Five of my friends moved back to Hong Kong recently. They're all in their late 20s to early 30s and had left for various cities around the world, but not to study or work or anything sensible like that. No, they were just disillusioned with what Hong Kong had to offer. They felt they could find a sense of purpose and their true calling in London, Tokyo, Sydney, or wherever. They didn't, of course, so they came back, tails between legs.
It seems to me that they had a bloated sense of entitlement because they are - well - foreign and felt they shouldn't have to settle for being, horror of horrors, an English teacher. This despite having no qualifications related to the dream jobs they left to go in search of (actress, DJ, fashion designer, filmmaker and, uh, Paris Hilton).
We non-Chinese have many opportunities in Hong Kong and most of us are happy living in this vibrant, international city, which has a stable economy, low unem- ployment, low taxes and affordable health care.
Many locals would kill for a job such as teaching: you're offering something to the community and getting paid at least HK$25,000 a month to do it.
There's a time to indulge in fantasies and there's a time to grow up and appreciate what you have. That time is normally 10 years after leaving high school, by the way.
And what about those friends who moved back? They're all teachers now.
