Challenges When Moving to China
Moving abroad is an exciting and often difficult decision to make. There are many unknown challenges you’re going to face. For an American like me, China has it’s own unique set of difficulties we need to tackle and find solutions for. After 4 years of living in mainland China, I have developed some tricks, tips, and attitude adjustments to help me through the days. Here are a few I’d like to share with you.
But first, notice that I said these are “challenges”. They’re not hardships or things that I hate. This is not an airing of my grievances. This is simply a list of honest things that many foreigners will struggle with at one point or another. This is not a comprehensive list nor will to pertain to everyone reading it. So many factors will go into the relatability of this article; hopefully you will get some value out of it.
The Language Barrier:
Let’s start with the obvious. Language really permeates all other issues on this list. English is my first language and learning an additional language (especially as a dyslexic) is a huge challenge for me. And I don’t believe anyone ever said that Chinese was an easy language to master. Needless to say, the more knowledge you have of the local language, the better off you’re going to be. Putting effort into this not only shows your willingness to communicate with the local people, but also your dedication to improve the relationships with them.
Most language issues you can use translation apps to help. They’re free. I use Google or Baidu and I always have an offline dictionary at the ready. Even Wechat has the ability to scan a document which will then translate the text into English. Isn’t technology grand?
Dealing with the Government:
Your relationship with the Chinese government as a whole (from the local offices all the way up the chain) will be greatly improved with your new language skills. They’re not difficult to work with and they are very supportive and interested in helping you with what you need. The hardest thing to deal with is again, the language barrier. When you go to a Chinese government office, you’ll be overwhelmed with how much paperwork there seems to be. Forms (3 copies of this, in the right order) are abundant. It's everywhere! Things are changing as they continue to move towards online services, but the process of filling out these forms can be overwhelming. In time, you begin to recognize certain characters and with a lot of patience you’ll be able to accomplish what you need to get done.
Internet Access:
Some people say that 70% of the internet is blocked by the Chinese Great Firewall. I don’t if that’s true or not, but a lot of the websites that we have become accustomed to using and accessing in the west simply will not work here. And, even if they are not blocked, often they are slowed down quite a bit. You start to find alternatives where you can. For example, instead of using Google for my English web searches, I will you Bing. It’s not blocked, but of course the results will be filtered as well. Streaming sites and popular video games are hard to use here.
There are VPNs (Virtual Private Networks) which are more common then you think. I have used a multitude of them over the years, but from the very beginning, my reliable connection has been provided by Express VPN. There’s no sense is using the “free” VPN services, you’re going to have to pay to get reliable service. It’s true, there are times when all VPNs are blocked by the government, but even the government is aware that they are an essential part of international business dealings. The use of them will indeed slow down your connection as a whole. This just becomes the norm after a while and you get used to it.
Shopping:
In the larger cities where there are a lot more international brands and there’s a market for international goods, this isn’t as much of an issue. But if you’re in a 2nd or 3rd tier city and you’re looking for clothes, shoes, are toiletries to fit your needs, this could be difficult. Just like in life, you will improvise and adapt to this. There’s always online shopping such as Taobao (and you can get your local friends to assist you in this) if you desperately need something. But I have a rule: If I can’t find it in the local shops, then I really don’t need it.
The Food:
The food is amazing. Period. Embrace it. Enjoy it. Be adventurous. But I recognize that eating Chinese food 3 times a day, everyday can be a little too much. Finding good western food outside the major cities is not easy. After a while you’ll find the little nooks in your city that come close to the tastes of back home. And let’s not forget that you can cook yourself. Eating out in China is one of the best things about living here, but for that truly authentic cuisine your mother used to make, you’re going to need to attempt it yourself.
Lack of Privacy:
China is big and there are a lot of people. Until you walk around and experience it yourself you really will not understand what that means. And, there are cameras taking your picture just about everywhere you go. That’s not just the street cameras and surveillance cameras, it’s also the locals who love to shove a camera and your face with an eager smile or politely ask for a selfie with them. There’s nothing wrong with any of this as far as I’m concerned. In the west, we would feel this is “big brother” but here, it’s considered “safe”. Just assume that no matter what you do online, or where you go in the country, there’s someone watching. It’ll make you appreciate the animinity you have when you go back home.
Driving:
One of the first things a foreigner will comment on when they’re fresh off the boat is how crazy the traffic seems to be. It’s not that Chinese people don’t know how to drive, it’s just that there’s a different driving culture here. After a while you start to recognize how traffic flows through a city and anticipate patterns as it comes towards you. It’s not hard to adapt and become part of it. And you’ll find that when you go back to your home country, you’ll have to re-adapt to the driving culture there.
The Hardest Thing About Living Abroad:
I made another blog post about this issue. Please read it here and I go into depth about it quite a bit.
The Hardest Thing About Living Abroad
Moving to China is a very rewarding experience if you are in the right mindset. It’s a challenge and all challenges have pitfalls and speed bumps you’ll need to deal with. But dealing with these issues with a good, humble attitude will help you along the way and get you through each one. Remember, at the end of the day, the best thing for your to do is smile and whisper to yourself, “it’s all part of the adventure”.