2011-2015 Hong Kong Part 1
The Move
During my first year in the Philippines, Richard, my colleague, and I got to go to Hong Kong for an IB workshop. Of course, I’d never been there before. But I was instantly drawn to the excitement of the place. When living in Nanjing Miko, and I visited once and also loved it. I also noticed that quite a few teachers that I worked with, both Chinese and foreign, were very keen to move to Hong Kong.
The phenomenon of Chinese women travelling to Hong Kong to give birth—often referred to as “birth tourism”—peaked in the 2000s and early 2010s. This practice was largely driven by the desire to secure Hong Kong permanent residency (or at least right of abode) for their children, which brought with it numerous social and economic advantages. This was outlawed to a large extent around 2013.
For my family, the idea of moving to Hong Kong had another significant factor. We had been living in China as a family of three with Miko’s daughter Alice, who was 13 when we arrived there. But her other daughter, Michaella, who was a year younger, was still living with her father in Manila. We decided that if we moved to Hong Kong, Michaella would join us there. Hence, a part of my job search involved seeking a position that offered free education for two children rather than one.
So when we moved to Hong Kong in July of 2011 (after getting married in the Philippines in the same month), we were now a family of four. Yes, I was a dad to two teenage girls.
The Place
Hong Kong tends to get rather mixed reviews these days from tourists. Some say it’s too loud, too chaotic, too dirty, or that the people are too rude. But for me, after living there for eight years (Part 1 here and Part 2 later), I honestly think it’s the perfect place for foreigners to live.
This might sound a bit vague, but the location of Hong Kong is genuinely one of its biggest advantages. It’s ideally situated near many key places in Asia. For starters, it’s very close to mainland China. These days, it’s easy to cross over and explore the vastness of China, which is incredible. Having lived in China —and in a way wishing I had stayed longer—being so close to the mainland was a huge plus for me.
Beyond that, Hong Kong is also near the Philippines and Taiwan, making it simple to travel to both destinations. Despite being a bit removed from other parts of Asia, more specifically Southeast Asia, where I’ve previously lived, it doesn’t feel isolated.
Geographically, Hong Kong sits at about 22° north, which means it isn’t fully tropical. It actually has seasons—another huge bonus in my opinion. Having lived in Singapore and compared the two, I really appreciated the seasonal changes in Hong Kong. The city experiences hot summers and surprisingly cold winters, which adds variety to the year. In contrast, many other places I’ve lived in lacked any noticeable seasonal change. So overall, location and climate are definitely strong positives for me.
To me, Hong Kong has always been an exciting place. That excitement often comes from the city’s intensity, which is very much part of its culture. It’s busy and densely populated, but the energy is infectious.
Culturally, it’s a fascinating blend. While rooted in Chinese heritage, Hong Kong is predominantly Cantonese, not Mandarin-speaking. That gives the place its own unique flavour. I’ve always found the culture there incredibly interesting.
And the food—well, I love the food. People often debate where in the world you’ll find the best cuisine, and Hong Kong definitely deserves to be in that conversation. It’s very different from the Thai food I’m eating now, but equally delicious in its own right.
As for the people, I made many local friends there and always found Hong Kongers to be engaging and warm. There’s a stereotype that people there are rude, but I never really experienced that. Yes, it’s busy, and sometimes you’re short on personal space. People might seem in a rush, but I wouldn’t call that rudeness. It’s just part of living in such a densely populated, fast-paced environment. So overall, the people, the culture, and the food made my time there incredibly rich and memorable.
One of the biggest misconceptions about Hong Kong is that it’s just a big city—a concrete jungle of high-rises and urban chaos. But the truth is, it has incredible geographic variety.
It’s rugged, with numerous mountains—far more than you’d find in places like Singapore. There are also national parks, lush forests, and absolutely stunning beaches. As an Australian who loves the outdoors, I found that side of Hong Kong to be a massive benefit.
Outdoor activities are a big part of life there. Hiking and beach trips are extremely popular. And thanks to Hong Kong’s compact size, you can get from the urban heart of Hong Kong Island to a remote beach or a mountain trail in less than an hour. It’s a small place, but incredibly accessible.
Whether you’re surfing, hiking through Sai Kung National Park, or relaxing at a beach, it’s all within easy reach. The combination of diverse geography, manageable size, and natural beauty makes it an ideal place for outdoor lovers.
This also extends to lifestyle. When people plan parties or group outings, they often take to the water on junk boats. That whole water-based lifestyle really resonates with Australians and others who grew up near the sea.
Another popular water-based activity is dragon boating. A lot of expats, including many of my friends, joined or formed dragon boat teams, and we’d go and cheer them on during races.
Hong Kong is a magnet for events of all kinds. The Hong Kong Sevens rugby tournament is one of the biggest events each year and draws an international crowd. But beyond that, there are music festivals, concerts, cultural events, and visiting artists throughout the year. There’s always something happening, which keeps the city vibrant and engaging.
It’s easy to see how a foreigner can fall in love with a place like this and genuinely make it their home. People often ask me where I’m from or where I feel most at home, and even after years in Thailand, my answer is still Hong Kong.
For me, it’s an amazing place to live. If you haven’t been—go. And check out my other videos, especially the one comparing Singapore and Hong Kong.
The School and Job
I got my job in Hong Kong through attending a recruitment fair. It’s the only one that I’ve been to so far, and I can honestly say that I absolutely loved it. International teacher recruitment fairs are like ‘speed dating’- not that I’ve done that. All of the schools and all of the job seekers gather in one place for 3 or 4 days, arrange interviews and hopefully before you leave, you have an offer or two. Mostly offers are accepted at the fair or just a day or two later. Everything happens really fast.
I was in a good position to benefit from having worked at a very good school in China and having developed a few important contacts. It was also useful that the demand for Business/Economic teachers was high. I’d also taken on the role of Extended Essay Coordinator at NIS and was teaching Theory of Knowledge. So I really understood the IB Diploma. I was looking for a teaching job, but in the end, I was offered the role of IB Diploma Coordinator at a school which was just starting the program. I was nervous about taking on such an important job, my first taste of any kind of administration role. But it worked out pretty well and I enjoyed the next four years in the role.
During that time, my new school moved from KennedyTown on Hong Kong island to a new purpose-built campus in Sai Kung in the New Territories. It couldn’t have been more different. We moved from space-limited high-rise living in one of the most densely populated places on the planet to a fishing village surrounded by mountains, ocean, beaches and very interesting wildlife. It was almost like living in Australia again.