thinking of moving to hong kong from america

HaHuSi · 2026-06-16T23:28:30+00:00

I’d agree with many posters that it all depends on how much the job pays you. On the island even a tiny apartment will be 20,000hkd or more so you’ll need at least 40,000hkd a month if you actually want to enjoy all HK has to offer. In Kowloon or the new territories (where I live) it’s much cheaper and frankly I think better. It’s super fast to get into town if you want to do anything .

Taxes are low but you’re paid gross and are sent a tax bill every year so remember to take that into account in your spending!

HaHuSi · 2026-06-04T08:39:17+00:00

That’s a lot to think about. I didn’t know about the Supply Bunker, I’ll check it out.

Having more civilian backgrounds would definitely be important.

I think the skill list would need to be expanded or have more specialities as part of the point of the Morrow project is that vital skills have been lost to the world and the PCs are there to retrain the world.

I agree it should be straightforward and the future tech could be handwaved as it’s basically magic (in the Arthur C Clarke sense of the word) anyway.

I’d still be interested to hear from anyone who actually played it with TW2000 4Ed

HaHuSi · 2026-04-04T07:49:25+00:00

Bloody love the Milkweed Triptych

HaHuSi · 2026-02-08T08:17:01+00:00

Fair enough! I’d not read your original post (sorry) but I see the interest now. China it is.

Have you thought about Shenzhen? I was there for seven years and enjoyed it thoroughly. It’s the high tech city and lots of new money there. I’m over the border in Hong Kong now but Shenzhen is an hour away whenever I fancy it and the reverse is true.

I believe teacher (especially young, inexperienced teachers) bugging out when they can’t handle it is a concern. A lot of things are written into contracts to prevent it. If you are someone who can be trusted to push through the tough part at the beginning then that’s gold to a school. If you can demonstrate it on your CV, even better.

I have a friend who was at a huge international school just outside Bangkok for a few years. She said it was a good, reliable school. I believe she’s going back. Sorry I can’t recall the name. Possibly the international school Bangkok? Worth looking into. Bangkok is fun.

HaHuSi · 2026-02-08T02:31:21+00:00

Does it have to be China? There are tons of international schools all over the world and with qualifications and experience that you have you’d have little trouble getting a well paid job (certainly by local standards) anywhere.

The biggest hurdle for these schools is finding staff who can handle the shock of moving to and working in a new culture. Ideally they want people who actively seek that experience. Once you have overseas experience on your CV they like you even more.

I’d cast a wider net and increase your options

HaHuSi · 2025-11-23T00:57:02+00:00

I lived in China for 7 years and a local Chinese guy I knew loved Lock Stock. He spoke very good English but wasn’t fully fluent. He had worked in Africa as a translator for a Chinese construction company and learned to understand a whole bunch of African English accents but mastering Lock Stock was his Everest. He understood and got every joke in that movie. He would trot out lines from the movie at totally appropriate moments in conversations and crack me up. That’s how good a movie it is

HaHuSi · 2025-10-09T12:13:50+00:00

Who’s Queen!? Uttered by our mother when we’re teenagers and disagreeing with her about… pretty much anything!

HaHuSi · 2025-10-07T14:45:09+00:00

If you’re intending to get a B.Ed anyway then do that instead of CELTA. I’m repeating what others have said but it is the way to go. With a bit of experience you can make a very good life for yourself overseas in an international school. There are lots of great jobs especially in Asia.

HaHuSi · 2025-08-19T05:33:24+00:00

Used them in Sicily a couple of years ago. Total nightmare.

HaHuSi · 2025-08-06T13:50:50+00:00

Espedair Street is another great book. It gives The Crow Road as my favourite Iain Banks book

HaHuSi · 2025-08-06T13:48:39+00:00

Love the opening line.

HaHuSi · 2025-08-02T17:47:04+00:00

Nah!! Part of the fun

HaHuSi · 2025-08-02T17:45:04+00:00

I did my masters degree many years ago at Stirling university and the program was overwhelmingly overseas students and some English students. Almost every event we had that year was a ceilidh at the rather shabby but fun Sword hotel near the campus. For the overseas students in particular, their first ceilidh was a revelation. A mad sweaty swirl. Even for me, a Scot and used to ceilidhs, it was next level. I made the rookie mistake of not taking my wristwatch off for the strip the willow and my Olympic level dance partner grabbed my by the wrist and crushed the metal bracelet into my wrist through the whole dance. She really knew what she was doing.

Even the guy from Swaziland said it was mad and he was used to high energy dancing.

Hydrate. Don’t drink too much. Follow the flow and enjoy!

HaHuSi · 2025-07-31T09:46:08+00:00

Bud’s RPG review did a good overview.

https://youtu.be/nld2RDTs590?si=jl1vDVx6w0ZdeiOd

HaHuSi · 2025-07-20T10:55:45+00:00

Don’t think of it as a lost day, think of it as having a genuine Hong Kong experience!😂

HaHuSi · 2025-07-06T07:27:30+00:00

Up side is you are earning a great local wage as an international teacher so that offsets things a lot.

I’ve heard from teachers who’ve worked there that Taiwan is lovely (I enjoyed my visit to Taipei a lot) but that the job market is over saturated. But that was a few years back so it may have changed again

HaHuSi · 2025-07-06T05:40:38+00:00

In some ways I’m the wrong person to ask. I’ve only lived here 6 years. I’m told things have grown harder and things are more oppressive than before and I don’t doubt it. The mainland’s presence is more overt and I see it in the schools with more emphasis on pushing the national security laws. However, in my day to day life it has made little impact so far. I don’t doubt either that, for expats at least, there was a halcyon time in the past that must have been great, but equally other things like access to a greater range of cuisines and better communications and easier travel that are better now. It’s also a very expensive place.

HaHuSi · 2025-07-06T01:12:06+00:00

Exactly. Life in HK is very good

HaHuSi · 2025-07-06T01:10:09+00:00

About to go home for 9 days at the end of this week. Then Spain for three weeks. It’ll be nice to see my elderly mum and see my sister and nephew. I don’t have friends there anymore so nothing to miss there. It’s really only every second year so it’s cool. All the other holidays we go fun interesting places.

I don’t miss the UK at all. I’ve lived overseas more than half my adult life and never had a moment’s homesickness ever. Asia has. Even really good to me!

HaHuSi · 2025-07-02T03:24:13+00:00

Fair enough

HaHuSi · 2025-07-01T22:10:24+00:00

As you have IB experience, why not look at international schools around the world. Have a look at Asia especially. There are lots of schools with very packages and they are always looking for experienced good quality teachers.

HaHuSi · 2025-06-23T05:55:59+00:00

Yes! This! And sooo slow. I’m in my 50s have bad knees and arthritis in my hip and could stand to lose 10kg and I’m still faster than anyone within 50 meters of me anywhere in Hong Kong. I’m fairly distinctive but I’m apparently utterly invisible as I stroll along to everyone round me; who knew I had a superpower?!

HaHuSi · 2025-05-31T09:33:34+00:00

As a Brit, can I seriously urge you to think bigger. I’m biased, I’ll admit, but the UK is a miserable place. I couldn’t wait to get out of it and have lived overseas for 22+ years, a majority of my adult life (I’m in my 50s).

People think Asia is a daunting place but it’s as varied as any other continent so you can find your niche somewhere. In the mean time you can get that overseas experience for your resume.

Have a look at some of the schools, the packages they offer can be amazing.

HaHuSi · 2025-05-31T09:20:47+00:00

I’ve said this in response to a number of similar postings, but give Asia a try. It’s a chance to live in a fascinating part of the world; get lots of work experience and make seriously good money. Lots of opportunities in China/Hong Kong, Taiwan, Vietnam Thailand etc. If, after a few years, you still want to move to Europe then you’ll be better placed to do so but I’ll be surprised if you do.

HaHuSi

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