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

[Claire ex-ax]

Someone has a serious attitude adjustment to make or it will be a miserable 3-5 years ahead.

Okay we ascertained she's here for the money, but did she really not have any insight into the place via her pre-move visits?

[Kfay]

Someone has a serious attitude adjustment to make or it will be a miserable 3-5 years ahead.

Okay we ascertained she's here for the money, but did she really not have any insight into the place via her pre-move visits?

Holidays never tell you how you will feel about living somewhere. I feel for her - it's a long time to be unhappy.

To the OP - my suggestion is to find something you enjoy doing and focus on that. Find like-minded people who also enjoy it and make some friends. You don't need many, and friends are easy to make in HK, but a few decent friends will make all the difference to your life. Expat or local, doesn't matter, just find a few!

[wtbhotia]

Alcohol is your friend LOL, it will help you survive 3-5 years in HK (its a joke, dont take it seriously)

[Elegiaque]

I'm sure this got mentioned in previous threads from the OP, but you can look at meetup, for example, and try going to some of those events that they arrange. Cooking is sadly one thing I loved doing before but haven't been able to enjoy in our tiny closet HK kitchen. I suspect, with your salary, you actually have a proper kitchen and oven, though. Towngas has cooking courses, so does Secret Ingredient, I think. Look around, there are things, and plenty of non-materialistic people.
The very first thing I learned teaching a group of HK university students was how much they loathe China and the repression they feel from there. Give them a break.

[scrambler]

yawn!

i find this all hard to take seriously... i been here 5 mins - earnin a fortune - but life's a bit tough...

wonderin if someone is havin a bit of fun pressin buttons sometimes

[closedcasket]

Alcohol is your friend LOL, it will help you survive 3-5 years in HK (its a joke, dont take it seriously)

i know its a joke, but I do find some of the locals behavior much more tolerable after a beer or two

[scrambler]

i know its a joke, but I do find some of the locals behavior much more tolerable after a beer or two

who had the beer? u or them?

i know quite a few who would go very red in the face..

[closedcasket]

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?

I understand the dichotomy you speak of and it is rooted in the concept called "face".
It is not at all uncommon for a relatively poor local to live in a 50 sq M flat and drive a Mercedes or BMW. For many locals it is important to show face and impress people with expensive cars, handbags or jewelery while at the same time complaining about having to spend $28 dollars for lunch. So typically, local money is spent in areas that impress or show off to others and money is saved in other areas. Thus the reason you see jewerely and handbag stores on ground level and restuarants an elevator ride away. I have never been to a big city with so few restaurants on the ground level...but I digress..

[closedcasket]

who had the beer? u or them?

i know quite a few who would go very red in the face..

me! I get a bit more patient and understanding with a couple in me

[thegame181]

Things I Hate About HK
-blatant and sanctioned classism/racism
-self-racism/white worship (I myself am asian american, specifically mainland chinese american)
-materialism, someone described it to me as locals are more "presentation" oriented
-pollution
-housing $$$
-fellow women seemingly mostly into either face whitening or shopping

Is basically everyone just living here for career/job/money reasons?

You can say that about a lot of places all over the world. More or less need to relax and take it a day at a time.