I Moved From the Midwest to China and Lived There for five Years

• Tatiana Smith spent 5 years instructing English as a second language in China.
• She lived in Beijing largely, which was a lot larger and busier than her hometown in Illinois.
• Smith stated the price of residing is extra inexpensive, however she skilled racism as a Black expat.

This as-told-to essay relies on conversations and emails with Tatiana Smith, 36, who spent 5 years instructing English as a second language (ESL) in China. The next has been edited for size and readability.

For the overwhelming majority of my life, I’ve lived in Illinois.

I grew up in a really impoverished setting, so I did not imagine that I might ever see the world. Once I was 29, I joined the Peace Corps. I traveled to Liberia, an African nation full of people that look identical to me, which is cool but additionally impacted how I associated to the nation.

I might mix in, however I used to be very curious to know what it will be wish to go someplace the place they didn’t suppose I used to be native.

In 2018, I visited China and explored Zhengzhou, within the Henan Province on a vacationer visa. In 2019, I formally moved to Beijing on the Z-visa, or the employee’s visa. To get it, you want a job that may write you a letter, a bodily, and a clear background verify.

I got here again to America in August 2024 to spend time with my household. By that point, a lot of my pals, different expats, had additionally left.

I’ve observed large misconceptions between the US and China since I’ve returned.

China is surprisingly capitalistic

The unstated rule of speaking about politics if you find yourself in China is that you don’t discuss Chinese language politics. That was made very clear to me.

I’ve heard rather a lot about how China’s communist regime, however by way of what I skilled it felt simply as, if no more, capitalist than America.

Luxurious is large in China. There’s a complete part of Beijing the place all the luxurious shops and costly locations are.

In China, they promote entrepreneurship. There’s a number of alternative to open a enterprise and the edge to take action could be very low for those who’re Chinese language.

There’s additionally a number of enterprise turnover. If a enterprise left an space, one thing else entered in a short time. In Beijing, if I might stroll by a closed shopfront that was once a grocery retailer, a month later, it was like a hair salon.

As a trainer, life is extra inexpensive

Once I got here again to the US and defined my way of life to individuals, there was an actual cognitive dissonance round life in China.

For instance, a trainer in America doesn’t make an entire lot. As an expat trainer in China, my beginning wage was 28,000 RMB, roughly a bit over $4,000 a month now.

In China, they’ve their model of Uber known as DiDi. I might take a DiDi to and from work for lower than $10 a day. Taking a US Uber for quarter-hour now prices me $20.

I made sufficient that I used to be capable of eat out virtually day by day. Cooking was one thing that I did so not often that it was an occasion, and I might invite my pals over.

I might lastly repay all my payments again house and have cash to journey. It was a lot more durable to flee a shortage mindset within the US.

Chinese language meals in America is nothing like Chinese language meals in China

Once I had Chinese language meals in China, it was dramatically totally different. At an American Chinese language meals restaurant, it is mainly American delicacies coated in sugar.

However I might say the larger variations have been within the fashion of consuming.

As an American, we eat from our personal plates, however in a number of Asian international locations, notably China, you could have a shared consuming scenario.

It wasn’t like Thanksgiving, the place you are served your portion in your plate. You order a number of plates and actively eat out of the identical plate that everyone else was consuming out of.

That took some getting used to, however sizzling pot, for instance, turned one in all my favourite issues. You are able to do particular person sizzling pot, however the group ones have been all the time essentially the most enjoyable.

Racism and discrimination come up otherwise

For essentially the most half, I felt very welcomed in China. However I do not wish to paint China as a wonderful, good place as a result of it isn’t.

The Uygurs and different minority teams are being persecuted in China.

As a Black expat, I handled some racism. A part of Chinese language tradition is the concept being white is an indication of wealth and privilege, so the lighter you might be, the extra stunning you might be.

One time, one in all my co-teachers stated to me: “Oh my god, Black is so ugly. I can not get darker.” She did not acknowledge how I might take it.

It was an intense expertise with COVID.

When America began reacting with anti-Chinese language sentiment, there was a robust anti-American sentiment in China as a response.

One time, I went to the financial institution to switch cash, and one of many tellers threw my passport again at me, and so they have been identical to, “We can’t serve you.”

Within the US, individuals have been killed in racist assaults. Whereas in China, racism is prevalent, however felt much less harmful.

The pandemic wasn’t scary, however I’ll say uncomfortable. The professional aspect was that the expat group bonded. We have been extra open and tried to construct friendships as a result of it was vital for our psychological well being.