The China Adventure

Introduction

China is an amazing place to teach English and explore a culture that is really just opening its doors to the world. Teaching English in China is a rewarding experience but you need patience and open-mindedness. Teaching jobs in China are plentiful but finding a professional and well-organized institution can be challenging. That’s where Teach Travel Asia can help. We screen the schools and make sure you are going to a safe, reputable, professional school.

Time spent in this culturally and visually stimulating country is truly a unique experience and well worth it. Teaching in China does not necessarily offer a great deal of money, but if you’re looking to work in some of the most unique destinations in the world, then read on.

As China opens its doors to commerce, trade and the West, it will experience a great many changes and challenges. Those wishing to catch a glimpse of this emerging superpower should not pass up this chance to work there. There is a tremendous focus on internationalism and learning English in China today and you too can be part of that excitement.

Section 2: Requirments to teach English in China

What you need to Qualify

• Applicants must have a minimum of a university diploma in any field of study
• Applicants must be native English speakers
• Applicants must be in good physical and mental health
• Applicants must be between 21 and 45 years old
• Applicants must be willing to commit for at least 12 months
• Applicants do not need any teaching experience.
• Applicants do not need to know any Mandarin or Cantonese. A teaching certificate and experience preferred but not required.
• Positions are for one-year contracts, available on an ongoing basis.

Compensation

• Applicants will earn between 4000 and 7000 Chinese Yuen per month
• Some placements offer medical cover
• Applicants may be given free accommodation and a flight allowance.
• Full orientation and training will be given to each applicant before they start work

Section 3: Teaching in various cities

Teaching in Anqing

Anqing is a great city to live and teach English. The natural surrounding beauty, the Yangtze River, the mountains, the culture and the people make this an amazing cultural experience.

With a population of around 750,000, Anqing is considered a small city with a country town-like hospitality. Transportation to and from Anqing is excellent. The district of Anqing is at the intersection of the Shanghai- Chengdu freeway as well as the Dongxiang, Anqing, Hefei and the Hefei-Tongling-Huangshan freeways – all of which are national highways. Combine that with the railway system that connects all areas of China, and you can go pretty much anywhere in China by train (and rail travel is super cheap). Anqing also boasts of an airport that has flights to major centers like Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou and Xiamen.

Teaching in Beijing

Beijing is a great city to live and work in. You could be here for a couple years and still not have time to take in all that this city offers. It should be noted though that summers are hot and wet while the winters are cold and dry. There are dramatic temperature differences. Forgot to bring your winter boots? Fear not, for you can get the same pair which you paid $100 back home for, for a mere $10 here!

The cost of living is higher here with respect to housing, and because there is so much more to see and do, don’t be surprised to find yourself spending more than you intended to. But hey, look at all these must-see places:

• The Badaling Great Wall
• Beihai Park
• Beijing Hutong
• The Forbidden City
• The Summer Palace
• The Temple of Heaven
• Tianamen Square
• Yonghe Lamasery
• Pinjiayuan

Medical facilities in Beijing

There is a good hospital in Beijing (Beijing United Family Hospital, #2 Jiang Tai Lu, Chao Yang District, within walking distance of the Holiday Inn Lido) that is staffed primarily with Western physicians. This is a good option if you have time to wait for treatment.

The care and facilities are excellent. The prices are high by Chinese standards but affordable by Western standards. Emergency number: (010) 64332345. General information and appointment number: (010) 64333960.

Teaching in Changchun

Changchun in located in NorthEastern China in Jilin Province. This a great place for teachers that don’t mind the cold. Winter can start in October and run till April. If you love skiing and winter sports, this is the place for you in China. People flock to the area for the Ice Lantern Festival and for winter sports. Jilin is reputed to be one of the best ski areas in China. Changchun is the capital of Jilin province, and roughly situated in the center.

It is the most temperate of cities in the province and experiences the greatest diversity and duration of the 4 seasons. Trees abound in this city which makes it far less smoggy than most other China cities.

Teaching in Chengdu

Chengdu is the capital of Sichuan province in China and is a city with many faces. As a vibrant modern center, Chengdu has blossomed in terms of affluence and investment but it has also retained traditional industries, including gold, silver, silk and lacquer ware. Its current population is over 10 million. Today Chengdu’s skyline is dominated by skyscrapers and Japanese cars and Western goods are hugely popular and widely available. Chengdu plays an important role in terms of education and culture in China. There are 14 colleges and an impressive university situated in the city.

Chengdu has a long history dating back over 2300 years. It was one of China’s first 24 cities bestowed as famous historical and cultural cities by the State Council. It has long been a destination for learned poets and artists of China to gather and seek inspiration.

The great Chinese poet, Du Fu, called Chengdu home. Check out one of the thousands of tea houses and see how the soothing environment and fantastic food can be inspirational. There is a large transient population here made up of many travellers that are simply killing time or passing through on their way to Tibet. Traditional wooden Chinese architecture that once dominated this city can still be found in the outskirts although it is fast disappearing.

Chengdu also enjoys a subtropical monsoon climate characterized by an early spring, hot summer, cool autumn and warm winter. The average annual temperature is 16°C. The best time to visit is between March and June or between September and November. The hottest season here is during July and August when temperatures can be almost unbearable. Chengdu does have a few nice spots, such as Qingchengshan Mountain, outside the city center where it is possible to get some shade from the heat. The hot season is also the rainy season and it is awkward juggling the two types of weather at once! In summer the humid weather reaches a high of 35 °C and in winter, the average temperature is approximately 5 °C.

Teaching in Dalian

Dalian was originally a small fishing village called Qingniwa (which changed to Daluni, and then Dalian) that later came to be known as a city of foreign adventurers. It has undergone many changes in the last hundred years but the former fishing village has become a prosperous port city, now acting as a major port in China for freight as well as foreign visitors on cruise ships.

You will notice the international flavor in this beautiful city. It is much easier today to get around and find someone who speaks English than a couple of years ago. Tsarist Russia once intended to turn Dalian into a fashionable city like Paris. Later, Japanese invaders wanted to transform it into another metropolis like Tokyo. However, history thwarted their ambitions, and Dalian stood on its own reputation.

Life is thus very comfortable for teachers in Dalian! Such moderate temperatures combined with abundance of fresh water has turned Dalian into a great agricultural base, producing large quantities of China’s fresh fruit and water products.
As a world renowned summer resort, Dalian is at its most attractive between April and October. The annual average temperature remains somewhere around 10°C. August is the hottest month, when the daily temperature is infrequently below 24°C., with extremes as high as 35°C. January is the coldest month, when it averages minus 4.9°C., with extremes as low as minus 24°C.

Teaching in Guangzhou

Guangzhou has become one of the major gateways to China, after Beijing and Shanghai. This fertile Southern city is a showcase of modern China because of its economic contribution to the nation. Its history goes back 2,800 years when a rogue general founded the independent Nanyu Kingdom in Panyu.

Guangzhou is now a modern city in China, a political, economic, educational, cultural powerhouse as well as a scientific and technological center in Southern China.

Feeling too hot to sleep here at night? No problem, just get out there. Guangzhou has been named the “no night city” with neon lights blazing in discos and karaoke bars keeping people entertained throughout the night. Just check with a hostel or hotel concierge to see what’s hot and hopping.

Teaching in Hangzhou

Hangzhou has long been a famous tourist attraction to Chinese travelers. Many are attracted to the beauty of West Lake and it has now becoming a favorite destinations for international travelers as well. There is a popular Chinese proverb: “In heaven there is paradise and on earth there are Hangzhou and Suzhou.” Marco Polo describing this area as, “the most beautiful and magnificent city in the world.” Fortunately, while any other city would struggle to live up to its reputation as “paradise”, Hangzhou has retained its beauty even in modern times. Despite the idyllic preconceptions one might have before arrival, it is hard not to like this city. Even the most seasoned traveler will appreciate West Lake for its space and beauty.

Hangzhou is a city with a rich history and culture spanning back more than 2000 years. The city first made a name for itself in the sixth century, when the Grand Canal opened up and linked the area to other centers of trade such as Suzhou. The Song dynasty helped to make Hangzhou famous when they moved the imperial family to this area in the 12th Century. With its inviting views and outstanding scenery, the West Lake soon became popular with numerous artists, poets and painters seeking inspiration in the solitude of this “paradise”.

What is most evident amongst all this beauty is a distinct appreciation for the “greenness” of things. Hangzhou is considered the “greenest” city in China with pollution controls, active green space monitoring and the most aggressive efforts ever seen in any city in China. What also makes this city so livable is the climate, with an average low temperate of 3.8°C in January and a nice comfortable 28°C in July and August. Together with a cool breeze blowing off West Lake, life can get pretty comfortable here!

Teaching in Nanjing

Nanjing (meaning Southern capital) is one of the six ancient capitals of China (from beginning of the 3rd century to the end of the 6th century), situated at the South bank of the lower reaches of the Yangtze River. Today, Nanjing is the capital of Jiangsu Province and covers an area of 860 square kilometers with a population of more than 5 million.

Various dynasties have made Nanjing their base. The most famous of these periods is when Nanjing was the capital of China during the Ming Dynasty between 1368 and 1644 and also the establishment of the People’s Republic of China in the early 20th Century.

Many of the city’s historical sites date back to these periods and Sun Yatsen’s Mausoleum and the Ming Tombs are examples of the wealth of culture existing in this ancient city. Today, the city is renowned for being an educational and cultural center, with a large student (foreign and native Chinese) population. Nanjing is a charming city with tree lined streets, hills and lakes, making the intense heat of East China’s summers more bearable. The pace of life here is slower than many other Chinese cities and Nanjing seems quite conservative in comparison to the brash modern ways of neighbouring Shanghai.

The local’s mantra “man zou” (go slow) is a reflection of the cautious and reserved attitude of many of the city’s residents.
There are some 40 universities and colleges plus more than 300 scientific research institutes in modern Nanjing, several art troupes and a theatre for kunqu opera, from which about 100 modern operas in China derived. Nanjing library is the third largest library in China in terms of its collection. The Nanjing Museum boasts a rich collection of arts and crafts. The modern new Nanjing is the economic and cultural center in the lower reaches of the Yangtze River.

With all those universities, the large student and teacher population manages to create a pretty good and cheap nightlife. There are numerous “Western style” bars but the best ones are around the universities near Shanhai Lu. For great music and sub-culture in Nanjing just ask around, check out different places and keep your eyes and ears open and you’ll have a great time in Nanjing.

Nanjing is located in the subtropical climatic zone. The average temperature during the year is 15.3 °C and the annual average rainfall is 1106.5mm . The middle of June is the so-called “Mei Yu” or “wet” period. The use of an umbrella at all times in June is highly recommended. Nanjing is known throughout China as one of the three “furnaces of the earth” (the other two being Wuhan and Chonqing). This reputation stems from the fact that the city can get unbearably hot in the summer months.

Teaching in Qingdao. Qingdao is a popular tourist city in China. The unique geographic location and historical background turned Qingdao into a tourist city and summer resort as early as the 1920s. Qingdao has beautiful scenery and pleasant climate with a backdrop of mountains, sea, winding coastline, and islands make this a very special city and one that is immensely popular amongst foreign teachers.

The European style housing and resort feel too much of Qingdao can be attributed to the fact that it is home to many famous figures. Qingdao is the ideal choice for vacations, entertainment, business, conferences and exhibitions.

Being one of the 14 open coastal cities in China, Qingdao is developing into a modern international city with a prosperous economy and a beautiful environment. The city’s administration has advanced scientific research, culture and education by utilizing foreign old enterprises, opening economic development zones and a hi-tech park and expanding the urban area from East to West. The city faces the Yellow Sea on the East and South, and adjoins the cities of Yantai, Rizhao and Weifang to the North East, South West and West respectively. Facing North Korea, South Korea and Japan across the sea.

The total area of Qingdao is 10,654 square kilometers while the urban area totals 1,102 square kilometers.
Qingdao is famous for its historical and cultural heritages. Human settlement on this soil dates back 6,000 years. Qingdao has a Northern temperate zone monsoon climate, such as moist air, abundant rainfall and four distinctive seasons. It is neither too hot in summer nor too cold in winter. The annual average temperature is 12.2°C. The hottest month is August with an average temperature of 25°C and coldest month is January when the temperature average 1.3°C. The annual average rainfall is 775.6 mm.

Teaching in Shanghai

China’s Most Cosmopolitan City on the Mainland, Shanghai offers teachers pretty much everything. Some have said that Shanghai is not the real China as it is so cosmopolitan, but the history of Shanghai actually goes back some 700 or so years. Oddly though, there are only a few ancient Chinese landmarks. The city has been very focused on the growth and development of all of China.

Shanghai became the center of trade and commerce in China as a result of the strategic location on the Yangtze River. Shanghai is divided into 16 districts and 3 counties. Shanghai is easily the most expensive city in mainland China to live and work in. If your school provides you with housing you are miles ahead of the game, but make sure you are close to the school and in a desirable residential area.

Shanghai is striving to be known to the world as a trading and economic hub and has invested significantly in creating modern architectural landmarks.

Teaching in Shenzhen

Shenzhen is fast becoming one of the most important port cities in the world. Much of the worlds’ cargo was once shipped through Hong Kong but China is turning heads with the incredibly new and fast developing city of Shenzhen. Long renown for it’s markets and after-market goods and an ideal day trip across the border from Hong Kong, Shenzhen is now on the map as a commercial destination in China.

It is located in the very South of Guangdong Province and over- looking Hong Kong’s North boundary as the gateway to China. This area is commonly referred to as Hong Kong’s “backyard” but it was designated as a Special Economy Zone (SEZ) in August 1980 in an effort to attract foreign enterprises and investment.

Various concessions and incentives have attracted a diverse population of companies to the city and given Shenzhen one of the highest growth rates in the PRC of young skilled professionals. Many electronics and high technology companies have factories here. The most popular area for Hong Kong residents to take a day trip for shopping and dining is the Lowu Commercial Building, just across the border from the Lowu Railway Station. After clearing Chinese immigration, just turn right and walk across the footbridge to the big white building. Walk past the area selling bus tickets on the ground floor and you will find the big shopping mall filled with five floors of shops where prices are unbelievable, about half the price of factory outlet prices but always check each piece for defects and ask for AAA quality.

You can have a tailor on the 5th floor to make a suit for less than US $100 and Tony at Stall 50A, behind the fabrics speaks English. There is an entire jewellery section on the 2nd floor and Hubang Cui in stall 2G14 speaks English and sells strands of pearls for about US $5 a strand. They will string any design, length and quality of pearls or jade that you request. For purses, Miss Wang in Shop 18A on the 5th floor also speaks English but remember to bargain, and be prepared to walk away if you don’t get your price. It is likely you will see the identical merchandise at the next stall but remember to compare quality. The Fabric Center is just behind the Jiang Nan Hotel where there are there is a large market of fabric vendors and tailors.

The area near to Shanghai Hotel on Shennan Road Central, Futian District, is another popular shopping district. Discount stores and specialized markets, such as Electrical Appliance City, are ideal places to buy home appliances, communication equipment and customized computers. Also Zhongying Street, separating Hong Kong and Shenzhen, offers consumers duty free bargains.

There are many young professionals working here that enjoy the active nightlife with nightclubs and karaoke bars to relax from their busy careers. The influx of money and investment in Shenzhen has created an atmosphere that also attracts many Hong Kong people to the city. There are gambling dens for mahjong, massage parlors, bars and discos. This kind of atmosphere may be fun for some people but it is important to be safe and cautious. The clubs in the larger hotels such as the Grand View Hotel and the Shangri-La Hotel generally attract a better crowd. There is a Hard Rock Cafe on Shennan Road East.

Shenzhen also offers many sports and daytime recreational activities. There are numerous sports clubs, tennis courts, swimming pools, holiday villages and magnificent Golf clubs including, CTS own Tycoon Golf Club, Mission Hills Golf Club and Honey Lake Holiday Village. Most of these recreation parks are very well equipped and provide good service and modern equipment.

Shenzhen has a mild sub-tropical climate with an annual average temperature of 22.4°C and an average annual precipitation of 1,948.4 mm. Typhoon season is between May and September though severe storms are rare due to the protection of the surrounding mountains. South Easterly wind prevails all year round.

Section 4: What is the cost of living in China?

First, let’s put things in perspective. Foreign teachers’ salaries generally start at 4 times what a local Chinese teacher would earn. These people have families, homes, cars – inspiring when you think that you should be able to save money while working in China.

Second, let’s be clear. You have to barter, bargain, negotiate, whatever, in order to get yourself a fair deal in China. When you go to a hotel, ask for their special rate, if you live in the city, let them know that they will have to give you a discount to win your business back. Fact: they will always give you a discount if you ask. They expect you to ask. Same applies in markets, in shops, pretty much everywhere except supermarkets. When buying anything, first ask the price. The real price value is usually somewhere between the price they told you and slightly less than half that price.

Meals, in the cheaper but decent value range, cost around 5-10 RMB. Ordinary clothes costs between 25-50 RMB. You can go way up in both categories but those are base benchmarks. If you subscribe to the Big Mac index (meaning comparing the cost of living situation based on how much a Big Mac costs in your home country as opposed to what it costs in a foreign country) a Big Mac in China will cost around 8-11 RMB.

In a small to medium-sized city, a barebones budget would be 1,000 RMB a month. Unless your school pays for most of your meals, you may find yourself living a rather spartan existence on that amount of money. 1,500 RMB a month affords you a little more luxury and the occasional night out on the town.

2,000 RMB to 3,000 RMB essentially assures you an extravagant lifestyle of good restaurants, fancy bars, and regular shopping. These price estimates should be multiplied by one and a half for life in bigger cities. Fortunately, jobs in those places also tend to pay more so you may not feel much of a difference at all.

If you chose to live in a “Western” lifestyle, you are going to find China to be expensive, especially in the major metropolitan centers where they have 5 star hotels and loads of very wealthy investors, import/exporters, dignitaries and business people who think nothing of $40 meals in restaurants and $100 bottles of wine.

Note: basic food like meat, fruits, vegetables and beer is cheap in a supermarket. It is difficult, if not impossible, to find good bread, cheese, sausages that we come to expect and take for granted in the West.

Travel can be very reasonably priced in China provided you’re willing to rough it a little. Long-distance buses are usually cramped and often very slow. Trains are not always perfectly reliable, either. Nonetheless, both methods allow you to bond with your fellow travellers and see the countryside.

To sum up, China will seem cheap compared to your home country. Most teaching jobs in China should allow you to save and/or travel a little, especially if you go easy on expensive Western goods that eat into your budget!

Section 5: Banking and money matters

Money in China

The local currency is called the Yuan or Renminbi (RMB). Renminbi is the name of the Chinese currency – it literally means the “people’s currency”. Yuan is the name of a unit of the Renminbi. Jiao is a unit of Yuan. The Yuan and Jiao can be likened to the dollar and cents. The Jiao is becoming far less used in China today.

The Fen is a unit of the Jiao. 1 Jiao = 10 Fen. Currency denominations are: ¥0.1 (1 Jiao), ¥0.2 (2 Jiao), ¥0.5 (5 Jiao), ¥1 (1 Yuan), ¥2, ¥5, ¥10, ¥50 and ¥100.

You are going to be earning a very decent salary in China. It may not seem like a fortune to you, and it might even be considerably less than what you were earning before. You might even have made more as a petroleum transfer engineer (gas jockey) when you were 14 years old. So what. A teacher’s salary will allow you lots of spending power in China as long as you are smart with your money.

A great reason to go to China is to save money (which you actually can do if you live like a Chinese person) but that shouldn’t be your principle focus. If you want to save for a house back home, you should consider teaching in Korea. If you would like to consider teaching in Korea, contact us. We do have positions available in Korea.

One of the most common questions we get asked is how foreigners can conduct their banking while living in China, particularly with an eye towards sending money back home to pay off student loans or the house mortgage. Don’t expect to pay these off immediately.

The pay in China is lower than Korea, Taiwan, but the cost of living is a fraction of what you would pay elsewhere. In addition, you will be working less hours. Once you arrive in China with your Z visa, you will be taken by the school to the local immigration office to register for your alien residency card. Once you have this card, you are a legal resident of China for the duration of your contract and can legally open a bank account with a Chinese bank for the duration of your stay in China.

Once you have bank accounts open in China and your home country, you should be able to remit money home. Keep in mind that there are bank charges associated with each transaction, so it is best to send large amounts at a time.
Banks don’t always give you the best exchange rates either, so be sure to shop around and remember that rates are usually negotiable. The money usually takes three days to clear.

Do also keep in mind that you are only able to send not more than your monthly salary each time. In some cases your salary may be less than what you are actually paid. So even if you are earning 7000RMB/month, you might only be getting 3000RMB as basic salary and 4000RMB might be the accommodation allowance.

Check your contract and ask your General Manager or Head Teacher how much you are able to send home. It does change from contract to contract. Note that by only paying 3000RMB as a salary, the school is saving you a ton of money tax-wise.

Western Union Wire Transfers

This is also a fast and efficient way to send money BUT someone has to be available to pick it up and process it on the other end. Bank transfers are far more appealing in most cases because you can access bank account information online. There is a standard fee of about $70 for this service and they make a bit on the exchange rate (which is never as good as the posted bank rates).

Note that you can transfer money ONLINE – check the Western Union website (note that there are restrictions on how much you can send) www.westernunion.com

In-person you will need the exact person’s name you want to send to. Once you send the money, you will be given a Money Transfer Control Number (MTCN). Call the receiver or email them with this number so that they can collect the funds easily. The correct spelling of the person’s name is CRITICAL as ID will be checked on the receiving end.

Extra Money – What now?

If you are earning a large amount of money doing extra work, and don’t want your employer to know, or you don’t want to send money home in your name, have a Chinese friend send the money under their name to your account back home.
All they need to do so is an ID card. This does put them in a potentially compromising situation with tax implications.
Remember that exchange rates change, and if you are sending a large sum of money you may be able to negotiate a slightly more favourable exchange rate.

Although major credit cards are accepted in China, Chinese society is largely a cash based society.

Banks in China

• Agricultural Bank of China – www.abchina.com
• Bank of China – www.boc.cn
• China Bank – www.chinabank.com.ph
• China Construction Bank – www.ccb.com
• Industrial and Commercial Bank of China - www.icbc.com.cn

Sending Money Home

There are several options to consider when sending your hard earned money home from China.
Bank Transfers from China – The simplest option is to keep a bank account open in your home country when you travel to China. When you go to China, make sure you bring your bank’s name, address, phone number, branch number Swift Code and your account number with you.

Take it out with you – The most common method of sending money out of the country is to take it with you. Keep in mind that when you fly internationally you can legally carry up to USD 10,000.00 with you when you fly.

Use traveller’s checks – Another way to get money home is to buy traveller’s checks endorsing them to yourself, sending them to your parents back home and having them deposit them in your account. This is dangerous.

Taxes

Taxes for English teachers in China can be confusing, especially if your school is trying to help you out. If you are a new teacher in China and if you earn less than 4,800 RMB per month, you have no tax liability in China. Foreigners working in China have to pay personal income tax only if their monthly pay is above 4,800 RMB, up from the previous threshold of 4,000 RMB.

Information we have received suggests that you are totally exempt from taxes for the first 90-days in China. Everything that you make over 4,800 RMB requires you to pay a tax on ONLY the amount above 4,800 RMB. The tax starts at 15% and increases proportionally with the wage. In many cases, the host institution will absorb this cost as a benefit to the teacher. Teachers should still ask for pay slips from employers monthly for their own record.

NOTE: in many cases, your employer will try to ABSORB this tax. Here’s how that works. Imagine that your salary is 6000RMB/ month. The school will claim that they are paying you 4800RMB and that they are providing an additional 1200RMB as a housing allowance thereby negating your tax implications. Very nice of them. Be sure you check with your school. This will also be important when considering tax implications back home. Remember that just because you’re away doesn’t mean you don’t have to report.

Section 6: Chinese Culture

China is home to the richest and oldest heritage of art & literature in the world. Some of its famous works have been translated into foreign languages but most of them are not translated or non-translatable. Thus they are unknown to the outside world.

What should also immediately be known and understood, is that Chinese people are intensely competitive and in most situations (unless you are friends with this person), they could care less about you. One teacher puts it like this, “Public behaviour of people is disgusting and the lack of politeness and respect for each other is the worst I have ever seen in Asia.
One-on-one or in personal interactions in individual circumstances it’s ok, but put yourself in a market or on a sidewalk with a bunch of strangers and it’s like you’re invisible.” For those of you looking for a strong sense of “expat” community, best bet is to go to a school in a smaller city or in a suburb of the major metropolitan centres. Like most big cities, social groupings are spread thin and often time’s expats are involved in many different things or are transient or are tired of being around the transient nature of foreigners. Smaller cities or suburbs often have more tightly knit expat communities

Food Etiquette

Food etiquette in China is different from other cultures. Watch what they do. You will be amazed. Slurping and reaching for food is totally acceptable, as is removing food from one’s mouth and putting it on the table. Note that playing with chopsticks and making faces at the food (no matter how disgusted you might be) is not acceptable. Showing this emotion is considered a loss of face. Also note that going “dutch” is seen as unfriendly. If you offer to pay for everyone’s meal it will develop your relationship with him or her or them, even though they may not let you actually pay.

If invited to a Chinese person’s house, which will happen, always take a gift of fruit or flowers. A pre-made basket of fruit costs about 30RMB. A bag of oranges or a bunch of flowers only costs a couple of RMB. Red flowers are good gifts, but white flowers are only used at funerals.

Smoking is seen as a manly thing and very few think of it as a health threat or as offensive. Often people will smoke in restaurants with little or no regard for smoking or non – smoking sections. Chinese men constantly offer cigarettes and alcohol to other men. The type of cigarettes a person smokes establishes a class system. To decline an offer of a cigarette or alcohol say gently, “Wo bu hui. Xie xie.”

Tipping or Not

Today, attitudes towards tipping are changing. Although the practice is not officially recognized, tips are now frequently offered to and accepted by travel guides, tour bus drivers, porters and waiters in top-class hotels and restaurants. However, tipping is still not expected in most restaurants and hotels. Consumer taxes are included in price tags on goods but big hotels and fine restaurants may include a service charge of 10% or more.

Holding Hands in Public

Chinese are not big on public displays of affection, you will rarely if ever see couples kissing or making out in public. Shake hands but refrain from hugging, kissing, winking, patting or making physical contact.

As a “friend”, you will find that men will hold hands with men and women will hold hands with women and walk on the street. This may be “weird” in the West, but it is a common, friendly practice for young people/adults in China. You may even have a friend of the same sex try to hold your hand at some point. It’s a very weird feeling but there is nothing more to it than an expression of friendship.

Shifty Eyes

In Western countries one expects to maintain eye contact when we talk with people. This is a norm we consider basic and essential. This is not the case among the Chinese.

On the contrary, because of the more authoritarian nature of the Chinese society, steady eye contact is viewed as inappropriate, especially when subordinates talk with their superiors. Chinese students are not brought up to maintain constant eye contact with their teachers. Eye contact is sometimes viewed as a gesture of challenge or defiance. When people get angry, they tend to maintain steady eye contact. Otherwise, they keep talking looking elsewhere or nonchalantly. Also, unless your motives are sincere, try to avoid physical and eye contact with the opposite sex.

Bowing

Bowing or nodding is the common greeting; however, you may be offered a handshake. Wait for the Chinese to offer their hand first.

Hawking

Not one of the most beautiful elements of Chinese culture but definitely a predominant one. Many Westerners are put off by the “hawking” and violent phglem raising efforts of Chinese people. Even in a restaurant, spitting and littering occurs. It is important to ALWAYS consider where you sit or put your bag down and it is highly advised that you NOT walk around barefoot.

Being Sociable

You are definitely welcome to invite Chinese people to your home. Do be warned that if you invite them that you will be required to supply everything, just the same as if you had invited them to dinner.

Are You Married?

Be prepared to be asked your age, or why you are not married or don’t have any children. This is not considered prying but rather viewed as friendly concern and expressing interest in your life. Perhaps a little too prying at times.

Offering Once, Twice …

Usually when a Chinese host offers a guest refreshments, if the guest declines, the host will ask again twice. Remember this if you entertain at your place. If someone declines they may really want something, so you should really ask a couple more times. It makes it look like you are really concerned about their comfort.

Section 7: Medical facilities in China

Hospitals and international clinics (listed below)

In an emergency, get into a taxi and tell the driver “HOSPITAL” – “Yi-Yuan”. Say it as if it’s one word – pronounced “yiyen”.
If you don’t have access to the Internet and you’re in a bind and need to find a doctor, your best bet is to go to the nicest hotel around and ask them. Generally speaking the nicer hotels usually have staff that can speak English and can tell you where you should go for help.

Most major cities have a good number of hospitals and many new international clinics with English speaking doctors who are practicing Western medicine.

Chinese state hospitals can be scary places – they are best described as developing rather than developed. If you need a blood transfusion or if you are giving blood, do your best to get to an international clinic. The biggest health fear in China now is contaminated blood stock.

Also, diarrhea can be a problem in getting used to the food and water. Local Chinese people tend to use traditional Chinese medicines for minor ailments, but many Western medicines are now available “over the counter” at local drug stores including a variety of antibiotic and antiviral drugs, steroid creams, anti- inflammatory creams, asthma medicine, and gastrointestinal drugs for diarrhea and heartburn. Drugs for pain, fever, colds and allergies are also available.

Traditional Chinese Medicine

Although it won’t be covered by your medical insurance, you may want to consider trying traditional Chinese medicinal cures during your stay in China. Keep in mind that Chinese traditional medicine is best for treating chronic conditions such as obesity, hepatitis, skin diseases, chronic pains and headaches. If you need an appendectomy, we suggest going to a Western doctor.

Nonetheless, treatments such as acupuncture, herbal medicine and moxibustion (burning herbs near the skin) and suction (a suction cup made from bamboo is placed on the skin and a burning piece of cotton is briefly placed inside the cup. As the air inside the cup cools, a partial vacuum is created). This leaves a dramatic looking but harmless red mark on the skin.

International Aids experts have warned that the disease can spread to the mainstream population unless China takes urgent measures to stop the spread. China now has 840,000 HIV and Aids cases and is still in the low prevalence level. But high prevalence clusters continue to increase at a rapid rate among high-risk groups like drug users and prostitutes. Meanwhile, many homosexual and bisexual men have set up families with a female, which poses another threat to women and also to babies who will be infected through their mothers. Infection through blood transfusions has been basically curbed in China and will not pose a high risk for Aids spread. But in some rural areas, irresponsible or ill-informed doctors continue to use unchecked blood which they buy from farmers for transfusions rather than blood from blood banks, which costs more.
International organisations, including the United Nations, believe China’s official figure for the number of infections is far too low, suggesting it could rise to 20 million by 2010.

Section 8: Educational system overview

Teach Travel Asia proudly offers teaching jobs in the Chinese public school system, in international schools, in private schools, universities and colleges and in private language schools in China.

Basic education in China includes pre-school education, primary education and regular secondary education. Education in China is a decentralized process where the state (being the central government) sets plans and each administrative division (province) is responsible for ensuring that their region meets or exceeds these requirements.

There are incredible differences in the quality of education from area to area. As is often the case with fast-growing economies, there are marked regional disparities with respect to education. As such, the most economically developed places correspondingly have the highest demand for English, the most exposure to English and consequently, the highest level of English.

Oddly, English language training is still considered “noncore education services”. These services are tightly controlled by the government. China’s education system is organized as follows:

• Kindergarten and pre-school: age 3-6
• Primary school: age 7-12 (compulsory)
• Junior middle school: age 13-15 (compulsory)
• Senior middle school or Senior secondary or vocational school: age 16-18
• University: age 19-22
• Post-graduate: age 23 and over

In public schools in China, teachers lecture students who passively copy down notes. Memorization is extremely important, as students often lack basic critical thinking skills. Students speak very little in the classroom, and challenging the teacher is almost unheard of. Your task: to get them talking!

Westerners often confuse Chinese students by trying to encourage a free-wheeling debate in the room. Expect your students to be very reluctant to contribute at first. It takes months to cultivate an atmosphere in which students feel comfortable speaking aloud without being singled out by the teacher.

Chinese education is also strongly based on results, so students are constantly studying for a never-ending series of exams. They are used to processing information and using it to pass exams, something they do in their other classes. The student/teacher relationship is quite formal. Many students do not even learn their teacher’s full name. Western norms of casual conversation are simply not adhered to in Chinese classrooms.

Section 9: Food in China

Don’t Lick the Chopsticks!

Forget the fortune cookie but get ready to tempt your taste buds!

The cuisine of China vary greatly from region to region but is united by one commonality: it is GOOD! Greasy, but good.
Be aware and be patient and be open-minded. It may take several tries to find the right dishes that you like. Often, when you go out with Chinese hosts they somehow want you to try the strangest thing on the menu, perhaps just to see if you have the courage, or maybe in truth because it’s a delicacy.

Did you know that it’s ok to spit things onto the table that you don’t like? Imagine doing that at home… ok when you are 4 years old, but go home and have Christmas dinner with mom and dad and spit out your brussel sprouts? In China, this is ok. Same goes with food eating sounds – go ahead and slurp and burp. Anyway, if you try something you don’t like you can put it on the table after trying it or at least make it look like you tried it. You can then spit it out or push it off your plate.
Pork is the chief meat of the Chinese – in fact, in some of the Southern languages of China, the word meat is used to mean pork. The consumption of fish, both freshwater and saltwater, is enormous. Chicken is probably the most favored meat, while beef is also eaten.

Chinese food consists of a multitude dishes that are very regional in flavor. If you’re in an area where you really don’t care much for the food, you really can’t generalize that you don’t like Chinese food. Similarly if you’re way down South and you say that Chinese food is too spicy for you, you should consider the more subtle basic spicing of Chinese food up North.
In the South, rice is the main meal and in the North, breads or rolls. Dishes in the Sichuan and Hunan areas are spicy, and they are a little sweet in the Shanghai area.

The three main staple foods in China are noodles, rice dishes and dumplings. Unfortunately most food in China is really greasy. Most dishes have a fair bit of oil puddling around the bottom.

Alcohol is part of Chinese folklore and in modern China alcohol still plays an important role in this folklore, despite many social vicissitudes. It still appears in almost all social activities, the most common occasions being birthday parties for seniors, wedding fEasts and sacrificial ceremonies, where liquor must be the main drink to show happiness or respect.
In ancient China, since alcohol was regarded as a sacred liquid it was only used when people made sacrificial offerings to Heaven, Earth or significant ancestors.

After the Zhou Dynasty, alcohol was deemed as one of the Nine Rites and since then, every Dynasty placed heavy emphasis on alcohol administration, setting up special ministries to manage alcohol production and banqueting. Later, along with the development of zymotechnics and brewery, alcohol became much more of an ordinary, everyday drink. Thus, many of the daily customs involving alcohol evolved.

In China, people tend to eat together; usually the host will serve some dishes with his or her own chopsticks to guests to show his or her hospitality. For Westerners it is quite acceptable to leave the food alone if you feel too awkward. Your host will express some unhappiness if you don’t at least try it, and for some strange reason, they get a kick out of ordering the most bizarre things for you to try (EVEN if they don’t like eating it themselves!). It is ok to try something and spit it out on the table if you don’t like it.

Section 10: Housing and Internet in China

The majority of English schools in China provide their teachers with free housing (Please see samples pictures). Some schools that offer higher starting salaries may exclude housing be sure to read your contract completely. We highly recommend contracts that include housing for your first job.

Teacher apartments in China are usually either on campus or very close to campus. These apartments will be furnished with basic necessities – a Western style bed, some chairs, a table, a bureau, a TV, a fridge, a washing machine and perhaps a VCR and or a computer and a Western style toilet.

The only places where you will experience traditional ‘squat’ style toilets – basically a porcelain covered hole in the floor- is in the countryside and in some public restrooms (but these are becoming less and less common).

*** NOTE: If faced with using a squat toilet, there are a few tricks to remember. Squat facing the rounded porcelain hood of the toilet as if you were going to play leap-frog- you wouldn’t want to suffer the embarrassment of someone discovering you using the toilet backwards! Make sure your pants and undergarments are out of the way, or you may have a distinctly uncomfortable rest of the day, and try not to splash.

Living accommodations in China are changing fast, so there’s a lot of variety. Until the 1990s, most urban housing looked like an apartment building. They’re usually drab concrete blocks with balconies that may be glassed in. Chinese people can now own their apartments and many new buildings are being constructed. Now the buildings are often painted bright pink or decorated with Greek/Roman statues. In recent years high-rise apartments have sprung up all over China at an incredible rate. Not only has the availability of housing increased but the living conditions have improved dramatically as well. New apartments are being built with fast internet connections, central heating, electricity and toilets. Seems funny, it wasn’t that long ago when houses being built did not have an indoor toilet.

Today, some foreign teachers in China live in beautiful land- scaped villas, while others share the older style concrete apartments. Traditional Chinese houses (si he yuan) consist of two-to-four buildings enclosed by a wall and facing on a rectangular central courtyard. You can see these in the “hutongs” of Beijing or in other older neighbourhoods of Chinese cities or villages.

Most of the older housing buildings are about 3-5 stories. There is usually a balcony, which is usually glassed-in in North China. Apartments commonly have one or two bedrooms, a living room, a kitchen, and bathroom. Floors are usually concrete.

Things NOT to expect:

• Clothes dryer – this uses far too much energy and is a luxury. Many teachers actually get their clothes laundered for them (very cheap). If you do your own laundry, you can use a standard drying rack.
• Bathtubs – Most accommodations do not have bathtubs. There are bath houses where you can immerse yourself but do expect only a shower in your housing. There is actually an old saying in Yangzhou that loosely translated means: “In the morning you put water into your skin and in the evening you put your skin into water”. Most people in China do not take a bath at home, especially in the winter. Instead they go to the local public bathhouse. Be sure to go to a NICE one. There are common bath houses where you just get a shower, and do note that some don’t have hot water.

Remember when entering any home in China that you need to always take off your shoes. Your Chinese friends will be very unimpressed if you enter their homes with your shoes on.

When sitting, do not point the bottoms of your feet to any person. Try to sit cross-legged or tuck your legs underneath you.

Internet in China

Internet cafes are a booming business in Shanghai, Beijing, Nanjing, Hong Kong, Xian and most other tourist spots. Even smaller and more remote cities usually have some kind of Internet cafe for those who need to get their regular email fix. Prices vary of course, from RMB10 per hour to RMB50 per hour in parts of Hong Kong and Shanghai. There are also a few Internet bars popping up around Shanghai and Beijing, where Internet access is provided free if you are a customer.
The big question about Internet in China is reliability, speed and most importantly, censorship. Can you get all the mail that you are meant to? Can you search all the sites you want to? Does your mail get read before it goes out?

Internet cafes can be found near to most of the colleges. However, you will not want to use them to access secure email or banking information because of security issues. Using an Internet café usually only costs around 3 RMB per hour.
Internet Providers

There are many different Internet providers in China. Most will NOT have English speaking tech support and most will NOT have anyone who speaks English to help you set it up. Here you are at the mercy of someone Chinese. Get your head teacher or a colleague or a Chinese friend to give you a hand with this.

As China is a massive country, there are different providers that offer services in specific areas only. With the interest, investment and profit in the Internet, new ones are established weekly, replacing old ones. Ask around. Find out what everyone else is using. If you can, test drive their connection. A good way to test the speed of the Internet connection is to go to www.speedtest.net. Dialup Access to the Internet is available in China through CNC (China Net Com) through most phone lines where CNC is the provider. The cost is around 2 RMB per hour and is just added to your monthly phone bill. Phone number: 169, Username: 169, Password: 169. This works on most phone lines, but the cost does mount up if you use it regularly. Broadband is usually cheaper.

Broadband connections here varies and can be up to 5 Megabit download and 500 Kilobit Upload which is more than adequate for using skype. However, the quality of this varies during different times of the day and also depends on the location in the world you are trying to access. Sometimes watching video clips on the Internet works, sometimes it doesn’t. Internal Chinese websites work very well with very fast speed. A 1-year subscription of the Internet usually ranges from 600 RMB to 1000 RMB depending on speed and provider.

Section 11: Chinese – The language & Arts and Crafts

The Language

The national language is Putonghua (the common speech) or Mandarin, which is one of the five working languages at the United Nations. Most of the 55 minority nationalities have their own languages. Cantonese is one of the local dialects of Southern China. As a written language, Chinese has been used for 6,000 years. Chinese belongs to the Han-Tibetan language Family and is one of the most commonly used languages in the world.

Written Chinese emerged in its embryonic form of carved symbols approximately 6,000 years ago. The Chinese characters used today evolved from those used in bone and tortoise shell inscriptions more than 3,000 years ago and the bronze inscriptions produced soon after.

Drawn figures were gradually reduced to patterned strokes, pictographs were reduced to symbols, and the complicated graphs became simpler. Early pictographs and ideographs were joined by pictophonetic characters. In fact, there are six categories of Chinese characters: pict- ographs, self-explanatory characters, associative compounds, pictophonetic characters, phonetic loan characters, and mut- ually explanatory characters.

Chinese words are monosyllabic. A large proportion of Chinese characters are composed of an ideogramatic element combined with a phonetic element.

Many non-Chinese sometimes get the feeling that there are an unlimited number of Chinese characters. There are about 56,000 characters, of which only about 3,000 are in common use. In addition to their functional value as symbols for records and communication, Chinese characters have an aesthetic value as calligraphy.

All of China’s 55 minority people have their own languages, except the Hui and Manchu, who use Chinese; 23 of these have a written form. Nowadays, classes in schools in predominantly national minority areas are taught in the local language, using local language textbooks.

Chinese Arts and Crafts

You will also be amazed at how you can afford amazing works of art if you get off the beaten track and head to the smaller towns. Chat with the artists and learn. There is a lot of story behind a Chinese fan, and the art of paper making is an ancient Chinese secret. Teaching in China may allow you to be able to unlock some of these ancient Chinese secrets. China is also famous for a lot of other things.

Performance Arts

There is a great story in our Chinese Culture section about the opera in Anhui. Each city has a major hall for theatre. Make a point of finding out where it is and what is on. It really doesn’t matter that you don’t speak the language. Opera here is performed in many different languages. The songs are powerful. Chinese opera is very theatrical and you’ll enjoy it. There is much more to Chinese performance art than just the opera. Cirque de Soleil has met its match in China.
Find out where the acrobatics are taking place near you and witness a truly amazing show of human acrobatics.

Section 12: Transportation in China

Getting around in China is a bit of a challenge. Whether it’s poor signage or bad directions or special windows (and prices) for foreigners, invariably it is often a challenging mission to get where you want to go. Each city or town presents its own set of challenges but rest assured, once you become a bit more familiar with things it gets easier.

City Bus Transport in China

The city buses (Gonggong Qiche) provide the cheapest way to get around most cities. The cost is 50 fen (5 jiao) per trip, generally inside the 3rd ring road; generally outside the 3rd ring you pay 50 fen for the first 3 stations, and then an additional

30 fen for each subsequent 3 stops. The buses can be a very interesting experience for a foreigner. Few foreigners take the bus but for those who do, it is definitely a cultural experience. Best advice here is to AVOID RUSH HOUR PERIODS.
The routes the buses follow can take a while to learn, each bus has a number which corresponds to the route it follows. An important thing to learn about the buses is where they stop; sometimes they can stop a long way away from where you want to be.

To get on the bus, you need the EXACT fare or a bus pass. Put the fare in the toll slot at the front door and climb aboard. Expect stares. Exit only through the rear door of the bus.

There is no waiting in line/queuing when getting on a bus. You can push your way through the crowd to get on. If you don’t, often the bus will just leave. Or you will allow everyone to go in front of you and then the bus will be full and this scenario could go on and on until quite late in the evening when there are slightly fewer people queuing.

Mini Buses in China

Mini buses (Xiao Gonggong) are between the comfortable taxis and crowded buses. The xiao gonggong will usually follow a regular bus route with some small variations depending on the individual drivers.

You will see many of these driving up and down the streets with a driver and a helper usually yelling the number of the xiao ba out the window trying to get people to come in.

The number corresponds to the normal bus number which the xiao gonggong follows. This is how you tell which one to take. The number is also displayed in the window of the bus. The fare depends on how far you wish to go and varies from 1 to 6 Yuan. They can be very convenient at times especially when a normal bus is full – and they are pretty cheap.

They are only in major cities and usually stop working about 22-23:00. Taking these little buses is generally painless, you will usually get a seat, but sometimes the seat might be falling apart or on the engine which is bad in the summer and good in the winter. Be prepared though for some unique driving, these buses are competitive for people with other buses on the same route and they can race around the busy streets with little regard for their passengers.

Purchasing Train Tickets

In Beijing it may be more convenient to have your train tickets booked for you by a travel agency such as Chinese Business World’s travel center or ChinaTourService.com, which make train reservations if you send them an e-mail request. If you opt to do it yourself, the process can be rather confusing and time-consuming.

Some stations do however have special counters which sell tickets to foreigners and overseas Chinese for up to five days in advance. When purchasing your own, remember to bring your passport or ID.

Bicycles in China

They provide a form of transportation for a majority of people in China, so much so that in major cities there are cycling side roads set aside on all major roads. One of the nice things about many Chinese cities is that they are for the most part, very flat. No having to ride uphill to and from school. It might look scary but riding a bicycle is a great way to see China, as you can pretty much go anywhere and don’t have to worry about car traffic – just bike traffic. When you first arrive it is VERY important to watch how the locals’ ride their bikes before they attempt a try, although don’t necessarily copy their riding style!

Bicycle Rental in China

In most of the major cities there are many places that rent bikes, large repair shops as well as hotels, with prices ranging from 2 Yuan per hour to 40 Yuan per day depending on the style of bike.

Purchasing a Bicycle in China

The most popular Chinese brands are: Flying Pigeon (Feige), Phoenix (Fenghuang) and Forever (Yongjiu). You should be able to purchase a reliable Chinese bicycle for about 50 USD.

Sometimes it is better to buy a bike in China rather than bring your own. You already stand out in the crowd by virtue of non-being Chinese. Your foreign bike will also stand out which might make it a target to be stolen.

Bicycle Repair in China

You can try a large repair shop but there are abundant repair stalls with all the spare parts. A new inner tube should cost less than 15 Yuan and an inner tube and tire about 30 Yuan – all including labour.

Travel by Boat or Ships in China

A luxury passenger and cargo liner operated by the Sino Japanese International Ferry Company sails once a week from Shanghai to Japan’s Kobe, Osaka and Yokohama-and a one-way trip along the route takes about 45 hours.

Taking a Taxi in China

Taxi is a convenient means of transportation in large and medium-sized tourist cities in China, with fares ranging from 1 to 2 Yuan per kilometre. Simply raise your hand, and the taxi stops immediately for hotels in Beijing and other tourist cities. Taxi meters start at 6 RMB in most places.

Rickshaws and Pedi Cabs in China

They offer an experience for tourists. They are found around big hotels and street corners in cosy seasons. Rickshaws provide a more relaxing way to explore the city. Prices are bargained with the driver and though prices are usually reasonable, one should still be careful – it is not unheard of for a new tourist pay 50 Yuan for a 2 minute ride from the Friendship Store to the Subway.

You should carry a map with you, know where you are going or ask a foreigner if you care about the price, and if not then just go. The one really nice thing about these rickshaws is that unlike Thailand or other places where these are often used, the drivers don’t make arbitrary pitstops in suit or dress manufacturers.

Subway (in Beijing)

The subway is a fast, convenient and a helpful way to get around the city–except of course during rush hours (7:00-9:00 and 16:30-18:00) when they’re very crowded. There are two subway lines: one circles the city and one extends into the Western suburbs.

Figuring out which side to take can be confusing if you don’t speak Chinese. The map of the subway in the subway train is in Chinese characters as well as Pin Yin but outside waiting for the subways the wall map has only Chinese characters and there are no signs telling which direction the lines go.

Unless you know which side to take you will have to ask somebody for directions. It is usually a good idea to know one subway stop, like Yonghegong, Fuxingmen or Jianguomenwai which can help you ask somebody which way to go.
The Fuxingmen station is the only station that allows you to change lines. Tickets are cheap, costing 3-yuan one way. The subway runs from 5:30 to 23:00.

Taking a Train in China

Beijing has five railway stations but Beijing’s West Railway Station at Lianhuachi is the newest and largest. Each station has lines running to almost all provincial capitals, and to all China’s major cities. There are four kinds of seats available: soft berths, hard berths, soft seats, and hard seats. Most overnight trains have dining cars.

The Yanjing is a passenger liner run by the Jinshen Steamboat Company, which shuttles once a week between Tianjin and Kobe. The Daren passenger and cargo liner owned by the Dalian Daren Steamboat Company sails twice a week between Dalian and Incheon in South Korea, with a one-way trip taking 15 hours.

The Xinjinqiao and Xiangxuelan, the two luxury passenger liners operated by the Weihaiwei Eastern Shipping Company, sail three times a week from Weihai and Qingdao respectively to Incheon, with a one-way trip lasting for 14 hours.

China’s port cities are covered by a labyrinth of maritime shipping lines. The most important of these routes are:

• Shanghai-Dalian
• Dalian-Tianjin
• Dalian-Yantai
• Shanghai-Qingdao
• Shanghai-Guangzhou
• Beihai-Guangzhou
• Shenzhen-Zhuhai
• Zhuhai-Hong Kong

Tracing these well-arranged domestic maritime shipping lines are many luxury pleasure boats and passenger liners.

Section 13: Packing list and public holidays

First things first, look through your closet, look through your toiletry back, look around your home, look to see how much of what you own is MADE IN CHINA. You can get most things there. Do not PACK THE KITCHEN sink. That said, there are a couple things that are nice to have’s when you’re abroad and there are some things you need to bring. Consider where you are going when determining what to pack in terms of clothing. To say that you should pack a winter jacket for those going to Guangzhou or Shenzhen would be like saying to someone living in Miami or Darwin that they should have an electric blanket.

Packing List

• For those with big or wide feet, shoes in big or wide sizes
• Pictures or post cards from home and a map of your home country
• Tampons – only those with no applicator are available.
• Plug adapters – if you are bringing in any electrical equipment

Official Chinese Holidays

New Years Day (January 1)

Not as much celebrated as it is in other parts of the world because it is overshadowed by the upcoming Chinese New Year about a month away. However, employees will enjoy a paid day- off. And there will be parties everywhere, in parks, dancing halls and universities, and students will leave for the winter vacation.

International Women’s Day (March

Interestingly, women employees will get a whole or an half paid day-off on the day while the men are at the mercy of their employers.

Tree-Planting Day (April 1)

Note that this day is not an official no-work day. Highly promoted since the late 70’s by the reformist government and yet to become established. It marks the beginning of a greening campaign all over the country during the month each year.

International Labour Day (May 1)

No less celebrated than the New Year’s Day. Employees will enjoy a paid day-off. Celebration parties in parks take the place of parades today.

Youth Day (May 4)

Not an official day-off… this is a day in memory of the first mass student movement in 1919, a movement touched off by the then Chinese government that gave in to the Japanese government’s attempt to colonize Shandong Province. It is also an anti-Confucius movement as well as one that promoted the Western scientific and democratic ideas. Government organized youth activities everywhere in the country today characterizes the celebration of this day.

Children’s Day (June 1)

This is not necessarily a day off. It is the most memorable day for Chinese kids all over the country. Many entertainment places such as cinemas, parks and children museums and palaces are open free to them. Elementary schools throw celebration parties while parents shower them with presents.

The CCP’s Birthday (July 1)

Not necessarily a day off – this special day marks the founding of the Chinese Communist Party in 1921 in Shanghai. It is usually characterized by front page editorials in major government newspapers.

Army’s Day (August 1)

Not necessarily a day off – this day celebrates the communist- led nationalist army staging the first armed uprising in Chinese communist history against the Nationalists on August 1, 1927. It was regarded as the beginning of the Red Army (later the People’s Liberation Army). Now the anniversary is often used to promote better relationships between the army and civilians, a tradition believed to have helped it beat the Nationalists during the civil war in 1949.

Teacher’s Day (September 1)

It was started in the early eighties as an effort to reverse the anti-intellectual sentiment nurtured by the “Cultural Rev- olution”. It is yet to become an established holiday. You will be working on this day but you will also be smothered in presents from your students and their parents. This is a fun day for teachers.

National Day (October 1)

This holiday can often run 2 or 3 days. It is the anniversary of the founding of the People’s Republic of China in 1949 in the wake of routing the Nationalists who have since taken refuge in Taiwan. There used to be grand parades in major cities of the country. Now celebrations usually take the form of parties in amusement parks by day and fire-works and grand TV ensembles during the evening. Employees enjoy two paid days-off. It is also a good occasion for many people to take a short excursion to enjoy the beauty of the golden Fall.

Chinese Traditional Holidays

Spring Festival (The Chinese New Year)

The biggest and most celebrated festival in China and part of East and SouthEast Asia. This usually runs over 3 days not including the weekend and is at the end of January or beginning of February. It changes in accordance with the lunar cycle.

Chinese New Year

Pronounced in Chinese as “xin nian”, always falls on the date of marking the beginning of the spring and thus it is also called the “Spring Festival”. “xin” means “new” and “nian” means “year”. There are many stories told about the origin of “nian”, which actually is the name of a ferocious beast.

Lantern Festival (15th of the 1st month)

Lantern exhibits, lion and dragon dances, and eating Tang Yuan (ball-shaped boiled sweet rice dumplings with delicious stuffing) are features of this day. It is very much celebrated in the rural areas by farmers. The Lantern Festival also marks the end of the Chinese New Year season.

Tomb Sweeping Day (April 4 or 5 or 6) Qing Ming (Pure & Bright in Chinese)

Celebrated two weeks after the vernal equinox, Tomb Sweeping Day is one of the few traditional Chinese holidays that follows the solar calendar – typically falling on April 4, 5, or 6. Originally it was a celebration of spring. People used to customarily go out on an excursion to “cut grass”. Later it became day dedicated to the dear departed.

Duan Wu (Dragon Boat) Festival (5th of the 5th month by the Lunar Calendar)

Said to be in memory of a great patriot poet of the then State of Chu during the Warring States period (475-221 B.C.), Qu Yuan (Ch’u Yuan), who drowned himself as a protest against his emperor who gave in to the bullying State of Chin. Fearing that fish may consume his body, the people of Chu launched their boats and started throwing rice dumplings wrapped in bamboo leaves into the river where he was drowned to feed the fish. Modern day big event of the dragon boat contest may be a legacy of this activity.

People today still eat the bamboo-leave wrapped rice dump- lings on this festival.

Seventh Eve (7th of the seventh month)

It is a traditional holiday almost lost to the younger generations today. It originates from a beautiful legend about a cowherd and a fairy who were cruelly separated and were reunited once each year on this happy yet sad occasion.

Mid-Autumn Festival (15th of the eighth month by the Lunar Calendar)

It is second only to the Chinese New Year in significance. The moon on this day is at its fullest to the eye. Typically the whole family admire the moon while feasting on good wine, fruits and moon-cakes. There is also a beautiful story behind it. Children are told that there’s a fairy on the moon living in a spacious but cold crystal palace with her sole companion, a jade rabbit.

A heavenly general and friend would occasionally pay her a visit, bringing along his fragrant wine. She would then dance a beautiful dance. The shadows on the moon made the story all the more credible and fascinating to the young imaginative minds.