15 Things I Wish I'd Known Before Living in China as an American

When I prepared to hop on a plane to study abroad in China, I scoured the internet for information and read just about every blog I could find. But, I still had so many questions! Now, as someone who has lived in China for over three years, I’ve built up a lot of knowledge along the way.

Here are 15 things I wish someone had told me before living in China, whether you’re whether you're studying, traveling, or teaching abroad!

Moving to China, I was very aware that there may be some animosity towards me as an American, especially since our leaders don't always see eye to eye. While sometimes I do hear negative comments about American politics and culture, these criticisms almost never come from people from China.

 Whenever I mentioned I'm from the US, it would spark conversations about American pop culture or the NBA. They might ask what the average salary is back home, or how much it costs to buy a house per square meter (If anyone has a good answer to that question, please let me know!).

Ultimatey, nobody in China hates you for being American. However, it will be helpful to read up on common Chinese social customs before entering the country.

Growing up, I was obsessed with Chinese food. Since I'm from Seattle, our Chinese food wasn't half-bad. But surprisingly, beef and broccoli, General Tso's chicken, and fortune cookies are nonexistent in China. 

I was shocked to find eggplant and tofu as staples. I also had no idea there were so many regional cuisines: Sichuan, Yunnan, Beijing, Hunan, Xinjiang, Tibetan, Mongolian, and more. Some of my favorite dishes in China are things I would have never eaten back home. 

For example, I fell in love with mapuo dofu, a soft tofu simmering in a spicy sauce with chili peppers that numb your tongue. Another favorite of mine was liang fen, a rice gelatin cut into bite-sized pieces covered in cilantro and fresh spices.

When I moved to China four years ago, I had no idea what the pollution level was going to be like. Upon arriving in China, I was unsure of the best way to protect myself from the smog and air pollution. What mask do I use? Do I wear it everyday? 

In China, it’s best to wear a mask everyday while outdoors. However, while disposable surgical masks are great for keeping yourself from getting sick on a crowded subway, they do not offer adequate protection from air pollution. 

What do you need to protect yourself, a gas mask? Well, while that's one option, I prefer the white 3M construction masks! They'll protect you from PM2.5, and you can buy them in bulk at Home Depot, Lowe's, or Amazon.

On days when the air is really polluted, it’s smart to stay indoors. If you're working or living in China, it's important to invest in a good air purifier for your office and apartment. This is where you're spending the majority of your time, and studies show that when it's polluted outside, it's usually just as polluted indoors.

Before coming to Chinanvest, ensure that your smartphone is unlocked because WeChat is essential.

WeChat is similar to Whatsapp and is a very popular social messaging tool. In China, people don’t use regular text messages; they just use WeChat. WeChat has text and voice messaging, video calls, a digital wallet for payments and e-commerce, bank transfers, and more! You’ll often use WeChay to buy plane and train tickets.

This is especially helpful if you aren’t carrying cash. Even the tiny hole-in-the-wall restaurant across the street from my apartment had a QR code that you can scan to pay with WeChat!

Read more: The Essential Packing List for Study Abroad in China

I was absolutely shocked to find that free hot tea does not come with every meal in China, unlike Chinese restaurants here in the US. Not only is tea rarely included, most restaurants don't even serve it! Even if tea is on the menu, usually the restaurant won't have it in stock. That’s another tip - not everything on the menu is actually available.

Usually, most restaurants serve hot boiled water. Be aware that most places won't automatically serve it to you, and you'll have to ask for it. If you want cold water, you'll need to purchase a water bottle instead.

While China is definitely the Mecca of tea, I wasn't expecting tea to be as expensive as it is. You may be able to find affordable loose leaf tea options at the grocery store. If you visit a tea shop, you can do a tasting and buy tea in brick form. However, it’ll always be loose leaf and sipped without a strainer.

If you need tampons while in China, you're best off bringing them from home. While it is possible to find them online or in large stores, they'll be more expensive and your go-to brand may not be offered. 

Finding pads is also difficult in China. Most of them are very large and aren't as sleek as brands like Always. For me, I decided to avoid this problem altogether by purchasing a Diva Cup. It was one of the best expat decisions I have ever made!

The first time I came to China, I used my university's free VPN to get around Chinese censorship. While it worked, my internet was ridiculously slow. Streaming Netflix or uploading photos to Facebook was near impossible, and when I returned a year later, I couldn't even get my free VPN to connect most of the time.

If you want to access sites and apps like Facebook, Google, Gmail, Twitter, Youtube, Instagram, Snapchat, Netflix, Tinder, and more while living in China, you'll need a functioning VPN that costs around $50-$100 USD per year.

After living in China for over three years, I've become a VPN master. I've personally tested six VPNs, not including the free one from my university. While my favorites have changed over the years, here's a current list of the best VPNs on the market.

Over my lifetime I've become very accustomed to fitted sheets, and I was shocked to find that China does not share my love for a bottom sheet that doesn't move around while you're sleeping.

For me personally, the lack of fitted sheets bothered me so much, I actually packed a set with me from home. I'm sure you can also find them online or possibly at IKEA, but you won’t find them in the grocery stores in China -not even at Walmart, TESCO, and Carrefour! You've been warned.

While I first came to China to learn to speak Chinese, I can't tell you how many expats I've met who think they can just pick up the language living abroad. Chinese is unlike any other language you've probably ever learned. The grammar is extremely different, the tones and pronunciation are quite difficult, and it may take you years of studying to even become proficient.

While you may be able to pick up some survival Chinese, if you want to actually be able to speak the language, you'll need to take a class. Don't worry though, there are plenty of affordable Mandarin classes and private tutors all over the country!

Read more: Where to Study Chinese Abroad: Top 8 Language Programs in China

In the US, we hear so much about China's oppressive government and human rights abuse that most people (for example, my parents) are under the impression that the Chinese government may imprison you for even a minor transgression. I can tell you right now that as an expat, this won’t happen to you.

The government couldn't care less that you have a VPN or that you say negative things about China on your personal blog. Unless you're The Guardian, New York Times, or BBC, the Chinese government doesn't really care what you write about, and frankly, most Chinese people are not reading things in English anyway.

Want to avoid getting arrested? Don't steal anything or get into a drunken bar fight. Don't stand in Tiananmen Square with a "Free Tibet" sign. Finally, don't forget to register at the police station every time you re-enter the country. This is coming from the girl who actually was arrested for not registering on time. (Oops.)

While many of the foreign restaurants are only expensive by comparison, imported foods and coffee are much more expensive than they are back home. Thanks to tariffs on either side, you can expect to pay up to two or three times the original price for items like coffee, cheese, peanut butter, and cereal. There's a reason why I pack a suitcase full of food and nice toiletries whenever I return from a visit home!

Sunscreen isn't too common in China. While I've eventually found it at certain stores, the bottle tends to be very small and is super pricey. Most people in China cover up to avoid the sun's harmful rays, but for those of you who like to wear tank tops and shorts without carrying around a sun umbrella, you may want to bring sunscreen from home.

While food safety can be a major issue in China, you can still eat street food without getting sick. 

If there's a huge line, chances are not only is the food good, but it's also fresh. Don't be too worried about meat and seafood either. I've been living in China for three years, and the only time I was hospitalized with food poisoning was from a bacon cheeseburger.

That said, you can't drink the water. Seriously, even locals don't do it.

While I knew about squat toilets, no one ever told me not to flush my toilet paper. Next to every toilet you'll find a small basket where you can throw your paper. The pipe systems in China aren't equipped to handle non-organic waste, so you may find your toilet clogged if you try flushing your toilet paper one too many times. Many public restrooms also don't have toilet paper or soap, so you'll probably want to bring some hand sanitizer from home and pick up a mini pack of tissues when you arrive.

Read more: 10 Don'ts While Teaching Abroad in China

While there are a lot of things I wish I knew before coming to China, I think the surprise of discovering new things every day has made my life here an adventure. The biggest piece of advice I can give you is to arrive in China with an open mind. China is so large and complex, and whether you're studying, traveling, or teaching in China, discovering new aspects of life and culture are just part of the fun!

Read more about living abroad in China:

• The Ultimate Guide to Teaching English in China
• 10 Best Universities in China for International Students
• 10 Useful International Travel Tips for First-Time Travelers