Because I can’t help myself from telling everyone that I’m going away to Beijing, I’ve gotten quite a bit of advice from friends, faimly, co-workers, bosses, patients!~
- Expect squatting toilets. It’s also good to have a friend within shouting distance so that they can get you some toilet paper if you forget it!
- Avoid raw/semi raw or foreign meats & seafoods
- Watch out for organ stealers! They’ll drug you, take your organs, and get rich!!
- Expect slow service
- Beware of primitive medical practice, lack of hygiene and traditional medicines. In another words, don’t get sick or you’ll end up eating herbal concoctions made from weird animal parts
- Don’t wear white, it’s very easy to get dirty
- Beggars are actually professional beggars
- Expect expert pick-pocketers
- Always carry tissue with you.
- Don’t get a China-man boyfriend! (lol, quite a few people said this) Super duper rich flings are OK~! kekek
- Watch out for the sand storms
- Moisturise like crazy! The weather is very dry.
- Wear enclosed shoes. It’ll be winter anyway
- Don’t carry too much $$ on you
- Visit 王府井 (WangFuJing), 五道口 (WuDaoKou), 秀水街 (XiuShuiJie), 长城 (ChangCheng). As well as the typical GreatWall, XiAn, Tiananmen Square etc
- Don’t follow strange tour guides
- Don’t act like a tourist!
- Bargain! Don’t pay asking price. If in doubt, walk away
- Expect basic levels of public transport
- Expect small rooms.
- Demand for the dorms! And if they don’t give it to you, DEMAND some more!
- Bring lots of passport photos for paperwork, ID cards etc
- Try to sit the HSK
- GET A MAP!!
