# Moving to Wuhan



## Jamdung chick

My Husband was awarded a Chinese Scholarship to do his masters at a university in Wuhan. ...the company he works for wants to send me with him to china. We are clueless as to a number of things. 
1. How to rent an apartment. ...we would like to do it before we get to china?
2. What kind of work would I be able to get to pass the time( the program is three years?
3.Can we survive on 2500 USD per month(assuming I don't get a job?


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## Eric in china

Jamdung chick said:


> My Husband was awarded a Chinese Scholarship to do his masters at a university in Wuhan. ...the company he works for wants to send me with him to china. We are clueless as to a number of things.
> 1. How to rent an apartment. ...we would like to do it before we get to china?
> 2. What kind of work would I be able to get to pass the time( the program is three years?
> 3.Can we survive on 2500 USD per month(assuming I don't get a job?


$2500 = RMB15480.625 which is more than enough to live on. You can rent an apartment for around RMB2000 a month, this is at the lower level and goes up from there.

The real problem with trying to rent an apartment before arrival in China is the language as most people do not speak english. There are lots of real estate offices that will show you many apartments in your price range but you will need a translator and actually be here in China to do this. So you may need to stay in a local hotel for a few days. The university will find someone to translate in the early days to find an apartment, open a bank account etc.

As for work it will depend on your qualifications and the ability to communicate in Chinese for most jobs. To work in China requires a work permit and it is not easy to obtain this. You will not get a work permit for low paid jobs.


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## Jamdung chick

*Thanks Eric*

Hey Eric......thanks so much for the info.....I have a Bachelors degree in Business Administration major in Accounting and minor in Banking and Finance. ..I'm almost ACCA qualified. .(I have two exams left). I see a lot of people saying teaching jobs...I'm from Jamaica and English is our native language but I see where the are asking for UK/USA natives. 

What's the cost to stay in a hotel for a week?(will it take more than a week to find an apartment? 

Thanks again for the info.


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## Eric in china

Well you are certainly well qualified but Wuhan is not a financial center like Shanghai or Beijing. Still good luck with the job front, most Chinese companies do like to employ expats so you have an above average chance.

You could also work from home teaching English and this brings in a steady flow of cash, but to work in a school you would need formal teaching qualifications and yes they do prefer native English speakers.

Hotels are reasonable, most around RMB 200 a night. In the last 20 years here I have had to spend months on end in Hotels and I only make 18k a month. My wife is Chinese which helps.


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## Jamdung chick

Thanks so much. ...I really appreciate the info.

I'm very interested in the teaching from home option you gave......if you have any further details on how this works please let me know.....I REALLY REALLY DON'T WANT TO SIT AT HOME DOING NOTHING FOR 3 YEARS.....I'M REALLY AFRAID THAT COULD HAPPEN.


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## Eric in china

Although I am English, I am not a teacher of English so have avoided doing this type of work although many students have asked me to help them. So I do not have real experience in this.

Your husband will be in a very good position to find out all that is required for you to teach as he will be at the University. And he will come across lots of students looking for private tuition. He will also be able to talk to uni english language teachers to gain info.

Remember this is not an English speaking country so you too will have lots to learn before getting into teaching, learn to walk before you can run so to speak. Your first objective should be to take Chinese language classes, at least to basic level so you can go shopping at the fruit and veg market, take a taxi or climb on a bus and get to your destination using basic Chinese language. There are classes available to us expats for sensible money in all cities.


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## Jamdung chick

That's really good advice. ...thank you so much.

I will let you know what happens.


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## Zhongshan Billy

What you must remember is that you cannot obtain a work permit once you arrive in China. The rules have changed so that you can only do this from your home country. The days of going to Hong Kong to do this have now passed. It is unlikely that you will get a work visa for a job that you do not already have and cannot supply letters from employers for. 

The authorities are getting stricter with those who work without a visa and that includes teaching English from home.

If you have a Jamaican accent then getting to teach English even privately from home may be a problem. The Chinese prefer American sounding English and even Scottish people I know have been rejected for teaching because of their accents and those with London Cockney accents like me are a no go as well.

Hotels are good value in China but you will not have to stay in one long. When I came here 5 years ago I took an apartment in less than 7 days. Hotels cost about 30 - 50 US dollars a day. There are cheaper ones but foreigners are restricted as to which hotels they can stay in.

You can only take an apartment here as you normally have to sign it when you mark your mark in red with your thumb. A one bedroom quality apartment will cost you about 2000 rmb a month about 330 US a month. Sticking to Chinese food is quite cheap but move to Western imported food and it is quite expensive.

2500 US dollars a month is a good wage and you can live well on that. My friend is an emergency Room Doctor with 18 years experience and his wages are 8,000 rmb a day (about 1300 US dollars) and he lives well.


Zhongshan Billy


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## Jamdung chick

Hey Billy

Thanks for the information.....I'm really getting worried as the day gets closer. I'll just have to wait and see how it all plays out.

Do you think it will be a problem getting an apartment due to our ethnicity....not sure how that is in China.

I have a really good job in Jamaica and I really want to make an informed decision if I'm to leave my job.......I DON'T KNOW HOW TO NOT WORK.


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## Zhongshan Billy

Not sure how things are in Wuhan. I know in Guangzhou there are a few Nigerians and Africans there but do not how how difficult it was for them to get an apartment. 

I have not heard of any problems in that respect but I live in a small city so my experience of this is quite limited as it is a couple of years since I met a black person here in Zhongshan. 

When the time comes to take an apartment you really need to have someone with you that can negotiate for you. Everything is negotiable here! 

As for working, I have three online businesses that are UK based and I can operate them quite well from here so getting work is not a problem.

Is it not possible to make a trip before you have to make a decision?

Zhongshan Billy


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## Eric in china

Zhongshan Billy said:


> Not sure how things are in Wuhan. I know in Guangzhou there are a few Nigerians and Africans there but do not how how difficult it was for them to get an apartment.
> 
> I have not heard of any problems in that respect but I live in a small city so my experience of this is quite limited as it is a couple of years since I met a black person here in Zhongshan.
> 
> When the time comes to take an apartment you really need to have someone with you that can negotiate for you. Everything is negotiable here!
> 
> As for working, I have three online businesses that are UK based and I can operate them quite well from here so getting work is not a problem.
> 
> Is it not possible to make a trip before you have to make a decision?
> 
> Zhongshan Billy




The sentence in red is probably the wisest way to go, take a few weeks off work and accompany your husband to China and if you are lucky enough to find someone who will employ you they can send a letter of invitation to you at your home country address, then you return and resign.


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## Jamdung chick

Hey Billy, 

Thanks again for the help, I really appreciate it. I'm an accountant so I'm not sure what online job would be suitable for me.......I will have to do some research in that regard.

I wouldn't be able to make the trip there and back as the semester starts in August, I'm trying my best to get as much information as possible especially since I need to give my employer one month notice of my resignation.

I will just have to take a leap of faith and pray it all works out.


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## Meritorious-MasoMenos

You know, if you study Chinese hard for all three years, you will have a very valuable asset to go with your accountant skills. I would imagine that many countries with strong trade with China would love to employ you. Your husband can probably retire and be a house hubby while you take down the big bucks in three years. Also, I really, really doubt that Chinese authorities have dragnets out for wives of foreigners legally in China who are teaching English from home. Getting as many citizens up to speed on English is one of China's main (soft) needs.

Just between learning Chinese really well, teaching English at home, taking care of the house (no children it seems?0 will be a lot, but be imaginative. Yes, you have no business online skills, but be creative. Just observe as your are out and about. What do you see that people in Jamaica might like? You could go from an online story direct from China to Jamaica for a small list of items, or import-export starting small. Go with confidence.


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## Jamdung chick

Super funny....thanks for the wise words...love the comical take on my current predicament....really made me smile. As my husband would say "don't take life too seriously because no one comes out of it alive". Will definitely look into what services I could provide for the Jamaican people....I'm an accountant for a distribution company so I should really be looking down that alley.


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## Jamdung chick

Hey Billy, 

Thanks again for the help, I really appreciate it. I'm an accountant so I'm not sure what online job would be suitable for me.......I will have to do some research in that regard.

I wouldn't be able to make the trip there and back as the semester starts in August, I'm trying my best to get as much information as possible especially since I need to give my employer one month notice of my resignation.

I will just have to take a leap of faith and pray it all works out.


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## asadsjanjua

*Finally!*



Zhongshan Billy said:


> Not sure how things are in Wuhan. I know in Guangzhou there are a few Nigerians and Africans there but do not how how difficult it was for them to get an apartment.
> 
> I have not heard of any problems in that respect but I live in a small city so my experience of this is quite limited as it is a couple of years since I met a black person here in Zhongshan.
> 
> When the time comes to take an apartment you really need to have someone with you that can negotiate for you. Everything is negotiable here!
> 
> As for working, I have three online businesses that are UK based and I can operate them quite well from here so getting work is not a problem.
> 
> Is it not possible to make a trip before you have to make a decision?
> 
> Zhongshan Billy


So finally there are few things in China that you are only partially aware - I mean this in the best way possible. You are such a great help to all these guys and that is awesome!


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## ashriley

maybe you can try to work online or to be a English teacher?


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