Updates & FAQ's about life in CHINA!
It's time that we start being more diligent at keeping everyone updated. We've been living in China for 5 months now and just recently completed a short visit back to Michigan. Since we are now comfortable enough to speak with at least a little authority on life in China, we're going to do just that. This blog will keep you updated on our life and offer small insights on what China (and wherever else we go) is like.
For those that aren't up to date, we live in Nanning, the capital city of the Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region. Guangxi is in southern China, bordering Vietnam and the South China Sea. In terms of Chinese cities, Nanning is pretty small: hosting a measly 7 million inhabitants. Two of them are us! We are part of a relatively small expat community here as well. My best guess is that there are probably around a thousand-or-so expatriates in Nanning. Given how few of us live in the mass of 7 million, we don't run into each other all that often.
FAQ's
Do you like living in China?
Yes, we really enjoy living in China. There were certainly some sacrifices of comfort, especially when we were still settling in. Some days, it'd be nice to get what you want to eat without pointing to a picture and hoping for the best! That said, the few small sacrifices pale in comparison to the amazing experiences we get to have.
Are you coming back?
Yep, we're coming back! The question then becomes: "Where will we go to next?" Our move to China has ignited a passion to live in many different places. Much like the US, China is big enough that we could easily spend a lifetime there and not even scratch the surface, but we want to branch out and explore other cultures. There's very few places we don't want to try living in. Anyway, as of now, the plan is for us to return to the US in January 2020 when Alix's teaching contract ends. With how much family and friends we have in the US, we won't spend all of our time away, no matter what.
Do you have to live in a SUPER tiny apartment?
Nope, our place is just shy of 1,000 square feet and costs us around $350 per month. Most of China enjoys similar standards, but we are living on the slightly more luxurious end. Living downtown in huge, dense cities like Shanghai or Hong Kong is where the image of ultra-cramped living comes from.
What's the weather like?
It's tropical! Which really just means super hot, humid, and rainy. We've yet to experience the "peak summer" heat but we're told to expect around 40° C (100° F) and 100% humidity. Because of the frequent rain, which is more like a drizzle, it doesn't tend to stay miserably hot for long.
What do you miss the most?
This is pretty hard to answer, but I think we can both say: FOOD! Specifically crappy food. In general, we like the Chinese diet and food options more, but man do we miss deep-fried, high-sugar, super-terrible American food. We can see now that it's probably a good thing to only get what we want occasionally...
What's been the biggest culture shock?
This is different for both of us.
Addison: One of my biggest surprises is how nice and serene life is most of the time. I expected to see a lot more chaos. That said, I like finding the aspects of Chinese chaos, such as traffic and the commercial districts in Guangzhou. Where it really caught me off guard, though, was during a late-night, impromptu journey to the hospital. Doctors running everywhere, people shouting names, pharmacists working so fast they're sweating; typical Chinese "organized chaos" exactly where I didn't expect it.
Alix: The way that society treats the elderly. I guess this is a "good" type of culture shock. The same way that the government in America protects children via CPS, the Chinese government protects the elderly. If someone reports that old Mrs. Yu next door hasn't been out in a few days, her children can be fined. On top of that, parks and communities are designed for the elderly. Family is hugely important in China which is pretty nice.
All in all, we're enjoying our time here. We can already tell that when we leave, we're definitely going to miss it. We'll do our best to keep everyone updated with what's going on, so stay tuned!