• Light/Dark
  • Ever wanted an RSS feed of all your favorite gaming news sites? Go check out our new Gaming Headlines feed! Read more about it here.
  • We have made minor adjustments to how the search bar works on ResetEra. You can read about the changes here.

Tomorrow, I Leave For China!

Deleted member 23212

User requested account closure
Banned
Oct 28, 2017
11,225
Well, for 5 months at least! Hello Era, today was my last full day in Canada, and well, I have a mix of emotions. I have both excitement for the future that lies ahead, but I am also extremely anxious about my journey. I will definitely miss my family, and I am worried that my limited Chinese skills won't improve at a pace that satisfies me. However, I guess I must remain positive! I will be staying in Beijing, the capital of China, for 5 whole months!! I get to study Chinese in the land of the Chinese!! I also plan on making a video series on my life there and I will upload it to YouTube. In any case, if there are any other people that live in Beijing I'm interested in hearing your thoughts on life there.
 

PatMan

Banned
Oct 27, 2017
978
Ask everyone there are about the horrible human rights atrocities their government commits.
 
gdt

gdt

Member
Oct 26, 2017
9,519
I'm down for a visit but a whole five months. Brave my guy.

How will you support yourself? Looking for love over there?
 

Deleted member 16908

Oct 27, 2017
9,377
Good luck my man. Are you worried about the air quality over there?
 
Platy

Platy

Member
Oct 25, 2017
27,719
Brazil
23212.jpg


Don't forget to say "yataaa" on your video series
 
Iceman

Iceman

Member
Oct 26, 2017
605
Alhambra, CA
Curious to know if you can opt-in to whatever the local social credit system (trial) is in Beijing as an outsider.. or if you would even consider it.

It looks like there is no unified social credit system, although the aim will be to integrate the disparate, local systems in 2022 using some yet-to-be engineered algorithms that will "standardize" or translate between the various scoring systems.
 
Vern

Vern

Banned
Oct 26, 2017
5,097
There is a china era OT. Lots of us in this part of the world.

China is a pretty good place to be. Life is super convenient compared to the western world and people are outgoing, welcoming, and helpful.

The government sucks of course and there are human rights issues. Don't really want to downplay the big issues but they don't really effect you on a personal level so you won't notice anything besides a great city full of awesome people and tons of things to do there in Beijing.

Try to get out to western china if you can. Yunnan, Guangxi, guizhou... even Xinjiang is great to visit.
 
Felt

Felt

The Fallen
Oct 27, 2017
3,210
It's a great city to visit. Just bring masks if the air quality is bad
 
Vern

Vern

Banned
Oct 26, 2017
5,097
Also have your vpn downloaded and ready before you go.

Watch out for tea scams and tantan scams.
 
BigDes

BigDes

Knows Too Much
Member
Oct 25, 2017
3,799
Get your wechat wallet and delivery apps sorted as soon as you can

Nothing like ordering a tube of toothpaste at 3am and having it delivered to your door
 
Miso

Miso

Banned
Nov 1, 2017
453
Northen Beaches
User Banned (2 weeks): trolling, racism, engaging in racist stereotypes
You can pick up some replacement organs on the cheap. Just don't ask where they come from.

Also, take loads of Winnie the Pooh merch.
 
Shady

Shady

Member
Oct 28, 2017
118
Tomorrow, I return from China!

It's a wonderful country, been there thrice. Once travelling with friends and twice with my Chinese wife.

Don't worry too much about your limited Mandarin. First time I went I stayed in Beijing for a couple of weeks. If I was lost and needed directions I'd just ask a random stranger, and pretty much every random stranger I asked replied in English.

The above doesn't apply for the smaller cities though. Much harder to navigate, but Google Maps and Translate still managed to get me around.
 
Stephen Home

Stephen Home

Alt account
Banned
Dec 17, 2018
709
Install ExpressVPN before you go, it would be too late when you get off the plane.

Also, get a Mobike account.
 
Stephen Home

Stephen Home

Alt account
Banned
Dec 17, 2018
709
Also give cash to your Chinese friend and have them send you virtual money on wechat. Don't expect your credit cards will work. They don't even take it in Walmart. Pay everything with your phone.
 
Ogami Itto

Ogami Itto

Banned
Oct 25, 2017
3,612
Always be smiling, you don't want those mood cameras to flag you. Try and snitch on people to increase your social credit standing.
 
Woody

Woody

Member
Mar 5, 2018
2,055
- Open a local bank account ASAP and make sure it matches your name on WeChat. I don't even carry a wallet anymore and usually get by easily with <500 RMB on me.

- Create a taobao account and order a smartair filter to run while you're in your apartment.

- Buy some good n95 masks from 3m before you go, or you can just get them on taobao.

- Anything else you can think of can usually be bought online, so don't stress too much about packing.

Have fun!
 
BladeoftheImmortal

BladeoftheImmortal

Banned
Oct 27, 2017
6,467
To the op. It's not really a journey. Day to day is about the same as the states(probably about the same as Canada) except there's ten times better public transportation. Hopefully you'll have insurance otherwise you need to get some they don't have public healthcare there either and you have to pay upfront for a surgery before they'll pay you back.

You will wonder how so many people fit in one city though. I believe Canada's whole population is almost the same as Beijing.
 

Chakoo

Member
Oct 27, 2017
2,842
Toronto, Canada
Listen to those in the thread who have gone, ignore the noise from trolls about Pooh, do get that wechat and expressvpn goingbefore you depart but most of all enjoy your time there.

I've had nothing but great experience the 4 times i've been and would have gone more if not for in-laws coming to stay with us. It's always crazy to see how much shenyang changes every time I go back.
 
Last edited:
Shady

Shady

Member
Oct 28, 2017
118
As others have mentioned, WeChat Pay is used everywhere. Taxis, restaurants, subway, supermarkets, you name it. Beijing subway is Godly. Be sure to get comfortable with it.

Oh, and be sure to carry a packet of tissues if you expect to be outside for long. Public toilets are common, but toilet paper is not! A pocket-sized hand sanitizer can be useful as well.
 
Shady

Shady

Member
Oct 28, 2017
118
Oh, and pedestrian crossings - cars won't stop for you unless you throw yourself out there and force them to, but I won't recommend that. Best to just wait until there's an opening.
 
Chairmanchuck (另一个我)

Chairmanchuck (另一个我)

Teyvat Traveler
Member
Oct 25, 2017
9,117
China
Get a chinese drivers licence. If you are staying for 5 months I think you can even get one at the airport.
Its much more convenient if you have a car there.

-Also if you need tips for Beijings "hidden places" and reasonable bars, there are some. Lived in Beijing for around 4 years.
Houhai/Sanlitun/Wudaokou bars are mostly a ripoff. There are a lot of smaller bars or "not well known" ones that are kinda hidden.

-If you have the time you can go to Gubei. Really nice city.

-Use Dianping if you go to restaurants, because literally almost every restaurant has discounts (85 RMB for every 100 RMB etc.).

-Talk to Chinese, dont be the "white trash" expat just being with their own kind.

In my opinion Beijing is a city you "need to know" to appreciate it. Walking through the Hutongs besides Nanluoguxiang is great. There are a lot of cool places in Changping (a few months ago we discovered a new food street thats hidden from the Chengguan.

You can still see him in Disney Shanghai I think.
Click to expand...
Click to shrink...

You can literally watch it on every major video plattform:

https://v.qq.com/x/search/?q=winnie&stag=0&smartbox_ab=
 
Sunster

Sunster

The Fallen
Oct 5, 2018
10,029
Well you live in Canada not US so I can't say with certainty that this will apply to you but one thing I LOVED about being in a major Asian city was the transportation,.. Transportation everywhereeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee
No need to own a car just to go where you want whenever like in the vast majority of US.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.