Need info on expat life in China

Hi murphyr,

You can use the Expat Arrivals China Country Guide as a starting point. It will cover all the major areas of expat life in China from which visa you'll need, to expat healthcare and opening a bank account.

Maybe you can find a language class to help you learn some basics and get over the language barrier.

Try joining some expat groups to meet new people and make some friends. Hopefully other expats can help you with your questions as well.

OK take a deep breath and don't panic. It's all going to be new and strange and crazy for a while. I've been living in China on and off for 12 years and I've seen new arrivals go left right and centre. Firstly, don't be overwhelmed, take it a step at a time, get to know your local area, try to use the same shops to buy little things from people will soon start to say hello. Get smart, browse the supermarket (also a good place to randomly meet other Westerners) get a feel for how much things cost. When you feel happy doing this find out were your local veggie market is. Don't be afraid to smile at people you see. If someone stares at you, well stare back and trying saying ni hau you'll often be surprised how quickly that stare turns into a smile. Take it a day at a time, expat communities in China tend to be quite closed but you'll meet people. Signing up for a language course will help ease your sense of isolation, get you out and about and also the more you speak the more comfortable you'll be. It's rotten at first when you're new anywhere but give it time. Mamba

which city do you live in china?

If you are in Beijing then you can meet people at these events http://www.fcgroup.org

I would also suggest you get active in the Lions Club and attend a local English Club at one of Beijing's of Shanghai universities and you will make a dozen new friends in just 2-4 hours. Socializing is key to surviving in China.

How can you not survive? Chinese people are very friendly to foreign people.

Hi All I have got an offer in China with 25000 rmb (before tax). I am not sure if this is sufficient for living in Shanghai. Please guide how much I should ask. I am Engineering graduate with 4.5 years of exp in electrical engineering. Do let me know the expenses and how much i can save with mid size life style... Plss help

25000 RMB translates to roughly 4 grand a month pre-tax. But on that sort of salary you can expect to pay around 3675 RMB in taxes, an 1500 social insurance payment (but the social insurance goes into an account that you can access when you leave China), leaving you with a little over 19000 RMB per month. Your employer will have to pay a social insurance payment as well, and sometimes this is factored into your own, sometimes it is not. This still leaves you about 3 grand per month give or take. Shanghai is a good deal more expensive than Beijing, but with that sort of salary you could easily find a decent place to live and make it fine.