Job Discussion Forums

SJW · Joined: 05 Apr 2003 Posts: 15

I'd like to hear any thoughts you have about living and working in
Sha-Tin .

Does it feel the same or different to any of the other NT towns ?
How does it compare in terms of rent , facilities , and things to do once
the sun goes down ?

If I end up here I will be at the Sha-Tin government AM / PM schools,
so any info. on them would be great. Razz

Thanks.

kurva · Joined: 29 Apr 2003 Posts: 15

Well,
I don't know much about Sha Tin but since no one else has answered you... Sha Tin is famous for having one of the major racetracks in HK.

I've been out in the area a few times to teach and it is not centrally located. In fact you have to get off the MTR and get on the KCR for a few stations to get there. It's actaully quite a big place and could pass for a city in it's own right. I've taken 10-15 minute taxi rides there and still been in Sha Tin. It's in the New Territories but lacks the untouched natuaral feel. It's around you just have to get out of Sha Tin proper to get to it. If you want the peaceful life with cheap rent then you could easily get a place in a pleasant area of the N.T and make a short bus commute. If you want more than nice foilage, such as nightlife, restaurants etc., then HK Isand is the only really option.

arju · Joined: 18 Feb 2003 Posts: 58 Location: h.k

re shatin if you are working in shatin then living at man o shan would siut you as there is good accomodation at horizon suites hotel about $6800 starting price a number of nets live there and say its good. man on shan is right on the water and next to shops and bus to all points of the compass its a pretty place on the sea and quieter than shatin.
part of the experince of hong kong is the travel to work and living in a different part of hk then you get to see 2 sides of hk the working side and the place you call home for 2 years
hope this helps

SJW · Joined: 05 Apr 2003 Posts: 15

Kurva, Ava , Arju thanks for the feedback !

Ava: It's the Shatin Government primary school (AM and PM)
If your friend has any info on this , then I would love to
hear about it ! I've listened to what the school says about
itself , but am taking this with a pinch of salt....

Arju: Whats the deal with the hotel ??!! Is it a regular "apartment"
or something else? $6800 sounds too good to be true ! Does
this price just reflect the location ? And do you know if the same
(as a regular appartment) applies vis a vis deposit ?
You mentioned the bus. Is this the only way of getting to Sha-Tin?
And is the service pretty reliable ? Sorry for all these questions....
and thanks !

Ok , Just found the web-site for HS hotel ......I 'm impressed by
the standard . Also answers the above ! Just one thing . Is there
any time limit on staying there? And are there any "hidden"
charges that you need to be aware of ? As it stands it looks great...
so I'm suspicious !

combchick · Joined: 13 May 2003 Posts: 28

hi Ava
You're place sounds great. How did you get on to this? Did you get help from your school? Maybe you could recommend a good agent. What's the best way to go about finding a flat - look in the local paper? Which paper? Are most places rented out furnished? I like this idea. How about payment in advance - was it 3 months? Sounds like you've also got some good transport links. Do you get out much in Sha tin? Is there much to do?
combchick

SJW · Joined: 05 Apr 2003 Posts: 15

Hi Ava .

I think CC, above , has exhausted all my questions too .

Did you get a look at the Horizon Suites hotel web site ? I'm wondering
how you think this compares with your own pad.

As you seem to know the area pretty well , I'll bend your ear some
more and ask about pollution. ( Maybe this seems insignificant compared
with SARS ??!! Still , I guess SARS is a one-shot problem and not
definate , whereas pollution is definately ongoing.)

Is there any real difference between pollution levels in the NT's and
on the island ? I've met a couple of people who got asthma (tho' mild)
after 2 , and 3 yrs . They were both living on HK island.

My Chinese friends say "Pollution , what pollution ? It's no worse than
London !" So I don't know what to believe , although WHO stats. don't
look good , and I see no reason for them to lie ! But whats the day to
day reality for you ?

Thanks again for all your help .

manc47 · Joined: 15 Apr 2003 Posts: 16 Location: Hong Kong

SJW,

Be suspicious!

Horizon Suites is a 'bait and switch' scheme. They advertise fully-serviced apartments at $6,800 a month but there are NONE available and there probably never were. A friend and I went out to Ma On Shan to look at them a few weekends back (in response to an add they were running that very same day!) only to be told that there were none available in the advertised price range. We were then shown apartments in the $12-14,000 per month range. I wrote a letter of complaint about this shortly after my visit but evidently they're still advertising at the lower price. I guess it's a good marketing ploy. The place was packed the weekend we went out there.

arju · Joined: 18 Feb 2003 Posts: 58 Location: h.k

thanks to the detective work by previous writer it dosent surprise me that the adverts are wrong its similar to the net adverts that were in the papers stating generous holdays etc much of the net adverts were wrong.

combchick · Joined: 13 May 2003 Posts: 28

Manc47
Thanks for the warning about Horizon Suites. It did sound a bit too good to be true.

Ava ... Hi...Thanks again for info about accommodation. I will take you up on your offer about getting Harry's contact number.
I will be working at Ma On Shan - Is it better to get a place in Shatin and then commute? Or should I consider Ma On Shan itself as a place to get a flat?

I like to be near some shops and supermarkets and transport.
I'm impressed with the sound of your place. I also want to get a place with a pool and gym.
Thanks also for the warning about the advance. It sounds like its pretty expensive to set up in HK. Is the salary paid monthly into a local bank?
COMBCHICK

foster · Joined: 07 Feb 2003 Posts: 485 Location: Honkers, SARS

I have read the posts here and have found them to be most helpful.

Would it be possible to get the name of this apparently great agent in Shatin as well, Ava?? A million thanks in advance.

I have been accepted by the NET and will be teaching at Lau Pak Mok Secondary school. Any information on the school or area would be greatly appreciated.

So..now that the LONG wait is over, the apartment hunt begins....nervous yet oh so excited at the same time.

narttandsons · Joined: 26 Jun 2003 Posts: 3

TO all new NETS in the Tai PO/Shatin/Ma On Shan area.

The pollution is a lot less in the New Territories then anywhere on Hong Kong Island or Kowloon.

If you don't want to live the concrete jungle lifestyle and the peace and quite of the country appeals to you, it is just a bus ride away.

I live in a country park in an old village. My rent is HK $6000. a month. My flat is 725 sq. ft. I have a fenced garden and fields out front, with citrus, papayas and bananas trees. In front of the fields an estuary that leads to a floating fishing village. All around me are mountains which shelter me during typhoons and a river that roars after the rains. I'm 10 minutes away from Ma On Shan, 10 minutes to Sai Kung ( an expat favourite with beaches a short boat ride away) and an hour to HK Island.

The transportation here is AA+++, never known better! And there is always a direct/ express bus from where you are to where you need to go!

I am single, have two children in kindergarden and a dog, I have a full time helper. I am able to save 14,000HK per month about 2800CND and travel out 2-3 times a year with the kids.

I have been here for 5 years and am working in my second band 5 school, which is the bottom of the barrel but I have never had any problems with violence and find the kids are sooo much better behaved then in most western cities. You may be sworn at but there are no guns or knives and as a women I have never been concerned with my personal safety ( except for a crazy monkey at my bus stop that stole my park and shop groceries).

I would suggest to anyone that doesn't want to live in a concrete jungle to investigate just outside of these cities.

I know there are two flats available in my village, one with a rooftop ( my old flat) and a middle floor, 7000 and 6000 each per month and many more in the villages on either side. Reply if you have any interest. I will be here all summer.

BEFORE you go to an agent to find a place, try other ways. The agents charge 1/2 months rent for their service.

There is a section in the South China Morning Post on Sundays that has expat leaving sales and you can get whatever you need and often more for almost nothing. I set up my flat for about 4000HK, including stove, fridge, sofa, beds, desks, tv and stereo. THere is also the Dollar Saver MAgazine.

I can recommend Mr> Chan the moving man, he charges 100 bucks and hour, he has a van, ropes ( to move things up through balcony doors). He deos not speak English well (I don't speak Cantonese ) but you can have a teacher at your school phone for you to make arrangements. He is very nice and works hard. 9493 5305

Hong Kong can be hell to adjust to, directness is not liked in the local culture, speak gently. The more you know this culture the more you will like being here.