Job Discussion Forums

YujiKaido · Joined: 10 Oct 2010 Posts: 49 Location: ? Hong Kong ?

Being the OP of this Thread. I can add some input now that I am in the inside and have almost lived in HK a year.

Hk is a lot better than my initial visit back in 2010. I enjoy taking the MTR and I moved last year to HK island to be closer to work. I kinda of miss Kowloon side as it more city and less trees here. The air quality is something I have experienced and I had gotten a lot more ill because of it and because I work with young children at work i suppose. Now that my contract is up, considering if I should stay or get a job in Japan. I have made good friends and still love my church The Vine in Wan Chai. I am however getting sick more here over 7 times to be exact with cold's flu's and stomach problems besides being healthy back in America with rarely even getting a cold.

Also the food selection of imports is amazing. I love being able to get things from the USA, Japan and Korea. That is one that weighs on my mind if I go to Japan. Also wanting to go home for a bit, if I do leave or stay, I need some fresh air and want to visit the countryside back home for a bit before I start again here or Japan.

One last thing having lived in Korea however I like HK better for its selection of goods and transportation but I never lived in Seoul, just in a smaller city like Daegu for 6 months.

stumptowny · Joined: 29 May 2011 Posts: 310

I live in Tokyo now. have been thinking about HK for work/life as the search for the holy grail (the place that has it all) is elusive. naturally, i read through this entire thread..

I tend to have a similar view of tokyo (not Japan in general) as RM has of HK. frank and honest (abrasive for the eternally optimistic)! in fact, while reading RM's bits about HK people, I was like... you should see tokyo!! it is here you realize the difference of politeness vs. friendliness. people here are completely self centered, on their pda, and no one looks at each other. no one. no eye contact. almost ever. women are HOT and totally indifferent except for shopping. in general, tokyo is allergic to smiling and eye contact. as a foreigner you have zero stigma/status that is shown outwardly though many people report it exists in the minds of japanese. you will never know it as it remains a buried thought in their minds..

still, after the first year of rough patchyness, I have, coming up on two years now, lowered my expectations to match the reality of things here.. mostly that relates to people and relationships. professionally they are anal to the tee, personally they are evasive, flaky, and terrible communicators. it is how they work... nothing bad if you are like minded.

but after lowering my expectations for people, I have found many other ways to stay happy. hobbies mainly and I take relationships for what they are.. stopped reading a lot into things..

like seoul's Itaewon, in tokyo there is roppongi. an area for nightlife and too get the latest STD from japanese girls who have been with the other white guys already (not my thing). there are also some english pubs that are more of the same. japanese fishing for free english speaking practice.

but its the same in tokyo, you will need your fix of whatever you need to get you by whether its expats or other hobbies. the tokyo people will put you in exactly the same place as seoul. or HK. there is a theme here..

think I'll take a vacation first to HK before considering a move...

Japanology · Joined: 17 May 2012 Posts: 35

I lived 2 years in Seoul, 2 years in HK, and 2 years among Japanese People.

HK gets a big plus for living with the locals. You don't get that "you're a guest in our country" thing at all. This is a big one for me.

Otherwise, the same big Asian city things are the same with both advantages and disadvantages.