If you really want to fit into China, take these steps

The seven tips to be happy in China, from my blog post, really did well. It was selected to share on Telegraph and was translated into Russian. I am happy about it. Today I want to share some tips which I think will help you to fit into China.

1. Give up Google

I really love Google. Without doubt it is the best search engine. For many years I tried many options to be with it here. Gmail, Google maps, Google scholar, blogger …. I really miss them. Anyway the great wall is much stronger than you and I imagine. Adapt to the system here. Specially give up Gmail. You can manage many things with a VPN. But all of your friends, bosses, recruitment companies, clients and customers will not use email routers with VPN. So you will end up not receiving many important communications if you keep using gmail. This is a simple fact. Anyway unfortunately I still see a lot of my friends keep using gmail addresses. (163.com or QQ mail are good alternatives, but if you cannot read Chinese live mail on Microsoft will help you).

2. Get a Zhifubao (Alipay)

I did not have an Alipay account for years. For almost four years of my stay in China. Recently my girlfriend helped me to get one. It was like a blind person getting sight after being in darkness for decades. I realized the ease and comfort which I was deprived of for years in this country. I feel the strength of mobile e-commerce in my pocket. So many things were super easy once I got a Zhifubao.

3. Get a taxi app

Getting a taxi is not an easy task even for a Chinese when you use the traditional waving at the driver. That wave is about to join the history books. Sooner or later no one will wave for a taxi in this nation. Get yourself a taxi app on your mobile; otherwise you will not survive the evolution of modern human kind.

4. Embrace Chinese social media

FB is blocked here. But it does not mean social media is not allowed in China. QQ, WeChat (equal to WhatsApp), Renren (= FB) and weibo (= Twitter) are the main social media if you can adapt. Forget the list, but join QQ and WeChat if you really want to keep in touch with Chinese society.

5. Build some common interests

Basketball and football are really fascinating to Chinese. Keep in touch with these things and be updated about the stars. Listen to the music. Baidu music or QQ music will help you. Some films and television series will not waste your time, but improve your Chinese while giving you some common topics to talk about when you are in a friendly meeting. Talk about anything related to these things except their men’s football team. It is a long story. Anyway, skip the topic even they talk about it.

What do you do differently to be linked up with the Chinese system? Please share a comment. Views and comments earn writers cash which help them write more with engaging enthusiasm. 

The original blog is at: http://blog.chinadaily.com.cn/blog-1457555-30152.html