How to Prepare for China

As soon as I arrived in Beijing, it was like a whole different world with a unique culture and traditions. For once in my life, I was on the other side of the planet from my family and friends. I came with an open mind but also needed to know a few things about this place to help me transition easier into life in a far, far away land from home. Some things to consider and prepare for your trip or big move to China are:

POLLUTION
I came to China without a mask and would have liked it if I brought something with me! The masks that have N95 are the ones that filter your air and are not just a piece of cloth over your face. When I did need a mask, I still did not know much Chinese and purchasing mine here like I had planned did not end successfully. So, you can wait to buy breathing masks in Beijing since they have more variety to choose from in the stores.  But, if your Chinese is not at a basic conversational level, I would suggest purchasing masks online. There are some newer ones on the internet my co-workers recommended that are not as bulky and better quality that stick to your face to prevent contaminants from being consumed. Also, order your mask while you are still at home before going to China because your address will most likely be in Chinese characters and this was my challenge to figure out!

Furthermore, you can download applications to your phone to inform you of the pollution levels of your city and when you should wear a mask or stay at home! Yes, there have been days when it was unsafe to leave the house so it is important to get your mask situation figured out as soon as possible.

Other things to consider about pollution are the air quality in your house, which we dealt with using house plants to clean the air naturally. For example, aloe, English ivy, and some ferns help to filter your air in the home. These are some plants that are easy to buy in China to breathe well or you can decide to buy an air filter machine.

In addition, the water is not drinkable because in my apartment, and like most houses in Beijing, the pipes were older and would contaminate it due to the metals that can leak. Therefore, do not drink the water and look into purchasing the office type water coolers, bottled waters, or if you have the money, I have read about water filters for your faucets that can help. Though, I am not too sure about how well these work as metals are difficult to extract from water.

VPN (Virtual Private Network)
So everyone calls it the Great Firewall of China, which means no access to your favorite social media sites and Google mail accounts! If you cannot live without YouTube, Facebook, Twitter, etc., you should definitely look into getting a VPN. There are some free VPN services and my roommate has used it for years but recently, they have blocked the free sites. Finding a service that includes access even when the firewall strength is increased is important.

VISAS
I have heard many unfortunate stories about foreigners who have come to China and were promised a work visa but learned after arriving that is was not part of their packaged deal. If you think you can do the border runs, which is living and working here on a tourist visa and then traveling to Hong Kong to cross the border every few months when the tourist visa expires, that does not work anymore. One of my co-workers said they tried this but were not allowed back in China and had to fly all the way back to the United States to get the appropriate visas. The laws have changed and the government is really cracking down on illegal workers. So, just get your appropriate visas so you can relax and enjoy your time here!

COST OF LIVING
Of course everything that is made in China is cheap and it really is! If you eat at local joints, you could eat out each day and end up spending the same or saving money instead of cooking at home.  Now I know that I could not do this in the USA! So, you can really live a comfortable life in China from weekly massages, house cleaning services, and weekend vacations to Thailand, etc. Even going to the club they would "pay you" to go, meaning free drinks, entrance, etc if you are the type that likes to go out each week.

Also, I never personally went to buy Apple or Nike products and heard rumors that they would be cheaper in China but the stores that I window shopped in seemed to be priced the same. If you decide to buy, I would just be cautious before buying products from unofficial vendors that may sell counterfeits!

REALITY OF THE WORK CULTURE
One major difference that I needed to adjust to was the workload each week, especially coming from a very laid back culture in Panama for two years prior! At first, I thought Americans were obsessed with their jobs but let me say, most of the Chinese are probably the hardest working people I have encountered and are admired for their work ethic.

Averaging my weeks at about 60 hours with a single job, that is the norm for most.  I did change jobs and received the same salary but working about 30 hours a week. Additionally, over the holiday breaks, you will get time off but will need to make up for the days off taken. Take for instance; after a long vacation, like National Day in October, most had to start back work on a Saturday or Sunday and work for 7 days straight to make up for the days off. That was my least favorite part about being here and working a week straight without a break! -_-

MEDICAL INSURANCE
A few days before I had to leave to China, I was freaking out about whether to get medical insurance or not! What I decided was to buy a very basic policy that was like $500 for the year in case a major accident happened and I needed to be hospitalized. Though, you could really come without any insurance because medical services are super cheap and the medicines too. However, I know that some medications may not be comparable in strength like the USA and you need a prescription to get even some basic over the counter ones too. So, you can bring a few of your favorites in case.

To add, I did do some research in 2016 about whether I would have to pay a fine in the USA if I did not have an insurance plan. I found that as long as you can prove you are not living in the United States for the year, then you would not be penalized. Although, I would check with the laws after presidential elections with changes the government may make.

EXPATS
They can be a great support community on the days when you feel homesick, need someone who speaks your common language, and have a travel buddy ready. Of course, take advantage of making some Chinese friends and practicing the language or getting invites to private cultural events while in China. A was invited to a Chinese friend's wedding and some of my friends were invited to special tea parties. However, having some expat friends will be a good network to help adjust to life in China easier and a few groups that I found helpful were the WeChat,"foreigners in Beijing," group and fun quiz nights with expats at various bars in Beijing.




What do you all think? Have you gone to China before and what do you recommend? 

Are there any places in Asia that you enjoyed too? 

China is a place that is nothing like I have ever visited before when compared to my past experiences traveling in Central America, South America, and Europe! But I would encourage to go because traveling always helps you to discover your own reality about people and other cultures. Send me a message or leave a comment!