I received the following post in my e-mail but can't find it on the forum.

Message Posted By: anglofiles
Hi, We might be posted to Hong Kong. We're American. I wonder if you have researched the schools. We also have two teenagers who will enter 10th grade next fall. I am looking into HKIS; wondering if there is a waiting list. My worries: Hong Kong isn't a great place for teenagers (?); cost of living; weather; and what a spouse like me can do. I work as a freelance writer but I imagine HK is fairly restrictive for foreign consultants. Any advice?

My comment -
First, HKIS has a website at http://www.hkis.edu.hk/ with contact and enquiry details. This is an excellent school. To find out about other options, check out the Education and Manpower Bureau website at http://www.emb.gov.hk/index.aspx?nodeid=2&langno=1 or call the Community Advice Bureau on 852 2815 5444. The CAB also has a downloadable (PDF) booklet about Hong Kong, which may provide useful information. Go to http://www.cab.org.hk/services.htm and click the download option.

Second, your teenager - I think Hong Kong is a great place for teenagers - there are plenty of sporting, social, creative and artistic and other outlets here. The streets are incredibly safe. There is little "gang culture" and whilst drugs and drink do rear their ugly heads, these are not serious problems. Also, the school environment is incredibly positive. I have raised three children here and have absolutely no regrets.
As for the other issues - yes, pollution is becoming a problem, so if any of your family has respiratory problems, this is worth looking into. The cost of living depends on how you live - rents are high - no choice there, but most other expenses dependon your budget and how fussy you are.

Finally - your job - There are several local publicatiions that have been screaming for writers and editors. The first that comes to mind is HK (by Asia City Publising). As long as you have a polished CV I don't think you should have a huge problem finding work. I work as a freelance academic editor (self-taught) and get paid a negotiable salary of $HK300 an hour. As a consultant and writer, I expect you could charge more. I sometimes go through a dry spell, but I have work most of the time.

Hope this is useful. If you want to contact me personally, my e-mail is gilliankew@yahoo.com

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