Hi everyone, I’m getting ready to move to China for 10 months to teach English! I have a degree in International Studies and I’m a Black woman who’s always wanted to give it a shot and see how life goes abroad. I don’t speak Chinese at all, which makes me a bit nervous—do you need to know Chinese to live comfortably in China? I’m both excited and anxious, and would really appreciate any advice, tips, or encouragement from those who’ve been there!
Not speaking Chinese can definitely be a bit challenging and frustrating at times, but you’ll be totally fine without it. Just use a good translation app — it goes a long way.
That said, I’d still recommend learning a few basics now and picking up more while you’re there. But if you don’t, that’s okay too — you’ll manage!
I’ve been living in Shanghai for almost five years, and my Mandarin is basically just “ni hao,” “xie xie,” and “zai jian” (not even sure how to write it properly). Yet, I’ve had absolutely no problems. Baidu Translate, screenshots, and Alipay have been my best friends here.
