Reply to: Working in Hong Kong

[sanchez1234]

I've worked here for a short while. Food is alright, you can get really cheap stuff if you stay at the city fringes like Mongkok and such. Accommodation is expensive, almost as expensive as Singapore. I try to get a serviced apartment most of the time, I use /metroresidences.com/hk-en/ provider but you can google and for more options too. Best case scenario is as mentioned, if your package covers accommodation then you're set.

[ChimpMaster]

Misses just offered job in HK, have no idea about HK at all, living expenses etc. 100k perm role.

Anyone worked in HK? Would 100k go far?

If my Mrs got a job 6000 miles away, I'd make sure she went.

[sanchez1234]

I hope she likes working Saturdays

Also, it seems a 70 hour week is common.

Singapore seems to be quite similar with most being available for around 12+ hours per day.
They may go out for a couple of hours during the day, but may not log off until 7-8PM, their time.

working days in Hong Kong - British Expats

I can attest to that, It's pretty similar but I've never worked on Saturdays in Singapore.

[blackeye]

Make sure accommodation is being paid for in the package. The mid-levels are Mayfair London money!

Like other asian expat rich countries (i.e. Singapore), there is still a huge element of white privilege in Honkers. All of the senior management in Banking are white British/Americans and they live in tightly knit communities to ensure this prevails. This is changing however, and the packages they offer aren't as great anymore.

The rest has been pretty much covered by other posters. It is well known that well educated white men who can't make it in London/New York because they are incompetent/criminals come to HK, Singapore or Dubai.

[scooterscot]

This one time I went to Ipswich. Never again.

HK is good for a week and an excellent base to travel from for long-weekends or a little further afield. Don't know the truth of it but the papers these days seem to talk more and more about the erosion of free speech and the mainland slowly taking over HK affairs. Saying that HK is very safe. As an expat you'll be 10 times safer than wondering about London.

[greenlake]

Anyone worked in HK?

An interesting and timely article....

Once a Model City, Hong Kong Is in Trouble - The New York Times

[Fronttoback]

HK banking is the real English old boy network. Much worse than in London. There are plenty of places for them to be obnoxious in Honkers.

And the socially ambitious local girls get their hands on some money - and then have surgery to westernise their eyes and get boob jobs, to try and trap an English toff.

Lot of yanks there that get so called "yellow fever" and never leave the bamboo alone. See them in Wan Chai chasing the young local girls. Buying them bottles champagne to get them to hang out with a middle aged loud fat yank for a few hours. And they do.

[BrilloPad]

I'm doing my best now! Looking into i don't think HK is for us. Looks like a place for the young and ambitious.

Ever heard of FILTH? No, not the activity NLyUK is discounting by 50% this week. Failed in London Try Hong Kong. Plenty of older expats over there.

Just a couple of stories from me. I assume others have loads more.

French guy I worked with in London. I liked him, however he despised me. I once had to report him to his boss as I was worried I was going to be attacked. Turns out his baby was stressing him out. Anyway, he goes down the pub. Minor argument. He smashes bottle of beer in the other guys head. Of course he can no longer work in EU in anything where you cannot have a criminal record. However he is doing great at Barclays in HK.

Another expat friend was out drinking. Some guy said the wrong thing to him. He knocked him out. The bouncers knew him as a regular and wanted to keep his custom. So did nothing.

[vetran]

Do you know something?

I've never been east of Bruges.

West is best in my book

Mind you, that's all about to change with my upcoming trip to a Greek Island this summer.

Pips going greek!

[Pip in a Poke]

Do you know something?

I've never been east of Bruges.

West is best in my book

Mind you, that's all about to change with my upcoming trip to a Greek Island this summer.

[Fronttoback]

Good round up.

I looked into it a few times, as I have always had a good time when I have visited.

You never feel far from the Yakuza though, especially in Wan Chai

Great book set in Hong Kong.....

Eating Smoke: One Man's Descent Into Crystal Meth Psychosis in Hong Kong's Triad Heartland by Chris Thrall — Reviews, Discussion, Bookclubs, Lists

I should have added I was more at home in Kowloon, likely to be because my parents spent a lot of time in Asia in the '70's.

Bangkok was proper wild then

Yeah man, I know Kowloon well. Good enter the dragon vibe around there in the back streets.

These places were very raw back in the day.

[MrMarkyMark]

Honkers is intense. It's for the under 30 expat if you want the party life that a lot of expats live there. Other than party there is not that much to do. There are a lot of hardcore Brits and Aussies there that like to party very hard. It's a fun, social place and the expat community is mainly finance workers afaik.

Rent is VERY expensive. 20 sqm flat for about 800 quid per month and that was 10 years ago and in a red light area where expats don't usually go. Rent was triple that in the nice area (MidLevels).

If you go, take my advice and live in MidLevels with the expats.

It's a sleazy, dirty place away from the expat areas.

You can do a bit of hiking there and it's well placed for visiting other countries.

Tax is low and you can make decent money if you stick it out. If you don't have accomodation paid forget it.

A lot of expats love it. Many Brits have been there many many years.

I wouldn't go there again. Singapore is better.

Good round up.

I looked into it a few times, as I have always had a good time when I have visited.

You never feel far from the Yakuza though, especially in Wan Chai

Great book set in Hong Kong.....

Eating Smoke: One Man's Descent Into Crystal Meth Psychosis in Hong Kong's Triad Heartland by Chris Thrall — Reviews, Discussion, Bookclubs, Lists

I should have added I was more at home in Kowloon, likely to be because my parents spent a lot of time in Asia in the '70's.

Bangkok was proper wild then

[Fronttoback]

Honkers

Honkers is intense. It's for the under 30 expat if you want the party life that a lot of expats live there. Other than party there is not that much to do. There are a lot of hardcore Brits and Aussies there that like to party very hard. It's a fun, social place and the expat community is mainly finance workers afaik.

Rent is VERY expensive. 20 sqm flat for about 800 quid per month and that was 10 years ago and in a red light area where expats don't usually go. Rent was triple that in the nice area (MidLevels).

If you go, take my advice and live in MidLevels with the expats.

It's a sleazy, dirty place away from the expat areas.

You can do a bit of hiking there and it's well placed for visiting other countries.

Tax is low and you can make decent money if you stick it out. If you don't have accomodation paid forget it.

A lot of expats love it. Many Brits have been there many many years.

I wouldn't go there again. Singapore is better.

[MrMarkyMark]

On the other hand it may be worth finding another country to move to.

I hear New Zealand is good - it has lots of open space and interesting parrots though the water stinks in some places.

http://forums.contractoruk.com/gener...l-curtain.html

[SueEllen]

I hope she likes working Saturdays

On the other hand it may be worth finding another country to move to.

I hear New Zealand is good - it has lots of open space and interesting parrots though the water stinks in some places.