Have you ever wondered what it would be like to live in China? With our programs, you can live either with a host family or as an English teacher. Both programs give you a free place to stay in exchange for helping others learn English for about 30 hours per week.

Here are 10 tips for living in China from one of our recent Rome Abroad Travelers.

1. Experience every minute.

It’s not every day that you’re in China so try to see and experience as much of it as you can! The time goes by way quicker than you think.

2. Make local friends.

Having local friends is a great opportunity to practice your Mandarin. Plus they know all the best places to visit while you are here!

3. Don’t be afraid to go out and explore!

I thought that it would be super confusing and scary to find my way around but it actually turned out to be pretty easy and convenient. I had never taken a bus or the metro on my own before coming here so if I could find my way around, anyone can.

4. Carry toilet paper & soap.

A lot of restrooms here don’t have toilet paper or soap. So I suggest to always carry those two things around with you.

5. Get a VPN for your phone.

There are several free ones you can get. I use Express VPN. Express VPN is not free. Actually, I have had a lot of issues with it not connecting so I’m not going to say that it’s better than the free ones because it’s not very reliable. But when it does finally connect I feel like my apps and internet are way faster compared to a free VPN. It definitely doesn’t hurt to have a backup VPN because almost all of my apps won’t work unless my VPN is on and connected. Which means if I am out exploring China and my VPN doesn’t connect my maps sometimes won’t load and I would be lost.

6. Use WeChat Pay or Cash.

Almost everyone uses Wechat to pay. The only problem is that you have to have a mainland Chinese bank card to be able to use it and only certain visas allow it (available in our teach in china program). If you are able to, use WeChat Pay. If not, cash always works,

7. Get apps to help translate.

If you don’t speak Chinese I would suggest getting these apps: Baidu Translate, Metro Man and Baidu maps.

8. Be prepared for staring.

People will stare at you. There hasn’t been a single day that I went outside and didn’t get stared at.

9. Don’t be afraid to try new foods.

I will admit that I’ve had several opportunities to try chicken feet and never partook. That being said there were a lot of other things I was a little wary about but pleasantly surprised me!

10. Be respectful to your host family.

Respect their home, schedule, and culture. I always tried my hardest to never be late, clean up after myself and helped out in any way that I can.

How about spending a few months living in China? Rome Abroad can help you make that happen!
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