Needs of Hong Kongers

Find out about some of the particular needs that Hong Kong migrants may have

2 Beginning to live in the UK

	Basic necessities If Hong Kong migrants haven't already found permanent accommodation, or school places, then this will of course be a priority for them.
	DIY In Hong Kong, it’s service-oriented in shopping: when they buy some furniture and goods, the company is responsible for making them. However, it’s 'do it yourself' in UK, so Hong Kongers may need help to make flat-pack furniture, decorate the house, treat the pipes or deal with the radiator.
	Gardening As Hong Kongers live in building with small flats, most of them do not have the place or time to plant. They lack experience in planting, so gardening is hard for Hong Kongers - but it’s also a new skill or interest for them.
	Travel It’s easy to get a bus or train in Hong Kong. In some areas of the UK the buses are sparse and there are different companies so that it takes time for Hong Kongers to understand the system of travel in the UK. Many Hong Kongers will choose the most convenient city to stay in if they don’t have a car or driving licence. Some of the Hong Kongers will stay in their area if they don’t have a car.
	Buying a car The cost of buying a car is higher in UK, and there is less choice of automatic cars available on a limited budget (almost all Hong Kongers drove automatics in Hong Kong). They will need to be re-trained to drive a manual car or buy an older automatic car. Some of the Hong Kongers have to be trained and practise driving.
	Grocery shopping The supermarkets and the grocery shops in the UK are very big an it takes a long time to shop. It’s not easy for Hong Kongers to figure out the difference between the supermarkets. They are used to online shopping but they haven’t seen some of the available items before, so they will sometimes buy the wrong products. Some of them need help if they are not familiar with online shopping.
	Official applications There are many things to apply for at the beginning, like a National Insurance number, registering with a local GP, and obtaining a driving licence. There are a lot of things to read and write as part of these processes.
	Finding jobs Even if Hong Kongers were professional in Hong Kong, they may not be able to find jobs in their original careers. Some of their qualifications are not recognised in the UK, and so they have to take another exam or re-train for something new. In addition, the short amount of time that they have been living in the UK can also affect their success in being offered a job.

Emotional and spiritual wellbeing
There will be different stages for migrants, and the amount of time they will experience each stage depends on how adaptable they are.

	'Honeymoon' period Hong Kong migrants will appreciate the freedom and a great environment that the UK offers when they arrive. Most of them will feel a sense of release from the stress and anxiety. They are curious in every aspect and want to know more. They have energy at the beginning.
	Homesickness Most Hong Kongers will find that they are missing home, friends and family, and feel helpless, especially when they watch the news of Hong Kong. Some of the Hong Kongers will join in with events run by organisations which support Hong Kong’s freedom and democracy. Some of the Hong Kongers will eat Chinese food to reduce their homesickness.
	Adaptation When all things have settled, migrants will think everything is ordinary. Their curiousity will reduce and they will go back to a normal working life.
	Ups and downs Sometimes, Hong Kong migrants will feel great in their life and like having some activities. But, sometimes they will be missing home and feel upset about the situation in Hong Kong. Maybe some of them worry about their elderly parents.
	Missing other cultures Hong Kongers always go travelling between countries. They miss the culture of some countries like Thailand, Japan or Taiwan. They wish to travel a lot.
	Adaptation Hong Kongers settle in to a normal life. Maybe they will be busy and work for two jobs to earn money and take care of their children.

Family concerns

Conflict and different opinions
Stress sharing
Old parents in Hong Kong

Socialising

	Try to get some new friends in same language After settling, Hong Kongers would like to meet some friends with the same interests or same points of view in politics. They can make friends in same language easily, but for the aspect of social inclusion, it’s not a good phenomenon.
	Language Language is one of the barriers to getting to know local friends. Basic written English is not a problem for Hong Kongers, but most of them are weak in listening and speaking. Most of the time, they are too shy to speak in English and afraid of using the wrong expression. They may need help to build up their social connections.