what do you miss about home?

A

aussiegal

Registered User
Ok so i'm interested to hear what other people miss about their 'back home'. This is not meant to be a 'what sucks about HK thread so pls, no comments like- why don't you just go back home'. It's more a thread about being homesick!

My list would go like this -
1) grass kids can run on and beautiful parks.
2) clean air.
3) safe, cheap food.
4) space. (apartment living sucks).
5) cafes and restaurants where you can enjoy a 'good' coffee or a meal outdoors.(without driving an hour to get to it)
6) good english breakfasts.
 
things i miss:
1) clean air
2) wide sidewalks and sidewalks that don't mysteriously end
3) grass and parks that are within walking distance
4) inexpensive food that's good and fresh and doesn't put our health at risk
5) people watching outdoors
6) less starbucks and more local coffee brands
7) more local products in the market
8) the New York Times
9) good cable television
10) pediatricians having the right of way
11) fluffy belgian waffles
 
1) grass
2) the smell of freshly cut grass
3) BLUE skies
4) the temperature actually fluctuating during the summer (ie 26C in the afternoon and 15C at night)
5) more cuts of meat
6) cheap petrol
7) parks that people are allowed to enjoy, not just look at!
8) a GREAT supermarket (Real Canadian Superstore springs to mind, almost a department store)

i can't really complain about apartment living since we moved out to sai kung country park... huge house with our own garden and rooftop for about 1/5 what you would pay on hk island.

but the thing i miss the most.....

FAMILY!!!!!! and the relationships that my children don't have with my family.
 
All of the above, but especially a decent, reasonably priced supermarket. When my mum came to visit a couple of months ago I took her to Great at Pacific Place and I was expounding on how wonderful this supermarket was and she really didn't get it since her corner shop is bigger, better and cheaper!
 
1) Now that I have a baby, I miss my family and friends who can`t see him grow up.
2) Inexpensive deli meats and cheese
3) space
4) north american humour
5) western `common` sense
6) now that I have a baby, I miss the seeming abundance of changing tables and handicapped ramps
7) al fresco dining (or maybe thats just where im living now - no where to eat outside)
8) Tim Hortons and Second Cup
9) `free` health care and schooling
10) being able to talk slang or talk complete sh%$ and people understanding me and responding in the same way
 
i haven't been to GREAT in about 3 years... no idea what it is like now.

what i can't stand is having to go to about 6 supermarkets every month just to get what we need.
 
I agree, it's hard coming to terms with the fact that I have to go to at least three supermarkets to get what I need. I also really do miss the grassy backyard and parks and watching the beautiful sunset....without hearing other people and traffic. There are some nice things here so I can't complain too much though :smile:
 
1) My parents
2) Big House
3) Quiet and peaceful environment
4) Fresh Air
5) Free parking
6) Drive thru Mcdonald
7) Drive from Door to Door ( I mean I can park my car at the door of the shop instead of the parking where I feel that I cannot breath)
8) A big backyard that I can plant a few fruit trees and BBQ there.
9) Hotdog in downtown
 
- family and friends
- some nice terrass with no cars around
- cheaper meat and cheeses
- thousands of different yogourts
- public schools for westerners
- crusty bread
- walking freely with a dog in a park

but what i don't miss from home is that everything is closed on sundays and early in the afternoon... It's so easy so do some shopping here, and get Internet delivery, and all the free books like The list or HK Magazine...
 
My Niece and Nephew
The rest of my family
My Mum's cooking, her smile and her sense of fun
Family gatherings
The smell of flowers when a breeze blows
When people smile and say hello and they are strangers
The sound of kookaburras
 
The most I miss is my mom's food and the fact that our parents are not here to watch their grand daughter grow and see her day to day developments and changes. Rest everything, i really don't mind the change.
 
Hong kong is my home. But I do miss the university life in the States:

1. Cosco
2. Walmart
3. Ease of driving around to the other states or even to Canada
4. Open space
5. Fresh air
6. Fresh pretzel
7. Carl's Junior burger
8. Drive thru McDonald's, Bank, etc
9. Huge parking space and free
10. SNOW
 
These lists are making me so sad! My husband has been talking lately about living there. I've always thought of Hk as a nice place to visit, a bad place to live, especially with children. So many people are listing things that are so basic: clean air, grass, safe food, free schooling. That is so so sad!
 
Haha... nice thread!


- the short enjoyable walks/strolls down the streets..
- the smiles and the "hi"
- having nice, non-culturally challenged conversations with my beloved friends and family (mainly to express: no fears of being misunderstood)
- the live bands in outdoor areas...
- the lowered standard of living.. but better standard of living and lifestyle (housing mainly)..
- the weather...the greenery and the air quality
- the talkative and entertaining taxi drivers but courtesy and safe at the same time..
- affordable, very decent and reliable medical care
- affordable and standardized education system
- baby and family friendly places to go and activities
- well maintained public pools
- clean, safe and well maintained buildings
- much more "smoke free", since being a mum, found that it's a real good idea to have more outdoors/public areas banned from smoking.

mostly, really missed "being myself"... in a place where we are brought up to be part of.. the whole culture is tailored made for us(or vice versa) once upon a time before we bid our heartland goodbye to seek an fruitful life experience overseas.. but... please don't misunderstood... i'm don't hate anything here, just felt therapeutic to share it out loud since this thread certainly pulls my heartstrings.. :)
 
babymommy2 said:
So many people are listing things that are so basic: clean air, grass, safe food, free schooling. That is so so sad!
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I know, isn't it sad! It's weird how things that really should be a given aren't over here. I spoke to a local friend of mine about pollution and what locals think and she said they're so used to the pollution they don't even think about it. The grass thing is another thing that really really bothers me. Any grass here is actually cordoned off so no one can use it. Crazy.

I really hope three years will be our max here! There's so much to love about HK but I'm realising that some of the things I thought I could do without for a few years are actually non-negotiables.
 
Some of the things I miss only Aussie's will understand.

1 Triple J radio. (yes I know I can listen on the internet, but I want it in the car).
2 Good live music in a pub, plus Falls Festival , Homebake, Big Day Out.
3 Being able to watch AFL live.
4 Good supermarkets.
5 Friends and family.
6 People that say excuse me and thank you.

BUT... If I left HK i'd miss...

1 Having so many great mum friends who also don't work, that I can hang out with.
2 Being able to go out any night you want on the spur of the moment because I have a fantastic helper to look after my kids.
3 Other friends who can go out on the spur of the moment because they too have great helpers.
4 Well, my fantasticc helper for every reason really.
5 Being able to travel to amazing destinations for a quick few days break.
6 Cheap taxi's that you don't have to wait hours for.
7 My children having the oportunity to be friends with people from all over the world ( and me too ).
8 My friends.
 
1. family
2. fresh air and blue skies
3. a bigger house and a backyard
4. fresh, seasonal fruit and vegetables
4. my favourite chocolate (Margaret River Chocolate Factory, Western Australia), ok last one not exactly essential !

But once I leave HK, I'll have a similar list, something like:
1. a reasonable tax rate
2. public transport
3. our helper
4. my daughter's school
5. the view from my apartment (when the pollution allows us to actually see it, about 2 weeks per year)
6. Ben + Jerry's icecream
7. Being able to get strawberries all year round
 
1. My family and friends
2. Nice park and playground to take baby too
3. Wal-Mart, Costco, Sams Club (superstores)
4. Affordible clothing stores, that have bigger western sizes (I.E Bras, shoes)
5. My hair dresser
6. TIM HORTONS in Canada
7. Winter/Christmas time SNOW, and cold (Im crazy I know)
8. Christmas with my family (due to my husbands job we cant go home for Christmas)
9. TV Channels
10. Driving (we dont drive here and we dont have a car here)
 
aussiegal said:
I really hope three years will be our max here! There's so much to love about HK but I'm realising that some of the things I thought I could do without for a few years are actually non-negotiables.
Click to expand...

Aussiegal, I feel the same way! When my husband and I were deciding to move to Hong Kong we spoke about coming for a minimum of two years. After a couple of months we decided perhaps five years. We have been here for one year now and I am terribly homesick so was very happy to find this thread, I feel the same way as you!

So we are originally from Australia and here is what I miss:

1. Clean air and clear blue skies;
2. Safe and affordable fresh food;
3. Cheese, olives and bratwurst sausages from Victoria Market;
4. Being able to drive my car to Coles and fill up the boot with a week's worth of groceries and not having to go back for a whole week;
5. Being able to jog around Princess Park with my hubby;
6. Seeing my husband for the whole weekend (he works 6 days a week here);
7. My family and family gatherings;
8. Always having someone to visit on a quiet Sunday afternoon;
9. Freshly brewed coffee that is made properly;
10. An abundance of green areas, parks and bike tracks;
11. Yarra Valley winery trips;
12. Bakeries that know how to make proper bread;
13. Hearing nothing but trees rustling and birds chirping when I open the window;
14. A backyard and house to live in;
15. Enduring friendships (so many people seem to leave HK all of the time).

I was actually saying to hubby yesterday how much I miss our Melbourne life. He says we will live there again...one day! I haven't felt homesick at all since we moved here but now that I am pregnant homesickness has set in big time.

Like others, I also find cultivating friendships hard. In Hong Kong the friends we make always seem to be busy or away (or leaving HK permanently) and organising dinners/catch ups always require great organisation. I miss the spontaneity of a quick text and an hour later meeting up for Sunday afternoon beers with friends!
 
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