In a weeks time, we will be moving to Hong Kong! It’s an exciting but also daunting prospect. I’m hoping the excitement will exceed that ‘fish out of water’ feeling and maybe the fact that we have already done this once, will make it easier a second time. Although England to Switzerland was not so different really and the transition was pretty easy. Switzerland to Hong Kong on the other hand…..I don’t think there could be a bigger contrast, and to add to that, we have never been, so have no idea what to expect. But change is good right? That’s why we are going on a new family adventure.

I thought it would be a good idea to put together some survival strategies and thoughts to help us navigate our way through the first few months.

1. Looking after ourselves

Way out of our comfort zone, we need to focus on looking after ourselves so the single most important thing for me is to find where all our food is going to come from. It sounds like it would be easy in Hong Kong as it is often referred to as the ‘culinary capital’ of Asia and it’s not that I’m fussy (some would disagree) but I am concerned about the quality of my food, where it all comes from and I am very specific about ‘what’ I eat. Eating is something you have to do everyday and is of crucial importance to our health and wellbeing, so whilst other things can wait, I’ve been doing my research and planning ahead before we arrive.

There are numerous meal delivery services, health food shops, organic vegetable stores, grass fed meat supplies and healthy restaurants so it’s not that what I want is not available, it’s just finding out where all these places are and having the time to go and shop and being prepared to pay the price (although living with Swiss prices for the past six years, this may not seem so shocking). Things, I suspect, are going to be pretty manic until we settle so I’m all for making things easy when we first arrive.

My saviour when I moved to Switzerland was iherb and it will continue to be when we move to Hong Kong. If you have never used this company, I can not recommend them enough. The service they provide and quality and range of products is amazing and it’s unbelievable how quick they ship to wherever you are in the World (hopefully right to our hotel)

I have also more recently discovered doTERRA which is an essential oils company that also supplies a huge range of wellbeing products so that’s where all my shampoo, toothpaste, deodorant, shower wash, washing and cleaning supplies and many of my supplements will come from now. How happy was I when I discovered both of these amazing companies deliver to Hong Kong?!

                        

The great thing is, I’m also going to discover new things and places….but this of course, will take time and that’s all part of the fun.

2. Accommodation

We also have the not so joyous task of finding somewhere to live. We have hotel accommodation booked for the first three weeks but in that time we have to find an apartment bigger than a shoebox, pay an extortionate amount of rent and then picnic from the floor from paper plates until we get ourselves to IKEA.com to furnish our chosen apartment! Just when the relief of selling everything we own and moving out of our apartment in Switzerland had sunk in, it’s all about to start again. At least we have no shipment to worry about. It’s actually quite a nice feeling and who doesn’t love a trip to IKEA?!

3. Try new things

When we moved to Switzerland we had no idea how long we would be there and although it was our choice to leave, we definitely made the most of every single moment there. We will take this mentality to Hong Kong with us and are ready to adapt and embrace all the new things waiting for us there and all the travel opportunities in a new Continent.

I’m looking forward to the many picturesque hiking trails available to us. Within half an hour in time but a world away in many other respects. It’s nice to know that we are only a stones throw from the frantic pace of the city and living on the South Island will give us a bit more room to breathe and enjoy the mountains and beaches. I’ve already made a list of the top ten trails I want to do, although I think they will have to wait until the summer heat and humidity subsides.

        

4. It’s not going to be easy

We know there will be times when we will wonder why we did this. Probably a few months in and for no particular reason. Things will frustrate us and maybe we will long to be back in the land of familiar. But we need to remind ourselves of the reasons why we came and accept that the way we feel is totally normal and that those feelings will pass. It goes without saying we are going to miss all of the amazing friends we have made but will look forward to sharing our adventures with everyone and hopefully welcoming as many as possible to Hong Kong.

5. Work and school

The girls were seven and nine when we moved to Switzerland and looking back, were just amazing how they handled it all. They do say that children are the most resilient of all in such situations but I have the feeling, things will be more difficult this time. Now thirteen and fifteen, they have to start again, forming new friendship groups and building relationships with their new teachers. Although, at least their PE teacher will be a familiar face!

Same goes for us too. I’m going back to work full time (first time for 16 yrs!) I’m really looking forward to it though and have never once had a second thought. It just feels like the right thing at the right time.

6. Don’t overthink

It’s a strange ‘time’ at the moment. Back in the UK in between moves. It doesn’t seem real that we are going next weekend and at the moment I don’t quite know how to feel or how I should be feeling. Best way to be I guess. Not to overthink the situation but just to be a little bit prepared for what we have ahead of us and then just ‘go with the flow’

‘Endings are new beginnings’ (how many times have I said this, but it’s true)

I’m looking forward to spending a bit more time on this blog and I’d love for you to join me in our discovery and adventures in Hong Kong.