Moving from Chicago to Chengdu

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  • #38744
    Avatar photomagpie
    Participant

    Hi all!

    I will be arriving in Chengdu in about twelve days. I have all my essentials in order (visa, immunizations, housing, etc.). I will be working in Wenjiang for several months.

    I am not new to living abroad, though it’s been awhile since I’ve done so. This is my first time in China, and I am curious about a couple of things. What would you recommend I pack that the travel guides might miss? I believe I have the essentials set, and I have my one totally frivolous item (my PS3 – love to game), but if there’s anything a midwesterner should have upon arrival, I’d be happy to hear it.

    Also, I am curious about what this forum might offer by way of advice for making it through the first week.  The internet has been less than helpful on this front – I’ve read the gamut of opinions and have yet to feel like I actually know what I ought to expect.

    Thank you!

    #38746
    Avatar photoCallum
    Participant

    While I can’t think of any directly useful pieces of equipment that you should bring. Some home comforts never hurt. I’ve been making requests for tea and biscuits from my visitors from back home in the UK. They serve as a warm comfort when I really need it. The tastes and the smells will throw you back to scenes in your living room back at home and make you feel at ease.

    As for what to expect here, I’d recommend a few things from the site. The concise guide to Chengdu, and this list which is updated with categorised articles about Chengdu specifically. I also feel that this show represented Chengdu very well. It’s essentially a cooking show, but it was very informative. I encourage you to watch and get an idea of, at least, what you’ll be eating.

    “Your first week in Chengdu” would be a great idea for a future article too!

    #38747
    Avatar photoDana Garber
    Participant

    Your gun…just to show it to all the Chinese that ask to see it once mentioning Chicago.

     

     

    #38760
    Avatar photoVivianlu
    Participant

    Hope you enjoy your stay in Chengdu. The weather and air quality may not be that good. And, the traffic condition is crowded during rush hour.

    #38769
    Avatar photoWill
    Participant

    you should definitely bring deodorant. Insanely difficult to find here. Also, duct tape. also, 1 Portillos Italian beef sandwich, 1 extra large sausage and cheese from pizzeria uno, 2  chili dogs from the wieners circle, and some snow. you are to immediately report to me after passing through customsMat which point I shall provide the food cheap, secure housing in my refrigerator.

    chitown holler.

    #38777
    Avatar photoCharlie
    Keymaster

    Chengdu is much easier to adapt to now than it ever was before, and one of the ways it’s changed is in the availability of previously hard-to-find items. You can get pretty much anything you would want on Taobao these days (which is a website like Amazon that carries everything you can imagine). In addition to what was mentioned above, I would bring vitamins and ibuprofen. You could bring deodorant but you can find that locally at Carrefour without too much trouble (although selection is limited – Adidas brand deodorant, etc).

    Good luck!

    #38793
    Avatar photoBrendan
    Moderator

    Your gun

    Tommy Gun. And Spats.

    #38795
    Avatar photoraschmidt
    Participant

    Cubs suck.  Go Cards.

    #38806
    Avatar photoruby
    Participant

    hey hey welcome to chengdu!

    im study  in wenjiang. wenjiang is a little bit far from central of the city, kinda like a peace town near chengdu . 2hour bus to chunxiroad–the shopping center of chengdu . wenjiang got many university here.

    good is food and rent house is more cheaper than central chengdu . near our university house is 400-500yuan per room per month.  air quality is better than chengdu tooo.got Carrefour too . but few good bar and western food, if u can get used to chinese food then is more peace and relax to live in wenjiang .

    ah , wenjiang is near Qingcheng moutain. u can go climb in first week. and near moutain got a really nice hotspring. u can go climb in the day and enjoy hotspring at night.  XD

    hope these imfromation could works for u 😛

    Anyway ,good luck! XD

     

    #38813
    Avatar photobelle
    Participant

    perfume. if u wear them, u wouldnt want to buy them here

    #38854
    Avatar photomagpie
    Participant

    Wow! Thanks for all the advice, Forum! (Except the tommy gun guy – those went out of style, like, last month…duh 😉  )

    While I don’t think I can bring a deep dish pizza with me through customs, I will be sure to eat a slice in your honor before I go.

    Duct tape, Deodorant, and creature comforts. Got it. See you all in…five days!

    #39040
    Avatar photoalexmu
    Participant

    In wenjiang distinct? i highly recommend you never drinking water from pipe. you’d better drink bottle water bought from market.

    #39042
    Avatar photoCharlie
    Keymaster

    In wenjiang distinct? i highly recommend you never drinking water from pipe. you’d better drink bottle water bought from market.

    In China? Don’t ever drink tap water!

    #39051
    Avatar photoCallum
    Participant

    Back home, we’re taught not to drink water outside the UK from a young age. Here’s a limerick popularized in an advert for some dutch beer.

    #39128
    Avatar photomagpie
    Participant

    Well my dorm isn’t completed yet, and my hotel provides two complimentary bottles of water a day – sealed properly.

    Two weeks in, and so far things are good. Made it to Chengdu during one of my weekends, and I intend to visit again. It certainly is a different feel, even though Wenjiang and Chengdu are only about half an hour apart!

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