Please help!

[nyccook]

Hi everybody,
My husband and I are contemplating moving to HK from NYC. We don't have all the financial details from his company yet. We wanted to get a little more info on HK before really getting into the process with the company. We would be moving for his position in finance. I am a nurse, soon to be a family practice nurse practitioner. Would I be able to find work in HK? Right now it is just the two of us but we plan to start a family very soon. I have read some encouraging posts about the private hospitals and helpers in HK. So, I am not too worried about that. I am worried about housing. I already feel claustrophobic in 700 sq.ft. here in NYC. It looks a lot worse in HK from the posts that I have read so far. From what I am reading, it seems that there is no closet space? Are there really no ovens in these apartments? I am an avid cook and I don't know if I can deal with not having a decent kitchen.
There are lots of positive aspects to HK, I just need a few answers to some worries.

[ontheroad]

Don't worry, if your husband is in finance, you should be able to afford a place with 1500++ square feet, a decent kitchen, and an oven! I've yet to meet an "finance expat" that didn't have an oven in their digs! Where on earth did you hear that?
HK is not a third world country, expats enjoy all the comforts...

[KnowItAll]

>> I already feel claustrophobic in 700 sq.ft. here in NYC.
>> It looks a lot worse in HK from the posts that I have
>> read so far.

There are plenty of places here within 30-40 mins commute of Central (which is where many of the banks are) where you can get 1500+ as ontheroad says.

Just like NYC, you don't have to live in Manhattan. The public transport here is comparable, if not better than NY.

[Boris]

" Right now it is just the two of us but we plan to start a family very soon. "

Suggest you start getting pregnant now. It would be the ideal time for you to take a career break whilst hubby worked the long hours done here. By the time he is due to finish his posting ( 3yrs? ) the little ankle biter will be all trained in the essentials for you to feel confident to get back to work.

There may be some " health related " volunteer work you may find to make sure your CV is not a blank space. Finding paid work , even with your undoubted skills might prove " challenging ". Your vocation requires good Cantonese, or would be, in any case , to have a chance to interview.
OF course, unless anyone knows different !

We would all, on GeoExpat welcome you with open arms. In the big picture its a great place whether married, single, old, young, grumpy or any other of the seven dwarves who moan about the little things that really don't matter here.

[Boris]

The public transport here is comparable, if not better than NY.

Amen to that, and London, Paris et al

Where, anywhere else to you see a team of cleaners go through a train or a bus at the end of every route. Even taxi drivers take pride in cleaning their cabs.

[KnowItAll]

>> Your vocation requires good Cantonese

Thriving expat business in the health care sector.

e.g. http://www.thefamilyzone.hk/

[jayinhongkong]

>> I already feel claustrophobic in 700 sq.ft. here in NYC.
>> It looks a lot worse in HK from the posts that I have
>> read so far.

There are plenty of places here within 30-40 mins commute of Central (which is where many of the banks are) where you can get 1500+ as ontheroad says.

Just like NYC, you don't have to live in Manhattan. The public transport here is comparable, if not better than NY.

The public transportation here is way better than in NY. You're gonna be pleasantly surprised.

[jimmy332]

Others above far more experienced to give advice on the 'living' issues in HK ! but nursing............exceptionally difficult, not just language, you would need to re-take the HK nursing examinations to even register as they do not currently recognise qualifications from abroad........after that its reasonably ok to find a job in a private hospital for ward work etc (via contacts not adverts and no need to speak Cantonese), but family practitioner nursing may be more difficult even with the exams but without the language unless you have contacts in the expat community.........by no means impossible though, get your books out !! If you ended up deciding to do the exams pm me, I will give you some contacts who can help with format, past papers and practice for the clinical etc, good luck !!

[ontheroad]

Or you could get a job as a school nurse in one of the international schools. I know most of them don't require HK certificates if you already have a degree from overseas.

[penguinsix]

Kitchens are generally smaller, but so is basically everything. Smaller fridge, smaller stove, smaller washing machine, etc. One thing you might want to look into is an oven--I've been in more than a few places that didn't have one.

Also consider the family option while over there. You can hire a nanny for less than $400 a month, live in, etc. to cook and clean and take care of you while pregnant and when you have a baby. It's actually a big help.