Anyone work or life in HK?

[z0mb13]

Originally posted by: Imdmn04
Stay in Shanghai, Shanghai has everything that HK has, except it is way cheaper.

yeah but the offer is like 3 times my current salary

 

[z0mb13]

Originally posted by: Born2bwire

Originally posted by: z0mb13

Originally posted by: Born2bwire
I recently moved to Hong Kong. I enjoy it a lot, plenty to do here but the language is a bit of a barrier for me.

Really? I thought people there know English (at least better compared to SH)

I know how to speak Mandarin at a conversational level, would that help?

When it comes to English it seems to vary. My landlord is able to speak almost fluent English but the realtor that my friend used to find my place didn't speak it at all. So it is always a bit of a gamble as to whether or not I can communicate. But the worst is not being able to read Chinese since that restricts my dining choices when unaccompanied. I am living in Shek Tong Tsui in Western District. I agree with andy, Central is pretty gwailo friendly, especially Lang Kwai Fong. But in general I think the Island is pretty good place for foreigners. The business district attracts more foreigners so it seems English is more common over here and I think the air is a bit cleaner on the Island as opposed to Kowloon. Any place in the north part of the Island is still just a subway ride away from Central and such. I haven't wandered up to the New Territories though.

EDIT: As for Mandarin, I can't speak to it personally, but I have been told that the proficiency in Mandarin has increased in the past few years since the handing over to the PRC. My colleagues at the University all speak Mandarin, no Cantonese, and they seem to be able to get along.

If you dont mind me asking, what do you do in HK? where u from originally?

 

[Born2bwire]

Originally posted by: z0mb13

Originally posted by: Born2bwire

Originally posted by: z0mb13

Originally posted by: Born2bwire
I recently moved to Hong Kong. I enjoy it a lot, plenty to do here but the language is a bit of a barrier for me.

Really? I thought people there know English (at least better compared to SH)

I know how to speak Mandarin at a conversational level, would that help?

When it comes to English it seems to vary. My landlord is able to speak almost fluent English but the realtor that my friend used to find my place didn't speak it at all. So it is always a bit of a gamble as to whether or not I can communicate. But the worst is not being able to read Chinese since that restricts my dining choices when unaccompanied. I am living in Shek Tong Tsui in Western District. I agree with andy, Central is pretty gwailo friendly, especially Lang Kwai Fong. But in general I think the Island is pretty good place for foreigners. The business district attracts more foreigners so it seems English is more common over here and I think the air is a bit cleaner on the Island as opposed to Kowloon. Any place in the north part of the Island is still just a subway ride away from Central and such. I haven't wandered up to the New Territories though.

EDIT: As for Mandarin, I can't speak to it personally, but I have been told that the proficiency in Mandarin has increased in the past few years since the handing over to the PRC. My colleagues at the University all speak Mandarin, no Cantonese, and they seem to be able to get along.

If you dont mind me asking, what do you do in HK? where u from originally?

I'm a research associate at the University of Hong Kong and from Illinois.

 

[UncleWai]

Originally posted by: Born2bwire

Originally posted by: z0mb13

Originally posted by: Born2bwire

Originally posted by: z0mb13

Originally posted by: Born2bwire
I recently moved to Hong Kong. I enjoy it a lot, plenty to do here but the language is a bit of a barrier for me.

Really? I thought people there know English (at least better compared to SH)

I know how to speak Mandarin at a conversational level, would that help?

When it comes to English it seems to vary. My landlord is able to speak almost fluent English but the realtor that my friend used to find my place didn't speak it at all. So it is always a bit of a gamble as to whether or not I can communicate. But the worst is not being able to read Chinese since that restricts my dining choices when unaccompanied. I am living in Shek Tong Tsui in Western District. I agree with andy, Central is pretty gwailo friendly, especially Lang Kwai Fong. But in general I think the Island is pretty good place for foreigners. The business district attracts more foreigners so it seems English is more common over here and I think the air is a bit cleaner on the Island as opposed to Kowloon. Any place in the north part of the Island is still just a subway ride away from Central and such. I haven't wandered up to the New Territories though.

EDIT: As for Mandarin, I can't speak to it personally, but I have been told that the proficiency in Mandarin has increased in the past few years since the handing over to the PRC. My colleagues at the University all speak Mandarin, no Cantonese, and they seem to be able to get along.

If you dont mind me asking, what do you do in HK? where u from originally?

I'm a research associate at the University of Hong Kong and from Illinois.

:Q we probably bumped into each other before then? I used to frequent in KK Leung building, Oliver sandwichs and Starbucks.

 

[Born2bwire]

Originally posted by: UncleWai

Originally posted by: Born2bwire

Originally posted by: z0mb13
If you dont mind me asking, what do you do in HK? where u from originally?

I'm a research associate at the University of Hong Kong and from Illinois.

:Q we probably bumped into each other before then? I used to frequent in KK Leung building, Oliver sandwichs and Starbucks.

Unless you've been here in the past two months then we haven't had the chance. I'm over in the Chow Yei Ching building and for the most I'm usually fairly segregated from the student population. I'm a staff member although I am working on my PhD and I have finished taking courses. So for the most part I stay in my office or go to the Student Union cafeteria to eat. I'm also taking a Cantonese language course but it's for staff only.

 

[UncleWai]

Oh you PhD in EE? Do you know of a guy called Henry Cheng?
I left last month, was a TA in the economics department.
There's some nice place to eat around campus near the tramp rail. If you ever have the chance to go with some locals, I can recommend you a really authentic and affordable chinese restaurant.

Back to Z0mb13's question, the housing price in ShaTin is actually fairly high relative to the whole new territories.
It's pretty far from Central where the foreigners hang out, so you have to take that into consideration.

If you get three times the pay, I think it's gonna be much more fun living in HK. When I went to Shanghai, the foreigner hang out place (shin tien di) the expenses were comparable to HK's prices.
Also you can buy computer and electronics stuff in Hong Kong much cheaper than in Shanghai.