Smilingknifed.
I am in a very similar position to you. ATPL 3000+hrs, 2000 heavy turboprop.
I too have always had an ambition to work for CX. So much so that I even went on a sortie a couple of years back to HKG just to make sure that I could actually deal with living there if the chance came up. About that time I also started doing the sums to see if it was financially viable with regard to renting an apartment and generally living in HKG with a DESO salary. It really did shock me just how much it would cost to just exist in HKG (that was with housing allowance). But I was still very keen nontheless.
So learning about the Cadet scheme being open to internationals was a bit of a kick in the guts. But, I thought one day things will pick up and they will surely have to hire DESO again and pay expat terms.
This is just never going to happen when people with your kind of experience are applying for and accepting CADET positions with CADET T's & C's??? Are you really a Cadet???
Not having a personal dig at you at all. We can all make choices, and I guess you asking questions here means you have your doubts.
I would just love to see the ex pat DESO scheme fire up again soon.
Donk