Education and technology are two of Australian expat Paul's passions. They form a large part of his life in Hong Kong, where he has been living for more than four years now. Read on for his take on expat life in this bustling Southeast Asian metropolis and his thoughts on the educational system.	Paul McMahon

-Where were you born?

Melbourne, Australia

-In which country and city are you living now?

Hong Kong SAR, China

-Are you living alone or with your family?

With my wife and soon to have another family member here.

-How long have you been living in Hong Kong?

Over 4 years.

-What is your age?

The wrong side of 40!

-When did you come up with the idea of living in Hong Kong?

Have always been open to work abroad. Lived in London for 2 years in a former life.   A work offer helped. Also the chance to learn about another part of the world.

-Was it hard to get a visa or a work permit?

No, the school I took the job with did all of this for me.

-Was it difficult for you to get medical insurance before you went there or when you first arrived?

No, again the school I took the job with did all of this for me.

-How do you make your living in Hong Kong? Do you have any type of income generated?

This is the interesting part! The job with the school did not work out. I left after 12 months. I made contact with another expat Aussie who set up his own business here. I went to work for him for a while but he was very single minded and so am I, so we did not share a common path. I left to start up my own consultancy. I have now been working in this for over 2 years and things are starting to grow for me.

-Do you speak the local language and do you think it's important to speak the local language?

I do not speak the local language. I am ashamed to admit this but my business does not require me to do so. To learn it would be like taking up a hobby and I just do not have the time to do this.

-Do you miss home and family sometimes?

Yes and no. I loved triathlon in Australia but there are keen triathletes here in HK. I have added to my group of friends and also have been challenged in new areas. All good!

-Do you have other plans for the future?

Yep! My aim is to support many more kids in Hong Kong and the region use the ubiquitous technology that they interact with daily to be a big part of their learning. At the moment, schools here are very traditional and examination focused and I want to be a part of a move to allow a lot more creativity. See my blog for a lot more comments on this.

-What about housing, have you bought, or are you renting a home? How much do you pay for it?

We bought a very tiny shoebox 2 bedroom and only around 360 square feet for just under $4 million Hong Kong dollars. Crazy I know, but it is all relative!

-What is the cost of living in Hong Kong?

Accommodation is the killer! You can eat cheaply and your commodities are cheap.

-What do you think about the locals? 

For the most part, fantastic. They do not smile by nature but, like those in other places, would go out of their way to help if they can. 

-What are the positive and negative aspects of living in Hong Kong?

Positive: Lively, cosmopolitan, melting pot, optimistic.

Negative: Conservative, crowded.

-Do you have any tips for our readers about living in Hong Kong?

Get help and support from others before coming. This site is proabably a great source of advice.

-Do you have any favorite Web sites or blogs about Hong Kong?

Check out my blog: http://xpatasia.edublogs.org. Great range of topics about the education system in Hong Kong and about teaching internationally (especially in the Asia Pacific).