From Baguette to Dim Sum
By
Aude CAMUS (2015 Hong Kong)
Q: Where do you come from?
A: I am from Paris, France.
Q: When did you go on your working holiday?
A: I started my working holiday in April 2015. Basically, my boyfriend (who is also Parisian) got a job opportunity in Hong Kong and I decided there was no way I would stay alone in France while he was enjoying life in a new country at the other hand of the world. I was a young graduate so it was an ideal time for me to move.
I started to search information about visas, find a job in Hong Kong ... and read about the Working Holiday Visa.
Q: Where did you go for your working holiday and why?
A: Hong Kong. To be with my boyfriend.
Q: What kinds of jobs did you do, and what kinds of courses did you take during your working holiday?
A: I started working as a waitress in a very French restaurant but it was only for one month and I was doing few interviews at the same time. I then moved to a multinational recruitment firm and stayed there for three months before I found the job I am currently still in (2 years after, with a working visa).
What I have been told before moving to Hong Kong is that it is easier to find a job once you are there but also once you are working. Being in a position helps you connect with people. And it has proven to be true for me. The job at the recruitment firm was not the right fit for me, I did not enjoy it that much but I wouldn't be where I am now if I had not taken this one in the first place and continuing looking for other positions at the same time.
Q: Tell us one of your most unforgettable memories in your working holiday.
A: I got so many great memories here in Hong Kong. And so many others to create!
For Christmas 2015 (9 months after arriving in Hong Kong), I flight back to France to celebrate with my families. Taking the flight back to Hong Kong I realised that not only I was not sad to leave France (well I was leaving my family of course) but I felt like I was going back home.
Q: What is the greatest reward you have got from your working holiday?
A: Definitely is being able to find a job that I love, convert my Working Holiday Visa in a Working Visa and be able to stay in Hong Kong.
When I first came, I thought "ok, let's give it a try and if I don't like it, I can just go back home". Today, home is Hong Kong. For how long I don't know but definitely not leaving in a very soon future.
Q: Can you give 3 tips for young people who wish to visit the working holiday destination of your choice?
A:
Q: Is there any extra thing you would like to tell us?
A: Nothing special – just don't overthink it!
Note: The views and comments expressed in individual sharings are the authors' own and do not reflect the views of the Labour Department. Working holidaymakers are advised to research thoroughly and check up for updated and verified information before departure.
A: I am from Paris, France.
Q: When did you go on your working holiday?
A: I started my working holiday in April 2015. Basically, my boyfriend (who is also Parisian) got a job opportunity in Hong Kong and I decided there was no way I would stay alone in France while he was enjoying life in a new country at the other hand of the world. I was a young graduate so it was an ideal time for me to move.
I started to search information about visas, find a job in Hong Kong ... and read about the Working Holiday Visa.
Q: Where did you go for your working holiday and why?
A: Hong Kong. To be with my boyfriend.
Q: What kinds of jobs did you do, and what kinds of courses did you take during your working holiday?
A: I started working as a waitress in a very French restaurant but it was only for one month and I was doing few interviews at the same time. I then moved to a multinational recruitment firm and stayed there for three months before I found the job I am currently still in (2 years after, with a working visa).
What I have been told before moving to Hong Kong is that it is easier to find a job once you are there but also once you are working. Being in a position helps you connect with people. And it has proven to be true for me. The job at the recruitment firm was not the right fit for me, I did not enjoy it that much but I wouldn't be where I am now if I had not taken this one in the first place and continuing looking for other positions at the same time.
Q: Tell us one of your most unforgettable memories in your working holiday.
A: I got so many great memories here in Hong Kong. And so many others to create!
For Christmas 2015 (9 months after arriving in Hong Kong), I flight back to France to celebrate with my families. Taking the flight back to Hong Kong I realised that not only I was not sad to leave France (well I was leaving my family of course) but I felt like I was going back home.
Q: What is the greatest reward you have got from your working holiday?
A: Definitely is being able to find a job that I love, convert my Working Holiday Visa in a Working Visa and be able to stay in Hong Kong.
When I first came, I thought "ok, let's give it a try and if I don't like it, I can just go back home". Today, home is Hong Kong. For how long I don't know but definitely not leaving in a very soon future.
Q: Can you give 3 tips for young people who wish to visit the working holiday destination of your choice?
A:
1)
Be prepared, it is quite a cultural shock but don't be afraid. It is so exciting and you are most likely to adore it
2)
Practice your English! A lot of young French people think they can come to Hong Kong and work in a French company even though their English is not good. That's not true. Not speaking Cantonese is already a gap so you MUST speak English.
3)
Don't bother with too much winter clothes and make sure to pack a few swimsuits. They do not tell us that Hong Kong has so many beautiful beaches!
Q: Is there any extra thing you would like to tell us?
A: Nothing special – just don't overthink it!
Note: The views and comments expressed in individual sharings are the authors' own and do not reflect the views of the Labour Department. Working holidaymakers are advised to research thoroughly and check up for updated and verified information before departure.
(只有英文版本)