Aaron’s Personal Story
When Rachael and I first came to China in 2008 we just married and we were combining all of our life possessions while preparing to come to China. The task was intense and chaotic. I decided to convince Rachael to leave behind everything that had a “Made In China” label with the logic we can just buy that in China when we get there. Rachael was never convinced I knew what I was talking about, but we needed some filter as to what to leave behind. In hindsight, that is a good rule of thumb — “only bring what you can’t buy in China.” But, in reality, many, many products have a “Made in China” label and never make it to the China market. I found a good article written by the folks at Lost Laowai and I’m sure you’ll find it helpful. In May SIAS emails out a packing list and for those super planners, that’s too late. So read below and begin packing early! -Aaron
What to bring to China
Packing can be the most exciting and most painful part of any journey. This page exists in an effort to make it, at least in part, a bit simpler to decide what you need to bring with you, and what can be got without too much effort once you’ve arrived in China. This is by no means a final or definitive list. We understand the dynamic nature of information, and as such, will attempt to keep this as up-to-date as we can. (last updated October 2014) The information also doesn’t all apply to those tourists or visitors who plan to spend the majority of their time in China completely surrounded by the Western-mimicking parts of Shanghai or Beijing. These are major international cities, and though still very “Chinese” in a lot of ways, they cater quite well to Western needs.
English literature can be a challenge to locate in China. This isn’t to say that it isn’t around; it’s simply just not always easy to find in any amount of variety. Essentially, the only outlets that carry books in English are the chain bookstores and a handful of niche cafe/bookshops in the larger urban centres. In the likes of Beijing, Shanghai and some other major cities, you will be able to find a healthy selection of the latest bestsellers – but if you want specific reading from a particular author or genre, this should be the first thing on your list of things to bring with you. It should be mentioned that success with online services such as Amazon.com
and Better World Books is not perfect, but available. You have to put your trust in the Chinese postal service though, and we’ve had more than one book never arrive. Two decent sources for ordering English books online domestically are Amazon.cn, and Blue Fountain. Amazon.cn, in particular, has increased the number of English-language books considerably over the last several years; and while much of the interface is now available in English, much of the ordering and payment process is still in Chinese.
Access to herbs and spices not common in Chinese cooking can be extremely hit and miss at local supermarkets. We recommend you bring a supply of the ones you like to cook with (basil, thyme, oregano, cinnamon, etc.) as they are light-weight and easily transported. Once you get the lay of the land you may be able to dig up a local bulk supplier (look for your city’s “restaurant goods” street) or track down a seller on Taobao — or do what we do, grow your own!
This may seem a little silly, and perhaps a little obvious. However, you will often be asked about your hometown, your family and generally about the country you’re from. This is especially true if you are teaching ESL, but is equally true of new friends, colleagues, classmates; and if nothing else, it may be the comfort you need when you start to feel homesick.
Of course there’s no shortage of clothing in China, and most of what you’re wearing at the moment may be experiencing a homecoming when you get here, but one of the downsides of having a still-growing middle-class population is that the clothing availability mirrors this fact of demographics. There are lots of ultra-cheap clothes that might not fall apart before you get out of the shop with them, and there is a healthy collection of boutiques selling outrageously priced clothing to the upper-crust. Should you, like most of us, fall in the middle, you may wish to bring an assortment of clothes that you know fit, are comfortable, and are durable. Another thing that can be a problem is size. If you are a bit husky or rather tall you will definitely want to devote as much luggage space as possible to clothes in your size. The same can be said about shoes (most retailers don’t stock over size 44EUR/10US), undergarments and socks.
Medicines Though you can get quite a lot of prescription medication OTC in China without too much fuss, you may want to bring along some basic name-brand pharmaceuticals. NyQuil, stronger
Article reposted Lost Laowai AIA Article “Recommended Reading List” also has a few suggested other things to buy before you go. Especially Hand Sanitizer. Want to write an article for Academics In Asia? Email contributor@academicsinasia.com for more info.
