Living in Beijing

[Taylor]

Hi everyone. I'm hoping you all can share what you know about life in Beijing. Positives, negatives and any general info would be great. I am thinking of applying to one of the big schools there and would like to know if you all think it is worth doing. Single male, early 30s...no kids. Just wondering what life would be like there outside of school.

[wrldtrvlr123]

Beijing can be a very nice posting for a few years. Big city with the benefits (western amenities, very good restaurants and shopping, and some amazing cultural sights) and the drawbacks (traffic, congestion, pollution). We were in Beijing several years ago (for several years). We lived in an 180 sq meter luxury western style apt, got around the city mostly by taxi or hired car, occasionally by subway. Traveled to Xian, saw parts of the Great Wall etc and most sites in Beijing.

We generally enjoyed the time had a very nice lifestyle with great cultural sites, very good restaurants within easy reach and wide availability of western goods at reasonable prices.

Pollution is the big issue and the main reason Beijing is relatively easy to get into compared to the rest of the lifestyle that the city (and some good to great schools) offer. Were we choking on chunky toxic air every day? No. Did the air get/feel oppressive and worrisome at times, and stay that way for a week or so? Yes. We also had quite a few bluish sky days in a row depending on the time of year (26 in a row our first fall/winter). Is it unhealthy? Without a doubt. But, it is doable, even enjoyable for a few years and the pollution is not a deal breaker for many people if the school/position is right (and you do not have a special health condition). It has gotten a bit worse since we were there but from the people we talk to who are still there it is basically the same.

In short, a good life is definitely possible, depending on the school to some extent (which would affect your package/lifestyle and possibly the area where you would want to live). As a single male you would have plenty of opportunities for a social scene with locals and expats from all over the world and lots of travel opportunities.

[mamava]

We lived there for 5 years and really liked it. The pollution is everything that people say that it is, and it really does actively bother some people, but many others, not so much. If you're single you're likely to live closer in to downtown, even if you're at ISB or WAB, which are out near the airport. If you enjoy exercising outdoors or biking, that will def. be compromised and you'll need high-quality air filters in your apartment. ISB has hospital quality air filters in their school, which is great, but others probably don't have that.

Beijing is affordable, esp. on the WAB/ISB salaries (not sure about the others) and you can travel, shop, and have a lot of fun there. China is crowded, polluted and frustrating at times, but also amazingly fascinating. From where we lived near the airport, we could be at the Wall in an hour, and find places to hike easily. I would recommend it!

[PsyGuy]

The pollution is the killer issue, literally. Candidates go there and actually develop respiratory problems they are then stuck with for life. You will also be ill a lot more often your first year. Aside from that its an amazing city to live in. There is access to modern conveniences and western amenities, its a very cosmopolitan and metropolitan city. For a single guy you will find the social scene a little easier than Shanghai with more Uni students, and appropriate venues as options. Even on an elite tier salary you arent going to be able to compete with the flossy glam set. Lots to do, but i your into athletic activities doing them inside is highly advised. It does get cold in the winter.
I agree with @mamava that the CBDis going to be a more exciting location to live, even if it adds to your commute. You will meet some greet people on the metro both expats and locals.

[senator]

And don't listen to those people who say that living in Beijing - or any wildly polluted city - for "just a couple of years" won't do any lasting harm to your body. It may or may not, depending on your genes and immune system. Remember, we are not merely talking about air pollution, which is bad enough and can cause asthma that may be with you OR YOUR KIDS for the rest of your/ their lives. We also are talking about heavy metals and other carcinogens in the soil causing poisoned food, water that is so bad you have to filter it to take a shower, and noise and light pollution, which has been proven to be surprisingly harmful.

There are reasons why the majority of Chinese I know and have known - I lived there for 7 years - want to leave China and live in the U.S. or Canada or Australia or New Zealand or Europe or...

Horrible pollution is one of them.

And if you have kids, please think of them.

China can do things surprisingly fast - like clean up for the Beijing Olympics. If more and more people refuse to work in that country, China may feel a loss of face and maybe things will again get cleaned up.

Anyway, it's your health.

[Taylor]

Thanks everyone for the responses. Good info to consider. Feel free to keep the comments coming. :)

[gengrant]

Just read articles like this:

http://mp.weixin.qq.com/s?__biz=MjM5MTc ... t_redirect

I passed on a very lucrative offer for the pollution factor alone. It should be a huge consideration.

[HereThereEverywhere]

Got nothing much to add here since the previous posts pretty much got it for you, but just want to reiterate that getting filters for your water and air in your apartment are necessary. In fact, get a few to distribute throughout your apartment. You would be surprised the differences between one corner to another.
Good place, but be careful. Filtered air (and masks!), filtered water, filtered (mostly imported) food to dampen most of those negatives. Great city to live in, but probably consider it a stint, not a lifetime gig.

[PsyGuy]

@HereThereEverywhere

Stay long enough and it might end up a "lifetime" gig with an unexpected dirt nap at the end.

[Taylor]

PsyGuy wrote:
> @HereThereEverywhere
>
> Stay long enough and it might end up a "lifetime" gig with an
> unexpected dirt nap at the end.

Haha. You guys are too much. Thanks for all the opinions.

[EllieSLP]

Hi, I live in Guomao area of BJ for the past year and have mixed feelings of the city. I love the culture, good support system, great professional network, and quality local/international restaurants. On the other hand, the pollution is really brutal (I moved from Vancouver) and can be downright depressing. I have a child, so am heavily considering moving on, but for one without kids, I would recommend it for 2-3 years...especially if its a Tier 1 school. Beijing is more expensive than you may think, but you will probably still be able to save.

[Taylor]

Thanks for all the advice guys. You are opening my eyes and I'm leaning towards not moving there if given an offer. Kind of a bummer because I've had great conversations with some seemingly good schools there.

[PsyGuy]

@Taylor

While it would take advance planing, you could accept a position in Beijing and if it becomes a problem you could use the environmental issues to gracefully exit out of your contract. Health hazards are rarely held against an IT when breaking contract. The advance planing would require that you have another IS to go to well in advance.