Living in China
Living in this culturally and visually stimulating country will give you a truly unique experience. China is an endlessly fascinating country where the past and the future sit side by side. On the one hand, China has a 5000 year old culture and is the home of many ancient philosophies and imperial dynasties. On the other hand it is pushing forward at an electrifying pace, full of commercial and creative energy.
China is an enormous country with many regional differences. Living in a big city such as Beijing or Shanghai can be very different from living in a smaller city or province. Wherever you choose, however, your time spent living and working here is sure to be a life-changing experience. To give yourself the opportunity of spending up to a year living and working in China, book a place on one of our ChinaTeach Weekends and opt for the ChinaTeach Job Placement Service.
Basic Facts
- Population: 1.3 billion
- Capital: Beijing
- Time: GMT + 8 hours
- Language: The official language is Mandarin which is spoken and understood by most of the population
- Currency: "Renminbi"(RMB) or Yuan. One pound sterling equals about 15 RMB
Climate
China has a great diversity of climates. The northeast experiences hot and dry summers and bitterly cold winters. The north and central regions have hot summers and cold winters. The southeast region has substantial rainfall, with semi-tropical summers and cool winters.
Cost of living in China
The cost of living in China can be very low, especially if you eat local food from local restaurants or food stalls and shop in local markets. China can be very expensive if you eat in Western restaurants or 5 star hotels and shop in Western supermarkets. Depending on your lifestyle, you should be able to live on about 2000RMB per month, which will allow you to save for travelling at the end of your contract or during the holidays if you so wish.
Money
Credit cards are becoming more accepted in the bigger cities but China is still mainly a cash society. You can change pounds sterling into RMB in most branches of the Bank of China. Larger branches of the Bank of China and HSBC have ATMs from which you can withdraw cash. Once you are in China it is relatively simple to open a local currency bank account.
Shopping
Local traders and market stalls abound and this is where you will find food and goods at rock-bottom prices. Do be prepared to bargain though! If you prefer fixed prices, there are supermarkets, department stores and shopping malls. Opening hours are roughly 9.00am - 9.00pm, seven days a week. Some of the bigger department stores will accept credit cards, but many take cash only.
Telephones and Mobiles
There are public telephones on the street from which you can make domestic or international calls. International phone cards are easily available from kiosks and shops. If you are staying for any length of time, it is worth buying a SIM card for your mobile. These cost between 60 and 100RMB depending on the number (some numbers are considered lucky and are therefore more expensive!). You can buy top up cards for 50 or 100 RMB.
Food and Drink
There is a huge variety of cooking styles, dishes and ingredients in China ranging from the delicate stir fries of Guangdong to the spicy dishes of Sichuan. Whatever your tastes are you will certainly be catered for in China. A traditional meal consists of a staple, usually rice or noodles, served with a number of dishes including meat, fish and fresh vegetables. Chopsticks are used although restaurants will be able to provide you with a knife and fork if need be!
Beer is hugely popular in China. Well-known brands such as Tsingtao are sold in shops and supermarkets for about 4 RMB (30p) per bottle.
Wine is less popular although is available in larger supermarkets and some restaurants.
Western-style food is also readily available especially in the bigger cities although considerably more expensive.
Transport
China has an excellent public transport system operating in most cities with most local bus journeys costing being between 1-4RMB (7p - 30p)
A few of the bigger cities have a cheap and efficient metro system.
Taxis are reliable and cheap and journeys are metered. However, as most taxi drivers speak little or no English it is a good idea to have the name of your destination written in Chinese.
For intercity travel, train travel is reliable, reasonable speedy and a good way to meet local people. You can buy train tickets at the railway tation or at travel agents in the city. There is a choice of ticket types available: "hard seat", "soft seat", "hard sleeper" and "soft sleeper". Your choice will depend on the distance you are travelling and the level of comfort you require.
China's domestic air network is extensive and considering the huge distances in China, flying may sometimes be the best option. Tickets can be bought at travel agents or airline offices.
