Job Discussion Forums

newyorkbunny · Joined: 18 Jun 2005 Posts: 75 Location: Tottori

Hi Fortigurn,

Thank you for posting those questions regarding HK. I'm not sure why others have taken such a mean-spirited stance - though forums like these tend to attract viciousness (which incidentally, does not reflect well on the posters). I really do think that many of these people have little control over their lives in general so to get their kicks/revenge by being mean here.

Anyway, I hope you have a great time in HK. Good on you for asking questions and trying to find out as much as possible.

Ignore the naysayers and enjoy!

newyorkbunny

ps. Australia is definitely unsafe at night and just because someone happened to walk through St Kilda and was not attacked does not mean it's a safe place.

Fortigurn · Joined: 29 Oct 2003 Posts: 390

Brooks · Joined: 16 Jan 2003 Posts: 1369 Location: Sagamihara

I was in Hong Kong last week for five days.
These are my thoughts:

The MTR is good, and I wish it was larger. I liked the train to the airport.
I got to check in my bags at Kowloon station.
But I wish that the cards could be used again, like in New York.

Some people on the train can`t stop talking on their phones. Some people had two cell phones, and some people look like they are talking to themselves but have an ear piece connect to their cell phone.

Hong Kong is a crowded, busy place. People live in high rises.
Parts of Kowloon look run down and dirty.

The food was good. My wife bought a lot of stuff but she thought she got ripped off, either at the Ladies Market or at the Temple street one.

Chinese people there were fine, but some Indians were so obnoxious.
No, I don`t want a fake watch. No, I don`t want a suit/tailor.
When walking around Nathan Road around Jordan and Tsim Sha Tsui stations it seemed that by just being a white guy, the Indians are going to start trying to sell something.

In terms of teaching, it seems there is opportunity. I think the future for Hong Kong looks good.

anninhk · Joined: 08 Oct 2005 Posts: 284

You mustn't have had an Octopus card - the best thing about the transport system in Hong Kong. Costs $50 and can be used on all forms of transport apart from taxis and in shops such as the supermarkets, convenience stores and McDonalds etc. Really easy to top up and makes life so much easier.

anninhk · Joined: 08 Oct 2005 Posts: 284

Forgot to say that you get the $50 back (or most of it) when you hand it in.

Fortigurn · Joined: 29 Oct 2003 Posts: 390

Brooks · Joined: 16 Jan 2003 Posts: 1369 Location: Sagamihara

anninhk,
for the Octopus card, is it only good for 3 days? Or, is it unlimited?
I thought it cost $150 and was good for only 3 days.

In fact, I went down around Star Ferry and I was told iot wasn`t worth it by Hong Kong Tourism personel.

once again · Joined: 27 Jan 2003 Posts: 815

The Octopus card is a rechargable plastic swipe card. It acts as electronic cash basically. You can use it to pay for things in many places. It lasts, as far as I know, until it physically disintigrates. Which would probably be a couple of hundred years.

lastmanineurope · Joined: 18 Nov 2005 Posts: 22 Location: HK

I am English and have been in HK teaching since January. It feels a very safe place for me. There are occasional seedy areas but even in those I have never felt threatened. I walk around at night and have had no problems. Any hassles come from the traffic, the noise, and the population density - these stress me out sometimes. Safe, but SO busy.

Fortigurn · Joined: 29 Oct 2003 Posts: 390

Thanks, that's good to know. Smile

JZer · Joined: 16 Jan 2005 Posts: 3898 Location: Pittsburgh

voodikon · Joined: 23 Sep 2004 Posts: 1363 Location: chengdu

i lived in east l.a. and echo park for four years and walked around those areas at all hours of the night fairly regularly, and always felt unsafe, for good reason, i feel. i walked around kowloon island at 4 in the morning one night without a second thought but then suddenly felt slightly ill at ease--but i always feel completely safe walking around the two cities i've lived in in china.

fortigurn, as somebody who's wanted to move to hong kong for a while and also posted to these forums seeking information (and met with similar aggression), i have to say i hope that it's because the majority of the posters here are the expats who aren't particularly enjoying their lives in hong kong and thus spend a lot of time posting on the internet! (contrast the lack of activity here with the boom of activity on the china forums, and you'll get my drift). and yes, before anybody points out my post count, that's why i'm contemplating moving!