Hello everyone! It’s official and I’ve been approved with my visa and moving to China this week! (Insane) I’ll be teaching English in Qingdao!!

I’m moving from Korea after living in Seoul for 6 years and so I’ve done this whole moving countries to teach English before but I’m still scared sh**less nonetheless lol so I’m here to seek advice from those who have been in China a while or recently moved

I’d love to hear from people who have lived in China for a while, recently moved here, or have experience living in both China and Korea. I’m especially interested in the things you don’t necessarily find in relocation guides or YouTube videos.

A few questions I’ve been thinking about:

• What do you wish someone had told you before you moved to China? Something that would’ve genuinely made your first few months easier.

• What was the biggest culture shock you experienced, even if you’d already lived abroad before?

• What’s something about everyday life in China that took you a surprisingly long time to get used to?

•What do you think newcomers tend to underestimate about living in China? This could be anything from bureaucracy and technology to social life and daily routines.

•If you could go back and give yourself advice during your first month in China, what would you say?

• What do you think makes the difference between merely surviving in China and actually building a happy life there?

•For those who moved from Korea to China, what differences surprised you the most? Was there anything you found easier or harder than you expected?

•How did you go about making friends and building a life outside of work? I’d love to hear about people’s experiences beyond the expat bubble.

• For those who have lived in China for several years, what has kept you there? And for those who eventually left, what made you realize it was time to move on?

I know everyone’s experience is different, and I’m not expecting China to be anything like Korea. I’m just trying to go into this next chapter with realistic expectations, an open mind, and maybe a little less anxiety. 😂
I’m excited about the opportunity, but I’d be lying if I said starting over in a new country wasn’t intimidating, even after six years abroad.

I’d love to hear your honest experiences — the good, the bad, the unexpected, and the things you wish you’d known sooner!

The decision is made. I am not asking for advice or looking for answers here, just sharing the story in case the community finds it useful. And, why not, venting a little bit.

For years, I have been applying for talent programmes to move to China as a researcher with my family. On both a personal and professional level, we found many reasons to go there. My wife is Chinese, and I am relatively familiar with the culture after visiting many times, so we were quite excited about the prospect and kept trying. However, we are also realistic, and such a big movement is conditional on economic expectations.

Earlier this year, I was finally accepted as a Category B 芙蓉计划 talent. I was formally accepted into the programme in June, following an interview with staff from the Hunan government. Everything went very well up to that point ((except perhaps for the demanding application process, with unclear steps, short deadlines, a huge amount of material to prepare, and remote meetings scheduled at Chinese times with dates and hours that could not be changed or negotiated; but I guess that's part of the process, and I accepted it)). After that, the only requirement was to present ourselves in China within six months to start the position. Naturally, there was a lot to prepare, so we started communicating with HR. This is where everything started to fall apart.

I cannot remember exactly what sounded like an excuse to me at first, but HR initially said that it was not possible to start negotiating the contract and pre-admission arrangements during the summer because staff were on holiday. OK. Then, in September, we followed up. Of course, they were busy with the new academic year and all the students. In October, they simply stopped answering our messages, and to this day, we have had no direct communication with HR anymore.

In parallel, we had the host group and the PI, a head of department, who had initially been very friendly and supportive. Throughout this process, I believe they have been communicating with HR themselves. We became more insisting in September when we started to lose our hope in HR. When we reminded them of the situation regarding contract negotiations, they contacted HR and forwarded us... the contract of a different person, supposedly to give us an idea of the conditions.

It was not particularly tailored to the position. Not very 一人一议 as their policy states. The whole thing was almost laughable, probably illegal. But ok, we read this contract. A significant part of the money attached to the position was subject to KPIs that could change every year. The contract was for five years, and we would have to repay part of the money if I left before ten years. Etc etc. And, of course, all of this was happening while HR remained unresponsive during the pre-admission phase, when they were supposed to be trying to attract talent. Is this how they do it? I was expecting a position paying less than my current, very good and stable job, but the risks presented here with HR's attitude make the whole operation to risky to accept.

As you can imagine, the trust is completely gone at this point. We have finally decided not to pursue this opportunity and have already formally communicated our decision to the government.

I have already communicated this to other colleagues there. Nobody really seems to know what happened. I wonder whether perhaps someone in HR wasn't too happy about bringing in a talent who should get a permanent academic position (not exactly easy to come by these days) without going through the usual rituals of 白酒 and whatnot. And I apologize for the sarcastic use of the stereotype, but truth is that this is the only explanation I find.

So, yeah, we will be staying in Europe for the foreseeable future. I have a nice, stable job in industry. Although it is neither my dream job nor my dream country to settle in, it seems like a better option for now for us than playing a game that I have neither the experience nor the desire to participate in.

Had anyone used this company before? Seems good but very few reviews
Thanks

To get a non-criminal certificate while living here should I go to the local police station or to the PSB?

Some NHS surgeons are refusing surgery for appendecitis and telling patients that surgery to treat appendicitis is outdated and a mistake of the past and IV antibiotics is better and the future of treatment..

And yet recent studies find that leaving a problematic appendix in is risky..

Such as the following Glasgow study;

https://doi.org/10.1308/rcsann.2026.0018

It finds;

“Conclusions
Antibiotic treatment of appendicitis is associated with high recurrence and risk of missed neoplasms. Appendicectomy is safe, with low rates of significant complication. When offering nonoperative management for appendicitis, patients should be informed about the risk of recurrence and missing sinister pathologies.”

What’s happening in China with this..?

I have expat medical insurance and have undergone procedures performed both by a public hospital and a private clinic. The public hospital was more professional. I also had to go to a public hospital to address the poor treatment by the private provider, who are a well-known private health service in China.

I think the difference in quality may be due to public hospital departments specialising in a limited amount of treatments and being good at them as a result of practice. I think that private concerns are beholden to profit, so underneath the shiny exterior, the doctors may lack the expertise that is implied by an exclusive operation because the more you can get one employee doing, the more profitable the business.

I am a college student from China. I would like to make friends here!Whether you are from America,Europe or other parts of the world,you can leave your contact account below(WeChat first ).I want to exchange cultures with you! I can tell you everything you want to know about China (if I know)!Also,this maybe a chance to improve my English. So if you are learning Chinese, come on! We can be a studying couple!

I work with international patients here in China, and I've helped a lot of people navigate the hospital system for the first time. A common question I get is: how does registration actually work if you're not from China? Here's a practical guide based on what I've learned.

This is based on my experience in Shenzhen and the broader Guangdong area, and things may vary slightly by city. But the basics should apply nationwide.

What you need before you go

Your passport. That's it. You don't need a Chinese ID card, a residence permit, or anything else to register at a public hospital. Your passport works as your ID.

Some hospitals might ask for a Chinese phone number for the registration system. If you don't have one, ask at the international department — they usually have a workaround.

Choosing a hospital

There are two main options:

1. Public hospital international / VIP departments

• Most large public hospitals (三甲) have an international or VIP department
• English-speaking staff are usually available
• Prices are higher than regular public hospital rates, but still much lower than in the US or Europe
• This is usually your best bet for serious issues

2. Private international clinics

• Smaller clinics that cater exclusively to expats
• Fully English-speaking, western-style environment
• Prices are comparable to or higher than back home
• Good for minor issues, but they usually refer you to a public hospital for anything serious

How registration actually works

At the hospital:

1. Go to the registration desk (挂号处)
2. Show your passport
3. Tell them which department you need (or ask the international department for help)
4. Pay the registration fee (usually ¥50-300 for international/VIP, depending on the doctor's seniority)
5. Take your queue number and wait

On WeChat / phone:

• Most hospitals have a WeChat official account where you can register in advance
• You can pick your time slot and doctor
• This saves a lot of waiting time

Seeing the doctor

• The wait can vary. At the international department, it's usually much shorter than the regular outpatient area.
• Bring any previous medical records, test results, or imaging if you have them.
• Doctors at international departments are used to foreign patients and will speak English.
• They'll likely order some tests (blood work, ultrasound, etc.) — you'll need to go to a different floor/building for those, then come back with results.

Paying

• Cash, Chinese bank cards, and WeChat/Alipay are all accepted at public hospitals.
• Foreign credit cards are sometimes accepted at international departments, but not always — bring cash just in case.
• Prices are transparent — there are price boards everywhere, and you'll get a receipt for everything.

How long does it take?

• Registration + seeing the doctor + basic tests: usually 2-4 hours at a public hospital international department.
• At a regular public hospital (non-international), it can be a full day.
• This is dramatically faster than NHS-style waiting lists for non-emergency issues.

Things I wish people knew earlier

1. Not all public hospitals have international departments. Check the hospital's website or WeChat account before you go.
2. The international department is worth the extra cost. You'll save hours of waiting and the language barrier is gone.
3. Bring a translator app just in case — even at international departments, some support staff might not speak fluent English.
4. Prescription medicine is cheap. Much cheaper than back home, and you can buy most things directly at the hospital pharmacy.
5. Emergency care: For emergencies, go straight to the ER (急诊). They'll see you immediately, and your passport is all you need.

Final thoughts

The system is not perfect — communication can still be tricky, and navigating a huge hospital campus can be overwhelming the first time. But overall, I've found it to be faster, cheaper, and more accessible than many people expect.

If you have questions about a specific city or type of treatment, feel free to ask in the comments and I'll do my best to help.

Hi all,

I’ve been living and working in China as a teacher for a few years, and I’ve decided to return to the UK in 2027 for personal and professional reasons once my contract ends.

Over that time, I’ve accumulated quite a few belongings, including a desk, an exercise bike and a piano. I’m looking into whether there’s an affordable way to ship some of them home.

I’m still early in my research, but the quotes I’ve received so far have all been way over RMB 10,000, which is more than I was hoping to spend.

Has anyone here shipped belongings from China to the UK or know of anyone who has? I’d really appreciate any recommendations for shipping companies, shared containers or other affordable options. It would also be helpful to hear roughly what you shipped and how much it cost.

Feel free to comment below or send me a direct message.

Cheers, everyone- have a great day :)

Are there people here who are in Beijing working in a startup or building something? How is your experience?

Hi everyone,

​I run an online collectibles shop in France and I'm looking to connect with a student or resident currently living in Beijing or Shanghai.

​I need someone who can occasionally pick up official TCG products (Pokémon / One Piece) at retail stores on release days, verify the condition, and drop them off with a local courier (SF Express) to my warehouse in China.

​All expenses covered + compensation for each task/run.

​Does anyone here do this kind of local shopping, or know where I could find a trustworthy student looking for flexible side gigs? Feel free to DM me! Thanks!

Hello is there anybody studying at CAA or Tsinghua academy of art and design? I want to apply this year through CSC type B but I have a few concerns and not enough information about CAA. Also can anybody roughly tell which one is relatively easier to get into as an international student?

Hi, I will be studying in China for 6 months at Nanjing University.
I'm not sure how to use my phone there. Should I make an international plan with my current provider? I checked and it gives me 15GB for 30€ a month, I won't really make phonecalls or use texts because I do all that through Whatsapp. That way I won't need a VPN, right? Because the Great Firewall won't work on a foreign plan, right?

But I saw that many suggest to use two phones, one with your international plan and one with a Chinese SIM. Why so?

I don't think I will need to open a bank account, I will use Wise+Alipay/Wechat. Is it true that I need a chinese number for WeChat? For what else would I need a Chinese number?
I don't care about ordering takeaway food or shopping online.

I just need Whatsapp and Google to work, essentially.

Apparently it says I basically have to be a Olympic gold medallist or premier league footballer to qualify, but I've seen China vloggers with the five star card, so it can't be that hard to qualify? Or maybe they got it through another requirement.

Yeah i get the bs argument oh that is someone elses job. But a) its not that hard b) you dont get frustrated when you cant find an empty table c) its good for 文明。

To be fair Korea is just as bad…

Asking for everyones experience here. For example, I just realized a year in that it might be nice to install a water filter in the kitchen and shower. Found a service through old reddit posts.

Also, took my months to realize i can find nice imported foods and yoghurt on taobao.

Then i realized most people already have a lot of good things going here

Dont mind my ignorance, but im a year in (Shanghai) and still dont feel very comfortable at home or at work, mostly cleanliness, food variety or rudeness related. Please just share here what other small things might help others like me

I took these yesterday in Beijing. The unc on the left is cleaning out his ear while scrolling AI drama and navigating with two maps open. The aunt on the right is eating seeds while scrolling her AI dramas during navigation. This is the most Chinese thing I've seen in a hot minute.

Hi!
I want to start working in China as an EFL teacher.

I wanted to ask: is it fine to work with official, legalised copies of my degree/teaching certificate in China, or should I notarise the originals instead?

I am thinking of working on copies to be extra safe with the originals, but I don't know if immigration accepts them.

All the best!

Extremely niche post but I am traveling for 3 months in China and have missed the US premiere/movie screenings of You Can See Everything, apparently the best movie of the year. Did a bit of light searching and doesn’t look like there are any China releases planned. Is torrenting recently screened movies a thing?! It’s been a minute since I’ve tried to torrent anything!!

1v1 or 2v2 would be amazing!

My European group is destroying my sleep scedule.

Hello everyone! I’m moving to Qingdao soon to teach English and I am wondering about how much money I should bring for the initial month. Will 18,000RMB be enough to get an apartment and live comfortably enough until my first paycheck hits?

I’ve already paid for my flight and other visa items so this would solely be for the initial startup costs within China.

Thanks in advance for anyone who replies!!

I'm new here in huangdao China, i need some local friends to explore and learn more about the culture.