SGS

8 years in Hong Kong! Notable milestones include:

• Sam became a permanent resident (attainable after 7 years)
• Steph got a new job
• The boys getting cuter, cheekier, smarter
• Sam has officially worked as a teacher longer than an engineer!

Now that we’re (officially?) in Hong Kong for the long-term, what’s our exit strategy? Our reason for eventually heading back to Australia is now because of our kids’ education.  Ideally we want them to finish secondary school in Australia, and also “serve” their time in Australia so their kids obtain Citizenship by Descent if born abroad.  If Selwyn is to begin secondary in Australia, we’re looking at a January 2026 start.  But that would mean Shaun would be in Grade 4.  What if Shaun’s Cantonese/Chinese isn’t that good at that stage (it’ll always mean Selwyn has extra 3 years of Canto)?  What if Selwyn wouldn’t want to leave Hong Kong because of his friends?  What if Sam doesn’t want to teach in Australia? What if…?  We’d like to plan now, but there will always be plenty of “What Ifs” later and it would need to be a decision we make as a family.

Once again here are the memorable moments, spiritual growing and church involvement, travelling, exploring and experiencing, working and living in HK milestones in the past year:

• May 2018 Celebrated Selwyn’s birthday
• 07/05/18 Steph was invited to speak at an IIBA career night
• 11/05/18 Sam was invited to tell a story at Selwyn’s kindergarten
• 10/06/18 Family Photoshoot at Disneyland Hotel HK
• 18/06/18 Selwyn performs a song on stage with his “Little Mozarts” music Appreciation classmates
• July 2018 Sam & Selwyn spends the summer break in Melbourne and Brisbane
• 17/07/18 Sam & Selwyn enjoy a helicopter ride flown by Sam’s brother Major Isaac Leong
• August 2018 Celebrated Shaun’s birthday with family and with friends
• August 2018 Selwyn starts drum lessons
• August 2018 Steph ends her tenure at ASG
• August 2018 Steph and Shaun travel to Hokkaido, Japan
• September 2018 Steph begins her new job at Credit Suisse
• 16/09/18 First time experiencing a T10 signal typhoon as a family of 4
• 20/09/18 Sam receives a Certificate in First Aid by St. John Ambulance Hong Kong
• 06/10/18 Celebrated Aaron & Kasin’s Wedding
• October 2018 Selwyn starts rollerskating lessons
• 27/10/18 Sam & Steph start a new ICA Kingdom Group for young families
• 10/11/18 Sam participated in his 4th Spartan Race
• 15/12/18 Selwyn performs with his school choir at Noah’s Ark, Ma Wan Island, HK
• 19/12/18 Sam & Steph celebrate 9 years of marriage!
• 23/12/18 Celebrated Seungyong & Carolyn’s Wedding
• December 2018 Holiday in Kota Kinabalu, Malaysia
• 17/02/18 Sam participated in his 5th Standard Chartered Half-Marathon (slowest, unfortunately, due to sprained ankle around 13km in)
• 10/03/18 Celebrated Edward & Kayi’s Wedding
• 31/03/18 Celebrated Johnny & Cecilia’s Wedding
• April 2018 S4 family in Melbourne
• 21/04/18 Celebrated Justin & Penny’s Tea Ceremony and Pre-Wedding Dinner
• 22/04/18 Family Photoshoot in Melbourne

Statistics since relocation (past year in brackets):

• 343 visitors (+47)
• 39 trips out of HK (+4)
• 30 weddings attended (+4)
• 31 weddings missed (+3: sorry Calvin & Eunice, Elliot & Jasmine, James & Yi-Ting)