" So I am planning to go out to HK as an ex-patriot through my company. Going to HK has always been a dream of mine, but more for a vacation than anything else. I am concerned about going out there for a few years. Here are my cons: 1) I live in NY right now and moving out to HK will totally shuffle my time zones limiting most of my connections with home and significant others. 2) I am going out there knowing no one except a few co-workers I''ve had consistent phone contact with while in the NY office 3) Culture shock!! Here are my pros: 1) It''s an opportunity of a lifetime. 2) The perks are incredible (ie, home allowance, food allowance + my salary, bonus, and signing bonus) 3) Fascination and experience of being in a place so different from the US. All I am really asking for is advice on what it''s like to live in HK. I am going to take this move as a move, not a temporary stay to make the transition easier (if I take the position). I am 25 so that should tell you mentally where I am at this stage in life. Thanks for all or any advice. Kenman Chow "

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" Kenman Chow writes: > Here are my cons: > 1) I live in NY right now and moving out to HK will totally shuffle my time zones limiting most of my connections with home and significant others. True, but you do have two windows during the day to talk (morning and evening), and email is a fantastic way to keep in touch with people all over the world. > 2) I am going out there knowing no one except a few co-workers I''ve had consistent phone contact with while in the NY office This is typical - who else would you expect to know? The good news is that there are lots of other people in the same situation (other fellow expats). 3) Culture shock!! You''d get this anywhere - but it''s not a huge problem. HK, as a big city, has some diversity that will help with the shock aspect. It should certainly be easier for you than, for example, Saudi Arabia or even Tokyo. > Here are my pros: > 1) It''s an opportunity of a lifetime. Bingo! > 2) The perks are incredible (ie, home allowance, food allowance + my salary, bonus, and signing bonus) Bingo again! HK is an expensive place to live (rent especially), so make sure you know exactly what you''re getting. However, if you''re used to NYC real estate, you''ll find HK about the same. > 3) Fascination and experience of being in a place so different from the US. That''s perhaps the best part that you''ve mentioned. While HK is a great place in itself, the travel options are also quite good (excellent airport in the heart of Asia). > All I am really asking for is advice on what it''s like to live in HK. We''ve lived here a little more than 2 years, and love it. It is our third country outside the USA (used to live in KS and NJ), and our favorite one (compared to the others - Singapore and Brussels). Hong Kong has a good amount of energy, good restaurants, some outdoor activities (hiking in the hills or visiting the outer islands). Pretty good shopping, especially if you like paying high prices for name brands, or cheap prices for cheap ""copy"" goods (you get what you pay for, generally). English is spoken fairly widely in larger establishments, but if you don''t speak Cantonese or read Chinese, you may not be able to negotiate the smaller shops and restaurants. Crime isn''t bad at all - generally HK is a very safe place, and we never feel nervous about walking around the city at all times of the day or night. There may be some places where you can get into trouble, but we don''t find ourselves going there. On the down side, concerts and shows are lacking, especially if you''re used to NYC, and if you are a sports fan (college or pro games), you are out of luck. The pollution is pretty bad, but then again, you''re used to NYC. ;-) Transportation is excellent, and you probably won''t need (or want) a car here. You may also feel like people on the street here can be rather rude, even compared to NYC. (Just try to get on/off the subway during rush hour.) You never quite get over it, but you get used to it. On trips back to NY and NJ we are amazed at how friendly everyone is - I guess we''re becoming immune. If you have specific questions, I''d be happy to help. Regards, Steve Casagrande casagrs@hk.ibm.com / scasagrande@netscape.net Hong Kong "

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" >You may also feel like people on the street here can be rather rude, even compared to NYC. (Just try to get on/off the subway during rush hour.) You never quite get over it, but you get used to it. On trips >back to NY and NJ we are amazed at how friendly everyone is - I guess we''re becoming immune. I don''t think you are becoming immune, just that Hong Kong people are gradually changing. I have spent 15 years fighting my way on and off the subway, and have found it becoming easier. School children have even offered me seats (not sure whether to feel insulted, at only 40ish :) And here are two good examples (or rare ones?) of Hong kong peole putting themselves out for you - I left my wallet in a taxi wpith my ID card, Visa etc in it and a few hundred dollars. The driver found my ''phone number, called me and arranged to meet at the nearest bus stop to return it to me. He would not take a reward, but I insisted on giving him some Chinese cakes that I had brought with me ""for his children"". Similar story for my son - wallet left on a minibus. Again the driver contacted me and returned the wallet, contents intact to my son, again refusing a reward (Yup, cakes to the rescue again!). I regularly get that minibus, and the driver always has a cheery greeting for me as he drives like a cat out of hell down the street. I think that even a NY Cabbie would be scared on a Hong Kong mini-bus ride - better than a trip to the fair! Gillian "

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" Kenman, First off, it looks like you have a Chinese surname. If you speak Cantonese or Putonghua, you will enjoy the experience even more than I have. I''ve lived here over 8 years. my wife reluctantly joined me after a year and won''t leave. My son (35) lives here now also and loves it. He''s building a new career as an English teacher. With e mail and a little planning, contact with your significant others will not be much of a problem. We phone the U.S. at least once or twice a week, phone charges are very reasonable, and we seldom have insurmountable time problems. 9:00 AM here is 8:00 PM there EST or 9:00 PM EDT. All it takes to live in Hong Kong is the same patience, forbearance and street smarts you need in NYC. In fact I often consider NYC to be the US City most like HKG. With all your perks, you will, undoubtedly be able to save considerably more of your gross income than you ever could in NYC. The only advice I have is to have an open mind and suspend your judgmental impulses for the first 6 months or so. As far as working with Hong Kong people, my experience has been almost 100% positive. My wife, who had never worked outside of the US, got off the plane Sunday night and went into work Monday morning without missing a beat and she was a local hire working in an office totally staffed by Hong Kong Chinese including bosses and co-workers. She''s still there 6 years later and has been very successful. Do it! I wish I had ""found"" Hong Kong when I was 25 instead of 40. Good luck. Let me know when you arrive and we can get together for an ""orientation"" drink or coffee. My e mail address is ejhahn@netvigator.com. Best of luck, Ed Hahn "

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" Have you ever been to HK? Life is totally different there! You don''t have the same perks as you do in North America. And, do you have the opportunity to come back to North America to work? Don''t get me wrong, HK is an amazing place! "

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