BeijingBob
American expat in China
Forum posts
56
About me
American
Lives in Beijing
Speaks English, Mandarin, some Cantonese and Japanese
Registration: 09 August 2020
Your neighbours in China by Cheryl
Hello everyone, When you move in China, relationships with your neighbours can play a vital role in your well-being and integration. Share your experiences of the interactions and routines that punctuate your daily life in China: Tell us about ...
@Lmflmf1This is not something new This has been happening in every country all over the world ever since people started living and working abroad This is why there is a ChinaTown everywhere you go, a Little Italy, Greek neighbourhoods and ... Read More
Your neighbours in China by Cheryl
Hello everyone, When you move in China, relationships with your neighbours can play a vital role in your well-being and integration. Share your experiences of the interactions and routines that punctuate your daily life in China: Tell us about ...
@pragmatist Theory vs Reality 馃槀 Read More
International School of Beijing versus the Western Academy of Beijing. by marke123
Hello,I am moving to Beijing and looking into international schools for my child who will be starting high school. The ones that caught my attention immediately were the International School of Beijing and the Western Academy of Beijing. I did some ...
My son has long since graduated HS But I remember we had applied to WAB but had been waitlisted as they were no spaces available at the time We applied to Dulwich as well but we didn鈥檛 like the way the school felt when we went in. Then even ... Read More
Your neighbours in China by Cheryl
Hello everyone, When you move in China, relationships with your neighbours can play a vital role in your well-being and integration. Share your experiences of the interactions and routines that punctuate your daily life in China: Tell us about ...
Nothing much to tell really聽 聽 I ve been in China 25 years and have had near zero relations with neighbors Way back in 2001 we made froends with another couple in our building聽 Expat Husband/聽 Local wife like us Moved away in ... Read More
Dog's quality of life in China? by Isal91
Hi! I posted here a little while back regarding my dog, but I'm very curious as to how a dog's quality of life is in China. I'm from America, we have a lot of dog parks here and pet stores. Is it the same in China? How has raising dogs been and how ...
No worries. I鈥檓 not to sure about the people who frequent them only because out of the ones I know of, I rarely see anyone there. There was one in the Sanya area who would let his dog mingle with ours so maybe Licensing couldn鈥檛 be ... Read More
Dog's quality of life in China? by Isal91
Hi! I posted here a little while back regarding my dog, but I'm very curious as to how a dog's quality of life is in China. I'm from America, we have a lot of dog parks here and pet stores. Is it the same in China? How has raising dogs been and how ...
@Isal91 Hi. I too am American but have been living here in China since the 90鈥� Beijing specifically since 2011 You could say I have spent almost half my life in China as I am 60 now and was 35 when I moved here from NY and I鈥檝e had ... Read More
how to move to Shanghai after high school? by Krystian Deiulis
hi, my name is Krys and in 2 years i will finish the high school. my dream is to live in Shanghai. my family has not enough money to pay me a chinese course there or university there so i hope to win a free scolarship from the chinese government. ...
Hi Krys, Basically, the most likely way for you to be able to come over and live in China is to either Study or work here. That Chinese person who told you that was not thinking clearly about the possibilities so don't get too bothered by what they ... Read More
Bringing my dog to China by Isal91
Hi I'm Isa, I'm going to China for college and to live. I have a dog, whose honestly the light of my life. I've heard about a lot of problems for dogs in China, especially the pet trafficking issue. I want to move to Beijing specifically but I'm ...
@Isal91 Hi, Ok so I have been living in China for over 25 years now and have had several dogs. Still do. I've brought one dog into Macao where I lived in the beginning and then brought one into China and she lived here 13 years without any issues ... Read More
How to make friends in Beijing by expat.com
We have been talking about [url=/forum/viewtopic.php?id=891]loneliness when you are abroad[/url], let's now talk about how to make friends (locals or expatriates) when you're living in Beijing :top: [b]Which are your best tips ...
The only trouble with making friends with other expats is that oftentimes after 2 or 3 years they relocate to another country. I鈥檝e been in China since the 90s and almost everyone I have made friends with moves away or back home after a short ... Read More
The cost of Living in China in 2023 by Mickael
Hello everyone, As every year, we invite you to share your experience on the evolution of the cost of living in the region or city where you live in order to answer future requests for information from new members of the site who would like to ...
Hi there,Ok so, Beijing is not a cheap place to live. In actuality there are probably no more expensive places to live in China. Shanghai and Guangzhou are probably quite similar in cost.To answer the listed questions:In terms of accommodation, how ... Read More
Any paragliding enthusiasts in Beijing? by BeijingBob
I know there's a bunch of foreign paraglider pilots down in Shanghai but what about here in Beijing? I'm an American in a Chinese club which is fine but it might be nice to have a few foreign paraglider pilots around to chat with too I think. I ...
@Cheryl Thanks for the suggestion Cheryl, I'll look into doing that Read More
Any paragliding enthusiasts in Beijing?
I know there's a bunch of foreign paraglider pilots down in Shanghai but what about here in Beijing? I'm an American in a Chinese club which is fine but it might be nice to have a few foreign paraglider pilots around to chat with too I think. I ... Read More
How difficult is it to travel out of China and come back? by chora
I am planning to go back home to the UK on 30th June 2022 for two weeks. My work visa is expiring on 18th August 2022. Do you think I will be able to make it back to China before my visa expires and have time to apply for a new work visa ...
@BeijingBob聽as a follow-up to my previous post I did have to move myself to Belgium after my flight that was scheduled to go from Rome on 28th July got canceled and then pushed back twice to what is now 18 September. So I flew over to Belgium. ... Read More
How difficult is it to travel out of China and come back? by chora
I am planning to go back home to the UK on 30th June 2022 for two weeks. My work visa is expiring on 18th August 2022. Do you think I will be able to make it back to China before my visa expires and have time to apply for a new work visa ...
@mrangry聽Sorry to scare you off going. 聽It is difficult. 聽As for the double PCR tests it seems that is the rule no matter where you come from. 聽They seem to be standardizing it. That was the rule when I left the UK it was the ... Read More
How difficult is it to travel out of China and come back? by chora
I am planning to go back home to the UK on 30th June 2022 for two weeks. My work visa is expiring on 18th August 2022. Do you think I will be able to make it back to China before my visa expires and have time to apply for a new work visa ...
@mrangry聽Oh you asked me about the visas. 聽I am American so no need visas for travel in EU Read More
How difficult is it to travel out of China and come back? by chora
I am planning to go back home to the UK on 30th June 2022 for two weeks. My work visa is expiring on 18th August 2022. Do you think I will be able to make it back to China before my visa expires and have time to apply for a new work visa ...
@mrangry聽I flew ITA Air from London to Rome. But UPDATE on my situation, As I said I was supposed to be flying to ChongQing on the 14th on Hainan but they canceled all flights and tentatively booked me for a new flight on the 28th of July. ... Read More
How difficult is it to travel out of China and come back? by chora
I am planning to go back home to the UK on 30th June 2022 for two weeks. My work visa is expiring on 18th August 2022. Do you think I will be able to make it back to China before my visa expires and have time to apply for a new work visa ...
@chora聽Considering that I myself left China on the 6th of August 2021 with the idea to return in 3 months but am currently still trying to get back in before my work visa expires on the same day as yours over a year since I left I鈥檇 say ... Read More
Travellers returning to China by chora
Has anyone entered China recently ? I would highly appreciate if you could share your experience.聽
Anyone quarantine in ChongQing recently? How was it? Hotel or government facilities? 聽Quality of the accommodations? Food? Can you order food delivery? 聽 I quarantined in Shanghai last time (2020) and it was terrible so I want to brace ... Read More
How is the life quality of a dog in China? by ScottishCypriot
Hiya, I am thinking of moving to Suzhou with my dog. Can anyone give me some info on what it is like to have a dog there? Are there any parks I could let my dog off the leash? Is there anything I need to be aware of? Thank you so much in advance ...
No one replied? Maybe I am just not seeing them. Ok so, every city is different with its own rules but mostly you can鈥檛 have large breed dogs inside city limits. Note a Golden retriever sized dog is considered large here. A dogs life here ... Read More
New members of the China forum, introduce yourselves here - 2021 by Julien
Hi all, Newbie on the China forum? Don't know how to start? This thread is for you ;) We invite you to introduce yourself on this topic, to share with us your expat story if you are already living in the country, or to tell us more on ...
Hi, First you should look for someone in Suzhou to ask specifically about your dog. Many cities in China have restrictions regarding the size of dogs allowed within the city limits. What breed/breeds is he/she? How big? What westerners consider ... Read More
Please stop Asian discrimination-----Protect grandma
Even after all those BLM protests and everything the US is still an extremely racist society. For all the talk Americans make thinking the US is so great, it is actually a place full of racism, bigotry and hate. Asian lives matter too. Read More
Anyone know where to find Beijing local Covid situation? by BeijingBob
Hi, I live in Beijing and am wondering if anyone happens to know where to find the local lockdown situation news. Recently ShunYi was listed as a high-risk area. So if you visited there your Beijing Health Kit status would likely turn Red. However, ...
Thanks I鈥檝e had that App since October when they finally allowed me to come back home. I don鈥檛 think you can move in Beijing without it. I was looking more for informational purposes so you know when to avoid certain districts etc. ... Read More
What struck you about China? by Cheryl
Hello everybody, When you first settled in China, you might have been struck by cultural aspects of life in China and you might even have anecdotes about your integration here. We would like you to share with expats-to-be what you discovered ...
I arrived in China in 1998. At that time in Beijing Bicycles were still easily outnumbering cars while the city itself seemed quite modern. It was summer and there were people flying kites in Tian An Men Square. I was awestruck that I was actually ... Read More
General aviation in China by Gonzo_hen_hao
I'm still 2.5 years out from moving, and understand that general aviation in China is best described as, 鈥榥ascent鈥欌�� But as an active pilot, I鈥檓 very interested in knowing how to connect with pilots flying in China now. ...
Not impossible to fly? Let me clarify, Not impossible to fly IF YOU ARE CHINESE and very well connected and even then not without a huge number of restrictions. I'm a Helicopter pilot who lives and has worked in China as a Pilot for more than ... Read More
Quarantine facilities in Pudong District Shanghai by Vish_was
Hi, I am traveling from Spain to Shanghai next week and I wanted to know about the food in quarantine facilities. I am vegetarian and I am bit worried about my 14 days stay. Will I be able to order food from outside? Can anyone share the whole ...
I had not either. They did ask at one point on arrival but I told them no, I had not booked one because I thought they arranged that trough the quarantine and I they just answered, oh, yes, we do. However, about a week into quarantine they start ... Read More
good VPN In Shanghai by kenworth1945
Hello every body, Do you know some goods VPN I am in Shanghai and would lilke to use a really good one Many thanks for your reply, and best regards. kenworth1945
It鈥檚 good to use ExpressVPN & Astrill because when one of them is misbehaving which is often you can switch to using the other. Regardless neither is going to be good when big government meetings take place if you are in a bigger city ... Read More
PU Letter + work permit by shinyrayn76
Hi guys, my employer is processing my work permit for summer 2021. It said PU letter. I read about it online but can anyone give me any advise on the ease of getting a PU letter. Given the current pandemic, what are my chances of landing a job in ...
Sorry, but I know nothing of your situation so I can鈥檛 really say what your chances are. You haven鈥檛 said anything about why you are coming to China or what your job is or how critical it might be to your company. Not everyone comes to ... Read More
Anyone know where to find Beijing local Covid situation?
Hi, I live in Beijing and am wondering if anyone happens to know where to find the local lockdown situation news. Recently ShunYi was listed as a high-risk area. So if you visited there your Beijing Health Kit status would likely turn Red. However, ... Read More
Quarantine facilities in Pudong District Shanghai by Vish_was
Hi, I am traveling from Spain to Shanghai next week and I wanted to know about the food in quarantine facilities. I am vegetarian and I am bit worried about my 14 days stay. Will I be able to order food from outside? Can anyone share the whole ...
Well, there is really no way to tell really. I flew into Shanghai in October. All of us passengers on our flight who were from outside the Shanghai area got together in the waiting area before boarding and joined the same WeChat group so that we ... Read More
PU Letter + work permit by shinyrayn76
Hi guys, my employer is processing my work permit for summer 2021. It said PU letter. I read about it online but can anyone give me any advise on the ease of getting a PU letter. Given the current pandemic, what are my chances of landing a job in ...
The PU Letter is something your employer has to apply to the government for on your behalf so as to grant you permission to enter the country for work. It鈥檚 not an easy thing for them to get they have the show that you are a critical ... Read More
VPN and Singaporeans ? by kltan4
Hello everyone ! I would be going to Zhu Hai soon to teach in a local Uni. I have two questions. (a) May I know if there are any Singaporeans living in that area or travelling there soon? I would love to connect with you all. (b) Also, I would ...
Doesn't matter Express or Astril I've used both. In fact I have both on my phone all the time. If I'm using Express and it starts dropping out I switch over to Astril and vice versa. They are both great when the government is feeling ... Read More
VPN and Singaporeans ? by kltan4
Hello everyone ! I would be going to Zhu Hai soon to teach in a local Uni. I have two questions. (a) May I know if there are any Singaporeans living in that area or travelling there soon? I would love to connect with you all. (b) Also, I would ...
I don't think Panda is a local Chinese company. It's just a company trying to get the Chinese traffic. In the end VPNs are illegal in China so you are not going to have any local start-ups. As for the other VPNs well they all seem to ... Read More
VPN blocked? by OmyGod
Troublesome for me if VPN is blocked. I may not move to Beijing because I need to execute orders to my banks in the US.
Doesn鈥檛 matter Beijing or Shanghai or wherever you move to in China. It happens every now and then if there鈥檚 some important government meeting going on. If you can鈥檛 live without western social media for a few days every so often ... Read More
Is it possible to get a yes or no answer about visas on this forum? by CaliRay
I've been reading everything I can find online to learn if, as of today, Chinese citizens can obtain either tourist or business visas to enter the United States. The information found on .gov, travel agency sites and other places use hundreds, ...
Yes but I also gave two webpages that are not dot gov 馃榿 Read More
Is it possible to get a yes or no answer about visas on this forum? by CaliRay
I've been reading everything I can find online to learn if, as of today, Chinese citizens can obtain either tourist or business visas to enter the United States. The information found on .gov, travel agency sites and other places use hundreds, ...
Expecting a definitive answer on a website like this from a bunch of Expats who are probably just as clueless as yourself about the restrictions is a bit unrealistic. I just took a quick look at the US Embassy in China webpage, the only credible ... Read More
New members of the China forum, introduce yourselves here - 2020 by Julien
Hi all, Newbie on the China forum? Don't know how to start? This thread is for you ;) We invite you to introduce yourself on this topic, to share with us your expat story if you are already living in the country, or to tell us more on your ...
Pick up a couple of books on basic Chinese before you come. Concentrate on speaking and listening. I wouldn鈥檛 bother with the reading in the writing Until later on after you鈥檝e been here for a while, then you can decide if it鈥檚 ... Read More
Getting Prescription Medicines ? by gogobrad9167
I'm running kind of low on my blood pressure medicine and need to get some.As with most things.I'm finding it's not so easy.Which I understand.Does anyone know how and where I can get it.I need Lisinopril.I would appreciate any ...
While I don鈥檛 use the same one I鈥檝e never had much of a problem. Take the box from your meds to the local pharmacy. They鈥檒l look it up in their book to find the Chinese name and hopefully you鈥檒l be good to go. I鈥檝e ... Read More
Is it possible to work for a foreign company in China as an expat? by c0ldfyr3
Hi there, I am an Irish guy currently working for a Chinese company and have been with a B work permit for the past 3 years sponsored by the Chinese company I work for. An Irish company has last week offered me a job working directly for them but ...
There are lots people who do exactly that. Foreigners/Expats in China working for foreign companies. In fact that鈥檚 probably the majority of them. But in order to get those jobs usually you have to be an expert in particular job that needed ... Read More
In retrospect, would you move again to China? by Christine
Hi all, If you had to look back on your expat experience in China, would you heartily say "let聮s do it again"? From the preparation stage to your actual everyday life in your new country, what did you enjoy the most? Would you do certain ...
Great questions Would I do it again? Move to China? Absolutely. I have no regrets whatsoever. Although compared to other ex-pats I believe I have had an advantage in acclimatizing myself to live here as I was already married to a mainland born ... Read More
Survey - Rate China! by Marie
Hello everyone, I hope you are doing well. We are launching a survey on expat quality of life in China, in partnership with April International Care France. For your information, destinations targetted by the survey are as follows: Australia, ...
I started to answer the questions on the survey but find the survey flawed. Therefore I quit it. It cannot be accurate with the way the questions are worded. Life is not black and white. The questions don鈥檛 allow for variables. Read More
First impressions after moving to China by Diksha
Hello everyone, You probably have vivid memories of your first weeks as an expat in China. Indeed, moving to a new country is a milestone in someone’s life. Today, we invite you to share with the community how you experienced your first ...
Nice post. Very well said Having been in China since 1998 I鈥檝e seen and experienced much the same. I also live in the North after having been in Guangdong for a dozen years. Most foreigners come for a few years and then go unable to adapt ... Read More
Any Americans in the UK who have traveled in/out of the EU recently? by BeijingBob
Hi all, I'm kind of desperate for some news regarding travel from the UK into Europe for a US Expat who has been in London 6 months already and has a visa about to expire. Everything I read says that all EU member states are refusing entry to ...
Thanks very much for the info and I apologize for the late reply. Actually thought I had replied already but seems not. Since your reply I have contacted the Home Office and explained my situation. I鈥檝e requested an extension of stay although ... Read More
New members of the China forum, introduce yourselves here - 2020 by Julien
Hi all, Newbie on the China forum? Don't know how to start? This thread is for you ;) We invite you to introduce yourself on this topic, to share with us your expat story if you are already living in the country, or to tell us more on your ...
Hi All, New member to the forum but not exactly new to China. Been here since moving here from the States 22 years ago. I reside on the outskirts of Beijing Retired now love to travel and see as much as I can of China and the world Read More
Any Americans in the UK who have traveled in/out of the EU recently?
Hi all, I'm kind of desperate for some news regarding travel from the UK into Europe for a US Expat who has been in London 6 months already and has a visa about to expire. Everything I read says that all EU member states are refusing entry to ... Read More