A year ago (almost) to the day, I posted my first blog setting the scene for charting what was to happen once dream scheming about moving to Asia, became a reality. Had I known the highs and almighty lows I was going to face during year one as an expat, I might have opted to stay put with my Winnie. However, having weathered the storm, life is looking brighter and Hong Kong is beginning to feel like my home.
In that first blog I posed a number of questions that I can now confidently provide answers to.... So, after 12 months of keeping you poised on the edge of your seats with eager anticipation, here they are:
1) Would we be able to learn Cantonese? Well we could, however we haven't. I can only say the most important things in Cantonese... Hello, thank you, receipt, Mosque Street (my address!), hurry up, crazy white person, cheers
2) Where did the expats live? A vast majority of expats who have just moved to Hong Kong live where we live, in the Mid-Levels - safety in numbers and all that!
3) Would I get a job without being able to speak or write Cantonese and Mandarin? Yes, but it is very tough getting a job in most industries here if you only speak English.
4) How could we afford to become members of the Royal Hong Kong Yacht Club so I could pretend to be a good corporate wife in front of David's customers? By getting a short term membership.... so in 2 years time we are going to have to move elsewhere! Oh, and fortunately I am not expected to be a good corporate wife which is a great relief for everyone.
5) How frizzy would my hair go in the humidity? INCREDIBLY - thank God for the inventor of the Brazilian Blow Out. (For any blokes reading this, a Brazilian Blow Out involves the straightening, not removal, of hair).
6) Was there a Toni and Guy? Yes, but I can only afford to look through the window.
7) Did they sell fake tan in Hong Kong? No - quite the reverse. Most of the moisturisers contain bleach to whiten the skin so you have to be very careful not to pick up the wrong pot. Luckily, with a fairly regular stream of visitors, there is usually someone arriving who can top up my fake tan supplies!
Tomorrow - to mark the anniversary of my arrival in Hong Kong - I will blog about what I have discovered in my first year living here.
My Winnie Dog who I still miss very badly
In that first blog I posed a number of questions that I can now confidently provide answers to.... So, after 12 months of keeping you poised on the edge of your seats with eager anticipation, here they are:
1) Would we be able to learn Cantonese? Well we could, however we haven't. I can only say the most important things in Cantonese... Hello, thank you, receipt, Mosque Street (my address!), hurry up, crazy white person, cheers
2) Where did the expats live? A vast majority of expats who have just moved to Hong Kong live where we live, in the Mid-Levels - safety in numbers and all that!
3) Would I get a job without being able to speak or write Cantonese and Mandarin? Yes, but it is very tough getting a job in most industries here if you only speak English.
4) How could we afford to become members of the Royal Hong Kong Yacht Club so I could pretend to be a good corporate wife in front of David's customers? By getting a short term membership.... so in 2 years time we are going to have to move elsewhere! Oh, and fortunately I am not expected to be a good corporate wife which is a great relief for everyone.
5) How frizzy would my hair go in the humidity? INCREDIBLY - thank God for the inventor of the Brazilian Blow Out. (For any blokes reading this, a Brazilian Blow Out involves the straightening, not removal, of hair).
6) Was there a Toni and Guy? Yes, but I can only afford to look through the window.
7) Did they sell fake tan in Hong Kong? No - quite the reverse. Most of the moisturisers contain bleach to whiten the skin so you have to be very careful not to pick up the wrong pot. Luckily, with a fairly regular stream of visitors, there is usually someone arriving who can top up my fake tan supplies!
Tomorrow - to mark the anniversary of my arrival in Hong Kong - I will blog about what I have discovered in my first year living here.
No comments:
Post a Comment
I’d love to hear what you think so please do post a comment. If you would rather contact me privately, please email me at dreamscheming@gmail.com.