Expat communities?

[paulprout]

Hi, first post so be gentle!

We have lived in Singapore for two years up until recently (now back in Oz) and am looking to perhaps move to HK. Singapore has a few expat communities, or areas that expats tend to live (East Coast, Holland Village, to name a couple).

Are there any such areas in HK?

Thanks,


Paul...

[ontheroad]

It really depends on your rental budget. There are high rent expat communities, mid-range, and lower range. Higher range expat communities are on the south of Hong Kong island: Repulse Bay, South Bay, Chung Hom Kok, Stanley and Tai Tam. Mid-range I would put in Pokfulam and Mid-levels, etc.

[paulprout]

Looks like the rental budget will be sub $45k per month, however I was looking at a place called Aztec Lodge in Ting Kau for $28k per month (seems too cheap) - do you know this area?

[timklip]

Gold Coast and Discovery Bay are also large expat comunities off of HK Island, as are Clearwater Bay/Sai Kung. Expect to pay much lower rents there...also Kowloon Tong has a large expat community as well

[erictby]

Why need an expat communities?

I always heard from others foreigner say that they feel they live in a separate community from local community. Why this happen? Local separated you? Or you seperated yourself from local?

Its was a lot of fun and fantastic feel if you can "well mixed" with local for the place you travel to, live in.

Just ask yourself, what your initiate intentions to work at others country? I think most of the expat with say to gain more experience, wider self view...blah...blah...

If you are looking for something same with your current or pervious, then why travel or leave your current environment. No point, is it? If want to get similar in others place, I think it much more easier if you just keep your current. Don't need to leave your family & friend behind.

So, why not penetrated yourself into local community?

Maybe you want maintain your living standard, then select the standard you need, but try to mix with the local at least.

I didn't mean to or intented to hurt any people feeling but to voice my own view. I am not a local but enjoy with mix up with local. Sometime happy ,sometime sad , sometime angry . THAT'S COLOUR OF LIFE!!!

[KnowItAll]

Well, sometimes, people are not in that whole exploring mood.. specially if you have families and young kids to take care of, and you know that your stay is temporary.

[ontheroad]

Well, sometimes, people are not in that whole exploring mood.. specially if you have families and young kids to take care of, and you know that your stay is temporary.

I second that. Plus living in an expat community does not exclude meeting and mixing with locals. It's just easier to settle in and to feel at home if you're surrounded with people who share the same sort of culture.
From a woman's point of view, I find that it really helps in those first weeks to meet people who have just arrived, like me, and who are experiencing the same culture shocks, difficulties, and to share discovering everything for the first time with.
I'd love to meet more locals, but in my street for example, they don't hang out at the bus stop, or the playground, or the supermarket, or the coffeeshop, they tend to send their helpers to do everything for them, so it's hard to meet them. I know all the helpers though!

[erictby]

Well, sometimes, people are not in that whole exploring mood.. specially if you have families and young kids to take care of, and you know that your stay is temporary.

What's the different for temporary or permanent? You still have to mixed up with people in both situation. In "expat community", you meet other expat; in normal community, you meet local and maybe expat. Or you just keep yourself out of people.

For family and young kids, the same. Local didn't have family or kids to take care?

Your kids will exposed to different culture while play with different culture and background kids.

Your housewife can learn some local cooking...

Of course, it's not that easy to get the things done. But, let say 20 times you try, I won't think none 1 success.

People always are ego. In their mind, always think, "Why I have to meet them? I have high education, they are not educated / I have high income, they are poor /I am high 'class' people, they are low 'class' people...etc". Mixed up with these kind of people didn't bring any benefit to me, they will bring down my 'class'.

Maybe I am too optimism. I belief this world have more good guys than bad guys, even sometime being cheated or bullied.

[carang]

i don't think that it's even the "same sort of culture" that people are after, rather it's "other people in the same boat"

[carang]

i've explained to my hubby that no matter how long i live in HK the vast majority of HKer's will automatically assume that i'm a tourist... why is that you ask?
simple. my white skin. it will NEVER change.

it's not the same mentality when a Hker relocates to canada. canadians will assume they are canadian.

also the fact that in the 12 years that i've lived here, SO MANY friends have relocated elsewhere. it is a very transient life for expats here, no matter how long they stay.

because he is a local here, my hubby will never truly understand what it's like to have to continuously try to make new friends because old ones have left.