Expat Jazz in China
| Josh is a young American expat who has been living in Chengdu, China for the past year. His desire for excitement after school led him to China, where he now performs and teaches jazz. Josh shares some aspects of his expat life in China, including why he thinks it's important to speak the local language and what he thinks are the positives and negatives of living in the Middle Kingdom.
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 Josh |
-Where were you born?
Born in the USA
-In which country and city are you living now?
Chengdu, China
-Are you living alone or with your family?
With friends
-How long have you been living in China?
1 year
-What is your age?
24
-When did you come up with the idea of living in China?
I came up with the idea to come here when my friend came back from China with amazing stories and photos. I was a recent music school graduate with no gigs, students, or work of any kind. I wanted some excitement and an opportunity to put my trade to use.
-Was it hard to get a visa or a work permit?
Easy.
-Was it difficult for you to get medical insurance before you went there or when you first arrived?
I'm still covered by my family's plan. Medicine is really cheap here though, at least for simple problems.
-How do you make your living in China? Do you have any type of income generated?
I make ends meet performing and teaching jazz. I have 4 or 5 gigs a week at bars, restaurants, hotels, etc. During the day I teach jazz saxophone to a few students from the music conservatory. To network I basically just showed up to a few jam sessions and got to know the members of the pre-existing jazz scene. From there things took off on their own.
-Do you speak Chinese and do you think it's important to speak the local language?
I do speak the language and think it's pretty important. There are lots of local people who love to practice their English with foreigners, but I feel like I have gotten to know this place on a different level through learning Mandarin. And of course there are plenty of people (the majority) who speak no English. So Chinese isn't essential to get by here, but it makes the experience much more rewarding.
-Do you miss home and family sometimes?
I miss the clean air the most, and sometimes the clean, simple, healthy food.
-Do you have other plans for the future?
I'm planning on going to law school next year, focusing on international law.
-What about housing, have you bought, or are you renting a home? How much do you pay for it?
Renting, about $100 per month. Great location, lots of space, a little dingy though.
-What is the cost of living in China?
Very, very cheap, but wages are accordingly low.
-What do you think about the Chinese?
Most are great, really warm people. They are treat foreigners very kindly, but sometimes with a bit too much affection.
-What are the positive and negative aspects of living in China?
Every city is so different so it's hard to make generalizations. That said, China is generally a really cheap place to live, it's easy to travel, the people are very kind to foreigners, and the food is great. Some drawbacks are pollution, the lack of strong safety standards, and I guess the food is not for everyone.
-Do you have any tips for our readers about living in China?
Bring patience, a Chinese phrase book, some pepto, and you should be all set.
-Do you have any favorite Web sites or blogs about China?
- MY OWN BLOG: http://joshisjazz.blogspot.com
