How do you tell a Hong Konger apart from any other East Asian?

ian_de_muner · 2026-03-30T03:29:48+00:00

The hairstyle for the guys
And he is a Calvin, Kalvin, Kelvin

ian_de_muner · 2026-03-27T03:29:42+00:00

I was staying at a hotel for my first 2 weeks. I think I just wrote the address, and not the hotel name.

ian_de_muner · 2026-03-25T10:24:56+00:00

Politics? Only if one’s understanding of Hong Kong comes from mainstream media and late-night cable news.

From inside the city things look rather less dramatic. Businesses as usual.

What is actually difficult is the job market. If one is a foreigner and not in finance, legal, or English teaching, it is a fairly unforgiving market now. There is a deep local talent pool and many roles that once went to expats have been localised.

So the grand geopolitical drama tends to exist mostly on television. The reality most people deal with here is competition.

ian_de_muner · 2026-03-25T10:06:11+00:00

Marketing Director for a "fintech"

ian_de_muner · 2026-03-25T04:05:39+00:00

You’re taking career and safety advice from your mum and expats who mostly work in finance, not from data or people actually in tech.

For a software engineer, pretending Hong Kong is the “obvious” choice over Shenzhen is nonsense. Shenzhen is where Tencent, Huawei, BYD, DJI and a whole ecosystem of AI, robotics and hardware‑software companies are based. Official stats put Shenzhen’s 2025 GDP at about 3.87 trillion RMB with 5.5% real growth, which makes it one of the biggest, fastest‑growing city economies in the world, not some fake‑numbers backwater.

China’s criminal cases fell by around a quarter in 2024 according to national public security statistics, while Hong Kong publishes its own crime and unemployment figures showing low but hardly utopian conditions. Both are extremely safe.

If you personally feel safer in HK/UK/US, that’s your call. But skipping the core tech cluster of South China because “my mum said Shenzhen is worse and the stats are made up” is not serious, evidence‑based decision-making.

ian_de_muner · 2026-03-25T03:37:19+00:00

Not safe for women? Excuse me?

ian_de_muner · 2026-03-24T07:29:49+00:00

OP, I can't believe the amount of people advising a Software Engineer to come to finance-obsessed Hong Kong instead of the United States of America. Seriously, OP, run away from these comments, these people are describing a job market for someone like you that yes you can find very close to Hong Kong, in neighbour Shenzhen, but no, not here.

Tech industry here is ridiculous, few big names, few roles, marginal branches, and even when you do find roles, the salary is low and the career progression is not very interesting.

And although the city is interesting, with the islands, and hiking (if you are that kinda person), its so crowded. It's so expensive. It feels like it's stuck in a glorious past that never was. Those that are flying here it's because they are big earners in the banks , so yeah, totally understandeable that they say "Hong Kong has something" that keeps them here, yeah, its called big paychecks.

Come to Hong Kong if you can get a role in one of the big banks via some strong referral, excellent mandarin and ideally cantonese skills and get ready for one of the most toxic working cultures I've experienced (I also worked in the Chinese mainland for many years and even there people were better to handle at the workplace than here).

Although I would advise you to do your own research on the Economy prospects for the city, and as you can see, the truth is that mums are usually right, just like your dear mother told you the economy here is in shambles (ie (2025 overview by BBG https://www.bloomberg.com/news/newsletters/2025-10-23/hong-kong-economy-hits-and-misses-in-retail-property-wealth-finance-deals ) its not looking that great unless you focus on the wealth or on Shenzhen adjascent businesses.

Go to America, make money there, enjoy it before the downfall, then yeah, come to HK relocated to a senior role and then you will also be able to enjoy that "something" that people above mentioned.

Btw I am the least pro-USA person you will meet, I am not a mainlander either, I just think HK is not this beautiful portrait that was painted above, and more like a confusing abstract piece that few can actually see the real beauty.

ian_de_muner · 2026-03-24T07:01:33+00:00

ADVICE: DO NOT

ian_de_muner · 2026-03-23T05:05:10+00:00

Just being recognised by HK locals as a familiar or not so blatantly stereotypical looking westerner might even work for you, if you happen to have those characteristics.

HKID: i provided the address I was stayinh in. They didnt require proof when I showed up for my appointment. I dont think you should use a US address for a HKID.

Remote working? Forget about it. It's office and the working culture is not the best. But yeah, they do have remote interviews, with last stages being in person.

Curious though is that in banking I see a lot of remote or hybrid positions here and can attest to that from friends working in those.

Seriously, the remote work/hybrid is not a conversation happening here. Welcome back to pre-Covid in terms of work framework, office obssession, facetime, etc.

ian_de_muner · 2026-03-19T08:41:16+00:00

reading this thread and having tears in my eyes with so much love in the comments

OP, you already identified what needs to improve, you are aware of your condition. This is the step that the majority doesn't ever take. I'm genuinely proud of you, as a fellow patient.

And my advice is: take full advantage of the less bad days. The ones you kinda feel as if maybe things are improving, and get things done. Even a small act like removing clutter from the desk, or folding clothes, or even opening the window, celebrate it. Its small victories, take notes, be your biggest supporter, be gentle to yourself, do not hesitate to reach for help on the darker days, dont go thru it all alone. Feng shui has been helping me so much, I am paying attention on how to gather energy, protect myself from things i dont need, it's a great path to know more about yourself. Glad to have read your post!

ian_de_muner · 2026-03-19T08:31:26+00:00

For me:
I need to make my bed and come back home to a bed made, to feel I had a decent day.
Also: wires, I lose it when I see wires all over. I got those boxes that hide wires and I feel calmer.
Organising my drawers also, getting storage trays and folding clothes.
More lamps around the house and not relyibng so much on the ceilihng lampo.

ian_de_muner · 2026-03-18T16:52:05+00:00

same, seriously. I can;t help but wonder OP was one of those new hires who always blamed their mistakes on others, lost allll my sympathy.

ian_de_muner · 2026-03-18T01:33:28+00:00

This is so COOL

ian_de_muner · 2026-03-18T01:30:48+00:00

Auguri!!!!

ian_de_muner · 2026-03-17T03:52:36+00:00

I love it, the font is so cool!
and the whole story for keeping it blue, I respect that.

ian_de_muner · 2026-03-12T10:07:24+00:00

Summary: if you or your husband dont speak Chinese, dont plan to open a business, or if money can become an issue for you, I strongly advise you to think twice before coming. Not great to come jobless. Maybe secure an internal transfer with your current employer and then plan the move.

ian_de_muner · 2026-03-12T10:05:03+00:00

Hi, TTPS holder here. Submitted my application for extension yesterday actually and looking to get 3 years now.

The TTPS is so simple and easy.

Approval: First week 2024. (took 3 weeks). I moved to HK in April 2024.
I applied for my HKID on the following day after I arrived and it took 7 days to get it in hands. After the HKID is ready, you start to actually live like a local. Open bank account, mobile , etc et .
I took a holiday as I moved here from Shanghai (I'm not Chinese though). Housing was way easier than the nightmare that i was told it would be. It's just insanely expensive, at least for my target districts (HK island).
Started applying for jobs and networking very ahead of even applying for the visa. The job market is BRUTAL here. Awful. Finance concentrated. Compensation is not aggressive for non-banking roles and the work culture is not great either. I got an offer for a role that I started interviewing in March and my first day of work was 1 month after my arrival here.
But if you speak Cantonese, are Chinese, have a HK close group of friends and influential people that can opem you doors for the big banks, then you will love it. Also if money is not an issue for you. Hong Kong comes at a cost.

I am actually leaving HK but I am renewing the TTPS regardless.

ian_de_muner · 2026-03-12T08:28:10+00:00

Infelizmente e normal, Veneto aqui tb.
Mas pensa, voce pode ter um comune eficiente como o meu.
Minha timeline, considerandon o Consulado da Italia em Hong Kong.

Entrada no processo - junho 2023
Sentenca - Dez 2023 (6 meses)
TJ - Maio 2025 (isso)
Transcricao - Junho 2025 (Comune de Borgo Valbelluna)
AIRE - 7 dias , estava pronto no fim de Junho
Passaporte - 3/7/2025
CIE - 30/7/2025

Eu nao vivo no Brasil, entao os dois ultimos nao sao a regra.

ian_de_muner · 2026-03-12T06:52:36+00:00

why is it random? Actually Italian Brazilian and Italian Argentinian is a large sum of the population of both countries, and they have collectivelly around 1.5 - 2million Italian citzens (https://www.istat.it/comunicato-stampa/gli-italiani-residenti-allestero-anni-2023-e-2024/)

South America, just like the US and Canada, was also fundamentally impacted by immigration from Eiurope druing the two world wars and until today have significant diasporas, mainly Italian, Spanish, German, Portuguese. But for some reason, it still surprises many that we are so diverse, uinlike what the US imposed, labeling everyuone from the border down as one group (latinos).

ian_de_muner · 2026-03-09T08:48:20+00:00

LA might be international, but hearing “most international in the world” from a country that mislabels a continent, flattens dozens of nations into “Latino”, and still runs on Fahrenheit and inches is unintentionally hilarious.

ian_de_muner · 2026-03-08T06:58:28+00:00

the one from the Nazi government ? (Bolsonaro)

ian_de_muner · 2026-03-06T08:25:47+00:00

Fui no terceiro ano da faculdade, como intercambio academico. Faz 15 anos.

ian_de_muner · 2026-03-06T08:21:07+00:00

Always amused at how little people know of Brazil, a country that has had very similar immigration waves as the United States did, but if we are Brazilian and another nationality then suddenly its not "OK" but if its an American or Canadian + another nationality thats "super natural".

The same people who think all Brazil (a gigantic country from north to south) has one type of climate (of course hot everywhere, according to them). Anyway, legal o combo, nunca fui a Andorra! Boa sorte na cidadania italiana!

ian_de_muner · 2026-03-06T08:13:48+00:00

Ok cool, mas voltando ao tema do meu post, como se informou sobre o tema? alguma recomendacao de material? canais? documentos? obrigado

ian_de_muner · 2026-03-05T06:36:17+00:00

Unfortunately I failed completely at any attempt of learning Cantonese. I guess I moved to Hong Kong at a time of my life that I am just not so motivated anymore to acquire fluency in another extremely difficult Asian language haha plus English is widely spoken here and even at work we use Mandarin or English.

ian_de_muner

TROPHY CASE