Life in

China
pre-departure briefing
for 2018/19
before you go (now)
• Explore the residence abroad Blackboard site
• Familiarize yourself with the handbooks (the
school’s and the university’s)
• Learn as much as you can about your Chinese
university
• Explore the student experiences documents
and the city/region tip sheets on Blackboard
• Make sure you have contact details of previous
students handy
• Find out as much about getting a visa in your
local area or from your country of citizenship as
you can
before you go (later)
• Buy your air tickets ONLY after you have
received your admission packet from the
Chinese university (or get a ticket that can be
changed)
• Arrange to get your visa with plenty of time
• Learn about transportation in your city:
• to and from the airport
• inside the city
• to your university
• download apps
• Orient yourself to your city’s layout and
peculiarities
before you go (later)

• You must pass year 2 before you can begin your

residence abroad
• You may be required to return to Manchester for exam
re-sits in the summer
• Being in China is not a valid excuse for missing a
required re-sit exam

• If you book your flight before you have confirmed that

you have passed year 2, you do so at your own risk
before you go (later)
• Get plenty of Chinese money (your bank card
may not work, and your credit card may not be
accepted)
• While many daily purchases in China are made
using mobile apps, as a student resident you
may not be eligible to register for these
• Notify your bank and credit card companies
that you will be travelling in China
• Take enough special medicines, toiletries and
other items that you require
• Research clinics and medical facilities in your
area; you might prefer to visit international
clinics, but there can sometimes be hidden
costs at these; you might be required to pay
out of pocket and get reimbursed through
insurance
before you go (later)
• Decide what kind of accommodation suits you and
make a plan before you go
• If you plan to live in non-university
accommodation, thoroughly research the
possibilities, go through your own networks to
find housing, and make sure you are not being
cheated or taken advantage of
• If you plan to arrange private accommodation,
allow plenty of time to get settled before your
semester begins
• It is recommended that you live in university halls of
residence
• Manchester is not responsible for your
accommodation
before you go (later)
• Decide what kind of accommodation suits you and
make a plan before you go
• If you plan to live in non-university
accommodation, thoroughly research the
possibilities, go through your own networks to
find housing, and make sure you are not being
cheated or taken advantage of
• If you plan to arrange private accommodation,
allow plenty of time to get settled before your
semester begins
• It is recommended that you live in university halls of
residence
• Manchester is not responsible for your
accommodation
after you arrive
Language

• People in China usually do not speak English

well enough to communicate with you
• Going to China is not like going to Europe,
where you can get by on English
• You must use your language skills to get things
done – there’s no other way!
• When in doubt, take a more experienced friend
or a language partner with you to accomplish a
crucial task
after you arrive
Practicalities

• Don’t take black or unofficial taxicabs at airports

• Get a SIM card, but not at the airport: 中国联通
/ China Unicom offers 3G; take your passport with
you when you go to get your SIM, but be
prepared for complications
• Take time to get accustomed and leave time to
rest properly
• Take a city stroll
• Avoid squirrelling yourself away on campus
after you arrive
• Maintain contact with friends and family, but
don’t make that the way you get by
• Meet Chinese students; meet Chinese teachers;
meet Chinese people
• What are your hobbies?
• Join a leisure organization
• Get a language partner
• Friendships last; people count on each
other
• Reciprocate
• It’s completely possible to be yourself in Chinese
and with Chinese friends; just be prepared to
explain what your cultural preferences are and
have a dialogue
after you arrive
Safety

• China is generally a safe country for everyone, but

exercise common sense and do not put yourself
potentially dangerous situations, especially in the
wee hours of the morning
• However, incidents have occurred and criminals have
been known to target foreigners
• Do not take your safety for granted
• Do not neglect registering with the appropriate
authorities in China (the public security bureau
[PSB], for example, if you are required to)
• Do not allow your visa to expire during your stay
after you arrive
Safety

‘It won’t happen to me’

(repeated session)
Thursday 3 May
17.00 – 18.00
Stopford Theatre 1
at your university
• Expect complicated bureaucracy
• Arrive early to get in queues for registration and the like
• Do not expect high levels of pastoral care China is where you
will grow up and come into your own as an independent,
confident person
• Do not insist on your "rights" but rely on your interpersonal
skills to achieve your goals
• Be patient; do not give up; keep asking questions until you
are confident of the answer; try and try again; do not get
angry; ask someone who has done it before
• Be aware of who your contact at your Chinese university is,
and approach that person or the authorities there
before you come to us
• Talk to your teachers in China
at your university

• The focus of your studies abroad should be on language

• If you have the required HSK level you may take courses
taught in Chinese; these vary according to the host university

• Contact your RA Tutor for academic-related queries, and the

RA office for more general advice and support
• Keep in touch with your Academic Advisor as well
at your university

• You must attend all of your classes and exams at

your host university, so be mindful of their exam
schedule which will be different from UoM
• If you must be absent from class, please notify us
and send us evidence of mitigating circumstances
where possible
at your university
• At the end of the semester or year, your university
must provide us/you with:
• a transcript of marks
• an attendance sheet (if possible)
• Failure to provide this evidence could mean that you
fail the year abroad
• Keep ALL your lecture notes/revision notes safe as a
precaution, in case we ask you to provide them
when you return to Manchester
• Get into the habit of taking notes in ALL classes –
you may need to prove you were there!
working
• It is illegal to work in China
without a work visa
• If you take a job there as a student
and are paid for it, you will be
breaking the law and could be
detained and/or deported
• Volunteering is a grey area but
potentially risky – check with the
host organization first
driving

• It is illegal to drive any motor

vehicle without a licence
• If you decide to risk it and drive
without a licence, i.e.: dart around
town on a scooter, you will be
breaking the law and could be
detained and/or deported
general tips

• When travelling to a developing country,

realize that you are in a position of
privilege compared with most people
there, regardless of your position of
privilege at home
• Be aware of how your status and
position affect interactions and
possibilities, as well as opportunities
general tips
When travelling to any country

• Know that questions of hygiene, etiquette, interpersonal

relationships, social order, gastronomy, or any other
aspect of moral, practical, or physical life cannot and
should not be judged or evaluated against your own
• The local way always trumps your way
– In other words, you are automatically wrong; if you are
confused, it’s your fault, not your host’s fault
• Understand what it means to be a guest
• Be humble and respectful
• Behave irreproachably and with a sense of moral vigour
general tips
Dealing with difficulties

• Avoid the tyranny of the urgent

• Poor planning or failure to understand a
situation on your part does not constitute
an emergency on someone else’s part
• No one deserves to get what s/he wants
• Everyone deserves a fair chance to get what
s/he wants
general tips
Emergencies
• Residence Abroad has contact numbers for
emergencies, see the page on Go Abroad:
general tips
Examples of non-emergencies

• I only have a week before I need a visa

• I don’t like my housing
• I want to change my housing
• I didn’t turn up for an appointment and
missed the opportunity to do XYZ
• I didn’t realize I had to do XYZ (when it’s in
the handbook, on the website, in a
document you’ve been sent, in an email, on
paper, was discussed, etc.)
general tips
Examples of shameful behaviour

• being culturally offensive

• breaking a contract
• asking people to get you out of situations
that you’re in because of poor choices
you made
• lying to get your way
general tips
What to expect from your Residence Abroad Tutor

• Unless you are faced with a truly dire situation involving

life and limb, the RA Tutor will not help you if you have
behaved dishonourably or immorally
• The RA Tutor will never break a rule for you
• You will receive no special compassion from your RA
Tutor other than the compassion shown to all human
beings
• In other words, your status as a student at Manchester
does not give you special privileges in terms of following
rules and local customs, behaving according to the law,
getting what you want
useful information

• UK Government’s China website

• British Embassy Facebook page
• How to get and use a VPN
keep us informed

• If your plans or circumstances change

during your residence abroad, let
the Residence Abroad Office know
immediately
• If you get in trouble, notify the
appropriate people in the Residence
Abroad Office and utilize the
emergency numbers
Take advantage of this
special opportunity and of
all China has to offer!
Go to parks
Go to festivals
Join in
吃喝玩乐