Here's some 'family elder management' techniques I've found useful dealing with traditional Asian families:
Also - the 'curfew'. Is this partly because your grandmother goes to bed early herself? Does she wait up for you and worry if you're not in by the time she needs to go to sleep? She probably misses you and would like to spend time with you in the evenings as a 'family'.
Try explaining to her this time round that you're job hunting, and need to meet people after their working hours or for dinner, to discuss job opportunities. Tell her in advance when you'll be out after 6:30 pm (so she can plan), and a rough idea of what you're doing (e.g. discussing future employment in HK with friends). And carve out time to spend with her ahead of time, reserve those times with her upfront (a couple of dinners a week, and when you'll be back after dinner, an hour or so to chat before her bedtime, if possible). Tell her you value the time spent with her, and tell her (big picture headlines are fine) about what happened during your day.
That way, she can sell you to the neighbours and family as a responsible career minded girl into self improvement, and feel calm and settled about getting enough quality time with you. Not to mention being able to plan when to cook dinner for you :-)
Yes exactly!! That is exactly what I go through, not to mention my gran has dogs and they're a bit hyper towards unfamiliar family members. Thank you for your input. It was what I was trying to explain to the others who seemed puzzled about the curfew, but I couldn't write it down in better words than yours. Thanks
Your nice personality has started to come through kilostar. Wish you all the best in the future and I am sure you will make it one way or another.
Hear, hear.
It won't be easy, and yeah, you have a lot of things to work on as fellow posters have pointed out.
But some encouragement is in place as well. At least you are taking the initiative, are pro-actively seeking advice and opportunities, and seem willing to work hard to carve out a place. Your Cantonese is likely to improve rapidly once you are here, since you already know the basics and will have plenty of opportunity to practice/learn. The tourism industry is growing fast here (although it is indeed largely a mainland-Chinese story), so there should be some opportunity somewhere if you are willing to put your teeth in it. The fact that you have a foreign degree and are obviously fluent in English will work to your advantage for some positions as well.
Good luck and let us know how you get on sometime.
agree with what some other have said. you have the advantage of a house and family in HK and the right to work so why not come over and explore. Your native English is definitely an advantage, although that often depends on what specific line of work you are looking at. I know nothing of the hotel trade. Ye, would help if you spoke better Cantonese and Mandarin but hey welcome to the world of (I am sure) 90% of the posters on here.
And as Hull says, you come over as a nice person and that will get you far.
All the best.
Have you ever thought of becoming a flight attendent? Cathay is currently recruiting. Starting salary is 20k.
I used to live in sha tau kok for 3 and half years, 20min by minibus to fanling, 25 to shueng shui, yes, around 1.35-45 ( sometimes even as long as 2 hours going back as minibus queues in sheung shui) to shueng wan ( used to cwb), saving grace is in shueng shui, go to carriage 1, get a seat, sleep for 43 mins to hung hom, doable but tiring after a while, but 700 sq ft on 3rd floor in a rural house was a plus, also don't forget rent is at a premium, ie, 200 sq ft flat/bedsit in hk island cost you HK$9000 ish
I live in fanling now
also, to the op, what do you have to lose, if you come here for a few months, if you can't find a job then you can return to UK and that fact the any economic tsunami appears to hit europe worse than asia, look how many large companies becoming bankrupt in uk lately
I work in the hotel business. If/when you come to Hong Kong, let me know. I'll pm you my email address so you can send me your CV.