So, you want to move to China...

I thought I'd write a post to help anyone who might stumble upon my blog that is thinking of moving to China. I don't know who you are--but just in case that one person finds this post--here it goes...


So, you want to move to China?

A "shipment" of necessities

Don't leave home without bringing:

1. Deodorant
I have seen the fa brand of roll on deodorant here at a select few stores that cater to Westerners, but most locals use perfume in place of deodorant and anti-persperants. I don't know if the Chinese, or those who have lived her a long time just acclimate to the humid summers or what--but I don't notice them sweating as much as we foreigners do. Just trust me--bring deodorant. You'll want it.

2. Tampons
I had actually heard about the lack of tampons prior to our arrival, so I brought a couple months worth, thinking, "No way they don't carry them somewhere in Wuxi..." Well, months later, and many store aisles searched ( and boxes shipped from home), I can say, " They don't carry tampons in Wuxi." Sure, sure, I saw a pack of OB at Tesco, but really, who on earth uses those? Ive heard that Shanghai and Beijing sometimes have them, but as a general rule, don't expect to find them in China. Bring a supply.

3. Seasoning packets/Dip packets
We love the beef we have been buying from METRO, but the chicken, both from City Shop and METRO, leaves our taste buds wishing for more. Simple to pack--seasoning packets like Lawry's or Hidden Valley Ranch can doctor up any bland chewy chicken enough to make it edible. My favorite seasoning is the chili packets. Chicken chili is delicious and hides the poor quality of Chinese chicken quite well. Seasoning packets are easy to pack, and provide a sense of home in more ways than one. All of my friends and I peruse pinterest looking for recipes in which we actually HAVE all of the ingredients to make.

4. Laptop with VPN router & camera
If you plan on maintaining contact via the social networking sites from China, you'll want to get a router with a VPN. There are many reputable servers available. Make sure you know how to use the camera function on your computer. Skype is a godsend for keeping in touch with those back home.

5. OTC medicines
In the unfortunate event that you get ht with the World's worst cold in the middle of a frigid winter day, save yourself a trip to the pharmacy where you'll inevitably be trying to determine what medicine treats your symptoms while a pharmacy staff member breathes down your back trying to sell herbal remedies to you. A small bag with cold medicine, anti-diarrheal meds,  sore throat drops, and some sort of pain relief pills would be a sufficient start. If one must buy medicine at a local pharmacy, try to select ones made in Singapore or Hong Kong.

6. Clothing
This is a big one. I've got an average American Woman size foot at a "7". Here in China, a "7" is usually one of the biggest sizes they carry. Clothing sizes run about 2 sizes smaller than the U.S., as I tried on a pair of Large Jeans last week and couldn't even zip them up over my American size 2 booty. Talk about a punch in the gut. LOL. It is possible to have tailor  made clothing for relatively affordable prices, which is what my husband will probably end up doing. Shoes, however, are purchased on trips home, and brought back with us...Oh and don't forget underwear and bras. A men's size LARGE underwear currently fit my friend's 10 year-old-daughter as sleep shorts..and women's bras..Well, if you're a slim 32 or 34 A or B, you can manage, but anything bigger...bring it from home.

7. 90 day supply of prescription medicines
I learned this the hard way. Ask your physician at home to prescribe you a 90 day supply of your prescription medicines ( this includes contact lenses). This will give you time to find a physician to take over management of your condition and refill prescriptions. Not all drugs are available in China, and take if from me, you don't want to find out your drug isn't available AFTER you've run out.

8. Smart Phone
Call me spoiled, but having gone from not having a smartphone in the states, to getting one here, I now feel like it's a MUST HAVE item for anyone living abroad that doesn't speak the language. There are apps out for the smart phones like google translate ( translates any language to another by both voice activation as well as typing) & iConvert ( converts any measurements, currency, temperature, etc) that I simply can't live without.

I realize not all of the items listed are necessities, but they are all things that I find make living here more comfortable for my family and me. It's a thin line that we all balance, trying to adapt to a new culture, while still needing our creature comforts from home.

moving in

We spent Saturday at our new place, unpacking suitcases and moving in. Everything in China seems to take longer to accomplish than it would in the States. Perhaps it's got something to do with our inability to speak the language ( but google translate works awesome!), or because we rely on a driver to get us to and from our destinations. Gone are the days of hopping in my car and driving over the overpass to Target to buy the deoderant I forgot on my last trip over there. Over here, that same 20 minute errand is sure to take us at least an hour. Well, at least for now, until we get used to the lay of the land.

We are still living out of a hotel until we get all of our utilities & their respective payments set up (aiming for Monday). In order to pay for utilities from automatic withdrawl, we must first set up a bank account at a Chinese bank. Easier said than done. We have been told by the relocation agent, that one particular branch has a man who speaks English and can help us. The other branches do not. Crossing our fingers he works on Monday!

Until then, here's a peak at what we were able to accomplish so far...The apartment came furnished with everything but nursery furniture, which we purchased & assembled over the weekend. We are still working on purchasing the rest of the linens and necessities.

Master Bedroom. So far all we have purchased were sheets and a light quilt from IKEA. I am still searching for a memory foam mattress topper to make the bed sleepable. We were spoiled by a memory foam bed back at home, and it will be hard to match. Chinese beds are traditionally hard, and lie on platforms like the frame pictured. I actually love the bedroom furniture that the room was furnished with. Dark wood and my own night stand! The bed has storage drawers underneath, so NZ and I think we can function with just those drawers and a single closet to share. Wish us luck!

Office/ Guest Room... We asked for a desk, bookcase and sofa bed, and this is what the owner provided. The sofa bed is super comfortable. Almost more so than our bed! My plan for this room is to buy a fullsize sheet at IKEA to cover the sofa ( to protect from the lovely Beaver who shall be joining our family after his stint in quarantine on Wednesday), as well as some fabric from IKEA of which I will make some pillow cases for the throws. I've already unpacked Sal's small library into one of the cubbies on the bookshelf, and added a Chinese nesting doll that Dameng's wife gave him our very first day. We're learning that giving gifts is a big part of Chinese culture.

Sal's Nursery..so far I am super happy with his room. We may do some more furniture moving since I am not wild about having a changing table next to curtains-- the boy has a good reach, and poor aim--leading me to believe he may shower them with a tidal wave of pee during changing time, or more than likely, grab them with his slobberific hands and stain the silk. ( who puts silk curtains in a baby's room?!). I've already outfitted his crib with a sheet I made back home, and am on the lookout for fabric to sew more sheets (oh--and a sewing machine to sew said fabric!).

Kitchen..It's tiny but it gets the job done! We bought a pot and a fry pan. Utensils, cutting boards and a knife. The plan is to add as little as possible to this tiny kitchen. There is no oven or dishwasher, so I guess I am thankful that baking is out of the question for now ( we may add a small countertop oven at some point). Otherwise, I'd have tons of dishes to wash.

The refrigerator & storage room. Right now it's full of boxes from unpacking our new refrigerator. The relocation agent told us to put our rubbish in the front entry hall, and when we wake up it will be gone. We have a pile out front as a trial because it seems odd to us that someone will actually come to our floor and pick up our trash. We plan on adding more shelving like the one picture nest to the fridge, for dry goods etc.

So,there you have it. The " in progress " shots. I'll be sure to do a grand tour of the completed place once we're settled.