- Home » Expat Articles » Interviews » Indian Expat Living in beijing, China - Interview with Prachi
Indian Expat Living in beijing, China - Interview with Prachi
| Published: | 8 Nov at 5 PM |
Want to get involved?
Become a Featured Expat and take our interview.
Become a Local Expert and contribute articles.
Get in touch today!
Become a Local Expert and contribute articles.
Get in touch today!
Filed: Interviews,China
To China and back; Prachi has had the experience of studying in school and college in Beijing. She calls it her second home and loves traveling and shopping here in the capital of China. You can follow her adventures and get to know China from her point of view on her expat blog. Prachi's expat blog is called The View From The Great Wall (see listing here)
Meet Prachi - Indian expat living in China
Where are you originally from?
Originally from New Delhi, India.
In which country and city are you living now?
Currently I am living in Beijing, China.
How long have you lived in China and how long are you planning to stay?
I have been living in Beijing for altogether about 3 years, I keep on traveling to China.
Why did you move to China and what do you do?
First time I came to Beijing was around 2003 and went to school in Haidian Waiguo Yushiyen Xuixiao for one year. I came back for vacation in Shanghai for a couple months. Then later after graduating from college I came for a One-year diploma in Mandarin at BLCU. And here I am again, an expat blogger writing about anything I find intriguing.
Did you bring family with you?
My father was the reason I first came to China. My brother is studying here in BFSU and my sister in BLCU.
Group of me and my friends in DatongHow did you find the transition to living in a foreign country?
America was the first foreign country we (my siblings and I) travelled to and lived in for a couple years. Going to China was definitely a huge transition because the language was an issue at that point of time. Everything, T.V., newspapers, magazines, was in Chinese!
Was it easy making friends and meeting people; do you mainly socialise with other expats?
When I was studying in school in Beijing, I made more Chinese friends. Later, studying in BLCU, I made friends from different parts of the world. BLCU is located in Wudaokou which is a great location to meet people and make friends instantly.
What are the best things to do in the area; anything to recommend to future expats?
I would highly recommend Wudaokou; not only does this place have numerous café’s and restaurants offering different cuisines from around the world; a bunch of famous clubs call this place home; on a clear day you can also enjoy the view of the nearby hills.
Our class picture BLCU (2011-12)What do you enjoy most about living here?
Living in Wudaokou comes with several shopping trips to Golden towers located nearby. It’s probably my favorite place to shop in Beijing.
How does the cost of living in China compare to India?
In terms of food and rent, Beijing is more expensive. But the shopping for clothes and accessories turns out to be cheaper.
What negatives, if any, are there to living here?
There are times when you might bump into locals like taxi drivers/ or people at a club, etc., who do not appreciate laowais in China. Any sort of communication with them can prove to be unpleasant.
If you could pick one piece of advice to anyone moving here, what would it be?
Learn the language as soon as you can!
What has been the hardest aspect to your expat experience so far?
If you don’t have a student visa, your visa stay/extension can cause unnecessary trips to the Visa office or even Hong Kong.
me on a Modeling assignment in BeijingWhen you finally return home, how do you think you'll cope with repatriation?
Going back home will be fun, meeting family and friends. It’s awesome for them, they get gifts from China!
What are your top 5 expat tips for anyone following in your footsteps?
Me in Datong, Shanxi province, near the Hanging MonasteryTell us a bit about your own expat blog.
My first blog was on the differences between Chinese and Indians. Later, I started writing more n my experiences living in Beijing, Recommendations and personal opinion. I also blog about unusual topics related to China, that intrigue me.
How can you be contacted for further advice to future expats coming to your area?
I can be reached via my blog
Prachi is an Indian expat living in China. Blog description: A blog on my experiences and views on different things I encounter in my life in China.
Meet Prachi - Indian expat living in China
Here's the interview with Prachi...
Where are you originally from?
Originally from New Delhi, India.
In which country and city are you living now?
Currently I am living in Beijing, China.
How long have you lived in China and how long are you planning to stay?
I have been living in Beijing for altogether about 3 years, I keep on traveling to China.
Why did you move to China and what do you do?
First time I came to Beijing was around 2003 and went to school in Haidian Waiguo Yushiyen Xuixiao for one year. I came back for vacation in Shanghai for a couple months. Then later after graduating from college I came for a One-year diploma in Mandarin at BLCU. And here I am again, an expat blogger writing about anything I find intriguing.
Did you bring family with you?
My father was the reason I first came to China. My brother is studying here in BFSU and my sister in BLCU.
Group of me and my friends in Datong
America was the first foreign country we (my siblings and I) travelled to and lived in for a couple years. Going to China was definitely a huge transition because the language was an issue at that point of time. Everything, T.V., newspapers, magazines, was in Chinese!
Was it easy making friends and meeting people; do you mainly socialise with other expats?
When I was studying in school in Beijing, I made more Chinese friends. Later, studying in BLCU, I made friends from different parts of the world. BLCU is located in Wudaokou which is a great location to meet people and make friends instantly.
What are the best things to do in the area; anything to recommend to future expats?
I would highly recommend Wudaokou; not only does this place have numerous café’s and restaurants offering different cuisines from around the world; a bunch of famous clubs call this place home; on a clear day you can also enjoy the view of the nearby hills.
Our class picture BLCU (2011-12)
Living in Wudaokou comes with several shopping trips to Golden towers located nearby. It’s probably my favorite place to shop in Beijing.
How does the cost of living in China compare to India?
In terms of food and rent, Beijing is more expensive. But the shopping for clothes and accessories turns out to be cheaper.
What negatives, if any, are there to living here?
There are times when you might bump into locals like taxi drivers/ or people at a club, etc., who do not appreciate laowais in China. Any sort of communication with them can prove to be unpleasant.
If you could pick one piece of advice to anyone moving here, what would it be?
Learn the language as soon as you can!
What has been the hardest aspect to your expat experience so far?
If you don’t have a student visa, your visa stay/extension can cause unnecessary trips to the Visa office or even Hong Kong.
me on a Modeling assignment in Beijing
Going back home will be fun, meeting family and friends. It’s awesome for them, they get gifts from China!
What are your top 5 expat tips for anyone following in your footsteps?
- Learn and constantly improve mandarin language
- Travel around and outside the city, China is huge and beautiful
- Try out different restaurants and café’s, there are too many to try out
- Make sure you experience partying in Sanlitun
- Don’t forget to make a trip to The Great Wall of China
Me in Datong, Shanxi province, near the Hanging Monastery
My first blog was on the differences between Chinese and Indians. Later, I started writing more n my experiences living in Beijing, Recommendations and personal opinion. I also blog about unusual topics related to China, that intrigue me.
How can you be contacted for further advice to future expats coming to your area?
I can be reached via my blog
About the author
Prachi is an Indian expat living in China. Blog description: A blog on my experiences and views on different things I encounter in my life in China.
Grab a featured expat badge that links to this interview!
Copy and paste code to display the Featured Expat Badge:Comments » No published comments just yet for this article...
Feel free to have your say on this item. Go on... be the first!
