So after a summer jam packed with design projects and part time work I was subconsciously quite upset that I wouldn’t be going to Australia or New Zealand for my year abroad. After watching tonnes of ‘Being Black in China/Being Black in Asia’ videos on Youtube the time had come; It was time to venture off on my own. I wasn’t expecting too much from China if I’m being honest and I think that is part of the reason why I had such a smooth time settling in, but China is full of surprises and I want to share with you all what I’ve experienced in being here for only four months (five to go)!
1. Driving is very interesting.
Now I’ve had my fair share of taxi rides and bus rides, but since being here I can say — if I die here on my study abroad it will most likely be because I have been in a car accident. It’s crazy here in Ningbo, no indicators, lots of drivers attempting to overtake (but usually failing) and weaving in and out of traffic, e-bikes all over the place and the people riding them seem to think road rules don’t apply to them. Bikes and Scooters are the most popular form of transport here in China — you don’t need a licence to ride them. There have been so many times I’ve sat in a taxi with my heart in my mouth! If you have road rage, China is not for you. You have been warned.
2. Trains are the best. Better than the UK!
YES I SAID IT. The bullet trains (Class C, D and E) here are very fast and reliable and are also cheap in comparison to what you’d be paying back home. Business class seats are the GOAT. Honestly trains in China even have footprints on the station floor, you stand on them and when the train stops the doors are right in front of you. Try doing that in the UK…
3. Street food is life.
Its cheap, tastes fantastic and you can find it absolutely anywhere. It really is quite interesting to witness, a lot of the owners use bikes to get around and carry all of their equipment and supplies from one place to the next. Everything from barbecue meats, fruits, stinky tofu and stir fries. All yours for ¥5 — ¥20 (59p — £2.35)
4. The Nightlife is awesome!
7 days a week, 8pm till 8am. Try and find a club outside of London that does that. Nightlife around major cities in China is something that should definitely be experienced. Its great to know that there is always something to do no matter what time it is (provided you like clubbing!). In fact, here in China it’s quite rare to find clubs or bars that aren’t open every day. That was definitely a big change compared to back home!
5. Spitting everywhere… EVERYWHERE.
I’m afraid it’s something that you’ll have to get used to and quite fast if you plan on visiting or living here for a period of time. Here, it’s not considered disgusting to spit. To make it worse most people here seem gather it all up right at the back of their throat, and... well you know. On the trains, out of car windows, in elevators, in banks.. I think I’ve become numb to the noise now, but i’m not sure I will ever fully get used to it.
6. Staring
Again, something I had to get used to and so should you should you wish to come. Its not considered rude to stare in China and you will get stared at if you don’t look Chinese. Even more so if you’re white with blonde hair and blue eyes or you’re black with natural afro hair or braids. There will be a few people that will invade your personal space to touch your skin or your hair, don’t let it bother you too much or you’ll have a pretty depressing time.
7. Shopping
One thing that I have noticed along with the clubs here is that they pump a lot of money into making things look great. Interiors is one of them, as a lover of interiors myself it was a nice surprise to see that all of the shopping centres I’ve visited look perfect on the inside. A bit like your local shopping centre looking like Westfield instead of a small, dingy and depressing walk through.
8. Language Barrier
I must say it really is a humbling experience to go to another country where English isn’t widely spoken. There have been so many times I have been in situations and I think to myself “wow, so this is what it feels like”. I came into China making sure I left the question “why can’t they speak English” at home. Many students that I am here with didn’t and its quite disappointing and very entitled if I’m being honest. Do try and learn the basics before coming, that way you won’t feel like an inconvenience whenever you go out.
9. Smoking
Now I must admit I have become a serial social smoker since being here in for two reasons. 1) Cigarette packs are a £1 for 20. 2) Its legal to smoke indoors including clubs and bars. After coming back home from a night out smelling like I worked in a tobacco factory for 10 years without a breath of fresh air, I decided if you can’t beat them join them. Smoking is even more popular here… I thought the UK was bad.
10. Religion
As a Christian, I feel a bit awkward here I’m not gonna lie. Religion is a bit touchy here and after talking with a few of my Chinese friends about it, it can get uncomfortable quite quickly. There are a lot of underground churches with diverse communities that worship together despite their religion
11. Things not to mess with.
We all know Wu Tang Clan ain’t nothing to fuck with, do you want to know another thing you shouldn’t fuck with? Smog. Now, China has been in the media for years in relation to their extraordinary levels of air pollution. You will often see people wearing face masks to ensure that they’re protecting themselves, even if it’s just a little bit. If you’re asthmatic like I am, bring your inhalers and pay attention to the smog count if you do intend to visit main cities; ESPECIALLY if you intend to go to Beijing where it is the worst, they are currently in an ‘airpocolypse’, a term coined solely due to the smog there.
Another thing you probably shouldn’t fuck with is the cold weather. Its winter in China at the moment and unluckily for us in Ningbo, we don’t get central heating because we are in the South of the country. Weird but understandable in the right context, the winters in the south aren’t half as bad as what is being faced in the North of the country. If you intend on going to Beijing or Harbin around this time, you’re looking at temperatures between 5 to -30.
12. Airport style train stations
China is very big on security, you’d be able to see that from the cctv cameras you see every couple of blocks when driving down the road. But this was something that really surprised me, the main rail stations are absolutely massive and I’m not talking “Liverpool St, St Pancras, Euston etc” massive. No no, it’s very different. Much more efficient too. The only thing that threw me off was that it feels very much like an airport. To travel by train in China you MUST carry your passport and there are very limited exceptions to this. Also, you have to walk through security and put your luggage through a scanner which is quite a different station experience from what I’m used to in my journeys from London to Nottingham. Never forget your passport, you’re only playing yourself.
13. Western Food =no bueno
With the exception of fast food restaurants* Don’t judge me people, at some point of living in another country, you’re going to want some home comforts.. like McDonalds or KFC or Starbucks etc. Its really interesting to see the differences in the menus, in the UK my staple buys are usually fries with a cheeseburger, nuggets and med coke. But here you can get all sorts, green tea, sweetcorn, chicken wings, moon cakes, lobster burgers it’s pretty cool. However, ordering your home favourites from a restaurant probably isn’t a great idea. I’ve had enough bad pizzas and pastas to last a lifetime.
14. 24p for a bus ride? Sounds about right!
Depending on the bus, your journey could cost from 24p to about £1. Which is awesome. I’ve been taking buses like crazy due to the cost, not to mention the journeys go quite far out too which can come in handy and save a lot in comparison to taking a taxi.
15. Go wild with the tea!
What better place to explore different teas than in China? In my first month of being here, I saw so many weird and wonderful teas that I wanted to try and I’m sure at one point I was close to drinking my own body weight. There will be many teas for different purposes and one thing to note is that tea bags aren’t really a done thing. You can buy tea in the form of teabags in stores like Walmart and Vanguard but usually they are sold loose or in tablet form which is a lot better!
16. Make up and Beauty
This is a biggie, unless you consider yourself to be quite pale, bring all of your foundations with you or bulk buy before you leave. If you have special creams and skincare you use from back home, bring them all with you. For my black readers, bring everything with you because you won’t find it here unless you have a plug (foundation, hair products, the lot). Any good skincare brand or product you will find will be Korean (as they are the best, seriously) or Japanese. Beauty standards are also quite different in Asia and most women like to stay light/pale, this is why their sunscreens are the best (SPF 50++, very good for dark skinned people also who don’t want to get sunburnt) and they have a lot of whiteners/bleaching agents in their skincare, so do be careful of what you’re putting on your face before buying!
I hope you enjoyed this post, I’ll be post more of my experience and tips in the future — feel free to ask me any questions if you plan on visiting China soon!
