I live in China and while I am an American, I really have been here for over 20 years. However, I often host visitors to China. They tend to be businessmen, Engineers, and students that intern for me. Here are some common complaints.
Cashless society
China is a cashless society. In fact, I haven’t carried a wallet in over a decade. The Chinese, and my self, do not use credit cards, or debit cards. We use face scans, palm scans, finger scans and QR scans.
If you want to get into a building you have to have your face scanned, if you did not register with the office that you want to enter, you will need to do so to enter the building.
If you want to buy a drink, say a Coke, you pay by face, palm or QR. My personal preference is to use weixing QR, and alipay QR. These are everywhere.
In fact, if you want to do anything… take a taxi, a DD, rent an electric scooter, or bicycle… take the High Speed train, or exit a parking lot, you will need to scan.
So the first thing for visitors to China is to get WeChat, or Alipay. Associate a bank account with it, and then use those applications to pay for your expenses. Of course, old filthy bills and coins are still accepted, but you will be holding up the line, and everyone will be staring at you like you are some kind of exotic zoo animal.
Bedding
Beds tend to be hard. Not “Western hard”, but cement hard. Many people from the West have a difficult time with this. But after a while, they grow to appreciate the great sleep that it provides.
Toilets
Most toilets are squatters, built into the floor. There usually is one or two Western style commodes in the co-ed bathroom, but you will need to wait to use them. Also, many public bathrooms do not provide toilet paper, so you will need to buy a small mini-pack of tissue and carry it around with you.
Alcohol
China has a massive and impressive drinking culture. If you think that downing a six pack of Western beer makes you a drinker, then you are in for a surprise. Families and businessmen typically down 53% alcohol “white wine”. I ALWAYS keep an eye on my charges to make sure that they are not vomiting all night due to miscalculations.
Spicy food
There is “spicy” and then there is “Chinese spicy”. I used to think that I could eat spicy food. Not until I came to China. The food is on another level completely. If you are not prepared you will experience some major stomach discomfort. Be ready.
Wifi / Internet
Free everywhere. 5G and 5.5G. And amazingly fast. If you are using a Western phone you will connect on the lower speed levels that the routers provide. (Actually the 4G ranges as opposed to the “real” 5G range.) One of the ways around this limitation is to buy a cheap Chinese “burner” phone and use it to connect to the high speeds available everywhere in China.
All the rest
Everything in China is clean, orderly and has attendants that speak English to help you out and around. If you are form Europe, I suggest that you land in Macao, as they speak Portuguese there, and so if you are Italian, Spanish, or any of the other romance languages, you shouldn’t have any problem getting around.
Hospitals are just like hospitals in the West except they are much cheaper and do not need a year’s paycheck to pay for a broken arm (that’s an American reference).
Police are fine. They won’t bother you, or even give you any attention. They are just there to help if you need them.
I suggest you enjoy the cities by renting one of the zillions of bicycles that you can rent out. Cost is super cheap. About 1 yuan a day or so.
Hamburger Joints. China has their own versions of fast food hamburger, and they are both unique and tasty. I suggest you try some of them.
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