have job offer in HK but in two minds about moving there. Can you please tell what you like/dislike about HK and please try and give me an insight to life there?

[kennyd]

hi,

I'm hoping someone can give me an insight into life in HK.. I've been offered a job in Hong Kong and accepted but my job in Ireland just today came to me with a really good offer to make me change my mind and have put a few doubts in my mind about moving... before this I was dead set on the move and was really really excited!

I'm a single 25 year old Irish guy and was hoping you guys could let me know everything you like/dislike about HK?

Some people say i'm crazy even considering staying in Ireland....

[Flat Hunter]

This has been asked, and answered, many times before. IMHO, if you have any doubts then stay where you are. Especially if they have given you a really good offer to stay in Ireland.

[MovingIn07]

Everything we like and dislike about HK has been done to death - just search for it - but better, why not give us more info about YOUR likes and dislikes and we can tell you if you'd like HK. Probably quicker!

[Kungfu chef]

Being 25 I would ask yourself what you'd like to achieve between now - 30, that might help you to see your current job offers differently as it's not always about money!! Some might disagree with their feet in the air, but here are some pro's if I was in your shoes:

The Chinese economy is booming.
HK is a great location in the far east to "hop" over to other countries including Australia if you really fancy going down under as well.
- great expat community with a work hard play hard (drink hard) culture

I made a jump in my career when I was 25 and have not regretted it since, I know it's very different in your case, but doing stuff like this is a lot harder when your life gets busier with family etc.

Make yourself a pro's and con's list about Ireland and HK, no one can tell you what you should do except your soul!
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[dermotp]

Being an Irish man who moved here 18 months ago maybe i can offer a bit more help.
If you have never been to china before, it will be a culture shock but HK is more western that say mainland China. (Thanks Brits!)

Depending on your salary grade, the city can mean different things. If you find a comfortable place in a building you like with a reasonable commute,
your quality of life should be fine. Much more things to see and do here than back home. If crowds and ignorant locals dont bother you, you will love the city.
People can be rude but i find a smile goes a long way to be accepted. Yes you will get it thrown back at you now and then but is any other city that different?

If you are single, well HK is a playground. Im spoken for so............
Money rules so again, if your salary is good, things get much easier.

People work hard here and play hard, i found it easy to make friends here but keeping them is another thing, busy lives can take a toll on friendships here.
As for food, well you old Irish favorites are hard to find, plenty of imported British favs but pricy, which is fair enough considering its shipped half way around the world.

As others have said, there have been plenty of posts looking for advice for newbies so check them out.
Considering the way the Irish economy is going, will you have a job in a years time? The way i look at it, a few years in HK looks great on your CV and cant hurt your career path any.

Hope I've been of some help.
D.

[cookie09]

Some people say i'm crazy even considering staying in Ireland....

i 100% agree. i mean ireland....if London, Paris, Berlin or Switzerland, i could understand that you hesitate, but Ireland?

[MovingIn07]

Ireland is clean and green. I could see the attractions. Which is why I ask what you like. Because if 'clean and green' is a high priority, don't come to HK! The pollution is terrible. But it's the only really bad thing about HK IMHO, so while quite a big issue, could be alot worse!

[ricdan]

You are much more likely to regret the things you didn't do than the ones you did.
HK is a great place, great community and great lift-off place for travelling in Asia.
I used to do weekends in South France and Spain - next week I will go to Thailand for a few days, in the New Year perhaps Vietnam or Laos.

[Char Siu King]

Biggest positives for me - very little street crime, no drunken mobs looking for fights on the weekends, you can pretty much go anywhere 24/7 without the fear of being stabbed/shot/robbed, amazing variety of restaurants, amount of sun, access to other Asian countries, mix of big city vs. accessible countryside, discovering that many locals are extremely warm and accommodating people if you YOU make the effort to get to know them and break the ice.

Biggest negatives – Narrow-mindedness and overt racism toward eveyone who is not Han Chinese by few (not all), locals who have not had the luxury to travel but you get that kind of ignorant nonsense everywhere, local supermarkets can be pretty sad compared to Europe/N.America, congestion (but much better than the tube in London IMO), minibus drivers are maniacs. Overall just small things. Everything depends on your perspective and where you are moving from and your reference points.

[Loz_2]

They have good dim sum.
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