Updated November 19, 2020
This is my 4th year living/working in China. Such a wonderful time! I have thoroughly enjoyed my time in this beautiful country.
Well, back in 2016, when I was travelling to the mainland China for the first time, I was kind of “surprised” to see the ground realities. Little did I know about China before landing in Beijing (in 2016), my first Chinese city. I was travelling alone, and had no clue of the local language and culture.
I still remember me struggling at the Beijing Railway Station to figure out how to collect my high-speed train ticket to Xi’an. It took me more than an hour to collect my ticket (only to realize that there was a dedicated ticket window with English speaking staff).
In a quick succession, I came China two more times, and wandered alone.
My initial trips turned out to be a great learning experience, and I decided to work in China.
Coming from a software engineering major, finding a well-paid job in China was not that complicated for me.
Then I moved to China in 2017 for a full-time job, and now I am in my 4th China year.
It’s fair to say that my whole perspective on life has been touched/influenced by my China stay.
There are so many reasons why I love China, and why China can be a total pleasant surprise to the western expats. As a long-term expat in China, I take this opportunity to share some of my personal observations about living and working in China (US $1 = RMB 7).
Why did I Choose to work in China?
I came to China 3 times before I found my current job. I visited some of the must visit Chinese cities during those three trips, including Beijing, Xian, Chongqing, Chengdu, Guangzhou, Xiamen, etc. I felt deeply touched by the ancient Chinese culture.
Moreover, China has great opportunities for the software engineers. Nice salaries.
Then, there are tax holidays for certain nationalities (based on the Double Tax Avoidance treaties).
Not to mention, I was given the Class A work permit (before applying for the Chinese Residence Permit), the highest-class work permit available for the foreign talents.
Albeit all financial incentives, the main reason to move to China was my attachment to the Chinese culture.
My base has been in eastern China (Shanghai and nearby cities).
How much Did I travel in China?
I have been to over 50 cities in China, in a good number of provinces, including Beijing, Harbin, Changchun, Shenyang, Dandong, Dalian, Yinchuan, Gansu, Dunhuang, Zhangjiajie, Changsha, Hohhot, Baotou, Qinghai Lake, Chaka Lake, Mongolian Grasslands, Shenzhen, Hangzhou, Jiaxin, Suzhou, Nanjing, Hefei, Huangshan, Wuhan, Yichang, Jinan, Qingdao, Qufu, etc.
I have been a solo traveler, every single time. During my trips, I thoroughly interacted with the locals, and made friends with them (some of them are in my WeChat as well).
I have not been to some of the exotic Chinese destinations, such as Tibet, Xinjiang, Guangxi, and Yunnan, and would love to explore them ASAP.
How Much Mandarin I know?
Well, after learning Chinese for the first 6 months, I felt that my level had been somewhere 3/10. I started with the primary books (教科书), and the grade one (一年级) books were relatively easy. I used to read about 3 pages in one hour. Hence, I felt 3/10 was a good rating.
Now I am reading primary grade 3 books (三年级), and I can read just about half page in one hour. Basically, after learning Chinese for over 3 years, I wouldn’t rate myself even 1/10.
Chinese is a difficult language. For example, the Chinese history is 5000-year-old. Imagine, each and every event is represented in the form of those mysterious characters. Moreover, there are so many idioms often included in the simple Chinese sentences.
Learning Mandarin Chinese is going to be a long journey.
What’s the Sweetest Part of My China Experience?
I love kids, in particular, I love girlchild. They are very innocent, and I feel very peaceful and inspired deep inside my mind when I see them playing.
I often ask them, do you want foreign uncle (你要不要外国叔叔)? And they would generally be shy. Some of them would be friendly as well.
Every day, I’d stop by the playground (操场) near my apartment, and would spend time watching the kids pay. Often, I’d interact with their friendly parents and grandparents, who’d would love to know more about me.
I am planning to write a detailed post about it.
Chinese People are Very Friendly, and Love Making Friends
In general, Chinese people are very friendly and helpful. Making friends in China is very simple as long as you are willing to take initiate.
Before I came to China in 2016, I was worried about the language problems. However, I managed to travel well because the people, across the mainland, were very supportive to me.
When I was new to China, I was accompanied by my boss and colleagues most of the time. It would have been very difficult to survive without their help.
During my initial days, I didn’t know how to use chopsticks (still not good at it). I’d often ask for the forks and spoons at the restaurants. In one of the cold noodles restaurant near my apartment, the owner bought a fork just for me.
China is a Hidden Jewel
I was quite surprised in China. There were so many reasons, such as:
- Very safe living experience
- A great mix of the use of technology (cashless payments) and Chinese culture (sending red packets on WeChat)
- Massive infrastructure development all across China, wherever I went (such as the Qinghai-Tibet railway)
- Heavy deployment of security personals in the public squares, buses
- One common language
- Very well-protected cultural sites (such as Xi’an Terracotta Warriors)
- No physical frisking (security personnel won’t touch your body while entering a subway station)
China Is the Safest Country I Have Ever Seen
Let me assure you: a country couldn’t be safer. China is safe, day or night. I have been a vagabond traveler, and wandered in the Chinese cities in the days and nights. I have seen massive cities, and traditional countryside (Xidi 西递 and, Hongcun villages 安徽宏村 in Anhui). No issues with safety. Never. Ever!
Nobody bothered me. Nobody asked me to show me ID cards (unless it’s officially required, such as at the train stations, airports, hotel check-ins).
Further, it’s rare to see guns in China (unless you visit the border areas). Frankly, in China, you don’t need to worry about the gun violence.
Also, the Chinese philosophy is deeply influenced by Confucian and Buddhist values. No wonder, nonviolence is an integral part of Chinese culture.
In general, those common crimes in the western countries (gun violence, women’s safety) are largely unheard of in China. It’s rare to see street fights in China.
I am very sure I am safe in China.
Cost of Living
The living expenses in China are certainly more affordable than in the US/UK. You can spend one month for about RMB 5,000.
Internet
5G internet plans have been rolled out in China. It’s great.
I discussed more about internet in the following post:
Say No to Drug Offenses
China has very strict penalties for drug offences. This is something you should never do in China. There is zero tolerance for the drug offenders. Obviously, this also makes China a great place to live in.
Healthcare Infrastructure in China
China’s health infrastructure is simply mind blowing. There are a good number of hospitals in China. Despite a huge population, the hospitals are super well managed, and it’s very normal to meet a specialist doctor without any prior appointment.
I was detected with a high level of diabetes in 2019, and often visited hospitals to monitor my health.
I wrote the whole diabetes fiasco in the following book (on Amazon):
The basic consultation would cost me RMB 10. It’d cost me just RMB 8 for the blood test (apart from the RMB 10 for consultation). For RMB 18, I’d get the blood test report. Doctors were very friendly. No prior appointment required.
I always visited government hospitals, and couldn’t be happier with the services they offer.
Public Transportation
China has one of the finest state-of-the-art public transportation systems in the world. I have often travelled in the high-speed trains. They are punctual, and very convenient.
Then, there are so many airlines connecting different Chinese cities. I’d book my flight tickets by myself. I’d generally book flights on Qunar (去哪儿网, very professional service, and I would recommend it). Quanr website is only in Chinese; however, you can translate the page using Google Chrome.
Most of the big Chinese cities have operating subway systems (imagine: Vietnam started constructing subway lines in the year 2000, and now after 20 years, they still don’t have even one operating subway line).
Then there are pleasant city and intercity buses. The city bus fares have been fixed to RMB 1 or 2, virtually everywhere in China. I have a Shanghai transportation card (上海通卡), and I get a further discount when I pay fares by the card. The bus fares are based on the number of rides, irrespective of how far you go per ride.
Of course, you can also rent bicycles in China by just scanning the QR codes.
Be it the Chinese high-speed train, local buses, intercity buses, domestic or international flights, they all operate on time.
Efficient Immigration Control
Chinese borders are safe.
It’s beyond imagination in China what could, otherwise, be a usual business on the southern border of the US:
On 29 April 2018, after traveling 2,500 miles (4,000 km) across Mexico, the migrants’ caravan came to an end at Friendship Park at the Mexico–United States border in Tijuana. –Wikipedia
Entering China illegally is next to impossible. In fact, even if you manage to enter illegally, it would be a herculean task to manage a living in China. The ID check is required to book trains, hotels, and flights. And how about Mandarin language? Further, in case you are found to have entered China illegally, you will be deported (possibly after serving the penalty), and may never be able to enter China again.
Cashless Payments
We don’t carry cash in China. Just bring your phone, and scan the QR code. Basically, I don’t even remember when I went to my bank last time.
WeChat Messaging App
WeChat (WeiXin) is one of the most common App that I have used in China. WeChat is like a good mix of Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, etc. It’s everywhere in China.
It’s worth mentioning that in my office, we have a WeChat group that includes all my colleagues. And, there is another group (小分队) that includes everyone other than my boss. 🙂
Online Shopping
This is one of the most fascinating parts of my China experience. There are so many online shopping platforms in China (JingDong, Taobao, PingDuoDuo), they all offer great services. The tracking of package shipping deliveries is so streamlined that I never lost even one of my packages in the last ~4 years of my China stay. Further, the online chatting option with the seller is a wonderful feature of the Chinese shopping portals (something Amazon can learn from TaoBao).
Four Seasons
I think I have been fortunate to live in Shanghai type of city. It’s close to the sea. We enjoy all 4 seasons. Winter is not as cold as in the northern China, and the summer is shorter compared to the southern China. In Shanghai, and nearby cities, you can clearly enjoy all 4 seasons.
Chinese Women
China is by and large an egalitarian society. Chinese women enjoy a near equal social status as compared to the men. I have been told that in cities like Chongqing and Chengdu, women have a higher social status.
Further, when it comes to beauty, Chinese (and Asian) women are second to none! I am, in fact, surprised that how the women are so beautiful and almost always in shape. Seeing a fat woman (or man) is quite rare in China. Moreover, the Chinese women have a great dressing sense.
Sometime I feel like writing poems about them. 🙂
If you are into Asian girls, just sign up China Love Cupid (I wrote an article: How To Find A Chinese Girlfriend Online?).
Travel Paradise
China offers one of the finest tourist attractions. With a 5000 years long history, there are simply too much to explore in China. I managed to travel quite well in China. Some of my favorite Chinese cities:
One Common Language
I feel surprised how the whole country of 1.4bn can practically speak one language. In India, citizens of different regions keep fighting that their own local language is superior. India has simply too much of language politics. Not in China. Mandarin works virtually everywhere in China. Although learning Mandarin is difficult, once you know Mandarin, you can live, work and travel very conveniently in China.
Baidu is Your Best Friend
Whether it’s navigation, or finding some information about China, I heavily rely on Baidu. Baidu knows China so well! Google stands nowhere in China.
Chinese Food
Chinese food is great. Lots of variety. There are so many food markets. So much of street food. For about RMB 15, you can have a full meal. In fact, I often spend less. For example, when I was travelling to Lanzhou, a bowl of famous Lanzhou noodles would cost me RMB 7. In Hubei, a bowl of authentic hot dry noodles (热干面) would cost me RMB 4.
Final Thoughts
I am sure there are people who spend too much time digging problems in China (and elsewhere). However, China is a lot better place to live and work than what a typical western expat may have read in the western media.
In order to understand China well, you have to come here with an open mind, and explore by yourself. Don’t blindly trust the western media.
China is big, surprising, and wonderful.
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