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After three months in China, Lizzy's mother shares an honest account of daily life as a foreigner. She describes a quiet apartment community, mobile payments and online shopping, language challenges, work at a school and unfamiliar social customs. Her experience also includes learning to handle spicy food, feeling safer than in South Africa and encouraging others considering a move to China to go for it. She talks about adjusting to the language and cultural differences, including greetings and physical affection. Although translation apps can help, she recalls a vet visit where translation did not work well. Her practical advice is to learn some Mandarin, research work and education before moving and take time to learn WeChat for daily communication and ordering.
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Settling into daily life
Lizzy's mother describes her three-month experience living in China. At first, she is uncomfortable with the attention she receives from people looking at her, but she later finds peace in the quiet apartment community, which she compares to a botanical garden. Daily life becomes easier through mobile apps, especially for shopping. A humorous part of the visit is the number of packages on their way to her apartment, which Lizzy teases her about.
She uses translation apps but finds that they do not always get the meaning right. A visit to a veterinarian is one example of a translation problem. She also notices that casual greetings are not common in the way she is used to, and that English ability varies by city even when English signs are available. These details show how familiar activities can take adjustment when the language and local habits differ.
Work, food and safety
At a school, she describes her colleagues and students as amazing. She notices that physical affection such as hugs is less common than in South Africa, although she continues to comfort students when needed. Food is another adjustment: spicy dishes are difficult at first, but she gradually finds favorite foods and enjoys cooking at home. She recommends learning basic Mandarin phrases about food, especially for people with dietary preferences; “not spicy” is a useful place to start.
She also speaks about safety. Compared with her experience in South Africa, she feels safe in her surroundings in China. As an example, she recalls leaving her e-bike key in the bike and finding it still there the next morning. She describes this as part of her sense of security, not as a universal promise about every place.
Her advice to anyone considering a move is direct: do not hesitate. The experience has brought challenges, including translation and cultural differences, but also convenience, friendships and a peaceful community. She notes that work and education systems are worth researching in advance, and that knowing how to use WeChat is useful for communication and daily tasks. Her account is one person's perspective after three months, covering both the adjustments and the aspects of life she came to appreciate.
FAQs (From the traveler's perspective)
- Q: How long did Lizzy's mother live in China?
- A: She shares her experience after living in China for three months.
- Q: What did she find convenient about daily life?
- A: She describes mobile payment and online shopping as easy to use and says many things can be bought with a phone.
- Q: What was her experience with greetings?
- A: She noticed that casual greetings were less common than she was used to, which felt like a cultural difference.
