preparing to go

I've spent the last few weeks preparing for my move to Hong Kong. I've done this by studying Cantonese (I can speak a few simple phrases, that's it), reading travel guides, and browsing some of the websites for expats in Hong Kong such as www.geoexpat.com, www.hkexpats.com, and www.batgung.com. However, it's hard to know how much this preparation will really help. I'm going to be hit in the face with reality in a few weeks, and this will probably vary quite a bit from the mental model I have created from all this "research". I wonder if it would be better to go with no preparation, no preconceived idea of what to expect.