https://boards.hellobee.com/ Pregnancy, Baby and Parenting blog, by Hellobee en Tue, 07 Apr 2026 22:37:40 +0000 https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/where-would-you-want-to-live-in-asia#post-2609875 Wed, 24 Aug 2016 12:02:35 +0000 PinkElephant 2609875@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@irene: @Andrea: My experience in Hong Kong was as an expat. I love Hong Kong for the food (both the variety of Asian cuisines and the fresh local seafood available), the proximity of the bustling city to nature (our family did so much amazing hiking to gorgeous beaches), the fantastic private medical care we received, the affordability of having household help, and the opportunities to travel relatively inexpensively to other destinations in Asia. Life was definitely good! For just a few years, (four in our case), I was willing to put up with some of the annoyances and inconveniences.</p> <p>We left Hong Kong due to many of the frustrations you mentioned, school being one of them. Since my DDs were born in HK, we were on our own for getting them into (and paying for) a private school, which is REALLY tricky - there are just way more families wanting international school spots than there are places. After volunteering to tutor English at some of the local schools, I agree with @irene: and wouldn't have wanted my kids in that environment. I felt it stifled creativity/curiosity and put WAY too much rigid academic pressure on children. If we were to go back, paying school tuition/securing us a debenture for desireable school spots would be a requirment of my husbands contract. I would, however, still have some of the same reservations about sourcing of meats/produce, air quality, etc. that I have now. As far as convenience, even in the two years since we've left there have been huge strides in the number of stores (Target!!) that ship to Hong Kong, and things have changed a bit in terms of Mainland Chinese being able to come over to take advantage of HK resources - for example, I know that the private hospital where I delivered my DDs was not overcrowded for the birth of DD2 because they started requiring patients to hold a Hong Kong identification card. But I'll be clear - it would definitely be another TEMPORARY stint - I couldn't give up Super Target and good Mexican food forever :) </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/where-would-you-want-to-live-in-asia#post-2609852 Wed, 24 Aug 2016 11:42:07 +0000 BSB 2609852@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I've been to Vietnam once but I don't know if there are any Asian countries that I would want to live in. Travel and visit... yeah lots of cities. </p> <p>I'm not sure why I would love to live in Europe but Asian countries I don't have much interest in living there. I think some countries are 3rd world countries and I'll be worried about the stability and safety of living there. Also, access to conveniences that I'm used to. Then there's some parts of Japan and China that have modern conveniences but I would have to deal with sky high housing prices and deal with lots of people. </p> <p>These are just my initial thoughts. I'm sure there are certain towns that don't have these problems, but I not familiar with them. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/where-would-you-want-to-live-in-asia#post-2609758 Wed, 24 Aug 2016 09:55:34 +0000 aegie 2609758@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Korea, Singapore, Hong Kong </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/where-would-you-want-to-live-in-asia#post-2609639 Wed, 24 Aug 2016 08:17:15 +0000 Iced Tea 2609639@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I would live in Korea for a few years, for sure. I lived there in 2002-2003 as a college student. If I could afford it, I'd consider Japan. However, my husband says Japan is more hot and humid than Korea, which is something to consider. I think Korea might be the best option weather wise? </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/where-would-you-want-to-live-in-asia#post-2609620 Wed, 24 Aug 2016 07:51:52 +0000 lamariniere 2609620@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@irene: If we did live there, we would live as expats. We currently live as expats and there are definite benefits to the lifestyle that locals don't have or can't obtain as easily. Schools would be a huge factor, but we are putting our LOs in a school that has affiliates worldwide, and I know they have one in HK, which would be a huge selling point for us. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/where-would-you-want-to-live-in-asia#post-2609612 Wed, 24 Aug 2016 07:33:04 +0000 Andrea 2609612@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@irene: that's my impression of HK, too. My father's family is from HK. Food is amazing though!</p> <p>I have lots of friends who moved to Singapore and I was really thinking about it, but couldn't get past the humidity when I visited! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/where-would-you-want-to-live-in-asia#post-2609610 Wed, 24 Aug 2016 07:27:55 +0000 irene 2609610@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@BKCaribBaby: @lamariniere: @PinkElephant: @lamariniere: Wow I am so surprised all of you have Hong Kong on your list of places to live in in Asia...! I am from Hong Kong and while I'd love it in the 80s and 90s, after 1997 (British turned it over back to China), and especially the past 5-10 years it has become a very different place. Sooooo crowded, so many people from mainland China coming and the government doesn't care to control it, and how people are so unhappy with the government, not to mention it is so humid and hot. Schools may be great for expats, but the educational system has become so bad for the locals. I don't know, for me if there is no particular reason I would not choose to live in Hong Kong.... I miss the food so dearly though. But maybe for expats it is a totally different story..... </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/where-would-you-want-to-live-in-asia#post-2609603 Wed, 24 Aug 2016 07:07:48 +0000 lamariniere 2609603@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@BKCaribBaby: that's exactly the impression we had. I would love for my kids to have the opportunity to live in such cosmopolitan places! We were super impressed by the Western kids we saw speaking fluent Cantonese with their nannies in HK. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/where-would-you-want-to-live-in-asia#post-2609599 Wed, 24 Aug 2016 07:01:43 +0000 BKCaribBaby 2609599@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@looch: True! I think I would just rent a house somewhere for a few weeks at a time in each country I wanted to visit. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/where-would-you-want-to-live-in-asia#post-2609598 Wed, 24 Aug 2016 07:00:48 +0000 BKCaribBaby 2609598@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@lamariniere: Cool! I have heard that Hong Kong is actually great for expats, and Singapore is actually supposed to be very family friendly. Maybe one day..... :) </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/where-would-you-want-to-live-in-asia#post-2609589 Wed, 24 Aug 2016 06:44:20 +0000 looch 2609589@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>If I had to live my regular life, I would choose Singapore. If I were there for a year and didn't have to think about work and education obligations, I wouldn't have a home base at all, I would literally just constantly travel. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/where-would-you-want-to-live-in-asia#post-2609586 Wed, 24 Aug 2016 06:28:45 +0000 Tanjowen 2609586@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I lived in Vietnam and want to go back. The food, the shopping, and the diversity of travel locations available in the country (some of the prettiest beaches!) made it a lot of fun. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/where-would-you-want-to-live-in-asia#post-2609585 Wed, 24 Aug 2016 06:28:15 +0000 PinkElephant 2609585@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I've lived in Tokyo and Hong Kong. I'd definitely go back to live in Hong Kong or would consider Singapore. I would definitely visit Japan (I loved it), but think living there with kids would be a lot harder than it was living there as childless adults. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/where-would-you-want-to-live-in-asia#post-2609581 Wed, 24 Aug 2016 05:57:45 +0000 lamariniere 2609581@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@BKCaribBaby: we visited Hong Kong and Singapore this year and really liked them, especially Hong Kong! If my husband ever finds a job in either we would jump on the opportunity with no hesitations. There are plenty of other places in Asia that I haven't been that I'm very curious about. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/where-would-you-want-to-live-in-asia#post-2609579 Wed, 24 Aug 2016 05:41:30 +0000 BKCaribBaby 2609579@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Hmmm....I'm not sure. If I'm being practical, Hong Kong because DH could possibly try to get a job there. For just kicks, I would say Singapore for the great food. :) It's a great disappointment that I have not traveled more in Asia, but I hope to do so at one point in life. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/where-would-you-want-to-live-in-asia#post-2609575 Wed, 24 Aug 2016 05:28:32 +0000 Andrea 2609575@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Living in Asia doesn't appeal to me, but I have yet to go to Japan. I've wanted to go for the longest time. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/where-would-you-want-to-live-in-asia#post-2609573 Wed, 24 Aug 2016 05:26:13 +0000 808love 2609573@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Japan! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/where-would-you-want-to-live-in-asia#post-2609567 Wed, 24 Aug 2016 05:05:26 +0000 Mrs. Bee 2609567@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We talked about Europe here (<a href="http://boards.hellobee.com/?newpost=121195" rel="nofollow">http://boards.hellobee.com/?newpost=121195</a>) now I'd love to hear about Asia!</p> <p>I would loooove to live a year in Korea, which is an obvious choice! I have tons of family and friends there, and I speak the language fluently and love the food!</p> <p>I also would not mind living a year in Japan. Mr. Bee has family there and there are so many places I'd love to explore there.</p> <p>Other than that I don't think I'd want to live in any other Asian countries because I'd prefer to live in Europe! (especially since we'll be traveling all around Asia in the next year)</p> <p>Any countries in Asia you'd want to live? </p>