This is how it is to live as a foreigner in China

It's always a challenge to move to a new place, especially if the new place is a whole new country. In a country not known for its ethical diversity, one can imagine that it would be very difficult to fit into. But it will not take long to find out where other foreigners congregate, especially if you live in big cities like

Beijing Railway station.
Photo: Wikipedia

Shanghai or Beijing.

You would maybe imagine that all big cities with more than 20 million people do have a very big international community, but I think you would be surprised over how "alone" you could feel sometimes as a foreigner in China. Especially in Beijing.

I have lived in both Beijing and Shanghai and would definately say that Shanghai has a large international (expat) community, but you would not find this in Beijing. At least if you don´t move to Sanlitun (embassy area) or Wudaokou (student area) in Beijing.

Being the one who stands out

One of our most memorable experiences with having young children in China, was the visit to the Summer Palace in Beijing. We had been in China ii a couple of years at that time, so we were used to getting a lot of attention. But this was not like anything we had ever experienced. When we enjoyed tourist attraction, so come one person up to us to see our little baby and then another and then another.

And before we knew it, there was a whole crowd that surrounded us! We quickly realized that we were tourist attraction!Especially when you have children, it can be scary, to be the center of attention in a foreign country. But remember that many Chinese people never had an interaction with a foreigner, and especially not with a foreign child. They try not to be rude or exceed your personal limits. They're just curious about the kind of people, as they have only seen on TV. But it's still a good idea to discuss these issues with their children and decide in the family, how to deal with such situations.


In our family we have always encouraged our children to be polite and respond positively when someone is talking to them, but if they ever feel uncomfortable, then we would quickly intervene and take them away from the situation.To fitThe longer you stay in China, the more you will realize that "to fit" is about much more than skin color and language. To fit in, come quickly to act in order to become familiar with your surroundings, and have the confidence to handle situations that would otherwise be daunting.