Living in China with a family

The thrill of moving half-way across the world was amazing. The move was from the US to China with my husband and two small boys. The culture shock was very difficult to get used to along with not knowing any Mandarin. The sights and history of China is amazing and was the most memorable experience of living abroad. It was very difficult working with local teachers on a day to day basis because the work ethics are so different from the US. The public transportation system in Shanghai is exceptional. It was very reliable and inexpensive. We enjoyed the food and the abundance of shopping opportunities in the big city. I would recommend for everyone to live/work abroad for at least a year. Your views and thoughts are broadened as well so you leave with a greater sense of appreciation for all countries of the world. I do not recommend long term living in China because you can become very disconnected with western ways and sometimes lose a sense of who you are or where you came from. But, some people might want this!