A few days in HK so far and I hate it. Tell me I'm being ridiculous.

[Claire ex-ax]

I'm kind of wondering why the OP came here.

[HK_Katherine]

I'm kind of wondering why the OP came here.

Somebody mentioned a salary of HKD200k a month a few posts back…..!

[closedcasket]

Somebody mentioned a salary of HKD200k a month a few posts back…..!

sounds like a good reason to me....

[jimbo]

Somebody mentioned a salary of HKD200k a month a few posts back…..!

Money can't buy you happiness but at least you can be miserable in comfort as the saying goes.

[kimwy66]

Money can't buy you happiness but at least you can be miserable in comfort as the saying goes.

If you have plenty of money and you aren't happy, then you are spending it on the wrong things.

[applejacks]

If you have plenty of money and you aren't happy, then you are spending it on the wrong things.

We are basically not spending that much, especially relative to our income. Our idea is basically to save up X amount so we have the option to have more freedom in life. The stint in HK should last 3 - 5 years.

I really don't understand the spending dichotomy. The traditional culture is quite frugal, which I identify with. Then there's this other culture which values material goods where 90% of what you're paying is brand premium. I understand the mainland isn't much better in that regard. I also don't understand how luxury brands keep their value in society when so many people have access to it. It seems like paying brand premium when there isn't really any cachet? Can upper middle class people here really impress other upper middle class people here via material goods?

Also how do girls here like shopping so much if the apartments are so small? Where would they put it?

[jimbo]

Applejacks

What makes you happy?

[applejacks]

good question. I probably need to establish some type of network here.

This reminds me. I actually like to cook. However a local told me local women are quite proud of how they can't cook, cause when their moms cooked they weren't allowed in the kitchen (kitchens are too small). Now that helpers are so common, manual labor of the domestic sort is looked down upon so not knowing how to cook is a source of pride.

This also reminds me of how speaking poor mandarin or not speaking mandarin is a source of pride.

How natural and/or immature is my "these people just suck" reaction?

This is my first impression thus far.

[jimbo]

good question. I probably need to establish some type of network here.

This reminds me. I actually like to cook. However a local told me local women are quite proud of how they can't cook, cause when their moms cooked they weren't allowed in the kitchen (kitchens are too small). Now that helpers are so common, manual labor of the domestic sort is looked down upon so not being able to cook is a source of pride.

Lots of cooking classes here in hk.
Towngas for example do classes

[Claire ex-ax]

This also reminds me of how speaking poor mandarin or not speaking mandarin is a source of pride.

Hong Kong is still a predominantly Cantonese-speaking city and the people of the Canton region have pride in their language and culture, despite the intentions of the "North City" to eradicate this distinction. So what you speak of could be a way to 'stick it to the man' and *gasp* assert their separateness from the hive collective.