Peter in Suzhou: "The very relaxed pace of life surprised me"

Why did you decide to move to Suzhou?

I decided to move to Suzhou (from Shanghai), in July 2011, because I wanted more of a challenge in my work - in short, I wanted to teach Economics to generally much brighter students and was offered a job in Suzhou that appeared to fit the bill.

How was the moving process?

Moving to Suzhou was very straightforward as Shanghai, where I used to live, is very close!

Did you face some difficulties to adapt to your host country?

When I arrived in China, I immediately experienced a massive 'cultureshock' - I did not adequately prepare for what life really would be like in China, when I was back in England and the UK (my homeland). I found my first year in China very difficult, particularly on account of cultural and language difficulties. However, I also met my future wife near the end of my first year in China, and this really helped me to enjoy being in China more!

How did you manage to find an accommodation when landing in Suzhou?

My wife and I looked on the Internet for suitable properties in Suzhou during July 2011. Next, we visited Suzhou in order to meet property agents who showed us a number of properties during one particular weekend. Then we made our decision - it was very straightforward. I am sure that settling down with a Chinese lady the same month (my wife and I got married in July 2011 as well!) made things much more manageable than they otherwise would have been.

Any advice to share with the other members?

Firstly, you should make friends with at least one native while in China. Secondly, you should avoid criticizing the behaviour of Chinese people in public or private (even if with a Chinese person or Chinese people you are close to) - this includes functions that you may have been invited to or attended, especially as you may not sufficiently appreciate that some of the aspects of the meetings are of a patriotic or nationalistic nature. If Chinese people criticize their own country in your presence, that is one thing. Even then, it is better for expats in China to be extremely diplomatic and ambassadorial in terms of how they respond.

Is it easy to find a job here? How was your job search?

If you are highly qualified, highly experienced and with skills that are in high demand (especially Maths/Sciences/Economics/English teaching and IT), you will not have trouble finding work in any of the major cities. The website 'EChinacities.com' is very useful in this regard. You may also find the website 'chinadaily.com' helpful.
My job search went very well, especially as I had to change jobs very quickly during September 2011, due to being misled about the nature of the original job I took on in Suzhou. For the first job I worked very briefly in Suzhou (11 days, including one week of training), as I recall, I applied directly through the employer website during late June 2011 and progressed successfully through their screening process. For the second job, I put my job details on the Internet through the 'Echinacities' during early September 2011 and received two job offers within two days. I started my second job in Suzhou two days after being offered it!

What surprised you the most in Suzhou?

The very relaxed pace of life surprised me the most in Suzhou when I arrived, along with the generally very high quality of facilities and amenities in Suzhou (especially those related to leisure, recreation and shopping).

What do you miss the most from UK, your home country?

I really miss my two best friends in the world (excepting my wife, of course!), both of whom are based in the UK. And I really miss the familiarity and pleasantness of being in England, and especially High Wycombe, part of the county of Buckinghamshire and just outside London, where I last lived before travelling to China.

Could you please share with us something you like about Suzhou and something you don't like?

I like the beautiful parks and lush greenery that Suzhou is rightly famous for. I do not like the relatively low wages for highly qualified teachers such as myself (especially as Suzhou is very close to Shanghai, which pays much higher wages for similarly qualified teachers).

Which advice would you give to people wishing to live in Suzhou?

The most important bit of advice I would give is this: 'go with the flow' (as already noted, the pace of life is much slower here than in major cities such as Shanghai or London, both of which I have lived in) and be especially respectful/observant of the way the natives behave here. The second most important bit of advice I would give is this: if you have a family, you should definitely employ the services of a nanny - they will make your life much nicer.

What are your plans for the future: will you stay in Chine or do you want to explore other countries?

I will soon travel with my wife to Shenzhen where I will begin a two-year teaching and management contract at an international school of some repute. Thereafter, I hope to visit and work in other countries in Asia (especially Thailand and Indonesia) or alternatively peaceful countries in the Middle East, such as Saudi Arabia and Qatar.
Travelling to Continental Europe and working there (such as the Netherlands) also appeals to me, if the right opportunity presents itself later on in my teaching career.