Leaving HK for the kids...

[vmlinuz]

I know a few families that moved back to UK this summer and they’re all saying it’s not as great as they’d imagined.

(Emphasis mine).

No shit...

[shri]

There are plenty of international schools where the kids learn basically nothing about HK, so I’m surprised that any foreigner attending one is concerned about local education policy.

Moving to Singapore is hilarious - wasn’t there a kid arrested there for making fun of religion on youtube?

You'd be surprised

- a few years ago, a lot of the extended essays at Y13 level, proposed by students and approved by their advisors were about local issues including the Umbrella movement, income disparities and a wide range of topics. This is learning / researching. Much of this is being restricted as no school wants to be in the headlines right now.

- Learning v/s being taught - two different things as the kids grow older.

[merchantms]

Been there, done that, got the T-shirt.

Still very happy it was the right move.

But you didn’t go back to your home country, and I assume if that had been your only option you’d have a different view?

I’m sure we’d all be happier in New Zealand but we don’t have passports or visas to go there. People’s destination options determine if leaving HK for the kids is a good idea or not.

I don’t know a single South African in HK who’s heading back there anytime soon for example.

[TheBrit]

But you didn’t go back to your home country, and I assume if that had been your only option you’d have a different view?

I’m sure we’d all be happier in New Zealand but we don’t have passports or visas to go there. People’s destination options determine if leaving HK for the kids is a good idea or not.

I don’t know a single South African in HK who’s heading back there anytime soon for example.

Of course, it depends where your options are. It I was from Somalia, I would probably feel differently.

But, most expats have the talents and transferable skills to have options, either in Asia or other parts of the world.

Re: the UK - would have been happy to go back there, and probably will at some point in the next few years. Certainly if the decision was HK vs the UK now it would be an easy choice.

[MABinPengChau]

But you didn’t go back to your home country, and I assume if that had been your only option you’d have a different view?

I’m sure we’d all be happier in New Zealand but we don’t have passports or visas to go there. People’s destination options determine if leaving HK for the kids is a good idea or not.

I don’t know a single South African in HK who’s heading back there anytime soon for example.

Which is why my coworker left for SG- husband got a job there she wasn't happy with local schools- if you are local HK, don't have the visas to go elsewhere (like my coworkers) and don't have the money for international schools, what are your options? She felt like they would get better English skills in SG or at least more hours of English instruction in SG, giving them more university options in English-speaking countries. Expats are privileged, can leave anytime (and usually have choices of countries other than their home countries) but if you are local Chinese and not super rich, you really have to weigh the options.

[hullexile]

But you didn’t go back to your home country, and I assume if that had been your only option you’d have a different view?

I’m sure we’d all be happier in New Zealand but we don’t have passports or visas to go there. People’s destination options determine if leaving HK for the kids is a good idea or not.

I don’t know a single South African in HK who’s heading back there anytime soon for example.

I chose the UK over HK and would do so again without any hesitation. Though perhaps not right at this moment

[mysti]

I don't know any families that are going to move back to their home countries anytime soon. Seems HK is still the better option right now compared to the states..

[Coolboy]

I chose the UK over HK and would do so again without any hesitation. Though perhaps not right at this moment

How long would this moment be?

It's human nature to think the "grass is greener over there", regardless of where "there" happens to be. Before we became expats, greener pastures were overseas. Then after a while being overseas, some will long to "go back where they came from", only to discover "back home" wasn't as great as they imagine it to be.

There is no perfect "place" in the end.

[Coolboy]

Re: the UK - would have been happy to go back there, and probably will at some point in the next few years. Certainly if the decision was HK vs the UK now it would be an easy choice.

Then why come to HK in the first place if the UK is paved with gold, why ever leave it?

[bdw]

After 10 years at the Australian school in HK, my kids have settled well into Australian public school since January this year. Riding bikes to school, going to friends houses after school, no such thing as ECA's (formal extra curricular activities). We got a dog, a rabbit, my kids bedrooms have walk in closets that are bigger than their old HK bedrooms. So they are happy here in Aus. For me its back to home after 20 years away, but for wife a kids its a whole new experience.