Expert Info

Posted by
on 1 Nov 2014
Hello We have recently started the process of investigating a possible move to Chengdu with our family. We are two adults, two children and a dog. Any advice or information on what life is like for a family in China and Chengdu would be gratefully received. We are traditionally a family who likes to get out in the open, cycling, walking and discovering new places. We have a dog who we like to walk with each day. We like to socialise with families, bbq's, etc. I understand life will be very different in Chengdu but I'm just trying to work out in what way different and whether it will be a good thing for our family. Originally we are from England but have been working in Australia and NZ for the last seven years. We are very open to new experiences and are able to mix well and get to know others. I'm wondering if there is a big expat community in Chengdu and if so do you just get to meet people through the schools. I have read much about poor air pollution so have been looking at different air purifiers. The recommended brands I have seen are iqAir and BlueAir. Are these widely available to purchase in Chengdu? I have looked on a site Taobao (I think correct spelling) and seen various makes and manufacturers. On what I have investigated a living accommodation allowance of 20-30,000 RMB seems necessary. Any advice on whether this is correct or areas would be good. Are drivers and a car an essential part of life? Does anyone have a car and drive themselves? What do families do in their spare time in Chengdu? Are the parks areas where families hangout or do majority travel on weekends to new locations? Is it hard to stay in touch with family and friends outside of China. I understand there is no access to the usual social media sites that we take for granted here. I'm sorry to have such a long rambling, many questions, question. I really am just trying to figure out as much as I can so we are able to understand the place and make a considered decision. I don't want to say no out of fear of the unknown, but also don't want to say yes without having a true picture of what life would be like. Anyone with time to answer one or any of the questions, information would be gratefully received.
Anonymous (not verified) on 3 Nov 2014 - 07:31
Hi Bobble

Good luck and congratulations on taking this big step. It's completely understandable that you have these questions.

While we don't have a guide on Chengdu itself, our China guide would be able to give you quite a few valuable insights. I would also suggest having a look at our Guangzhou guide.

While they are clearly different places, cities like Chengdu and Guangzhou are quite different from Beijing and Shanghai, in that they aren't as Westernised.

Expats are often surprised by the fact that although Chinese are generally as big and industrialised as are commonly thought, the countryside is never too far away - and the Chinese countryside really is beautiful. As an outdoorsy family, there will be plenty to do. Websites like ChinaTour and TravelChinaGuide will be able to fill you in on the specifics - I'd especially check out the Wolong Nature Reserve, which looks absolutely beautiful.

There are also a number of expats in the city -  you should be able to find them through blogs and online forums, if not in your daily life once you arrive.

Our China guide starts with Moving to China. To answer some of your questions, pay special attention to these pages:

Hope this helps a bit. 

Best of luck!

Xavier
Anonymous (not verified) on 15 Nov 2014 - 16:02
Hi, Bobble, Congrats for your new role and it's good that you are raising these questions so that you can make an informed decision. I can speak to this both from my personal and professional experience. I was the Head of Global Mobility for a few Fortune 500 companies, after 11+ years in Big 4, prior to setting up my own consulting firm recently. China was part of my remit and I was on assignment once in Shanghai as well.

I agree with Xavier that China has a lot to offer both culturally and professionally. In order for you and your family to take full advantage of that experience, you must, however, be ready to adjust culturally. This goes beyond accepting the differences between norms between Asian and Western standards. Food hygiene and safety is also another area your family must be ready to deal with, even in venues frequented with expats (as you would have heard also from the media). This is especially true in tier 2 and 3 cities. It may not be that easy to purchase top of the line air purifier in China, let alone Chengdu. I would suggest that you buy the air purifier in Australia and ship it to China.

Your budget for housing is doable but you may provision another RMB5,000 to be safe. Be ready, psychologically, that the housing standard is far from what you are used to in the West though. If you are the adventurous kind, there are certainly expats who drive in China. For security reasons, I would suggest expats not to unless you have a basic command of the Chinese language especially in case of infraction. Taxis and Metro can be used for intra-city transportation but public buses should be avoided.

All the best.

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