Talk to me about China...

[skaif]

Hey guys!

I posted here around 2 years ago for some feedback on making the move out to the middle east. It was an interesting dicsussion and gave me some food for thought. I made the jump and it's definitely been an interesting experience, both good and bad!

Fast forward 2 years and I have been approached for a role in China!

Its a very high profile role and being in my profession these things don't come around too often and it seems to be too good to be true!

Whilst I have not received a formal offer I am through to the final stages of interview and want to know more about living and working in China, specifically Beijing.

Anyone done it? Living there now? What's it like? Would you do it?

 

[Hades]

I'd suggest watching ADVChina's youtube channel before making a decision. It's run by two foreigners who moved to China, built businesses, married Chinese women, then eventually moved back out again.

Also serpentza's youtube channel. He's one of the two people above.

 

[mid_gen]

I lived in Hong Kong for 3-4 years, working in Guanzhou part of the time.

Super-interesting place to live, sitting here back in the UK in lockdown has got me seriously missing living abroad!

I would go back and do it all over again in a heartbeat, no questions asked. Although I would drink less. Definitely. Expat social life is wild and fun but jeez it isn't healthy

My only minor caveat would be, you're unlikely to want to stay there permanently, and coming back home to 'normal' life in the UK can be pretty tough to adjust to.

Working with Chinese people is *totally* different to working with Europeans or Americans, especially if you're managing people. You need to adjust or you'll have an aneurysm.

 

[skaif]

Thanks for the feedback gents.

I'm in education and the role is a director level role at one of the prestigious international schools there.

I would most likely be in an 'expat bubble' I.e living with expats in the compound and working with expats at the school. I doubt I would interact much with locals through work but will definitely want to explore etc.

I will be moving with my wife and 4 year old daughter so will be a whole family commitment.

We are at the stage where we want to take risks and have an adventure and are currently loving the expat life. Just wondering how different it would be in China compared to the middle east.

 

[mid_gen]

Thanks for the feedback gents.

I'm in education and the role is a director level role at one of the prestigious international schools there.

I would most likely be in an 'expat bubble' I.e living with expats in the compound and working with expats at the school. I doubt I would interact much with locals through work but will definitely want to explore etc.

I will be moving with my wife and 4 year old daughter so will be a whole family commitment.

We are at the stage where we want to take risks and have an adventure and are currently loving the expat life. Just wondering how different it would be in China compared to the middle east.

I'd go to China over the Middle East every time. Unless you really, really like sand.

Edit - just noticed you're already there I lived in Abu Dhabi for a while when I was a kid. Know people that are/were in Bahrain/Riyadh.

There's so much to see and do in China...not only that but you've got the whole of East Asia on your doorstep, weekend trips to Japan, Korea etc from up north in Beijing....down south you have Indochina, Phillipines etc. Did the Singapore F1 a few times, snowboarding in Japan a couple, a few weeks backpacking round Cambodia and Vietnam.

Going with wife and kids though, too much partying probably not your problem My main concern would be the pollution. Ok for a couple years expat stint but was one of the main reasons I left. Definitely not good for you long term....although it is apparently improving in Beijing.

Go for it though. Just thinking back to stepping out of my apartment onto the HK streets every morning with so much interesting stuff going on, makes you feel alive!

Big expat community to step into though. Everyone is different, some want to just live in a compound and pay a fortune for Western food and not mingle with locals, others dive into the street food and dai pai dongs and spend little time in the bubble.....choice is entirely yours. I did a mix, had some expat friends for hanging with and watching sports and stuff, and did a lot of things with my local team.

 

[skaif]

Haha yeah the middle east is a bit sandy! To be honest it's been fantastic here. Ideal place to have a family to be honest. Beach days are regular, loads of stuff for kids and family to do and despite coming here during the pandemic it's been really nice.

Plan would be to move there, get used to it for the first few months then start to explore and travel. I would really only want to use this is a platform to progress into the upper echelons of leadership so wouldn't stay past my contract of 2 years.

 

[mid_gen]

Haha yeah the middle east is a bit sandy! To be honest it's been fantastic here. Ideal place to have a family to be honest. Beach days are regular, loads of stuff for kids and family to do and despite coming here during the pandemic it's been really nice.

Plan would be to move there, get used to it for the first few months then start to explore and travel. I would really only want to use this is a platform to progress into the upper echelons of leadership so wouldn't stay past my contract of 2 years.

Do it. Best thing I ever did was move to China. It's great to see past the Western media portrayal of the country, get to know the people who are by and large fascinated with Westerners and Western stuff. I'm 6'2" and fair haired so was an endless source of fascination whenever I was over the border in the mainland, families stop you and take pictures with you, pretty funny.

Just take the cultural stuff in your stride. Burping, farting, spitting are not taboo at all, even at sit down meals, meetings etc. It always cracked me up when the women on my team let out a resounding belch during a meeting with a completely straight face. It's a bit weird sitting down for meals with everyone smoking at the table and stubbing their fag-ends out on the plates mind.

The cities are just insane...I took the sleeper train from HK->Guanzhou->Shanghai to go watch the F1, it's just unreal the size of everything. Shanghai feels like Blade Runner, makes Western cities look quaint.