Miguel: "I was surprised by how safe it is in Beijing"

Why did you move to Beijing?

I moved to Shaoxing, China in 2010 after I graduated from college and I moved to China because I wanted to travel a bit before starting my career but I fell in love with a Dutch girl and I ended up staying in China. I have been in China for 3 years, like I previously said, and I moved to Beijing about a year ago to work for a software company.

How was the moving process?

The moving process was a hurricane of motion. I moved from the US to China in one month. I decided to move in late July, 2010 and I arrived in China early September. There was a ton of work to do in order to move, which started with finding a job. After securing a job, I needed to get a visa, an airplane ticket and pack.
When I arrived in Shanghai, I met a man at the airport who helped me find a bus to Hangzhou where my pervious company's headquarters are located, but when I arrived in Hangzhou nobody was there to greet me. So, my first night involved wandering the streets of Hangzhou looking for the company's headquarters. I eventually found them but it was a Sunday. Needless to say, I was on my own. I had all my luggage, it was +30°C outside and hotter than an alligator's belly in a swamp. I had to find a hostel and survive the first night on my own. I survived but I vowed if things didn't improve the next day I would get on a plane and fly home. Things improved and three years later I am still in China.

What are the formalities you had to go through in order to be able to live and work in China?

The formalities are signing a contract with an employer and obtaining a visa. The first step is very easy but obtaining a visa can become frustrating and complicated. Many companies do not have the legal right to hire foreigners, so they outsource this process to recruitment companies. The recruitment companies often have difficulties hiring foreigners, so they attempt to hire employees and have them work on tourist visas or business visas but this is illegal. I first came on a business visa and later, after much frustration, convinced the company I was working with to change it to a work visa. This involved a boarder run to Hong Kong and more problems, for the expats, than hiring legally. In the end I obtained a work visa and now I continue to maintain my work visa which allows me to work legally. But this type of recruitment can be very stressful on the expat and I would advise anyone wanting to come to China to be sure of the company that is hiring them.

Did you face some difficulties to adapt to your host country (language, culture, do's and don'ts)?

I think every expat has some difficulties adapting to their host country and I am no different. The biggest difficultly for me is language. When I arrived in China, I ended up in an expat bubble. The school I worked at had a lot of expats, so I never needed to speak Chinese. The first year and a half I didn't study Chinese and I didn't learn very much. I can speak expat Chinese. Which means I can get around, order food, and do most day to day tasks without many problems but truly speaking and having conversations is still difficult for me.
Do's:
- I think anyone moving to a new country should (try to) learn the language.
- Remember you are not in your home country and respect the laws and customs.
- Remember you do not think like the locals, so be patient, things you think are simple or easy might be difficult or hard for a local due to education or policy.
Don'ts:
- Don't think you know everything or your way is better.
- Don't expect special treatment because you are foreign and if you do receive special treatment be grateful.
- Not for everyone but don't waste time in language schools; find the best way for you to learn the language and spend time learning. (I am not a "repeat after me" learner).

How did you find a job in Beijing? Any advice to share with the other members?

I found my current job on a website called The Beijinger. The website is an English site about Beijing and they have a classifieds section with a job board. When I first arrived in China, I used Dave's ESL Café to find employment. The only advice I can give is be careful when you are approached about teaching or language jobs because, like I stated before, many of these companies are recruitment companies. I have been unfortunate and the two times I found employment through the internet, I ended up working for a recruitment company. If you can try to contact the company or school you will work for directly. This can save you time and energy.

What surprised you the most in Beijing?

I was surprised most by the pollution. I have seen many pictures and I have read many reports about how awful the pollution is in Beijing but I didn't understand it until moving here. On a positive note, I was also surprised by how (relatively) safe it is in Beijing. Compared to other capital cities, Beijing is very safe and the people are helpful and mostly friendly.

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

One of the best things about living in a capital city is any major (or minor) music group that is touring Asia/China will come to Beijing. So, there have been a lot of good acts including David Guetta, The Killers, One Republic, and many more. It seems that almost every weekend brings good music or entertainment. There is also an excellent mix between old & new and Chinese & Western.
I can't think of too many things I don't like about Beijing. There are a lot of the usual problems traffic, pollution, spitting, etc. but these problems are not unique to Beijing. I think one of the things I dislike the most is the housing market. The housing market has been grossly inflated causing all the housing to be overpriced. I pay more for rent here in Beijing than I did back home in the US. I have a two bed room flat and I pay around $850 a month and it is not comparable to what I would receive for the same price back home. It is very nice and in a good area (Chaoyangmen) but it is greatly overpriced. Many Chinese have been having problems with the housing market and it is a major concern for the local government.

A common belief about China which wasn't right:

I know of two common beliefs about China that are completely wrong. The first one is about eating dogs. Every time I visit the US, someone asks me if I have eaten dog. The common belief is that everyone eats dog all the time and this is just not true. They have specialty shops where you could eat dog meat if you wanted but it is not sold on every corner like many believe.
The other one is that China is a developing country. I think this is very far from the truth. China has underdeveloped areas but its major cities and populated areas are completely developed. I can go outside to almost any corner and get Starbucks, McDonalds, KFC, Pizza Hut, etc. The streets and railways are well developed throughout the country and the subways systems are some of the best in the world. I will admit that it is still developing (all countries should be developing) but I could easily compare it to other major countries in the "developed" world.

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

One thing people always ask me about is if I miss the food, but living in Beijing provides me with access to every countries' cuisine, I can eat Mexican, Indian, Japanese, or American on any night of the week. Plus, I really like Chinese cuisine. So, I miss my family the most. I know that might sound cheesy but I think many expats will agree, you can adjust to almost any environment but you can't replace your family.

Why did you start your blog, Chairman Migo?

I started Chairman Migo because I am pursuing a career in Marketing and Advertising. When I came to China I was only going to stay for one year (teaching) but I met my girlfriend here and I ended up staying longer. My girlfriend is Dutch and we decided to stay in China because it is difficult to move to the US or the Netherlands (economy, housing, visa, etc.).
So, I started my blog to keep up to date with marketing and advertising in China and also to build a brand image around myself in order to find work in the industry. I am currently working in IT and I am trying to switch to marketing or advertising because that is what I studied in college. The blog is designed to show potential employers what I am currently interested in and to showcase my writing and analytical skills. It also helps me to stay busy and out of trouble.

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

Move! My advice for anyone wishing to travel or move to another country is do it. Before I moved my life was sad and boring (not because I'm sad or boring.... Well, maybe a little) but there is so much to see and explore. There are so many people with different views on life, economics, politics, history, love, marriage, everything and it is refreshing to meet and talk to these people. It will help you find out more about yourself and it will challenge your views, your resolve, and your confidence and in the end (if done right) it will make you a better person. And if nothing else you will have great stories to tell at parties.
More concrete advice would be to read blogs and travel sites. Also, have a plan. Many people move without a plan and this leads to disappointment and dissatisfaction. If you take the time to plan and actually have a concrete idea of what you want, you will not fall into the "expat life" (drinking and partying because you are bored). Otherwise, it is pretty easy to move, the hardest part is making the decision to move.

What are your plans for the next few years?

Right now my plans are to stay in Beijing for the next few years. If I can continue to maintain my work visa and I can remain employed, then I will stay for the next few years. After that it is really up in the air. I love to travel and I love experiencing new cultures. So I am not eager to move back to the US, but I also would like to "settle down" (as much as an expat can). I might move to the Netherlands in the future and settle down but the world is open and a bright person can work anywhere and live anywhere. So, I will see where to world takes me.