASIA_hpp_MIDDLESecondNews

 

[Fingers]

When I visited four years ago they give me a six month tourist visa without me even asking. Whether that is because of former ties to Britain or not I don't know.

 

[Yossarian]

Yep, British passport holders get six months automatically while most other Westerners get three months or one month - though British citizens can't get working holiday visas and people from Australia, New Zealand, South Korea, Japan, and Ireland can.

 

[Dan U]

and if you go to Macau for the day, you get an epic amount of stamps in your passport.

 

[gabi]

Update on this, just accepted the job diving into the dark here a bit but fuck it. Life's short.

If any hk based folk here fancy a beer in April to gimme a bit of a lowdown then I'm all ears. Pretty excited, to say the least...!

 

[Idaho]

Excellent. Good luck!

 

[rubbershoes]

jessiedog lives in Hk. PM him

 

[Jessiedog]

Oops! Bit late to the party.

Happy to meet up gabi. Just drop me a PM.



Woof

 

[gabi]

Will do. Been a fucking rollercoaster so far. What's with the working hours here? In London at 5.30 everyone's outta there. Here 7pm is bare minimum. I leave at 7 and my floors still 90% full... Still receiving emails from people who must still be at their desks at 10,

Great place though. Just wish I had more time to explore it

 

[gabi]

Wanchai is cleaning up a bit apparently. Well so my mate tells me who has moved there. Not entirely convinced....

Ha. I actually live in wan chai. I love it. Chaos.

 

[Mr Retro]

My wifes company have offered her a year out there with a view to a longer term gig. She'll go out there in the next few weeks to have a look around, look at places to live, see if the job will be what she expects etc etc.

We're excited about the opportunity but naturally apprehensive too. Especially given my ugly mug would be going out there with no job. But as gabi says life is short, why the fuck not? Are you glad you took the plunge gabi?

 

[marty21]

I spoke to a cousin of mine last week who is over there at the moment - he's a builder - he's working on the new airport/transport links - he loves it - says there about 700 Irish there and he knows most of them

 

[gabi]

My wifes company have offered her a year out there with a view to a longer term gig. She'll go out there in the next few weeks to have a look around, look at places to live, see if the job will be what she expects etc etc.

We're excited about the opportunity but naturally apprehensive too. Especially given my ugly mug would be going out there with no job. But as gabi says life is short, why the fuck not? Are you glad you took the plunge gabi?

Yeh, definitely glad. It's a great little place. Getting my visa was a mission from hell, as I dont even have high school education let alone a degree. Is your wife being fully sponsored for that? We got it through eventually. My partner hasn't been able to find work here yet as we're not married so she doesnt have a visa. Getting a company to sponsor you has proved very fucking difficult for her. She's been dicked around by one firm who had her work for a month with the promise of sponsoring her, then made up some bullshit about Immigration denying her application.

It's a bit of a culture shock. The locals are lovely overall tho and most ex-pats are cool too. Plenty of work opportunities for you as you're married. Have a look at jobsdb.com, that's the local job site.

Be prepared for small places in terms of living tho.. I cant believe we managed to squeeze her 19 boxes and my 1 box from London into our little place.

 

[Mr Retro]

Thanks gabi

We will both get sponsored for a visa so that headache will be taken care of. We will get housing allowance too.

I work as a project/program manager in IT so should be able to pick up something. I hope. I'm a bit fucking old to be starting again!

The process is gathering a bit of speed. Missus goes out in a few weeks and her work are starting to put her brief and targets together...

 

[gabi]

She should be warned about the hours here. I was leaving at 5.30 every day in my first week (as per my contract), before it was politely pointed out at work drinks that you're expected to stay till 7pm, minimum. That's the case across HK unfortunately. she will need to be prepared for that. it's a practice i totally disagree with as a) im a lazy bastard but b) i get all my work done very quickly and on time. i dont need to sit at my desk till 10 fucking pm like all the other weirdos.

that said. the benefits of living here outweigh the bad shit all in all. gimme a shout when you're in town and we can get a pint if ya like. wan chai, where i live, has some excellent watering holes

 

[Mr Retro]

that said. the benefits of living here outweigh the bad shit all in all. gimme a shout when you're in town and we can get a pint if ya like. wan chai, where i live, has some excellent watering holes

Cheers I will.

Would you recommend the area you live? Researching the net it's hard to see what the different neighborhoods are like and what we would like. And the fucking prices . We'd get a decent living allowance but still! And what's with the fucking "maids room" thing? Does literally everybody have a maid? Just the thought of that is uncomfortable to our western way of thinking isn't it?

 

[Lea]

I've been to HK to visit friends and relatives for the past couple of summers and I must say that there are lots of Filipino and Indonesian maids there. Just about everyone has one, even those you would say are working/middle class. Maids get their day off on Sundays so they all congregate together in open spaces. I hear that some maid rooms are as small as a broom cupboards only fitting a single bed and nothing else but then again that's not just maids. Often rooms in flat shares are like this too!

I'm afraid that I don't know HK well enough to recommend areas to live as I always end up in the New Territories where my family and friends live. Not as many expats live in the N.T. In fact many don't venture as far as the N.T. even to visit. I believe that the posh areas to live on HK side are places such as Repulse Bay but I hear that it is really expensive there.

 

[gabi]

Repulse Bay is shit. Really expensive and entirely lacking in character. I don't know what you're into Retro, but I really like Wan Chai. It's my favourite part of the island. Sheung Wan is also cool. And Stanley. I'd avoid the mid-levels, to live in anyway, as it's entirely investment banker-ville. Wan Chai has a good mix of local and ex-pat.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wan_Chai

Yes, a lot of ex-pats have 'helpers' as they call them here, either live-in or they come in during the day while the ex-pats are at work. TBH the practice kind of makes me sick. I don't know why you suddenly need 'help' when you move here. They do everything, ironing, cleaning, walking the dog, nursing the baby, cooking the evening meal. Imagine having that in London...!! You'd be a laughing stock. The helpers get Sundays off and descend on the drinking establishments of Wan Chai either in pursuit of an investment banker to take them out of that life or to earn some extra cash on the side IYKWIM.

As Lea says, the New Terrorities are lovely, but not really feasible if you're doing a 9am-7pm job on the Island.

 

[gabi]

Oh, the rent. yeh, its pretty obscene. That said, tax is low (14%), and salaries are higher than london. You also don't pay tax your first year in some bizarre arrangement. You receive your gross pay and are expected to pay one lump amount at the end of your second tax year. something im not looking forward to when that day comes around ive not exactly been frugal since i landed.

you're best just to pop into the little estate agencies off the street - they literally just take you straight away around apartments in the immediate vicinity. HK is so small that all the places they manage are in a five minute radius, so it doesnt take long.

 

[Yossarian]

Yes, a lot of ex-pats have 'helpers' as they call them here, either live-in or they come in during the day while the ex-pats are at work. TBH the practice kind of makes me sick. I don't know why you suddenly need 'help' when you move here. They do everything, ironing, cleaning, walking the dog, nursing the baby, cooking the evening meal. Imagine having that in London...!! You'd be a laughing stock.

Yep - importing underpaid domestic servants from poor countries is one local practice a lot of expats seem to adopt enthusiastically, people are sometimes surprised to find out I don't have one.

A couple who brought their HK 'helper' to Canada and had her work the same hours for the same pay were convicted of human trafficking: http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news...prison-for-human-trafficking/article14867909/

 

[Lea]

Yes, it's a disgrace the amount the helpers are paid. About £300 to £400 per month!

 

[Mr Retro]

Thanks gabi and Lea for the advice. We live in Amsterdam now but lived in Brixton before that for 9 years and loved it so we'd like something a bit similar.

I've been asking about the maid thing. A good friends sister moved to Hong Kong with 2 young kids. He was asking her and she said if she were to work the only way to do it would be to get a maid. There are no real crèches or day care places for children. Don't know how true that is? Fucking hell, somebody you pay buttons to, making dinner, ironing your clothes? I can't get my head around it.

 

[devit]

Hi gabi a few weeks on from your last post, how are things? Still enjoying it?

After 2 years of not working here in London, by complete chance I get a dream job (as a local - no expat package for me!!) based in HK. Currently working for them and waiting for visa to come through. Excited but nervous as going on my own and it's slowly sinking in that's about as massive as a change as you can get (moving house/new job/new country!!). Any other advice (not offered above, which I've read and taken in) appreciated.

Gabi and others in HK, did you go there as an expat from a UK based company or as a local? My team, for example, is entirely asian (i'm the only european) and I'm unsure about the friend thing. I guess if you were from a UK (or other western) company you'd meet up naturally with other expats.

Any advice welcomed. it's scary but am pretty excited and can't wait to get there.

 

[gabi]

Hi gabi a few weeks on from your last post, how are things? Still enjoying it?

After 2 years of not working here in London, by complete chance I get a dream job (as a local - no expat package for me!!) based in HK. Currently working for them and waiting for visa to come through. Excited but nervous as going on my own and it's slowly sinking in that's about as massive as a change as you can get (moving house/new job/new country!!). Any other advice (not offered above, which I've read and taken in) appreciated.

Gabi and others in HK, did you go there as an expat from a UK based company or as a local? My team, for example, is entirely asian (i'm the only european) and I'm unsure about the friend thing. I guess if you were from a UK (or other western) company you'd meet up naturally with other expats.

Any advice welcomed. it's scary but am pretty excited and can't wait to get there.

It's been difficult, I can't lie. Mainly it's the working hours, which are much more extreme than the UK (you will be expected to stay till at least 7 every night, minimum), plus the fact my other half hasnt been able to find work as she doesnt have a visa. Getting sponsored isnt easy. My boss (who brought me here) was also sacked a couple of months ago, leaving me pretty isolated at work. I work for an American firm, so at least there's plenty of English speakers. I really should learn some Cantonese, there's just no time!

Advice - go easy on the spending. You don't pay tax on your salary, in my case until 2015, ie, you get your gross pay - which makes you feel loaded when in actual fact you're not. I dread opening up the internet banking. Oh and here, the square foot is king. Be wary when looking for apartments as they'll include even the bloody elevator in your square footage. And the apartments are SMALL. Be prepared for that. Don't ship everything you own.

In saying all that, it's been a mental experience thus far and im glad i took the plunge Most expats seem to spend about two years here before either moving back or moving out to one of the lovely islands here, a la yossarian

If you fancy a pint in my little bit of town (wan chai) when you get in, drop me a line... and yes, you will meet plenty of interesting expats, it's that kind of place.. it feels a bit like a frontier town

best of luck and congrats on the job...

 

[devit]

thanks gabi that's really helpful. Good tip re income tax but didn't know I may have a year or so before I need to pay (the company did say they will provide a tax advisor for my first year). I guess that's also why all the banks out there offer "tax loans" for when it comes to pay and all the money has gone!

thanks for the offer of a pint which I'll take you up on! I expect i'll be based in wan chai as I'll also be working there (Stubbs road, just off queens road east).

One boring thing tho - which bank do you have there? Choice seems to be citi, hsbc or standard chartered. I want one that will allow transfers back to uk/GBP, and normal stuff - debit card, etc. Any recommendations

I really should learn some Cantonese, there's just no time!

I thought this but the people in my team are from across Aisa and my boss - Philipinnes - doesn't speak cantonese. I think it's quite contentious locally, what with the city chief exec basically being implants from Beijing. I suppose Mandarin would be good to learn (difficult tho!)

 

[gabi]

thanks gabi that's really helpful. Good tip re income tax but didn't know I may have a year or so before I need to pay (the company did say they will provide a tax advisor for my first year). I guess that's also why all the banks out there offer "tax loans" for when it comes to pay and all the money has gone!

thanks for the offer of a pint which I'll take you up on! I expect i'll be based in wan chai as I'll also be working there (Stubbs road, just off queens road east).

One boring thing tho - which bank do you have there? Choice seems to be citi, hsbc or standard chartered. I want one that will allow transfers back to uk/GBP, and normal stuff - debit card, etc. Any recommendations



I thought this but the people in my team are from across Aisa and my boss - Philipinnes - doesn't speak cantonese. I think it's quite contentious locally, what with the city chief exec basically being implants from Beijing. I suppose Mandarin would be good to learn (difficult tho!)

Cool - yeh, i live and work in wan chai, im also on queens road east. Some decent boozers close to here, around lockhart road (the red light bit)

I use HSBC - simply coz they have the most ATMs around town. And yes, they're constantly trying to force tax loans on me, which i havent taken them up on yet - ill wait till the dreaded tax bill comes in. It's dead easy to set up a basic account here, unlike the UK where you have to jump through hoops. Once you have your first paycheck in there you can upgrade to a Visa account. Transferring money to the UK is easy, they have a good app, altho their website is incomprehensible.

You might want to keep an eye on these forums http://hongkong.geoexpat.com/forum/ - they're the main source of info i used before moving.

 

[sleaterkinney]

I'm just going back after a day stopover, spent most of it lost. It's a bit claustrophobic but very interesting place.

 

[gabi]

It's definitely claustrophobic at times. Some parts more than others. I think it's one of the most densely populated cities on the planet.

12.30pm weekdays are particularly mental as that's when EVERYONE goes to lunch. I've no idea why more people dont either go half an hour earlier or at 2pm but thats what they do. Resulting in huge queues outside all the eating places, also wasting most of their lunch hour. It's definitely not a good time to be out on the streets - drives me nuts. I just walk on the road these days. The pavements are a recipe for turning me into Michael Douglas in Falling Down.

 

[gabi]

One other rant. After going out and investing in a load of winter clothes after two coldish wet days a couple of weeks ago - its back to sunshine and 20 degrees. My colleagues tell me winter's over. It lasted two fucking days.

 

[Mr Retro]

We're going to Hong Kong on 12th of Feb for a week or so to see if we'd be happy to move there if my wife's company want to send her there on a secondment.

I can't wait. We're going to be stating in Kowloon and any tips would be appreciated !