Move to put more smiles on the faces of Greater Bay Area's kids

The opportunities presented by the mainland, particularly the Greater Bay Area, have drawn another Hong Kong Special Administrative Region resident away.

Tai Yuhui moved from Guangdong to Hong Kong when he was just 1. Now 29, and in search of better opportunities, Tai has relocated to Conghua, in southern Guangdong, where he has set up a workshop to teach children street dancing.

He quit his job in Hong Kong in May 2020. "I used to teach street dancing at a government-run society there," Tai said. "I'd been toying with the idea of leaving Hong Kong for some time now. It's very depressing in Hong Kong, where we worked under great pressure and at poor incomes."

Sometime in 2019, he was visiting Conghua and was struck by the natural beauty of its landscape. "It was the kind of place I'd wanted to work in," he said.

That is when he decided to make the move. He also sees a better future for himself in the Greater Bay Area. "I wanted a new living and working environment before I turned 30. The mainland, with its rapid phase of development, offers the hope of a better future," he said.

A personal reason

There is a more important and personal reason why he chose to relocate to Conghua. "I found many children here, who have been left behind by their parents," he said. In many parts of China, migrant workers leave their children with the grandparents when they migrate to other cities in search of work.

"Being cut off from their parents, these kids grow up to be introverts and cannot handle their relationship with their parents well," Tai said. "I want to bring some happiness in their lives by teaching them street dancing."

Tai should know. Growing up in Hong Kong, he himself drew inspiration from this form of dance once. "I had a troubled relationship with my parents when I was 13. Those were difficult times. And then I discovered street dance, which had a calming effect on me. It turned me into a positive and upbeat person," he said.

He first learned street dancing by watching online videos.