As said, this is all too complicated to cover in a short forum post! You need to sit down and talk with a knowledgeable expert.

But to mention a few points:

First, the earned income exclusion is only for earned income, that is income earned from working overseas, and it's capped at around $90,000/year (the cap moves up with inflation).

Second, you may qualify for the exclusion in your first, partial year, since the 330/360-day test is applied on the basis of a rolling period of 360 days, not a calendar year. But if you qualify in a partial year, the cap mentioned above is pro-rated.

Third, you pay Social Security tax if you are self-employed overseas, or working as an independent contractor. You also pay it if you work overseas for a U.S. corporation or partnership. And you pay it too if you work overseas for a foreign subsidiary of a U.S. company if the company has made a certain election. You do not pay Social Security tax if you work for a HK company with no U.S. connections, for example.