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Go Where? Tangent - Who is leaving HK

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  1. #1

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    Go Where? Tangent - Who is leaving HK

    Seems theres no question there are a number of people leaving HK. Just curious where people are planning to move to. For some, it might be relocating to their hometown, and some relocating to somewhere completely foreign.

    Personally, I find it difficult to get a job in cities like Singapore, Japan, Korea, etc. when compared to HK. The day to day experience in HK is efficient and simple as long as you have cash in your pocket. Day to day, HK would still be more expat friendly compared to Korea/Japan.

    I am not ready to go back to Canada. The slow and mundane lifestyle just feels like living in an old folks home waiting for the inevitable. Not to mention the government regulations in Canada is slowly turning into China (dont get me started).


    For expats or locals here, what are your relocation preferences and why? Considering the pros and cons.

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  2. #2

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    I plan to head back to the UK to start - it's the easiest place for me to go, no visa needed, already got a bank account, got friends/family to rely on. You're right that it will probably feel pretty sedate compared with HK, but chilling out, decompressing, spending some time with my family all sound quite nice right now...

    After that, it depends quite a lot on whether my young lady comes with me or not - she's quite set against leaving at the moment, and I'm not sure how much chance there is of her changing her mind. If I'm free and single, seems quite likely I'll end up in Israel - I was heading there 16 years ago when I was diverted and ended up here instead, I've also got friends and family there, I think there's lots of tech work, I still speak better Hebrew than Cantonese (and I'm working on my Duolingo refresher), etc. If I'm with her, obviously we'd need to find somewhere more compatible with both our backgrounds, so it seems likely we'd end up somewhere with a decent-sized Chinese community - Sydney and Vancouver come to mind, although neither is massively enticing and both suffer from (like HK) feeling too far away from the family in the UK, after the shock of the past couple of years.

    At the moment, I'd say Singapore would be a distant possibility, but nowhere else in Asia is likely to make the cut. Depending on what happens between now and then, the US could also be worth exploring, but it's not high up on my list.


  3. #3

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    For me it’s probably China, my remembering self makes the decision


  4. #4

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    At the moment it is just money keeping me in Hong Kong.

    Medium term - I'll be in a position where I don't need the money (and all the associated hassles) and will leave Hong Kong. Destination will be south west Europe - compared to Hong Kong a better climate; better (personal preference) food and (somewhat) cheaper; certainly better and cheaper wine; I think a better lifestyle (although this is again very personal and would depend on your life stage); being able to move around a country / continent without borders is something I am definitely looking forward to after the last couple of years (and likely next couple of years) in Hong Kong.

    Job prospects are not good where I am planning to go (more people are leaving than arriving), but I hope to continue working freelance for some contacts I have in Hong Kong as well as in the new place. Work will mainly be for coffee and wine money, and to keep my brain working.

    Things I'll miss: Hong Kong is efficient in some aspects. We hate our banks, but they are free and do the business. Government bureaucracy (tax, immigration) is extremely efficient. Healthcare in the middle somewhere.


  5. #5

    For me it’s either moving to Taiwan next summer, as it was originally planned prior to Covid closures, or back to the USA for good. My home country is a cesspool of Covid and corruption (though we’re good at soccer), so no chance of ever returning there.


  6. #6

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    Quote Originally Posted by thinkingofhk:
    For me it’s either moving to Taiwan next summer, as it was originally planned prior to Covid closures, or back to the USA for good. My home country is a cesspool of Covid and corruption (though we’re good at soccer), so no chance of ever returning there.
    Brazil?

    We'll transfer to an office somewhere else in Asia, same job, but not Singapore due to the lack of nature. At least we can have a few more years in Asia but with a whole new country to explore (even if we're locked in).

    The fear of going "home" and being bored and/or out of work is too strong. Don't have enough savings yet to retire.
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  7. #7

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    Quote Originally Posted by thinkingofhk:
    My home country is a cesspool of Covid and corruption (though we’re good at soccer)
    Not the UK then
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  8. #8

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    You guys got it all wrong. He said "SOCCER".

    That means Canada or USA. BOOM

    sunnymove likes this.

  9. #9

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    Original Post Deleted
    He could be sarcastic, or he is just very American.

  10. #10

    I was indeed being sarcastic with the soccer thing. It is Brazil. You could have taken a hint with the corruption thing but in hindsight it doesn’t really narrow anything down these days…

    jdf21st and Jillypots like this.

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