I personally know several people who are leaving within the next year. I'll leave once it gets really bad. It sucks, seeing an entire country/culture/whatever just simply get taken over. I feel so bad for the HK people who care.

If you qualify for the HK ID, I would still make the arrangements to apply for it and pick it up. A trip to do this doesn't mean you need to make HK the focus of your trip, and you can easily travel to other nearby destinations in southeast Asia as your primary objective. The thing is, having the HK ID would still give you a choice in the future should the future pans out favourably for HK.

China is undoubtedly economically and politically powerful. At the same time, it is also a pressure pot that is ready to burst at its seams. The Communist government knows this, which is why they spend an extraordinary amount of money to suppress internal dissent. But if the recent unrest in the Middle East (Tunisian Revolution, Egypt, Syria, etc.), dictatorial governments can topple faster than anyone can possibly imagine. If this were to happen in China, it would not be pretty at all across the entire world, but it may yet give HK a new life. So it doesn't hurt to make the small effort to arrange for some official HK identity at a small cost right now.

Even prior to this whole round of Umbrella Revolution, I know a good number of people that have returned to a Canadian life after relocating to HK when they finished their undergrad. The environment has already been toxic in HK for quite some time. Especially when families have kids, returning to Canada (and especially to Vancouver) is a no-brainer, both for the children and the parents.

oh if I had kids I would never consider living here for another second. The education system here is fucked

Calling it "fxxked" is an understatement. It is really the mentality of the parents that is insane. They are so concerned about this "losing out at the starting line" crap that they send their kids to all kind of cram schools and hobby classes that the kids have no time to be kids at all. And everyone does it because everyone else is already doing it. It's just insane...

Can't understand why parents can't just let kids be kids...

What's sick is that they start cramming pretty much as soon as they're born.

I wish this would get more press locally to contribute, even in miniscule amounts, to the global eye and scrutiny upon the Chinese and HK government. I mean, markets tanking, ebola and ISIL are all important issues too but my newsfeeds are totally getting drowned out by these happenings and there is much less about these protests than there were weeks ago, unless I purposefully look for it. The longer this drags out the more pressure perhaps governments will feel to dole out some form of a concession. That can help set a precedent that protests, even in Chinese states, do indeed do something (and don't leave you with gaping bullet holes)

I already handed in everything but at this point if I get deny I don't really care all that much. My dad is always like stop posting bad things about the police and the protest itself in case the gov deny your ID coz of that. I simply tells him if that's the case I don't care as I lost nothing.

Is true one of my aunts already move back to Vancouver this summer and plan to stay. Another aunt of mine send her kid back to Vancouver to to go university this Sept while she and her husband stays to make more money. I am pretty within 3 years she will also come back.

This also means a massive increase in the housing market. Get a place now before it goes up again within these few years.

1.5 months ago, you could argue that the BC education system was fucked too... ;)

not nearly the same kind of issues. Kids in HK have to compete with good grades and loads extra curricular activities to go to their schools of choice. This starts at the kindergarten level. It's like non-stop as soon as you learn to walk and talk: piano lessons, tennis lessons, english lessons, violin lessons, tutoring, etc.

I have a nephew in HK and I feel so sorry for him. No time to enjoy just being a kid. It's always one thing after the next for all waking hours 7 days a week.

I also feel for his parents as well. Not only do these activities take up time, they also cost a pretty penny. We talked about considering having the nephew spend a bit more time relaxing, etc. but the parents totally worry about not being able to keep up with everyone else. So sad.

The education system in HK is totally eff-ed up with unrealistic expectations.

Actually it starts at age 1 or 2 (if not earlier). T here are tutoring centres for infants. The kids cram the alphabet and math so they can pass preschool entry examinations.

Like I said, it's disgusting. Kids aren't even kids, except maybe for an hour or so on sundays.

1 or 2? They can't even go to washroom by themselves?!

I have friends that hired a tutor for their little 2 year old daughter to prep her for the international school entrance interview. for what? so they can sit still for long hours in the office while legions of expats call the shots?

HK is hilarious. It's a great place to live so long as you don't have to actually live here.

Hongers beta as fuck

What's being described about HK is not all that different from how parents are raising their kids in North America. Sure, kids aren't learning the alphabet at age 1, but preschools, tutoring sessions, and every sport/hobby under the sun is pretty much the norm for kids these days once they start to talk and walk until they're in university.

Anyway, if there is a mass exodus from HK to Canada, I'm sure we'll get complaints soon enough about the pace of life being too slow, the economy being anti-entrepreneurial, etc.

lol ok then, u guys try going to different schools in different areas of hk & try to line up just so u can get an interview for your kid

yes as a parent u have no choices i know, if i could i would rather have my kids in canada as chances of getting in to school would be a lot easier & i dont have to pray to god just so i get spot for my kid (HK has shit loads of ppl but very limited space for housing, schooling & what not)

Looks like the gov have nothing new to add to the talks they have with the students. Pretty much they won't back down and are just wasting everyone's time. But who could blame them, they aren't in control of HK, China is. And what China ask the HK gov to say or do, they have to follow.

please, these kids are delusional if they think they can make a difference with this tiny ass, non violent "protest"

beijing is not going to bend over, not in 1989 and not now

Sometimes, just bringing awareness is making a difference.

Any realist knows that this protest will result in nothing. But that's not the point. It's about making a statement and inspiring others to stand up for what they believe in. If Tiananmen Square did not happen, maybe this won't have either.

getting crazier today


so awesome ....whole street of people shout "diu nei lo mo, diu nei lo mo, diu nei lo mo" to the police..lol

police is clearing up....damn police

Is over. Should have seen that coming.

im back in HK on friday and wanted to see the shit lol

told ya everyone's just gonna pack it up and go home.

there's no debate here. there never was.