To live in China? Why not! – part II

Urban: It is hard for me to give an objective evaluation, as in Slovenia I didn’t have full time job. In addition, in Slovenia such large corporations, in which I work now, do not exist. I can tell the differences in golf as such. Here, for example, the club does not allow you to carry your golf bag; you must use a car or have a caddy. The biggest difference is of course the price. In Slovenia, the most expensive round cost about 70 euros. Here, if you're not a member, you are not allowed to play. However, if you are lucky and they let you in, you have to pay 250 euros. That is absurd. But they can do that because rich people here are so wealthy that they could not care less for the price. 

 

Petra: That is an interesting stereotype about China, that Chinese people cannot be rich. This is not true. These people are so rich! In Europe, I've never seen such wealthy people as they are here. That only indicates how very little is known about Chinese. We have wrong ideas about China.

 

Urban: Here is one example: fee for golf academy here costs 120,000 euros. Just to keep your membership, annually costs additional 30,000 euros. And for them this is a change! Many people buy membership and never even play. When Chinese people have money, they have it a lot. But those people who do not have it are really poor. Of course, there are more poor people than wealthy.

 

Given the differences in the way working day looks like here, the biggest differences are in the employment relationship. I have an 8 hour workday, but I'm at work 9 hours since lunch is not considered as working time. I basically work the whole day, as the Chinese workday is from 9 am to 6 pm. The employer pays just 3 percent taxes of my salary, which is almost nothing. But I have covered only emergency medical insurance for accidents at work. And even if I pay into the pension fund for 33 years I will end up receiving 50 euros per month pension.

 

Petra: Wage differentials are also among foreigners and locals, of course. Chinese minimum wage is about 80 euros.

 

Urban: Minimum wage in our company is about 150 euros. People can survive with that. Workers also have 3 hot meals at work. I will not discuss about quality and taste; however, they are not hungry. But Chinese see it differently than we do. Many people have small businesses beside that; they are selling something or repairing things etc. So what they earn in the workplace is not the only income in the household.

Petra: The problem of Chinese education system is that, unlike other things, there is no progress. It is a very old way of delivering knowledge that does not give mental challenges. It is interesting to study environmental protection in the country that has the most problems with pollution. That encourages them to have more and more environmental solution. But these are only present on the paper. Yet, the country is not in that big economic crisis that these solutions can be realized in the future.

Petra: I miss home and family, of course, and nature. It is difficult to keep in touch with friends and acquaintances. But I thought it will be harder. I miss those moments when you get up from a sofa in your living room and open the fridge... When these moments come, you wish to have time machine to teleport yourself. Otherwise, it is not bad.

 

Urban: Of course I miss that narrow circle of people that mean a lot to me. We thrive to maintain contact, but this is something completely different than personal contact, when you go out for a coffee or lunch; despite the fact that we talk every day. It is true that it is much easier as we are here together, Petra and me.

Petra: Just recently I was in a hostel in Shanghai that two years ago won the award for the cleanest hostel. The problem here is not in the quality, facilities, hospitality and the like, but in hygiene. Especially for foreigners. But prices are rising and so is the standard, especially in major cities. Of course, the differences are if you stay in a hostel in the city center, on the outskirts or some smaller town. The difference may be up to 50 percent in price. Somewhere in the country’s interior prices are absurdly low.

 

Urban: Once I visited the province, at the border of Vietnam. I slept in a hostel for 2 euros per night. It was not a luxury, but it was perfectly fine to sleep. In Shanghai, for example, we rented a room for 30 euros, dorms are about 7 euros. I must say that I am impressed by the standard of the hostel.

Petra: For young people, this is an ideal option. Hostels also organize many fun things, vacations and the like. They offer a lot and do their best for the costumers.

 

Urban: When I was in China for the first time and my parents came for a visit, they were also sleeping in hostels and were very pleased.

Petra: If you choose Beijing, Shanghai or Hong Kong you will be able to communicate in English. If you have decided to go hinterland... it can be a challenge.

 

Urban: In fact, you do not need to go far out of these three cities, and communication in English will become almost impossible.

 

Petra: There are guides such as Lonely Planet that in principle cover all. I met many people who were traveling with a guide in their hand. But when you talk to them, you realize that Chinese tricked them when it comes to prices. Because for the tourist everything is really cheap. But China is developing in this direction; it is becoming increasingly friendly to tourists. In hostels people always speak English and this can be your orientation point. Onwards, in hostels they will make sure you will have a blast and that you will be comfortable and pleased. The Chinese have a feeling; they are very hospitable, always willing to help. The warmth of the people makes everything nicer, they will help you no matter where and who you are. It is very interesting tourist destination and it is worth visiting, as its typical 'Chinesness' is slowly dying. The impact of globalization is changing everything in what we have in the west. In particular, the western part of the country is very interesting; there you can still see some things that will blow you away.

 

Urban: More you go to the west, the more wildly it becomes. Also, the people are different. It is wild. If you are a type for this, of course, there will be no problem, you will get round. But it is much easier if you know how to read and say a word or two in Chinese.

 

Petra: However, in the end it is always OK, because the great advantage of this country is that it is really safe. You can come here as a tourist, be adventures and nothing terrible will happen to you. Thefts happen, but very rarely, if only you look after your stuff. You don’t feel even a little bit threatened. 

 

Urban: Yes, in Shanghai, the city with 24 million people, there is not one street where in the middle of the night I would say that I'm not allowed there because it is dangerous. There is no such street. This is really unbelievable for such a big city.

 

Petra: And that's probably due to communism and the fact that the weapons are not easily obtainable.

Petra: I would not be able to live here for a long time. I can understand people who fall in love with this country. Many foreigners live here for a couple of decades and love it. I am not for it, because I would like to have a standard of living that here is not possible. For instance, I would like to have a dog and that is almost impossible. I would like to go to the mountains, I want clean air. There are things that are disturbing and for which China will need 50 years to evolve. I do not wish to poison my body the entire life. Life here is far from what they call the Chinese dream.

 

Urban: It's great to get so much experience I would not get elsewhere. In a long term, I do not see myself here. Quality of life is not as we want it. Problems with food, water, air... Most foreigners think that way. A few have stayed for longer period of time; otherwise the flow of foreigners here is high. They come for a couple of years and then leave. In the future, I would like to maintain contact with China and language, nothing more. If I just think what would have happened to me here after retirement. I could not survive with 50 euros per month. What would I do, if something worse happened? Now when we are young is comfortable, but when you've got family, life here becomes difficult to imagine for me.

 

Petra: Otherwise, we do not complain. It was the best move that we could pull to move here. Nonetheless, I have faith in Slovenia as it has insanely great potential. In my opinion, Slovenia is able to pull itself out of crisis if only people changed their mentality... We are a paradise on earth, and Slovenians just cannot see that. To see this, you have to move. Slovenia has so much diversity on such a small area that many people have never experienced. But if I was at home, I would probably be cursing our country. Everything has its pluses and minuses.

Urban: This step is the hardest - to make a decision and leave. It is not easy. You need to be the type to do that. But it is not necessary to go for the whole life. It can be for two months, half a year. Try, see, experience, and broaden horizons. Sign for the end of Maribor is not the end of life.

 

Petra: Home is a safe area from which it is difficult to get out. But this is a problem, which you fight all the time. Not only in Slovenia. Even when you live abroad, you make your safe area, and when it is necessary to leave, it requires energy. Then again, you do the new ring of security. Abroad, this happens a lot faster because it has to. This year it was really hard for me because I had to take a lot of important decisions. I experienced a lot of changes in my life. In Slovenia, this is happening at a slower pace. Here we do not have something we could call a real home. We live in students rooms, and we are all the time at 99%. Remaining one percent can change all. This again requires energy. But you have to get used to because you have no choice.

 

Urban: It's true, you have to get used to it and you do. Certain things I have not even registered in Slovenia here suddenly become stressful. But we are fine, it takes time to get on your feet and when you do it is awesome. I'm not complaining.