Things to Know Before Traveling to Beijing July 29, 2016 / China / No Comments Not having to tip is very very nice Thank you seems to be said less Strangers stare at you Strangers ask to take pictures of you (mostly at tourist attractions) Traffic laws are pretty loosely followed Bikers do whatever they want Cashiers don’t like giving change, they will, but they might ask for change Sometimes you have to pay for a plastic bag in grocery stores Taxi drivers never speak english Sometimes they test your water on subways to insure that is actually water People will not give up seats on a subway even if they’re a healthy young adult and there is a pregnant person People run for seats on the subway The next train is just as crowded as the one that just passed People will definitely push you to get on/off the subway Passports are used for ID’s as a foreigner a lot The worst crime seems to be pickpocketing (but I haven’t heard of any stories of this happening) People will practically run after you to hand you a pamphlet Google Maps give you the street signs in English, but the signs aren’t always this way (especially numbers, learn numbers) Know the address of something near your apartment, in case your taxi driver doesn’t recognize the address of your apartment Eating with chopsticks is so much more work Bring toilet paper/napkins of some kind to public restrooms A lot of people wear shirts with english words (these people don’t always know english) Badly translated signs are great The sushi from connivence stores is pretty good Get some people to translate or you’re gonna have really limited food options Taxi drivers will sometimes try to overcharge you before you get in, find another taxi If taking this thing (when there is no other option), discuss the price before Uber is definitely a good idea, aside from them often calling and asking where you are in Chinese Subway station exits make good meeting places Life is hard without google maps to guide you Things that you would see in the US are more expensive Bless you isn’t said WeChat is used for everything Pringles barely have flavor Beer costs less than water (sometimes) Pork buns are really good and sold in connivence stores Water is usually served warm in restaurants Subways are very very crowded during rush hour Baidu’s search engine kinda works, but not well (apparently it works better in Chinese) People use their phones for everything Everything is a lot cheaper Sarah Weiss I am a graphic design major who is interning abroad in Beijing, China. I will be working with top designers at E-Go. I'm looking forward to emerging myself into an exciting new culture.
Things to Know Before Traveling to Beijing
Not having to tip is very very nice
Thank you seems to be said less
Strangers stare at you
Strangers ask to take pictures of you (mostly at tourist attractions)
Traffic laws are pretty loosely followed
Bikers do whatever they want
Cashiers don’t like giving change, they will, but they might ask for change
Sometimes you have to pay for a plastic bag in grocery stores
Taxi drivers never speak english
Sometimes they test your water on subways to insure that is actually water
People will not give up seats on a subway even if they’re a healthy young adult and there is a pregnant person
People run for seats on the subway
The next train is just as crowded as the one that just passed
People will definitely push you to get on/off the subway
Passports are used for ID’s as a foreigner a lot
The worst crime seems to be pickpocketing (but I haven’t heard of any stories of this happening)
People will practically run after you to hand you a pamphlet
Google Maps give you the street signs in English, but the signs aren’t always this way (especially numbers, learn numbers)
Know the address of something near your apartment, in case your taxi driver doesn’t recognize the address of your apartment
Eating with chopsticks is so much more work
Bring toilet paper/napkins of some kind to public restrooms
A lot of people wear shirts with english words (these people don’t always know english)
Badly translated signs are great
The sushi from connivence stores is pretty good
Get some people to translate or you’re gonna have really limited food options
Taxi drivers will sometimes try to overcharge you before you get in, find another taxi
If taking this thing (when there is no other option), discuss the price before
Uber is definitely a good idea, aside from them often calling and asking where you are in Chinese
Subway station exits make good meeting places
Life is hard without google maps to guide you
Things that you would see in the US are more expensive
Bless you isn’t said
WeChat is used for everything
Pringles barely have flavor
Beer costs less than water (sometimes)
Pork buns are really good and sold in connivence stores
Water is usually served warm in restaurants
Subways are very very crowded during rush hour
Baidu’s search engine kinda works, but not well (apparently it works better in Chinese)
People use their phones for everything
Everything is a lot cheaper
Sarah Weiss
I am a graphic design major who is interning abroad in Beijing, China. I will be working with top designers at E-Go. I'm looking forward to emerging myself into an exciting new culture.
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