5 adjustments to make when you arrive in China

[@daveinchina]

Is China a good place for a UK citizen to retire too? If not, why not?

[@sunnywu2464]

No, because no retirement scheme. Only working visa and permanent residence after working 4 years.

[@et5222]

A big issue for most foreigners is getting a visa once they're past Chinese retirement age. If that can be solved, retiring on what the average UK (or USA) pensioners live on at home is very easy in China and one can live a fulfilling life that is never dull.

[@安全-o2p]

Language is a big challenge

[@et5222]

@安全-o2p Agree, though technology has made the language issue for daily living very manageable; as have the money and transpo apps.

[@MsWindlee]

Iain, I’m so happy you have so many western viewers as seen in the comments here. Thank you for helping those who want to visit China for the first time for letting them have some ideas what to expect. ❤

[@stanleyferdinand5979]

What struck me in Beijing was how quiet the street noise was. Same amount of traffic as London but due to the high proportion of electric vehicles the noise was so much less. It made it feel so much more peaceful.

[@ForAllLifesAdventures]

You are right and the fact that there is very few honking horns and angry fights/arguments it just kinda works even in the rush hour madness!!

[@manimalworks7424]

While watching your video, the first thing I noticed is how clean it is everywhere

[@ForAllLifesAdventures]

Yeah, if you watch more of the videos I have posted you will see that it is generally clean everywhere you go in Beijing and in other cities in China.

[@valwatkins]

Thank you as always !! You left out that there are no apparent homeless people. When we were in Kunming recently we got talking to a Chinese man who had qualified in Sydney as a commercial lawyer but went back to Kunming to look after his aged parents and also got qualified in China so spoke very good English! When I asked him if there were homeless people in China he said that there are but it was the responsibility of the local government to provide accomodation and food etc but that the recipients have to do work like street sweeping, gardening etc. Do you know if that is correct and also the other fabulous thing about China is the lack of litter etc - everywhere so clean! We think one of the biggest asset of China is the people - so helpful, generous and kind ❤ We are going back next April but one day my Scottish husband and I would love to meet up with you in Beijing if possible - 👍 Wishing you a happy, healthy and safe 2025 🎉

[@ForAllLifesAdventures]

Hi Val, yes. That’s true some of the low income and ‘homeless people’ are provided for by the local government and in turn they are part of the community so they do community work depending on their circumstances and health. This all adds into the community feeling and bonds people together. I agree, the people are very generous and proud of China and how far they have developed. As for meeting up, absolutely 💯 we can do that on your next trip into Beijing and it would be a pleasure to help your visit run smoothly and share with you some great locations and things to see and do! 👍

[@valwatkins]

Thank you for that info. Such a great idea - pity we don’t have such a system here in Australia !! We would really look forward to meeting up one day in Beijing with you - thank you for your offer!! Take care and keep up your great work informing people about the great country of China👍👍

[@henriettasecker-shao]

Nice comment Val...bao zhong. ❤

[@valwatkins]

@@henriettasecker-shao thank you for teaching me a new Chinese phrase too❤️

[@henriettasecker-shao]

@@valwatkins, it's my pleasure. Here is another one: "Jia You." It has several meanings. Don't give up. Good luck. You can go for it; you'll be able to do it. 🥰👍

[@randomname931]

Just came back from China. I'm actually shocked at how good some, not all, of the customer service is. The standout ones weren't working for tips but for reviews.

[@ForAllLifesAdventures]

That is a good point, there is a fierce competition and the ratings system is always referred to by locals as a guide for places to eat and shop!. 👍🏼

[@davidchung4691]

My first visit to China was 1986, spitting is all too common everywhere. The toilets were primitive and dirty. Pollution was pretty bad. Restaurants and food stalls offered poorly cooked foods both variety and quality. No modern motor-ways or fast trains, I can go on with all the negative things. Still, the country was peaceful and safe. I can walk the street with fear. Tipping was not a practice and in most cases it was refused! I once thrown away an old pair of shoe and pant in the hotel bin upon checking out, the cleaner ran to catch me and return them to me! But on subsequent visits after 1990, things were beginning to improve, specially after the turn of the Millenium, take off speed was phenomenal!

[@huiyuchina8594]

was 1986,Pollution was pretty bad? no way!nonsense!

[@ForAllLifesAdventures]

I can imagine how far the city and country has come in such a short period of time. Bruce (a friend that has been inside China for 38 years documenting the changes) often told me what it was like back then and how things have changed, including etiquette and the environment. It is has done so much in such a short period of time and when o go back to the U.K… it hasn’t moved as much, London maybe, but many other cities have been left behind!

[@12rmoreau]

People are glued to their phones all over the world

[@ForAllLifesAdventures]

Yeah, I agree, but here in China it is at another level. 😂

[@et5222]

@@ForAllLifesAdventures Having spent most of the last 7 years in China or Korea... Koreans take it to an even higher level : )

[@henriettasecker-shao]

@@ForAllLifesAdventures lol!

[@henriettasecker-shao]

@@et5222 yep!

[@ForAllLifesAdventures]

@@et5222 I had heard it was hardcore usage in South Korea… 👍

[@henriettasecker-shao]

Hello, always enjoy your channel and videos. Merry belated Christmas. xo

[@ForAllLifesAdventures]

Thank you for watching and for taking the time to leave a comment. I really appreciate that as it helps keep me motivated. ✌️

[@henriettasecker-shao]

@@ForAllLifesAdventures Gotta keep you motivated Iain. My pleasure watching and enjoying your videos. ❤

[@ForAllLifesAdventures]

@ thank you 🙏 ❤️

[@et5222]

"daft arse" has many wonderful translations : ) Great video

[@ForAllLifesAdventures]

It is one of my favourites - 😂

[@et5222]

I'm also a fan of "ass hat"... as in don't be an ass hat. Translates very colorfully in many languages.

[@pakgurudichina]

Hi Iain, you're back! Merry Christmas, mate. Interesting video as always, but I would be more interested in the adjustments when returning from China. No.1 is to be more vigilant, e.g. not to play with your phone on the street in the rest of the world since it's very possible to get snatched (with few exceptions like Singapore). I think that's one disadvantage of living in China: you lose your guard 😂

[@ForAllLifesAdventures]

Merry Christmas 👍 yeah, you are correct. I think I mentioned that in a video last year where I was saying when I went back to Glasgow for last Christmas I was complacent about my belongings because theft is not that much of an issue in China in comparison to the west… 👍 😂 as for having a phone stolen, it has happened to my daughter twice in three months!! (She lives in Manchester) Seriously the U.K./west is a bit of a mess these days!

[@tvguy4600]

Yes, you will gradually lost your guard on personal safety.

[@rasamalai]

Beijing seems amazing, such a huge city, and then there's that quiet spot :D

[@ForAllLifesAdventures]

This is a beautiful peaceful part of the city but there are many. A massive bustling city but it honestly has so many parks and quiet locations and each have their own special characteristics 👍🏼

[@HengGe]

seems like liangma river is 1 of your favourite places to shot your videos.

[@ForAllLifesAdventures]

It’s near the hospital… I had to go visit 😂

[@sunnywu2464]

I laugh when you say Canadian Goose 😂 . I read news saying in the US, you can buy it and wear it at home, but can't wear it in the streets because it would soon belong to other people 😂 .

[@ForAllLifesAdventures]

Haha that is true. I offered to buy one for my son for his Christmas/21st but he refused because he said it would just get stolen and it’s not worth the hassle! It is sad that it has come to this in the west!

[@mikekok]

Pretty accurate you're but I would add how crowded it is at times especially towards the evening., oh yes the beers are quite cheap comparatively. Of course it has became a cashless society and everybodies own a hand phone. A walk in the most cities you'll find areas of specialisation found no where out side china. Certainly 'not in the west. Note worthy was how advanced their road infrastructures were, it was almost shocking how advanced they were compared to any western country while no sooner you'll come acrossed some rural settings almost instantly when you least expecting These are my take on china .

[@ForAllLifesAdventures]

Great additions and it is a shock to the system to see how far the infrastructure has advanced compared to the west!! 👍

[@skywire5595]

Thanks for updating the unfrozen river, not so cold this year?

[@ForAllLifesAdventures]

I was surprised, I thought it would have been partly frozen over, but no to so far this year!! A different coldness this year, more cold wind and less severe temperature drops. 👍🏼

[@dyong888]

haha. I was thinking about SAFETY and sure enough that's your first point. Okay carry on watching.

[@ForAllLifesAdventures]

It is one thing I had to adjust too as I was always looking around me and sussing out the situation when I arrived- a habit learned in the streets of Glasgow I’m afraid!! 😝

[@tantm4048]

🎉

[@lucleoni]

👍🇨🇳♥️🇨🇳👍

[@ddv267]

😘😘😘

[@ForAllLifesAdventures]

🙏 ✌️

[@tvguy4600]

There's lots of graffiti in the play equipments in hongkong, but not in mainland China. And then the air quality in Shenzhen city centre is so fresh, because of the electric vehicles. I moved from hongkong to Shenzhen for 5 years already and I just don't want to leave.

[@tvguy4600]

Many old Chinese people smoke and need to spit a lot because of dryness of the throat. But young Chinese are more sensible and aware of the hazard of smoking , and spitting problems in china will probably go away in the next decade.