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I've HAD IT with Hong Kong... Advice? Wanna move to Singapore.

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  1. #81
    Quote Originally Posted by merchantms:
    Lao - have you fully researched giving up US citizenship? You have to continue to file taxes for 5 years after renouncing and you basically be blacklisted from ever returning to live in the US. It really only works for the extremely wealthy.

    Do you really make enough money as a pilot/stay at home mom (just guessing as you said you have been indoors with your kid all week) to justify this? As in significantly more than the $100K that's tax free for overseas residents plus the deductions for housing and living expenses?

    I wouldn't plan where to live based on renunciation alone, if that's the appeal of Singapore. There are other considerations. Your daughter may wish to go work or study in the US one day and giving up your citizenship will make that more challenging. Our real estate agent in HK studied in the US and was not able to get a work visa to stay, she is still upset about it...
    Really is only one reason. We are still looking into all the possibilities. We oppose the war big time and hate that our money is financing it (among other things).

    Back home I worked in legal setting (and with HK and SIN using English in court I'm planning on going back as soon as DD starts school -hopefully in september).... But still. I'd like to go back but there's no way I can drag husband back to the US (at least for now). We are looking for a place to Settle.

    Like Katherine, I've lived in 3 countries so far (does that make us serial expats?) but haven't found home. I know SIN has plenty of faults, but there are some things that I can give up more easily than others.

    We are still young and have the energy to roam the world

  2. #82

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    Quote Originally Posted by LaowaiLulu:
    Really is only one reason. We are still looking into all the possibilities. We oppose the war big time and hate that our money is financing it (among other things).

    Back home I worked in legal setting (and with HK and SIN using English in court I'm planning on going back as soon as DD starts school -hopefully in september).... But still. I'd like to go back but there's no way I can drag husband back to the US (at least for now). We are looking for a place to Settle.

    Like Katherine, I've lived in 3 countries so far (does that make us serial expats?) but haven't found home. I know SIN has plenty of faults, but there are some things that I can give up more easily than others.

    We are still young and have the energy to roam the world
    Why not become Canadians instead? We are not a war-mongering country. We have a relatively liberal inclusive culture and we don't force your kids to join the military (like in Singapore).

  3. #83

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    Quote Originally Posted by Mat:
    Why?

    Tung Chung has dozens and dozens of Trails for example at its doorsteps.

    I know you don't like new towns but you can easily live in TC (enjoy convenience of the mall for shopping and all) while enjoying magnificent nature at your doorstep. I know many top trail runners for example who do.

    You dont have to live in the woods to enjoy nature.
    Not attacking your choice, Mat, that is fine. Just making the more general observation that if the OP is miserable in Tung Chung, it might be worth moving to a different part of HK.

    I can't really see the wisdom of moving thousands of miles around the world just to live in a grey tower block in Tung Chung or Tseung Kwan O, surrounded by highways and roundabouts. If I did that, I would also be miserable. As a new resident, I would want to live right in the middle of the bustle in the more interesting older parts of the city, say Tin Hau or Yau Ma Tei, or out in the villages with more space and better air, like Sai Kung or the outlying islands. A better experience all round.
    LaowaiLulu likes this.

  4. #84
    Quote Originally Posted by Cho-man:
    Why not become Canadians instead? We are not a war-mongering country. We have a relatively liberal inclusive culture and we don't force your kids to join the military (like in Singapore).

    Boy do we love Canada Been to Ottawa, Quebec, Montreal and Halifax (call me crazy but Halifax is my favorite of all)..

    Guess no job opportunities there so far... But yes I love all that about Canada, and more. Poutines...
    Cho-man and lingc like this.

  5. #85
    Original Post Deleted
    Yup, exactly the reason we moved here!

  6. #86

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    Quote Originally Posted by LaowaiLulu:
    Yup, exactly the reason we moved here!
    Before you give up completely, consider South Lantau....
    The beaches, the hills, the cows, the quiet........
    Elegiaque and bookblogger like this.

  7. #87

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    Quote Originally Posted by HowardCoombs:
    Before you give up completely, consider South Lantau....
    The beaches, the hills, the cows, the quiet........
    Yeah! Completely agree. We should not be having this conversation at all unless the OP has explored south Lantau! What an amazing place!!!
    East_coast likes this.

  8. #88

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    Quote Originally Posted by ray98:
    Ok, so you are quoting the future. If you are so sure the air is going to harm you, then surely you would get a Beijing type exodus. I haven't noticed this happening.

    Let me put it like this. 681 going to work, no problem with air. 681 at Central, you can feel the air being heavier and less clear. 681 back to home, air is clear. That's my personal experience.

    Not sure if you know this, but rural communities like Sap Sze Heung, everybody hears everything about anybody because of the history, everyone knows everybody there. It's like a surveillance system that the CIA would be proud of. So if anybody was ill or dying from pollution, people would know.
    The pollution you can see is only one type of pollution NOX, PN2.5, SO2 etc are all near invisible but still do harm to you.

    But you are probably correct that areas like Ma On Shan do a much better job of keeping busy roads that have very high levels of pollutants away from residential area so it probably feels less oppressive than being sandwiched between the super toxic airport and the very toxic Route 8.

    If you have to live near the airport Disco Bay would seem to offer less roadside and airport pollution and as other posters point out South Lantua offers a completely different environment. Sure the background pollution will still be high but no where near as high as the foreground pollution you get being next to an airport and a busy expressway.

    http://property.gohome.com.hk/South-...ad-1227057/en/
    Last edited by East_coast; 12-02-2015 at 07:28 PM.
    Elegiaque likes this.

  9. #89

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    Quote Originally Posted by HowardCoombs:
    Before you give up completely, consider South Lantau....
    The beaches, the hills, the cows, the quiet........
    That is why we moved here, too. But.....
    February/March Life on Lantau, pg 6, article headline, "South Lantau Vehicle Ban May Be Lifted." First para. Quotes," The goverment mY lift vehicle restrictions on South Lantau Roads as it plans for massive construction ( no Lantau resident likes that) and reclamation ( even worse) on and near the island step up a gear."

    Our roads are bad enough as it is. Complaints about the potholes, police allowing offender who drive in and hoon along the roads, take up residents parking spots ( there are not many), and lack of bus serivices are increasing but given lip service and nothing actually done about it. Pollution is increasing , given the amount of rubbish left behind by tourists from on the streets, in the villages ( yes we live there, it isn't another theme park) , on the beach and along hiking trails. Quiet during the week, our neighbours which are mostly locals are great, but after reading the main letter in SCMP Letters to the Editor yesterday from some idiot suggesting that Lantau build a monorail to transport tourists.....wt.....???

    Asking OP, why Singapore? Is just as built up, has construction going on ,hotter and more humid than here and pollution?
    bookblogger likes this.

  10. #90
    Quote Originally Posted by Natfixit:
    Asking OP, why Singapore? Is just as built up, has construction going on ,hotter and more humid than here and pollution?
    1- Close enough to be able to commute from work in HK (3.5 hour flight).
    2- Better air quality (note that I say BETTER and not perfect, but MUCH better)
    3- Similar quality of transportation, schools, hospitals, etc. when compared to HK.
    4- Mandarin is an official language, a very important perk (specially for daughter and myself, I am studying Mandarin in HK).
    5- We don't mind heat or humidity (HK gets a break, but still is extremely hot and humid most of the time anyways),
    6- English is still an official language.
    7- Housing market cheaper than HK.
    Last edited by LaowaiLulu; 12-02-2015 at 09:55 PM.

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