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.

Favorite Baby Products

With so many baby items on the market, it's hard to know what's worth the money spent. Some things you can get away with a) not buying at all or b) buying the cheapest version, and some things are just worth every dime spent. I've compiled a list of my cant-live-withouts, and reasons why I love them.

Petunia Pickle Bottom swaddling blankets

I received a PPB layette set, and there was a blanket within the set like the ones pictured above. They are super soft, organic cotton and the perfect size for swaddling. They have a little stretch to them which makes it easy to crank it tight and keep those houdini arms in check.

Munchkin refillable diaper disposal bags

I have this little refillable disposal bag dispenser in my diaper bag. It's filled with a roll of bags for quick disposal of those nasty blowouts. I like how compact it is. Refillable bags are available in 3 packs. I got ours at Target for under $4.

Lap Pads

My sister in law made me some lap pads to place on top of my changing pad cover. After doing a handful of changes, I quickly understood just how useful they were. They are much easier to pull off after your child turns into a fire hose on the table. Yank it off, and put a new one on..Voila, you're ready for the next change. I ended up making a bunch more since we go through them so fast.

Dr. Browns Bottles with Airflow regulator

I was gifted these magical bottles and we love them. Very little excess air is taken in, making for a less gassy feeding and a happier baby. There are many parts to this bottle, but luckily, it doesn't take an engineer to figure out how to assemble one..pretty straight forward. We've got the 4 oz. bottles and are about to move up to the 12 oz size as soon as Sal makes the move to 5 oz feedings in the next month or so. We tried Avent and Gerber, and we're not as pleased with them because he took on so much air.

Hair Dryer

Call me crazy ( or mother of the year) for this one, but my hair dryer now lives on Sal's changing table. It started out in there to dry his little leg creases and bum during a case of diaper rash, and has taken on a new identity as the baby shhhhhshhher. Nick noticed that whenever he'd turn it on during diaper changes, that Sal would stop fussing. We now use it when he's fussing while trying to get to sleep. I swear, he is out within 1-2 minutes of running it in the room. For that, I can deal with having to share my blow dryer with an infant. I may even get him is very own-but for now, it works for me to blow dry in his room since it works double duty. I get my hair dry, and he sleeps. Winning.

Chicco keyfit Caddy
www.babiesrus.com

We have the Chico key fit carseat, and the snap in stroller base. It's lightweight, and easy to open and close with one hand. I have mastered the whole baby from the car to the stroller circus in 30 seconds. Yes, I timed myself. I'm a dork, I know.

MAM pacifiers
www.mam.com

We fumbled with pacifiers for a few weeks, and he just was not having it. I tried the gumdrops, the nuks and the Avent ones, and they all came out quicker than they went in. As a last ditch effort,I opened a pack of MAM pacifiers he received as a gift. With a little prodding ( thanks dr Karp and happiest baby on the block video), he started sucking on his pacifier. He still isn't a huge fan ( he prefers his hands), but if he is going to take one, this is the only kind he likes. They are a bit smaller than the other brands we tried, so I'm guessing it's just more of a fit thing, than anything else.

Seamless Multi-function Nursing tops
www.motherhood.com

Okay, confession time...I live in these tanks. I've got three of them I rotate through. They are great because they have a pocket for leakpads, and the straps are not only adjustable, but they are convertible. It's a breath of fresh air from the super honkin wide straps on nursing bras. I think there is a serious need for cute nursing bras..the wide straps just don't float my boat..the straps on these tanks are narrower and can be worn crisscrossed, halter or traditional, and the clip doesn't show as obvious as other nursing tanks do. They're snug enough to wear under normal shirts and I like that they sorta help squeeze my leftovers in like lightweight Spanx.

Graco Pack & Play with Newborn Napper
www.graco.com

The newborn napper rocks. It's soft and cuddly and vibrates gently. He's been in it since his first night home. There's also a nightlight on the console which I've used so that I can obsessively check on him in the middle of the night without turning on the overhead lights in the room.

Sleep Sheep from www.potterybarn.com

Pottery barn sells a sleep sheep. One of my friends sent this to Sal, saying that it worked for her 2 kids--and it is my new BFF. I don't know what we'd do without the sheep. It plays 4 white noise sounds ( rain, heartbeat, ocean waves and a creepy whales under water noise). Its also got a timers and volume control. We've got it cranked on maximum volume and upside down next to Sal. It's his bedtime buddy.

Kicky Pants organic cotton sleepers
www.kickypants.com

Love.love.love his kicky pants sleepers. They're made of bamboo so they are seriously almost as soft as a baby's bottom. I want some for myself! I also like that they're cut a bit bigger in the booty, so the Gpant diapers I use fit in them a bit easier than with his other pjs. Too bad they're like $30 each! Worth it though.



Carter's footless Sleep & Play snap up Romper
www.carters.com

If I could, I would dress him in these footless one piece rompers every day. They are easy in and outs, and I don't have to mess with a onesie over his head, and pants to match. I'm excited to find some short sleeve and shorts ones for summer.

There's probably a ton that I missed, and if I think of them, I'll edit and add later. What are your can't live withouts?