Living in China:

If you stay in China for a while you will live, more than likely, in a medium- to high-rise apartment block. There are sometimes security doors downstairs and your abode should also have a security door. There are many quirky gadgets in a Chinese house. For example, TV sets have built-in games and washing machines play classical tunes if you press a button! House shoes (slippers) are kept in reserve ready for any guests. Every house has a windowed conservatory for plant life, drying clothes and so on.

You can also sleep out here during the hot months, mosquitoes permitting! Kitchens are quite small – some older sinks often do not have drain boards and the plumbing can be very basic. So, choose the apartment wisely, if you can!

Drinking water is ordered from local suppliers (number is usually found on existing water containers), which is delivered and fixed atop a drinks dispenser. A very important thing to note is that in southern provinces apartments do not have built-in heating and they can become quite cold so you may have to purchase an electric heater or similar. While they do have warm-mode air conditioning units, these are slow to work and quite expensive to run and you’ll find windows are usually riddled with gaps or too thin to help keep in the warmth. Likewise, check for air conditioning units to cope with the humid summer nights.

Flies can be a constant source of irritation and in the far south mosquitoes are a constant cause of irritation (you may need to consider buying a mosquito net for your bed). You should have window mesh nets fixed to your windows. Rents are very unregulated. You may need to pay for several months in advance as a deposit. It’s quite common to lose some of that after leaving your apartment, unfortunately. As such, maybe people choose not to do extensive work on their apartments and add decorations.

Stick things on your wall carefully, as there’s a chance it’ll rip off some of the white wall paint. This is such a common occurrence. Make sure you get your property rights in writing and try to enlist a Chinese friend to help you do this.

Most likely, someone will help you when you organise your house so you will not be left to struggle all alone.