Burned out after working in healthcare, she switched careers and started over in Hong Kong

Gina Lai wasn’t expecting to make three major life changes before turning 30. But within the span of four years, she quit her healthcare career, went back to school, and moved across the world to Hong Kong.

It all started during the height of the pandemic, when Lai was working as an ultrasound technician in a Toronto hospital. The emotional toll of the job weighed heavily on her.

“That experience was so bad for my mental health that I decided that I couldn’t do this forever,” Lai, 28, told Business Insider.

After two years, she left and enrolled in a fitness and nutrition program. It felt like a natural transition: Lai had been working part time at a gym since college to help pay off student loansand continued even after landing her full-time hospital job.

“I wanted to make more of an impact on people’s health in terms of prevention.”

After finishing her degree, she felt unsure of her next step. Becoming a registered dietitian would likely mean returning to a clinical setting — something she’d chosen to leave.

Around the same time, in January 2024, Lai’s partner moved to Hong Kong on a yearlong work contract. For about six months, they were in a long-distance relationship.

“I saw how exciting things were for him, and wondered what it would be like if I moved there, too,” Lai said. “I was contemplating what my next thing was, and I was like, well, if I don’t have anything set here, why not just try things out in Hong Kong?”

In June that same year, she moved over to Hong Kong on the Top Talent Pass visawhich allows qualified professionals and graduates from top universities to live and work there.

Moving to Hong Kong

Before moving, Lai had only passed through Hong Kong on a layover. Still, knowing her partner was already there made the leap feel less daunting.

With no kids or a mortgage tying her down, Lai felt like it was a good time to try something new.

“Worst-case scenario, I don’t like it, and I move back,” she said.

The original plan was to stay for six months, until her now-fiancé’s contract was up. The visa didn’t require her to have a job lined up, so Lai treated the move as a postgrad break.

But within the first week of arriving in Hong Kongshe found herself growing restless. She started applying for jobs at local gyms and landed a role as a personal trainer, nutritionist, and Pilates instructor.

“I just got busy with work, and because I enjoy the space and I really like the team, I was like, OK, I think maybe I could stay longer than six months and see how things go,” she said.

Six months turned into a year, and she’s now nearing two years in the city. She and her fiancé live in a one-bedroom apartment — their second place in Hong Kong.

Rent is 26,300 Hong Kong dollars monthly, or about $3,360. Their building has amenities like a gym and a pool.

Compared to their previous studio, their current home — about 360 square feet — is roughly three times larger, she said.

Hong Kong consistently ranks among the world’s priciest housing markets. Government data from March shows that apartments smaller than 40 square meters on Hong Kong Island rent for an average of about HK$517 per square meter, or roughly HK$48 per square foot.

Her apartment is situated on the west side of Hong Kong Island, in a laidback neighborhood that houses a mix of locals and expats.

“I mostly walk because everything is within the neighborhood, but if I go to appointments or to explore, I usually just take the subway, which is very, very convenient,” she said.

Safety in Hong Kong has also been a huge plus point, she added: “Generally, I find that I don’t have to kind of be on edge.”

Life in a new city

Adjusting to life in Hong Kong wasn’t seamless, and the language barrier was the first hurdle. Though Lai can speak a different Chinese dialect, she isn’t fluent in Cantonese — the main spoken language in Hong Kong — or Mandarin.

“Being in Canada, I always felt, oh, I’m not Canadian enough, because when people look at me, I’m just Chinese. But here I was like, oh, I don’t feel Chinese enough,” she said.

The nature of her job helped her build connections quickly. She attends monthly team dinners with coworkers, and some of the clients she initially trained have become close friends.

“I’ve been able to have a solid base when it comes to community,” she said.

One of the highlights about living in Hong Kong is how much there is to do, including scenic hiking trails just outside the urban areas, she said.

Looking back, Lai said the move forced her out of her comfort zone and helped her grow.

“Life is too short, and worst case scenario, you just go back to what you’re used to. But the experience of moving can open a lot of doors for you emotionally and mentally,” she said. “The world is just so big, and I feel like we should take the time to explore if we can.”

With their wedding set for next fall, the couple is considering returning to Canada to plan for the celebration and be closer to family. At the same time, they’re not certain they’re ready to leave Hong Kong behind.

Do you have a story to share about relocating to a new city? Contact this reporter at agoh@businessinsider.com.