Great Expat-Ations:Alex Hall, 27, Canadian

(China Daily)
Updated: 2009-10-22 12:05

Name: Alex Hall
Age: 27
Nationality: Canadian
Time in China: Over 3 years

Why China?

I was still at university when I decided to move to China. Four years ago, people were barely starting to talk about China on a daily basis.

My initial goal was to go to Asia to complete my university degree by going through a hotel management internship. China appealed to me because of its huge potential growth.

I also believed that by learning Chinese, it would definitely be giving me a competitive edge on today's fierce international market.

What are you doing now?

I work as a client services manager for JETT customer experience. JETT specializes in customer service training and mystery shopping for the hospitality and service industry and works with leading international brands across China.

Our company's main objective is to instill confidence and inspire leadership among the new generation of Chinese service professionals, whether they are from front line, supervisors or high end managers.

How good is your Chinese?

To be fair, because I was working quite hard in a hotel upon my arrival in China for one year, my Chinese was sporadic.

Basically, I knew some words and sentences here and there, but I lacked a solid foundation on which to progress on.

I then decided to take six months off and study Chinese intensely six hours a day. It was very beneficial.

I now work for the company mentioned above and speak Chinese at a decent level where I can interact with my Chinese colleagues and hold meetings in Chinese.

Having the opportunity to speak the language every day is the best and fastest way to improve.

It's all about perseverance.

Do you like food here?

In general, the food here is great. I do quite enjoy Chinese food although I often stay away from dishes that are sometimes way to oily or deep friend.

Also, since there are so many different types of restaurants available in Beijing, it brings a good variety to the dining table.

What challenges are you facing up to?

The pollution and the lack of common sense in some local people. It gets quite annoying when I am trying to exit the subway and everyone would rush in at the same time.

But that word "adaptable" is very important. It is an essential quality to have if you wish to live and strive in China.

You obviously should not change who you are as a person, but always try to keep in mind where you are and how different and deeply rooted the culture is here.

Are you happy with the money you are making and saving?

As I am sure most expats would say, the salaries here are lower, but so is the cost of living.

Although the rent is higher than other countries, the food, clothes and drinks can be much cheaper.

It simply depends on how smart you are with your money.

How do you see your future in China?

Well, I believe I intend on staying in China for quite some time.

Although I miss my friends and family back home a lot, there are simply too many opportunities and wonderful things to experience here in China.

At the moment, China is like a huge dragon reaching higher and higher for the skies. I simply wish to tag along for the ride and see how far it will go.