Personal Banking in China:

OE admin Mandy asked this question the other day:

roots mentioned in another thread that the ATM card issued by his bank in China won’t work overseas. Is this the case with all banks in China? Which of the banks are most expat friendly? What are the requirements for opening an account etc?

Which do you use and why?

My 2 answers, please excuse my language:

Chinese banking is so Fuked up that you notice even Jack is avoiding the issue.

Almost all Chinese banks are still nominally owned by Federal or Provincial governments.

The 4 largest banks in China are the ones you are most likely to see: ICBC, BOC, CCB, and ABC. Bank of China and Industrial and Commercial Bank of China been the most popular.

The most f*cked up part of it all is that money doesn’t travel, which created the current cash culture of Chinese economy. Getting money into and out of the country can be especially tedious, and stupendously time consuming.

Don’t expect ANY ATM cards or Credit Cards from Chinese banks to work outside of the country. HK, maybe, if you go to their branches. Chinese banks are heavily protected and extremely archaic (and nontransparent), despite the fact that they are listed on the NY stock exchange. RMB is a protected/controlled currency, which makes the whole thing even more cluster f*cked.

The reason you can’t use their ATM cards outside the country except maybe in HK is because (I am assuming) it’s a RMB account. Most RMB – foreign currency trades/exchanges are still strictly monitored.

Do what most of us do, get one Chinese bank account, and one foreign bank account from home. I lucked out because HSBC is heavily presented in Canada, HK, and slowly, China. A lot of expats rely on grey market money exchanges and Western Union to send money home.

As for the Chinese banks themselves, ICBC is the most popular, “common folk” bank, and BoC is probably ranked second in terms of presence and accessibility. All you need is RMB cash, a passport, an address, and someone to fill out the form for you to open an account. CCB and ABC are more specialized, and probably wouldn’t be as convenient.

All in all, a pea soup of cluster f*cking skull bashing lunatic doggery that is still pretending it’s the 80s.

I had to correct myself a bit upon farther research (btw, I am in no way endorsing CMB to anybody):

Anyway…, I got bored, so I looked into CMB’s services and offers. It basically boils down to this, certain Chinese banks have signed working agreements with various banks around the world, and some banks’ ATM will take a Chinese ATM card. The problem is still RMB. Since your account is most likely to be still in RMB, and you certainly can’t take out RMB, so you will get the an exchange equivalent. The highest ATM equivalent right now seems to be RMB 2000, which is about 2-300 USD.

What complicates things is that some Chinese banks have signed agreements with Visa or Master card. There seems to be an ATM type of card that is Visa certified or something that will deal in USD. What makes it even more screwed is that you can apply for a Visa itself, which should have been easier thing to begin with. But the f*cked up thing is that you seem to need an USD account to start with before you can even do this, otherwise you seem to need a RMB transfer payment plan in place.

Anyway, look for this symbol going outside the country:

银联

Your limit is RMB 2000/day.

QUOTE :
1、在境外哪些商户和ATM刷卡可以用人民币支付？
境外地区贴有“银联”标识的商户和ATM，均可以使用信用卡内人民币账户支付。
[返回]
2、在境外“银联”标识和VISA、MasterCard标识的商户和ATM交易，有什么不同？
1）支付货币不同。在“银联”标识的商户和ATM用卡，支付货币为人民币；在VISA或MasterCard联网商户和ATM用卡，支付货币为美元。
2）还款货币不同。境外地区的“银联”交易，客户直接用人民币还款；在VISA或MasterCard联网商户和ATM用卡，客户用美元还款，或申请人民币购汇还款。
[返回]
3、银行按什么汇率将交易的外币兑换成人民币？
按照交易当日国家对外公布的外币对人民币的外汇卖出价兑换。
[返回]
4、哪些信用卡可以在境外“银联”商户和ATM交易？
招商银行VISA信用卡、招商银行MasterCard信用卡、国航知音信用卡均可以在境外地区的“银联”商户和ATM交易，用人民币支付。
[返回]
5、境外是不是所有的商户和ATM，都用信用卡内的人民币支付？
在境外地区，只有在贴有“银联”标识的商户和ATM，才用人民币支付；其余商户和ATM刷卡，均从美元账户扣款。

For a list of countries or more info if you can read it:

CMB Link!

As for me? I’ll stick to my original advice. Keep your China/foreign accounts separate. It’s much more convenient and hassle free.

Check OE for original discussion.

Link!

Taxis in China

Have you ever taken a taxi in North America? (Sorry, I don’t have taxi experience in Europe)

Ok, throw that out of the window now. It’s not that Chinese taxi drivers aren’t as good as their North American counter parts (which are quickly being replaced by Indians in Vancouver), it’s just that the system and the training is quite different.

Most of the taxi companies in China are run like a cartel or a mob organization. Somebody with Really good connections to the local transportation ministry get a extremely lucrative, monopolistic license, and a heavy financing with the (still partially government owned/controlled) Chinese banks to buy the cars. Pick up some decent drivers, a training center, a maintenance crew and etc, viola, you got a license to print cash.

Therefore, it’s suffice to say that “flavours” and the “quality” of the drivers you get are extremely varied. A lot of them also skim on the side, which is a time honoured Chinese traditions whenever the top management demands too much tribute.

Take Beijing for example, (last I checked) it is now illegal for a taxi driver to privately run a vehicle due to “quality” and “safety” concerns. So most taxi drivers time share their vehicle with another driver with the both of them chipping in the “rent” each month to the Taxi company for “maintenance” and “management” fees. They are also personally responsible for the gas. This will amount to 2-3000 RMB a month for him to run that vehicle nonstop. If he is good, know his routes, know where to hit for his customers, learned to escape the traffic, and then maybe he pulls in 5-7000 RMB a month. His take home after all the hub-bob will be from 2000 – 5000 RMB a month working 12 hours shifts 7 days a week.

Why do I bother with that little anecdote of background story on the life of a typical Beijing taxi driver? Because, if you are living/working here, meeting a good driver is a god send. That’s why I want you to be nice to him(very rarely her) if you find the elusive old school professionals. I have probably ridden enough taxis in China to ride from New York to Vancouver, so I have seen it all.

So what should you do if you are hailing a taxi in China? These are some basic rules:

1. If you don’t speak Chinese, it’s preferable to have someone else tell the driver where to go or have the address in Chinese on a piece of paper. When push comes to shove, get your cellphone ready to call a friend who knows the streets.
2. Even if you speak Chinese ( a bit or a lot), it’s still probably better for you to ask if the driver is willing to go where you want to go at that particular time. Another reason to ask is because of the fact that there are a lot of new drivers these days. (I.E.: I am finding an increasing number of down sized bus drivers. ) Most of them (new ones) don’t know where the F**k they are going. It’s very annoying to get in, clicked the meter, tell him where to go, watch him go for 1 – 2 blocks and THEN tell me he has no idea where the stinking place is. Make sure you check first.
3. A way (in Beijing, not 100% sure about other places, since I have always been too busy in other places to chat with the driver) to check if he is a veteran or not is to check his taxi driver license, which should be promptly displayed in a plastic casing in the front passenger seat. The lower the number he has, the more experience he has. Check to see if it is current and if the picture matched the guy driving. Some veterans rent out their cars (not entirely legal, but if he wants to be home to eat dinner with the wife and kids, I can’t blame him) to younger drivers for a more reliable income.
4. If you can read it/see it, there should be a car inspection seal glued to the windshield on the driver/sometimes passenger side for this year.
5. You should always ask him to use to meter. No matter how much he insists, don’t deter from your mission, and you can always threaten to leave the car or call the complaint hot line. Most of the time when I tell people this, they are thinking this is to prevent him cheating. Yes and no. These days, you can make an OK living at this (especially if you were a farmer or construction worker), so there is less incentive to cheat you. And the policing of such matter is getting much better, trust me when I say that Chinese riders don’t like to be cheated any more than you (the foreigner) do. Another reason is below:
6. Always ask for receipts. All Chinese taxi meters should print out a receipt when he flips the meter back up. Most of them will have a Chinese girl’s voice saying in Chinese or English something like “Thank you for your patronage, feel free to comment, blah, come again”. The receipt is very important when you file a complaint or when you “gasp” lose Sh*t on the taxi (EXTREMELY common). This will tell you the license plate, the company name, what time you got on and off, and the fare.
7. Never get on the fake taxis. It’s never worth the hassle. Trust me. All those guys at the airport trying sucker you in, “Taxi, car, sir?” Ignore them, and pretend you have a ride already.
8. Off the top of my head, a taxi ride from the Beijing Airport to any hotel in town(unless it’s in the extreme south) shouldn’t be any more than 60 – 120 RMB a ride. You also have to pay the required 10 RMB toll both. Any more than that, and it’s suspicious.
9. This is just a personal pet peeve. If you are here on business, and your contact didn’t pick you up at the airport, expecting you (especially if you don’t speak Chinese) to find your way to the whatever bizarre hotel the secretary has kick back with in god knows where? F**K them. This is a basic Chinese courtesy. If he/she can’t even be bothered to send a person to the airport to pick you up, it’s just not worth it to continue your relationship with them.

I wish you luck in your travels.

Warning: The dangers of China (Crime)

What can happen to you:

A Canadian Model was murdered in China not so long ago.

Please read that first, if the link is dead, read the following quote:

A trial began Monday in China for the 18-year-old Chinese man accused of murdering B.C. model Diana O’Brien in Shanghai in July.

China’s official Xinhua news agency reported that the hearing for the accused, Chen Jun, lasted about two hours.

“So far, no sentence has been issued,” the agency said.

The No. 1 Intermediate People’s Court of Shanghai described Chen as a native of nearby Anhui province, who earned a monthly wage of about 1,000 yuan — equivalent to about $180 Cdn — at a restaurant in Shanghai.

Prosecutors said he ran out of money after quitting his job.

Chen has confessed that he followed Obrien to her apartment in Shanghai on the night of July 6. O’Brien was said to have resisted when Chen asked for money, and the accused allegedly stabbed her to death, according to Xinhua.

Her body was found the next day in the building where she lived. O’Brien, 22, was from Saltspring Island, B.C. She entered China on June 24 and worked for Shanghai-based JH Model Agency, Xinhua said.

This is a warning to all those who want/are coming to this country to work/live. Be careful.

It’s impossible to just brush off the entire country or entire sections of this country as safe or unsafe. That’s a pointless and fruitless task. I used to think at least Major cities like Beijing and Shanghai would be relatively safe too. Don’t let your guard down. You are staying at a foreign country, where you may or may not know people or speak any of the local languages to be an effective communicator, so it “pays” to pay attention to what you are doing and your surroundings.

And don’t let down your guard just because you started to get used to the neighbourhood, speak a few words and know a few people. It’s easy to develop a false sense of security, so never treat it as if it’s like home unless you are from a rough neighbourhood or a big metropolitan cities with large gangs.

Same precaution should always apply:

1. Lock your doors and windows. If you need ventilation, go find a higher floor or find a place with AC.
2. Keep back up copies of all your important documents, passports, licenses, etc.
3. Pay attention to your wallet or purse.
4. Money belt is one solution, but if you are staying long term, it could get very uncomfortable.
5. If you must wear pants with those sliding/side opened pockets, don’t put anything important in them.
6. If you have a cellphone, PAY ATTENTION TO IT!!!
7. Always, Always make sure you got EVERYTHING before you leave an area or vehicle.
8. Cameras and necklaces’ straps/chains should be reinforced, if it can be cut, it’s gone.
9. This is for the ladies, if you really want to go out late at night, bring a male or 2 female friends. Bus/Subway is probably better than taxi, but taxi is better than walking home or getting into a stranger’s car.
10. If possible, get a roommate from your home country or someone who understands English well and can be count on to bail you out.

These are just some of the simple everyday motherings (like it’s getting cold, wear a jacket thing) that you should keep in mind.

Have fun, but keep safe, please. One tragedy is quite enough.

What Kind of Clothes should you pack for China?

Well, it depends where you are going! You wouldn’t pack the same clothes for both New York and Hawaii, right? It’s the same in China. China isn’t a monolithic country and it’s huge, so it has a lot of different weather patterns depending on where you are headed.

I know this will be simplistic, but it’s probably easier if you don’t know Beijing from Nanjing yet.

In General:

It depends on where, how long and what you are going to do here. Most of the time, I’ll recommend a good pair of foot gear.

A pair of walking boots/shoes/sports shoes is probably a must just to get you around. Most Chinese roads don’t last long considering the amount of people walking/driving on it.

Don’t bring high heels unless you have a VERY specific reason for it. I don’t know how many broken heels and ankles I have seen around just because it’s dark and there was a pot hole where her foot was.

Sandals…, well, expect them to break. And most of them don’t have enough foot support for Chinese roads that contain a lot of uneven surfaces. If you must look good/comfy, make sure you can get a ride to and from wherever you are going.

If you are near sighted/or have vision problems, and you are used to wearing contacts, go back to your eye doctor/glasses place and pick out a pair of glasses. Wearing contacts for too long under such pollution can be bad for your eyes. Bring a pair of glasses for some relief.

As for when and where:

Northern China -

Expect extreme weather patterns. The extreme north never gets hot enough to warrant full summer gear. Pack warm, especially if you need to stay over during the winter times.

If you are staying in Beijing, pack really warm clothes for the winters and really cool clothes for summer time. Beijing is kinda unique because it has desert weather. I would recommend a North Face type coat/jacket, cashmere sweaters and scarfs for winter times. It can get really bone chilling cold if you aren’t prepared, and it has really fast and dry winds. If you are staying over during the summer times, pack summer gear but make sure you aren’t overly exposed to the sun. Pack one or two light jackets and pants that will block out stuff like sand just in case.

Most Northern Chinese households have some form of heaters, but they may or may not have ACs, so, double check before you get here(what season and where you are staying).

Southern China -

It can get pretty humid and hot depending on where you are( still, if you are the sensitive type, never forget lotion). If you are the type to sweat a lot, and you are coming in summer, you might want to pack extra deodorant and some emergency clothes just in case you can’t do laundry. Most places can have the ACs on full blast, so remember to bring a light jacket even if you are coming during the summer. You definitely need something to block off bugs if you are wearing shorts, hot pants, short skirts, and etc.

As for winter times, pack for wet and cold weathers. Most places tend NOT to have any heaters(or they are turned on very late say, Dec. ) because it’s not “supposed” to get that cold. Learn to layer your clothes so you can take off whatever you need according to room or outside temperature. A long, water proof coat and a nice pair of boots can be nice to have.

Again, these are just general advice, so you need to adapt them to where/when you are going.

Chinese Visa problems:

Courtesy or WSJ:

Linky

This is a sort of update on the Visa section. You may or may not have trouble getting a visa. If you need to stay long term, you don’t really need multiple entries anyway. I’ll stick to my original advice, stay away from consular offices and go with a certified travel agency. It’s possible to save yourself a lot of paper work and headache.

Feel free to ask any questions if you got any concerns.

—-

Edited to Add:

This is important, if you need to work or study, I don’t recommend the travel visa. If you are coming here for long term for -

1. Study: Get a student visa. It’s not that bad. Applying to a formal Chinese university might take more time and money, but you won’t get harassed once you get here. I personally know a few school official that won’t mind the extra paper work to properly “invite” you over.

2. Work: This is a gray area. It depends on what you are hired to do. If you are hired by a big company/university, it’s quite probable that most of the paper work are already done for you to get a proper work visa(you just have to pay tax). But if you are coming here without any proper plans except to maybe just get hired as an English teacher, it’ll be somewhat difficult to get one without going through some hoops. If that is the case, then you might want to try the business visa.

As for the crack down, going through consular offices will just makes it easier for them to track you. It’s up to you on what you want to do.

Some might be worried about this:

My face is more important than my people’s well being

But if you are really staying long term, wait out the Olympics. Chinese would eventually understand that visa restrictions(because of the complaint from the Chinese companies/people themselves) would actually hinder Chinese economy, investment to China, and continue to erode any foreign support or trust from any foreigners that are already choosing to live and work in China. Sooner or later, they need to learn that they don’t live alone in the world, and they can’t survive (let’s forget about economics for a second. China does not product enough food to support itself, not counting coal, oil and any other necessities that it needs to keep itself running.) without others.

As for residency permits, that’s entirely up to you. This is how I look at it, the more the Chinese government knows about you, the easier they can do something to you. On the other hand, you will be hard pressed for answers if you are found out. Of course, if you married a Chinese or work for big companies or universities, this is completely pointless to you.

Good luck in the path you take.

What to pack for a trip to China?

Sorry for the delay, minor family problems kept me from writing.

I can’t believe I had forgotten this section, seeing how important this is.

1. Lotion. No matter where you are in China, it can be quite dry even if there is a lot of water around. An expat friend of mine who used to work in Hangzhou, one of the few cities in China with lots of fresh water and a half decent weather complained that the place is too dry. Bring a really big bottle of your favourite lotion.

A. Don’t forget Sunblock, SP30.

2. Medications. There is absolutely no guarantee that China has/sells the medication you need to function, especially newer drugs (psychotropic drugs are especially rare) that hasn’t lost their rights license, and Chinese companies can’t rip it off yet. The pharmaceutical industry in China is one of the worst industries that is constantly plagued by scandals and corruptions. (In fact, the Chinese equivalent of Head of FDA was executed last year for corruption charges) Unless you know the doctor really, really well, there is no telling what snake oil he/she is bribed to sell you. I’d also recommend you to memorize the active ingredients of some of the most common(therefore available) meds that you are used to taking, because none of the brands that you are familiar with are actually sold in Chinese pharmacies. Please don’t forget to bring your prescriptions.

A. Common meds that you should pack, just in case. Ibuprofen or Motrin/Advil. Alka-Seltzer. Tums. Meds for the common flu and cold symptoms, especially ones for coughing. Meds that help you sleep and meds to help diarrhea symptoms.

3. Deodorant. This is VERY Important. I have not been able to buy ANY deodorant in China at all. Suffice to say that most Chinese people don’t use it and probably don’t have the need. Some of my expat friends have been known to ration these fresh scented blessed sticks of gold. I’ve been called at early mornings for deodorant emergencies. Bring your OWN. And if you are planning to stay a long time, lots of it.

Athletes! Remember your country’s image, bring one for the team!!

4. Shaving Razors/Shavers. This is somewhat related to the topic above. Let me put this to you straight, a lot of Chinese people don’t need to shave, so except for the really expensive electric shavers in the malls, all they sell in supermarkets are disposables. You might get lucky at see a few surplus razors on sale in a few places. Therefore, if you have a favourite type of knife, say fusion or venus, bring your own.

5. High End Electronics. Laptops/Notebook Computers in particular. The selection, quality and price isn’t the same as home. It’s MORE Expensive. You heard that right. Even though China makes everything from soap to houses, it still can’t make/assemble some of the high end electronics with required quality requirements and price. Don’t expect to buy cheap and GOOD electronics in China. If you can tolerate Chinese standards, buy what you need here. If not, bring your own.

Mini story: A Dell with the same setup is more expensive in China than the US.

6. Sizes. This will get a little personal. Please don’t be offended. Ladies, if you are/have bigger than a D cup, taller than 185cms, bigger jean size than say 35, and a shoe size bigger than 10? Choose your wardrobe VERY wisely. Most stores won’t carry/stock those sizes. There is just not enough demand. Northern China is probably better than Southern China is this regard since they are taller/bigger here. Gentlemen, don’t feel left out. If you are/have taller than 195cm, jeans size bigger than say 42, a shoe size bigger than 12 and/or a broad chest/shoulder? You are probably in the same boat. And please remember, China doesn’t use US sizes, it uses mostly an ad hoc size system that combines European and Chinese. Try everything on!

Bra is a big issue for quite a few female expats. Lingerie shopping isn’t exactly sophisticated in China due to governmental regulation of its advertising and sales. You won’t find Victoria Secret or La Senza in China. You can always try the more expensive international malls that are catered to the foreigners for your luck for any of the clothes that you lack. Otherwise, you’ll have to do HK shopping runs like a lot of expats.

If you are an discerning shoppers with a Chinese sized body, you’ll love the clothing shopping in China. The selection is quite varied, and if you know how to find them, you’ll be able to find some awesome clothes for the fractions of the price you pay back home. Provided that you know what you are doing.

7. A phrase book or an electronic dictionary has been proven useful for certain people. This is entirely up to you. Most of the time, you probably won’t find what you are looking for at the time when you most need it. Something (like an electronic dictionary/translator) that will sound out the words might help more/be better, provided it doesn’t become a crutch that hinders your Chinese learning.

8. Some gifts that represent your home country or culture. Something a little cultural, a little unique to your homeland provided it’s legal to enter the customs is always nice to have on hand no matter who you meet.

Teaching English, Part 2(and working in China in General):

This seems to be an extremely popular section, so I’ll give it more press.

I have taught English/ESL part time for nearly 10 years, and my experience is more than enlightening. If you want to teach English or otherwise in China, here are the general advices:

1. What do you want?

I can not stress this one enough.

Look, a lot of people came here with the reasons I have posted in section 1, and I really can’t say I approve it. The reason is very simple, working in another country is a VERY BIG commitment. China doubles that equation by 5 or more. Most westerners are JUST NOT prepare for the experience. This is in no way patronizing on my part because it is true. The amount of people, time, man hour, money and life wasted away here by westerners is probably enough to take the current USA out of recession. China didn’t build their current economy. Foreign investments, technology transfers and eager beavers who tried to cash in did. They lost trillions. I want to prevent you from doing the same.

If you want adventure, romance, sex, excitement, and a big pay check.., go to law school or take a MBA program. The best way for you to get that glamorous movie expat life is get hired by a large International Conglomerate and get stationed here. You make foreign currency, and all your living needs are already paid for by your company. Life on the ground is not like that. This is no place to escape a mediocre life. You need to know what you really want before setting foot here.

2. Take a tour.

Come here first. Take a look around. Spend 1- 3 month to travel the country a bit. Backpacking if you must. Talk to some expats around the town you are interested in staying. You need to get a general feel about the place before you decide to settle down here. If you can’t stay that long, 2-3 weeks is probably minimal.

3. Do your homework.

Talk to a career counselor and a financial adviser before coming. This is important. Working in a foreign country is like immigration, except that you are going to a (most likely 3rd world country). You need to have a realistic expectation on how much you are going to spend, and how long you can go without a job. If you loose/quit that first job(extremely common) you get hired for in China, you need to know if you can survive. China isn’t a cheap place to live anymore.

4. Have a realistic expectation.

This is the typical salary range for an foreign English teacher in China (exchange rate may vary) :

3000 – 6000 RMB/Month = 400 – 800 USD/Month.

But what about your living expenses? China is cheaper, right? Let’s use Beijing as an example:

Within 4 ring road:

1000 – 5000 RMB/ 1 bedroom, 1 bath/10+ square meters/Month = 150 – 700 USD/Month

2000 – 8000 RMB/ 2 bedrooms, 1 or 2 bath/20-25+ square meters/Month = 280 – 1100 USD/Month

3500 – 20000 RMB/ 3 bedrooms, 2 or 3 bath/35-40 + square meters/Month = 500- 2800 USD/Month

That’s not so bad, right? As long as you stay within the lower range, and you take on a few private tutor jobs, you should be fine, right?

Wrong. Most Chinese buildings are built to Chinese living standards according to the year they are built. Most of the buildings that are semi-suitable to what you used to as western standard of living are built after 2001 or later. I won’t go too deep into housing here, but expect what you deem acceptable to be in the high range.

What about living expenses?

2000 – 5000 RMB a month for food, public transport, a few nights out, 2 dinners a week is very common.

What about the visit home?

5000 – 6000 RMB for a round trip ticket from Beijing to Vancouver.

What about those jobs with contracts that includes room, food and an airplane ticket?

You get a room in a dorm. You will (most likely) share the bathroom with the entire floor. You WILL have a curfew. You will eat free in the school cafeteria that serves …, anyway. And expect things NOT to work. Your roof might leak, and most of the appliance are probably 5-10 years old. Expect to catch some kind of skin disease.

5. A Personal story.

A friend of mine makes almost 25,000 – 30,000 RMB/Month = 3500 – 4200 USD/Month in Beijing teaching. That’s REALLY GOOD, right? Guess how much he keeps at the end of the year? ZERO. He’s been here for 4 years, got a wife and kid, and takes 2 vacation outside China(mostly going home to Vancouver) every year. Very typical and normal for a western family right? Except that he doesn’t get to save any money. Why? He still hasn’t paid off his student loan, nor his credit card debt that he incurred when he first arrived and he has child support from the first marriage. That is also extremely common for typical western families. Making RMB to pay CAD debts is down right insane and not really workable.

But you will say, it is possible to make that much teaching, right? LOL.

The reason he even makes that much is because he has build up his reputation for teaching excellence after 4 grueling years here. And he doesn’t really teach in schools at all. He teaches for multinationals and big companies.

6. Consider the human cost factor.

I can’t stress this enough. Life is tough here. I am not just talking the pollution, the cost of living, and/or any of the other crap I have mentioned. Working in China can be very tiring psychologically and emotionally. The rudeness, the behind the back talk, the staring, the people asking for free lessons, the constant questioning, the sneaky picture taking and the complete absolute lack of privacy. There are a lot of wonderful things about the Chinese people, but you have to wade through a lot of things to get there sometimes. Think about it.

To be continued. I’ll also answer my board mate TK’s question in the next post. I’ll update this post later.

Living with Pollution/Weather in Beijing/China (for Athletes and New Comers):

This is sort of a section for the Athletes and new comers. Pollution is very bad in China. If you are staying long term in China, expect it to take a few years off your life. I won’t get into anything technical here, because telling you how many particles per million or billion is useless to me and most likely to you as well.

This isn’t a section on how bad the pollution is or a rant about environmental damages. This one is about how to cope with it.

I have an independent air filter system at home in Beijing. If you have the money, you can get a combo with a air moisturizing system add on which can be a god send in Beijing.

1. Get an air filtering system. Or if you have an AC, change its filters often(HEPA if you can get it).

2. Get used to it. The US Olympics team has decided to stay in Korea and will only go to Beijing in the last minute to compete. BAD mistake. Your system needs that critical first week to adjust to the new environment. If you don’t do this, the pollution crash(with asthma or flu like symptoms) will be horrid.

3. Drink a lot of good water. Enough said.

4. Choose a living quarter away from the Main streets. In the west, everyone wants a view, don’t they? In China or Beijing in particular, getting a view can mean that your windows can have constant (depending on where it’s facing) winds blowing pollutants INTO your house. You will also have less noise.

5. Keep up your Ritual. Keep up your daily ritual of waking up at 6 am, brushing, and/or your favorite breakfast of sunny side eggs. This will keep you emotionally stable, so you and your immune system will be better prepared for the onslaught.

6. Do some experiments before coming. Here is an interesting experiment to try: Don one or two surgical masks, and go out and run for 5-10 kms. Can you handle the thinner air? Is your body still getting adequate amount of oxygen?

7. Be prepared for HOT, and DRY heat. If you are coming for the Olympics for any reason. Beijing is extremely hot in the summer. A lot of people don’t know that Beijing has desert weather. The fact that we are situated near the corner of Gobi Desert also helps. We don’t usually get sand storms in summer, but these days, you’ll never know. Pause for a second and Imagine a sand storm in the 50 degree C weather. You can get back to me later. Take your time. …., back? Unpleasant? Uncomfortable? Downright Nasty? You bet. AC can be your best friend in this season, but if you stay too long in it, you will get AC disease.

As for Athletes, stay off the sun, and keep hydrated. I am sure you don’t need me to say that.

8. If you are rich, you can get a place near the Summer Palace. This is one place in Beijing with a lot of water nearby and lots of old trees that are actually localized. Of course, you could stay/rent a farm house out there for cheap, but I am not sure if any westerners can actually survive that.

9. Honey with Grapefruit, Honey with Lemon, Grapefruit tea or a tiny bit of ginger tea can be a god send.

To be continued.