These Little Corners

14 Dec 2018 | Veronica This guide explains the procedures for a working (employment) visa extension with the same sponsor. Please refer to the Immigration Department website for detailed information or other applications. Guide last updated September 2018. At a Glance Office Hours: 8:45-4:30pm (Mon-Fri), 9:00-11:30 (Sat) Cost: $190 HKD (payable by cash or Octopus) Book an appointment: 2598 0888 Walk ins: arrive by 8:15am Expected wait time with appointment: 1-3 hours. Expected wait time without appointment: 4-7 hours Website: https://www.immd.gov.hk/eng/contactus/hq.html#3 Bring: Passport, HKID, work contract, form completed by your employer, $190 cash VISA EXTENSION - For working visa extension with the same sponsor 1. You will need to make a trip to the 5th floor of the Immigration Department. There are two ways to do this: making an appointment, or getting a walk in spot that morning. Making an Appointment Call 2598 0888 at any time (it’s an automa...

2 November 2018 |  Veronica If you haven’t yet, check out Part 1: 8 Reasons Why You Should Learn Cantonese and Part 2: Where to Learn Cantonese in Hong Kong ! Here are some Cantonese-specific tips, apps, and resources to help you learn Cantonese! For general language learning suggestions, I recommend you check out these commonmistakes language learners make and how to fix them. 1. Be prepared to jump between different Romanization systems Unfortunately the limited Cantonese resources out there don’t share a standard Romanization system, so in order to use it all you will need to jump between systems. The most common are Yale (i.e. Hēung Góng   and Jyutping (i.e. hoeng1 gong2). Being comfortable in multiple systems will help you out – at least, until you learn to read Chinese! 2. Pleco Pleco is an amazing app that will allow you to customize the Romanization you want to use. The app has an excellent dictionary (can type in the sounds you hear in Cantone...

1 November 2018 |  Veronica Aren’t sure yet that you should learn Cantonese? Check out part 1 on 8 Reasons Why You Should Learn Cantonese ! Fast, Good, Cheap. Pick two. When it comes to Cantonese classes in Hong Kong, you’ll end up compromising on something. I’ve written this guide based on personal experience and reviews from colleagues with the goal of helping you find the school that best matches your needs. Do you want a crash course for short, daily interactions around the city within weeks? Or do you dream of being able to watch Wong Kar-Wai films without needing subtitles? Read on to find the best Cantonese schools in Hong Kong! *Note: This guide has been written for non-Chinese speakers. Check out the school pages directly for Cantonese courses for Chinese speakers! Language Schools 1.  VTC Recommended for: Quickly learning the basics with once a week classes. At the end you will be able to have short, daily interactions. Hours: 20 hours, on...

31 October 2018 | Veronica Thinking about studying Cantonese? Check out these 8 reasons why you should learn Cantonese. 1. Investing in a foreign language is always beneficial Have you ever heard someone say they regret learning a language? On the other hand, there are numerous benefits . Language skills open up connections and opportunities, save you from paying tourist prices, and set you apart when applying for a new job. 2. It's the local language. Although English is an official language in Hong Kong, and it is possible to survive with only English, your experience in the city will be entirely different and a whole lot friendlier with a bit of survival Cantonese. While Mandarin is beneficial for business purposes, going into local neighborhoods and speaking Mandarin would be a bit like going to a Spanish-speaking country and speaking Portuguese. Don’t be that guy! 3. You’ll gain a deeper understanding of the culture Language shapes the way we inte...

 17 Sep 2018 | Veronica You’ve been in Hong Kong a few days, weeks, or months, you post online about this amazing adventure you’re on, and in so many ways it’s all the excitement you imagined. And then there are moments that you (perhaps inexplicably) feel disoriented, detached, depressed, isolated. It may be the way your colleagues and managers communicate at work. It may be going to the grocery store and products are arranged in different aisles. It may be not knowing where or how to run an errand that should be so simple. Maybe it’s hearing Cantonese all day, and your brain is exhausted from straining to understand something, anything. Despite how many places you’ve travelled or lived in, or even how long you’ve been there, culture shock can hit unexpectedly and inexplicably. It’s okay. So how to deal with culture shock? 1. Make friends with locals and learn/read as much as you can about Hong Kong. The more familiar your surroundings are the more comfor...

6 Sep 2018 | Veronica This article has been years in the making. I personally have done the very hard work of eating countless delicious meals to bring you this list. I have done that, for you, new-arrivals-in-Hong Kong (and you, been-in-Hong Kong-for years-but-never-leave-the-island)! You’re welcome in advance. Here are my top foods to try in Hong Kong. I’m not a food blogger, so hard core foodies do continue to look to the proper experts . But for those of you who just enjoy a good meal and want to know what foods to try in Hong Kong, here you go! 1. Bo lo bao (pineapple bun) Look no further than your closest local bakery to find this delicious, doughy treat. Don’t be fooled – there is no pineapple component other than the formation of sugar on top which gives its name. For those wanting an extra boost, ask for a bo lo yauh – the same thing but stuffed with a thick chunk of butter. They cost around $3.5 – 7 HKD ($0.45 – 0.90 USD) and are the perfect breakfast or snack on-the-...

6 Sep 2018 | Veronica Who’s heard that being an English teacher in Asia is easy?   Lots of holidays, often only minimal experience needed, being with cute kids all day. Should be a breeze, right? Now picture answering the phone the day before you’re meant to start work because another school needs a cover teacher that day and your agency is wondering if you can do it. “Of course”, you say jumping out of bed, wanting to give a good impression as a dedicated employee. So you walk into this new school at 9:20am, knowing nobody, are shown to a classroom of 2-3 year olds and are told “Okay, so at 9:30am it’s the English lesson for 20 minutes. Here’s a storybook you can use”. I didn’t realize how long 20 minutes could feel until that moment, in front of a class with a very, very short attention span and any pause in distraction reminds them that their mom isn’t there so they should probably start crying, loudly. I started with “If You’re Happy and You Know It”. Then,...

6 Sep 2018 | Veronica 1. East Meets West If you’re considering Asia for the first time, or if you’re a bit intimidated about culture shock, Hong Kong is the perfect place to live. Walk around neighbourhoods like Sheung Wan to see exactly how East meets West here as you pass a western coffee shop followed by a traditional Chinese medicine store side by side, hearing French, English, Mandarin, and Cantonese as you go. 2. Holidays, holidays, holidays! Speaking of East meets West… Thanks to recognizing both Eastern and Western festivals, there are 19 public holidays in Hong Kong. Teaching in a local school you can expect even more! Approximately 1.5 weeks off for Christmas, 2 weeks for Chinese New Year, and another 1.5 weeks for Easter. With this generous holiday time, you benefit from being able to take holidays longer than the average businessperson (making friends jealous and meaning you can book flights outside the worst of the peak travel times!). 3. Easy and afford...

29 Aug 2018 | Veronica Hong Kong is a very transient city and as a result the expat community is very welcoming. It’s normal to be invited to tag along to a birthday party, going away party, or junk party of people you’ve never met. You can easily find other new arrivals to the city – as lost and as keen to explore as you are. But let’s face it: we all have moments questioning who really would be there to answer our Whatsapp call when we really need it. Here are a few ways to branch out and find your ride or dies in the city. 1. Meetup.com Meetup.com is focused around specific interests, and you can find a group for just about everything. If there’s something you like that doesn’t currently have a group? Make it, and you’ll have people joining you in no time. 2. Lani This Facebook messenger bot is run by a group of people who wanted something similar to meetup, but not necessarily focused on one specific interest. Once you’re set up with the bot, you’ll get messages w...

29 Aug 2018 | Veronica Delete those photos from 3 years ago, get rid of that ex’s phone number that is just bad news in your phone anyways, do whatever you need to make space for these 4 apps to get you through daily life in Hong Kong. 1. Google Translate Don’t be scared to walk into restaurants with all-Chinese menus! Download Google Translate and get live translations just by holding your phone over the characters. Granted, the translations are far from perfect but it can usually help to know the basic idea. 2. TakeTaxi-HK Taxi Translator This app lets you to type in your destination in English, and then get large print translation for you to show the taxi driver. Future update is promised to include phonetic pronunciation for you to learn the Cantonese names! 3. Moovit Bypass Google Maps for Moovit in Hong Kong. Get more accurate route suggestions and live updates about bus arrival time for all the different transit companies in the city (although you’re...

20 Aug 2018 | Veronica After moving to Hong Kong on a whim, I knew very little about what to expect from the city. Two and a half years later, these are 5 of the unexpectedly awesome things about Hong Kong that I love the most. Enjoy! 1. Streets where all stores sell one type of product, and that's it. Looking for sneakers ? A plant ? A pet? Fabric ? New bathroom tiles? Chances are there's a whole street dedicated to it. Rows and rows of stores selling similar items, making your comparison shopping incredibly easy once you know where to look! My favourites? Pet Street (adorable puppies, tropical fish , tiny hamsters!), and Toy Street (a must-go for teachers looking for small, affordable prizes for students!). 2. Endless hiking, beautiful beaches When you think of Hong Kong, it's easy to think of skyscrapers, dense streets, and small living spaces. But did you know only around 25% of Hong Kong's land is developed? That leaves 75% left mostly as country parks...