Everyone experiences “cultural shock” when going to a new place, and China is no exception. Moving to China comes with its fair share of challenges, from the sheer number of people to the unfamiliar cuisine and language barrier. You can alleviate some of the anxiety of establishing in a new place by knowing what to anticipate and how to prepare. Once you get to know and love the quirks and quirkiness of life in this amazing nation, you may find it difficult to leave. As a foreigner, what does it feel like to be in China, and how does it compare to other countries? To discover out, let’s get started.
How Can you be an expat in China?
In China, life is easy because of the country’s technological prowess
Living in China is easy because of the country’s status as one of the world’s top technological developers. You simply need WeChat, Meituan, and Taobao on your phone to get the full effect. With these methods, you’ll be able to go about China even if you don’t understand the language.
It’s possible to pay your rent, top up your phone bill, purchase an airline ticket, pay for items at a store, or make an appointment at the doctor using WeChat. Meituan enables you to get meals to your apartment or workplace, schedule a spa appointment, hire a cab, arrange a cleaning service, or purchase tickets to Shanghai Disneyland. Taobao, China’s most popular online marketplace, has everything you could possibly want.
It’s like a Swiss army knife: WeChat, Meituan and Taobao enable you to purchase or pay for almost everything you can think of. As if that wasn’t enough, they’re significantly superior to any Western alternatives, including WeChat Pay, Taobao’s lower prices, and Meituan’s more services and lower prices, all of which are better than any takeout app in the west.
The job market will be open to you.
Opportunities for foreigners to work in China are many. Foreigners are in great demand in China because of their English language abilities and because they are a rarity in the country. An easier employment market to navigate than in the west results. For example, obtaining a job in the West might be tough and time-consuming, but in China, you can just go into any school and be asked if you’d want to work as an English teacher.
While teaching English is the most prevalent employment for foreigners in China, there are many more options if you’re willing to seek hard enough. As long as you can speak Chinese, you may be able to get a job in China provided you have the necessary credentials and expertise in an unrelated industry. But if you work for a non-English-teaching organization, there may be some issues. As a result, not all companies are able to get a work visa for foreigners, thus your alternatives may be limited. As a result, very few Chinese enterprises have foreign management, and those that do tend to underutilize their foreign managers. It’s a valuable learning opportunity, but it won’t ensure the advancement in your profession that you seek.
Even while there are numerous advantages to working in the English teaching industry, there are also some drawbacks. A more flexible work schedule allows you to see China and move about, unlike a typical office employment. You’ll be able to enjoy a stress-free existence thanks to a greater wage in this area. It is common for many English-teaching businesses to have permits that enable them to recruit foreigners and apply for work visas in China. In addition, you may utilize your teaching expertise in the future to establish a career in the teaching sector. Because of this, it should be a no-brainer that i2 Education should be on your shortlist for a superb work opportunity in China.
Your time in China will inevitably come to an end.
China’s greatest difficulty is that it’s so easy to live in China that it’s difficult to go on. For the great majority of expats, returning home or moving to another country will be their only option since it is impossible to reside permanently in China (even via marriage). Because of this, it might get more difficult to leave China the longer you remain there. After a year or two here, you may have a better idea of what your next move should be. Once spending four or five years in China, you may find it difficult to figure out what your next step should be after you depart.
With that stated, don’t let this deter you from taking risks and living overseas. Whatever your location, life may be unexpected and uncertain. You can’t plan every single step of your path. It’s possible that your time in China will have a profound impact on your life, transforming your personality and opening doors that you didn’t know were possible.