From a British Born Chinese point of view, my experience of moving to China will differ from others in certain aspects. I had initially thought my trips to Hong Kong and Shenzhen would prepare me for the move but boy was I so wrong. There are a lot of things I’m already aware of such as not drinking water straight from the tap, face, diversity of the food and dialects, bringing your own toilet paper, taboo topics, the firewall etc.
On the other hand, there are many things that have completely blown my mind and were absolutely unexpected. Here are 30 things:
1. Culture shock
Despite my heritage and frequent trips to Hong Kong and Shenzhen, it wasn’t enough. There’s more to China and the difference is vast, more notably, the north and south. Scrap that, the culture in the provinces differs from one another. China is a large country with plenty of things to see to keep you occupied 24/7. The biggest shock for me has to be their personality, character and behaviour.
2. Prepare to be criticised
“Why is your Chinese so bad?”, this is Mandarin only. What a way to put down someone who came to learn more about one’s culture and improve their Mandarin. I did feel shit but it helped me to push harder. Great motivation right there.
3. My spoken dialects deteriorates whilst improving at the same time
Being based in Beijing, there were zero opportunities to communicate in Cantonese or Hakka, negatively affecting my speaking skills. On the other hand, as my standard Chinese vocabulary and idiom range increases, it unknowingly helped improve the two dialects. It was a nice surprise.
4. English takes a dip too
With strict discipline, limiting the use of English had resulted in my English speaking to deteriorate. I’ve been questioning my own fluency even to this very day. Even some of the basic vocabulary looks like it’s been spelt incorrectly even with autocorrect on. Why does it look so wrong when it’s capitalised?
5. “But your skin colour is yellow, not white”
Let’s be honest, nothing could have prepared me for this car crash.
6. Get treated differently than my foreign friends
Again, it’s the skin colour issue. I get criticised for my Mandarin whereas if my non-Asian looking friends just say something basic like nǐ hǎo, the locals praise them for having amazing Mandarin even if their tones were wrong. Sigh.
7. “Your English is so good!”
“Oh wow, your accent is very much standard British and you’re so fluent that you sound just like a native.” Every damn time. If I had a pound for every time someone had said this to me, I’d be a billionaire by now.
8. I would miss Western food a lot more than I had thought
I love my rice but I do crave for food I can’t get my hands on. The harder it is to find it, the more I want it. Like chippy for example. Good luck finding a chippy anywhere, and restaurant fish and chips in American style restaurants aren’t enough. Chippy over restaurant all day every day. Considering I was raised in a seaside town, I’m a snob when it comes to fish and chips.
9. Harder to find decent Cantonese/Hakka cuisine outside of Guangdong and Hong Kong
Another snobby attribute of mine. Nowhere does amazing char siu (Chinese BBQ pork) outside of Guangdong and HK. I judge Cantonese restaurants by their char siu and if it doesn’t remind me of my childhood, then it’s a no from me. It’s the same for Hakka cuisine but with steamed pork with preserved mustard greens. Hakka specialised restaurants aren’t really common outside of Guangdong and HK from my experience.
10. Weight isn’t considered rude and it defines you
Oh god, I hate this. It’s an open topic. It’s actually normal for someone to ask you about your weight and they can be quite blunt depending on your answer. They’re unaware that it’s considered rude in the West so don’t take offence. I just let them know that it’s considered rude to ask a lady about her weight. That’s it.
11. Glued to your phone
WeChat is crowned king and you use it for everything. I’m on my phone at least twice as much as usual. It’s the start of a phone addiction and not good for the eyes either.
12. Say goodbye to personal space
Prepare to be sardines in busy, crowded areas (even whilst you’re waiting to cross the road) and peak times. I’ve lost count as to how many times I’ve been pushed and shoved and the number of people who have breathed down my neck. I make it sound oh so nice, don’t I? It’s not good if crowded areas make you anxious.
Tip: During any national holiday, avoid travelling to popular tourist destinations.
13. Queues everywhere
When there’s a new internet trend, you’ll see queues going around the block in freezing cold or boiling temperatures. People will queue up regardless of how long. When it’s dinner time, you could be waiting for over an hour or so. Just grab a ticket and wait until your number comes up. Even some popular restaurants and stalls have queues when it’s not peak time. National holidays in tourist areas are crazy and a terrifying experience. There are many more examples.
And queue jumping and pushing too.
14. National holidays are crazy
An emphasis on crazy. Following on from the last two points, there will be crowds and queues everywhere as the whole country will be travelling around the country at some point. The scale of it all is something I’ve never experienced before, ever. Also, train tickets are sold out immediately once they’ve been released. It is hard to get the tickets you want.
15. Passport for everything and everywhere
Foreigners are required by law to carry their passport wherever they go. You need it to buy tickets for any tourist attraction, train tickets, opening bank accounts, transportation cards, coach tickets, check-ins, renting, currency exchanges, registering for bike shares etc. Since I practically blend in with the locals, I need to carry it just in case I get caught up in the random ID checks by police.
16. Not every hotel caters to foreigners
When booking hotels, some websites will mention whether they’re able to cater to foreigners or Mainland Chinese only. I know booking.com, Agoda will mention whether they host Mainland Chinese only or everyone. Do double-check beforehand. I believe they need a license to operate and accommodate foreigners.
17. Beijing bikini
Oh jeez, just google it. Not a pleasant sight in the summer. Don’t say I never warned you. It’s banned in several cities now.
18. The possibility of getting run over on the pavement
Mopeds, bikes and electric bikes are popular modes of transport everywhere. There are dedicated lanes for these specifically but if there aren’t any, people will ride on either the pavements or roads. I’m sure the chances of getting ran over on pavement is probably the same as on the road itself. Just stay safe, look left and right and repeat, and be aware of the beeping and ringing bells.
19. Tampons
I have mentioned this in a previous post so I’m just touching up on it. To reiterate, tampons are hard to find. If pads are your preference, they’re easy to find. Watsons and some foreign grocery stores are the only places I have seen stock them but at a higher price. Not all Watsons stock it though. Stock up before you leave and or get others to bring some over if they’re visiting.
20. Medicine
Wish I had brought extra over the counter medicine. Not all pharmacies are the same and I find Chinese medicine (not traditional Chinese medicine) aren’t as effective or have zero effect on me. Pharmacies stock a mixture of over the counter Western and Chinese medicine, choices on western medicine can be limited too. If it’s a prescription medicine, you’ll need to take it to a Chinese doctor first for them to prescribe it. You may not find your specific brand and dosage. All medicines will be in Chinese so knowing the Chinese name beforehand will be an advantage.
If you’re on the contraceptive pill, I’ve only seen the combined pill, specifically Yasmin and Mavelon, stocked in store which you can purchase without a prescription. Also, not every pharmacy will stock them. Some cities that aren’t popular destinations for foreigners will most likely not stock them. The pharmacists may not have heard of them too. Just be aware of this. Other methods such as the implant, coil, injection, patches are extremely rare in local hospitals and doctors are unfamiliar with them. There are foreign hospitals but I’m unsure if they can readily administrate these.
21. Don’t over pack
Taobao exists. That’s all you need to know.
22. Harsh winters
-5°C could be -20°C real feel in the north. Don’t get me started on Harbin. Temperatures dropped to -23°C whilst I was there. I didn’t read the real feel temperature. My face started hurting. With the number of heat patches, heat tech clothing and layers I had on, I looked like the Michelin Man. It was remarkable taking my time eating ice cream without having to worry about it melting one single bit though.
23. Blazing summers
I don’t know how locals can wear trousers in 40°C weather. I’m sweating just thinking about it. If the air is dry, it’s actually horrendous and very uncomfortable. 16°C with sunshine and the whole of the UK is stripping.
24. VPN is a blessing and a curse
Depending on the company, VPN can be temperamental. One day, you could be on top of the world, whilst on another, you could feel lost and out of touch with the world.
25. Rude encounters
Manners maketh man. Bad manners irk me so much. I’ve had many rude encounters from shop assistance to administration. Rude, gossipy, bitchy, voices raised, angry tone etc. Manners cost nothing. Luckily this wasn’t everyone.
26. Saying thank you isn’t necessarily needed for everything
Regardless of the situation, I always have to say thank you to show gratitude. It’s ingrained into me and will continue to say it. There have been instances where I have been told that I didn’t need to be so polite because they were just doing their job or our relationship was considered close. Even relatives have mentioned I didn’t need to always say thank you. There are other ways to say express thanks but I always end up attaching “谢谢 xiè xiè, 唔该 m goi or 多谢 duō xiè/dor je/do qia” at the end. I can’t help it, it’s a habit. It just shows the different upbringing amongst us.
27. Dating with very intrusive questions
Sound the fuck boy alarm. It has put me off dating in China.
28. So much paperwork
Despite China being a technologically advanced country, there’s still a lot of admin work that requires handwritten forms. Things just like opening a sim card, broadband, some hotel check-ins, currency exchanges etc there are forms to fill in. Carry some extra passport-sized photos around too.
29. Register with the local police
You have to register your temporary residence with the public service bureau within 24 hours of arrival required by law. The majority of hotels and hostels will automatically do it for you during check-in. If it’s not a hotel or hostel, then you’ll need to go to the local police station with the landlord or management to register. Yes, even if you’re staying at friends or relatives for the duration of your stay. Whenever you move into a new apartment within the same or different city, or you return from abroad, you have to register every time.
30. Not all ATMs and places accepts foreign cards
Look out for the Visa, MasterCard logo on the ATM and ask if they accept foreign cards. For short stays, bring enough cash whereas for long stays, open a bank account. It’ll save the trouble and fuss.
Phew. I know some of you will be able to relate to some of these points from their own experiences whilst others have completely different. Moving to China or even moving anywhere, there are always positive and negative encounters, nothing is ever linear, but that’s the beauty of it all. It’s an adventure.
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I have always wanted to visit China, but often get put off by the news.
Maybe one day if this crazy world ever calms down.
Hope youre still enjoying your time regardless 🙂
Stephanie | http://www.blondedaisychains.co.uk