How to move to China and work there: a personal experience

Thanks to the Internet, combining workflow travel It has become a way of life a huge number of people. All you need to do - is to organize yourself and your work, and choose where to go. Earlier we talked about, as in a few months to move to BaliAnd today we want to share the experience of the businessman and traveler Dima Kovpaka of other well-known country. So, we go to China!

Hello, you Dima Kovpak and now one of my beliefs:

Know the path and go through it - not the same thing

Overheard at Morpheus from "The Matrix"

More than a year ago, I wrote in the notebook one simple desire - to 3 months traveling through Europe by car. From January 1 to March 15, 2014 my wife and I toured Italy, Austria, Germany, Slovakia, Hungary. And in April 2014, inviting with 2 prominent people, we are once again flew to China, with the search for adventure and new ideas for the business. I will share with you my thoughts about living and working in China, and how it is translated into reality.

To learn more about what I'm doing, read my blog

www.dimakovpak.comsee Youtube and be sure to add to friends in the social. networks.

why China

Why not? Ask yourself, what do you know about China. Of course, those who watched "The Karate Kid" with Jackie Chan, already can not go to China, there are all shown :) It was a joke, so how, in fact, China - it is much more, and I'll tell you how to live and work in China, moving from province province.

So, north and south China are very different: dialect, cuisine, Chinese appearance. Traveling in China, you can see the furry pandas (as in "Panda Kung Fu"), the Tibetan Plateau, the Great Wall, gardens and temples sun, shaggy mountain rivers under the mountains, centuries-old trees, concrete jungle, the most expensive hotels, the food with a thousand flavors, night Hong Kong and only.

Starting with airport size of any large city, China is very impressive. While the world is played in the crisis, China is showing all its scale, how to live and how to live well. The Chinese have created an internal market with more than 600 million. consumers, and now do not depend on disturbances in the world.

What time of year to go

I went to Guangzhou (South China) in October and April, and the temperature was at 30 degrees. I visited Tibet in July - from 17 to 27 degrees. Sichuan Province and the south in general - very hot, but the humidity makes it possible to live and roam even in the summer on a wonderful place. Beijing is located in the north, in August there is a damn hot. Beijing is not even heating, since December is warm, and the winter is short - just 2 months.

Organizational matters

flight

It can fly, it's important :) I flew Aeroflot, Turkish Airlines and Emirates airlines following areas: Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Hong Kong. Prices usually choose the cheapest time to travel, and that's about 1000 USD per person roundtrip. Prices can vary greatly from the trip time and on how far in advance you buy tickets.

According to China flights are not cheap. Beijing - Lhasa (Tibet) - $ 800, Lhasa - Chengdu - 500, Shanghai - Guangzhou - $ 300, Beijing - Guangzhou - about 200 dollars. Move around the country as possible and on trains. For example, a ticket for a regular train from Hong Kong to Guangzhou costs 150 yuan (about 25 US dollars), from Chengdu to Lin Gui reserved seat will cost 100 dollars.

Where to buy tickets

Most often I use Expedia, but there are also many other services to search for flights. Train tickets can be bought on the spot. I recommend all kinds of transfers through the Internet is not ordered. It is much easier to ride on the local taxi on the meter. For example, I once paid for online transfer from your hotel to the train station in Guangzhou $ 30, but actually in a taxi that cost $ 4. Transfer to Guangzhou from the hotel to the airport for 6 people cost 400 yuan (about 67 US dollars).

Visa

I apply for the visa only through agencies. The cost of the monthly tourist visa - $ 180 per person. In Hong Kong, the citizens of Ukraine and Russia are allowed a 14-day stay without a visa. More information about visas can be obtained here or at Embassy website.

Insurance

I am sure 100% is required for any traveler to protect themselves from stress and unnecessary wastage on medication. The cost of insurance for a month - $ 70. Medicine itself in China is different from ours, since it does not focus on the treatment of disease, and to support the body, which is itself struggling to illness. On this score, there is one story - Mao Zedong gathered all the martial arts, and said: "I will not be able to provide hospitals the whole of China, and I need a healthy and strong nation." In response, it was invented by improving gymnastics. Often, hundreds of people can watch the parks practicing Tai Tzu.

Medical training

Many argue that it can be acclimatization, but I was only once, and a day temperature of 38.6. I upload photos drugs for acclimatization on herbs.

In any case, you need to take antibiotics as Chinese medicines act differently. As I just mentioned, Chinese tablets are slow, as though helping the body to cope with the disease.

In which region to go

Beijing

It is easy to arrive at any time of the year in Beijing, from 40 dollars to settle in a small hotel near Tiananmen Square and a huge park nearby, dedicated to the Temple of Heaven. Nearby is the Pearl Market, where it is always interesting to dig in search of electronics, jewelry, bags, etc. Neg - divide all prices by at least 4.

Another option - to settle in the area of ​​wholesale Yabaolu quarter. There are thousands of stores aimed at wholesale buyers from the CIS. One day I was in a 4-star hotel Ritan international right in the mall Ritan. Combine shopping, work and life was interesting. Internet was fast enough for the webcasts. The rooms with windows in the floor with city views. Price at the hotel - $ 180 per night with breakfast. The district is full of restaurants with a familiar Russian food.

While in Beijing, worth seeing the Great Wall, the Palace of the Emperor, the Temple of Heaven (Thein Than), ride on the subway, take a walk on the wholesale market. I was always safe.

south

Traveling in China, you should definitely stay in the south of China, is greatly revolutionize your overall impression of the country. You can live in a small megacities Gui Lin or surrounded by shaggy mountains - the town of Yang Shuo. Everywhere in the wet south of China, is warm and around full of juicy mango. From there, a huge number of routes begins. You can visit the caves under the mountains and rivers, climb a waterfall, swim the river to visit a tea plantation and buy the best puer in the world. And after dinner, for example, work in a hotel. with Kiev time differs for 5 hours, with Moscow - 4, so you have a head start. Prices in Gui Lin living is lower than in Beijing. You can live in a decent hotel from $ 50. I am sure you can find and cheaper.

Sichuan province

Should go to spend some time in Sichuan province, in the city of Chengdu. A huge metropolis with skyscrapers. You can live in the hotel in the center of the US $ 70 with breakfast and Wi-Fi. Food here quite sharp due to excessive moisture. Worth seeing Reserve with pandas (Panda - Xiong Mao in Chinese literally bear-cat). By the way, this is one of the few places on earth where you can see giant pandas live. Another must visit park with grave Dzhugelyana, a prominent Chinese character usually depicted with a halberd. Generally Chengdu should be considered as a temporary place of high humidity and lack of direct sunlight.

Guangzhou - industrial city. I would call it a factory-exhibition. For a long time in this city to live and I do not recommend to stay. Sun and stars do not appear in the sky, as the city was able to hang. With all the beauty of the parks and modernity in many areas, particularly central in the city there are no birds.

Hong Kong

An obligatory part of the journey. I recommend everyone stay there for some time. Feel full nightlife, street discos, the roar of Ferraris and Lamborghinis on the streets of the city, etc. You can live expensive and very expensive :)

Central hotel - a combination of miniatures and sadism of the lodgers, but tolerable. There is high speed internet, Youtube, Facebook. The town is strongly motivated to live and work. An ideal place to find unusual dating in financial brokers, startups, and other unrecognized geniuses. Many beautiful women in the Asia-European type. All speak in English, which greatly pleases after mainland China.

housing Search

I enjoyed Booking, Expedia and Chinese friends that in the end it was always more profitable and cheaper. So look for friends in China. If you are going to stay in one place for a long time, the apartment can be rented. For example, in Guangzhou friends rent an apartment in the center, right next to the hotel "4 Seasons." The cost - $ 1,500 for 2 rooms in a large residential complex with swimming pool, gym, tennis courts and a closed territory. The apartment is spacious, but simple repairs. I am sure that you ask for, you can find accommodation in any format.

Food

The main difference of nutrition in different parts of China due to the exigencies of dishes. Starting with incredibly sharp to completely normal. I recommend eating at the local Chinese restaurants and eateries even from our point of view. European restaurants are often guilty of food quality and greatly lift up prices. In Hong Kong, breakfast for 10 persons in a European restaurant cost about $ 300, but you can have a meal in a local Chinese eatery for $ 70 for the same company. On the mainland, a full meal table for 10 people in a decent restaurant costs about 400 - 600 yuan (100 dollars). The main rule is the following - if the restaurant is full of Chinese, it means that there is delicious. Prices can vary widely, but all the same, the food is cheap in China.

Since I mostly traveled a great company, we are always on the table ordered many different dishes. In this food tradition is a bit different from our own. You do not order a portion for himself, and take a lot of different dishes on the table. For example, the most delicious - egg with tomato, squid in sweet and sour sauce, baozi (steamed dumplings) wood mushrooms, fried rice, pork in sweet and sour sauce (Theni Quan Miracle), all kinds of vegetables sauces.

There are a few proven network of restaurants across the country with Muslim cuisine. Highly I recommend the noodles, which they do by hand with you.

At the table, usually served tea as soon as we have water. Coffee nobody drinks. It can be found, or at the hotel, or in European restaurants. I recommend in any city in China to visit the local tea shops and try their tea. Often you will go shopping, but it's worth it.

prices

$ 100 - about 615 yuan. Price cans of cola - 3 yuan, a plate of rice - 5 yuan, a taxi - 4 yuan per 1 km, copies of branded dresses - 150 - 300 yuan, the normal hotels with Wi-Fi - 250 yuan, the metro - 2 yuan tickets for a train in the country - 150 yuan. Card with a local number and 400 minutes - 200 yuan (25 dollars).

Total monthly living in China will cost you, if you live in the hotel (about $):

»
Airfare - $ 1,000 insurance - $ 70.

The minimum period for which should go, - per month. you can stay on longer if desired.

As you can see, the prices are very different from the city and the region, and if Hong Kong for you can not afford, you can safely choose a different place, and in Hong Kong to go for the weekend.

important details

• In China, there are three values ​​that are difficult to understand for the person with the Slavic soul - in the first place the Chinese stands China, then Chinese people, then the family. In the understanding of the Chinese most important thing - it's work. With this conviction related psychology of the whole country.
• In China, limited access to Facebook and Youtube (except Hong Kong). Also, there are difficulties with high-speed internet, even in large cities, and expensive hotels. This fact should be given special attention when choosing a place to live.
• In China, you should not get behind the wheel, and it is better to use public transport and taxis. Chinese driving habits - is quite different. One of the vivid memories - a trip with a crazy, while we were traveling in the opposite direction only. Imagine, he misses a turn, stopped on the highway in the extreme and begins to search for a number in the navigator output, and the flow of cars barrage of his circles. And so in China lead all.
• In China, do not speak in English (except Hong Kong). that once explainedWhether or buy a pocket translator, or find yourself a Russian-speaking friends, or hire an interpreter, it is desirable from the CIS. Many Chinese translators are very poorly understood in Russian.

No matter in what area and for what period you go to China, this country will not leave you indifferent.

I'll go back to China, so I'll see you out there :)