Billy Kwan
I'm Billy and I am early 50. I was born in Hong Kong. Even though I wouldn’t say I am a very politically sensitive person, I noticed that the environment in Hong Kong has certainly changed since 2019. Despite Hong Kong people’s opposition, the Chinese government imposed National Security Law in 2020. This law means the end of freedom of speech. Our days have been eventually dominated since then. Hong Kong was a colony of the UK for 100 years. Most of the time, democracy did not exist in this colony. The colonial government started to introduce an electoral system in the last few years before the handover in 1997. It does not seem to me that I must strive for a democratic environment if the government does well. But on the other hand, we are able to demand the leader to step down under a democratic system if the government is not running to the people’s satisfaction.
I have three children: sixteen, twelve, and ten years old. I don't want my children to live in a controlled society, where they don’t have time to think about anything else but going to school, eating, sleeping, and nothing more. So when in 2020 the UK government launched the BNO visa scheme, I decided to plan to move my family to the UK.
Immigration is a huge step for everyone. I had to decide where to go. There were a lot of choices as the UK is not a small place. I knew we would face a lot of uncertainties and financial pressure, so I was looking for a place with a relatively low cost of living. Out of these places, Northern Ireland had the highest GCSE results. I didn’t know which school was the best, but overall the student performance in Northern Ireland was very good in the past years. It was an important factor to me, because I hoped that my children would have a different educational experience there. Also, my nephew studied at a high school in Northern Ireland, and he said that the education here was impressive. So based on these three reasons it seemed to be a good place to settle in.
Does it mean I have to stay in Northern Ireland for good? If I find that the place doesn't fit me, I can change, I can choose another place. And also over time my situation will change: the kids will grow up, and the education will not be that important. Maybe then I will consider moving on. Just like the fact that I was born in Hong Kong doesn't mean that I will stay in Hong Kong all my life.
In Hong Kong I worked in finance. My life was busy and stressful. When I moved here I changed my life and values. There’s no need for expensive food. I slowed down my life, and my brain has more space now to think about what is really important to me. About 4 month ago I became a Christian. I look to do more meaningful things in my life. I’m not working like crazy for money now, but enjoy more communication with people. I also play tennis much more often now.
That’s why I really like this place. I would recommend Northern Ireland to anybody who wants to slow down their life. For example, today I woke up, washed my car after breakfast, and then met you. And then I will spend a very relaxed afternoon, and tonight will meet my friends in church.
In January this year I got a job offer from “Hongkongers in Britain”, working as an outreach coordinator in Northern Ireland. I help Hong Kong people to participate and integrate into the local life. If some people may have mental issues when moving to a little place, I will help those who are depressed, don’t have friends, or have problems arising from immigration. I tell people: “Don’t just stay with your Hong Kong friends only; we should get in touch with the locals. The sense of immigration is that you not only have some friends from Hong Kong, but also local friends.” Of course, the language may be the barrier for some Hongkongers to get along with locals.
When I moved here in March 2021, I didn't have any friends or relatives here. By now, fortunately, I made a lot of friends: some are locals, some are Hongkongers, some are from mainland China. I noticed that local people have different values from ours. It is visible in the cuisine. I realised that local people are as able to cook a good meal as Chinese people, but they prefer to socialise with their friends, looking at the night sky, enjoying the evening and their company. They don’t want to spend their time in the kitchen, but are happy with a simple dinner, because it allows them to read a book, watch a movie, laugh, and use that time as they want, getting the best from their lives. I learned these values from the locals, and I hope they learned something from me, too.
