🇨🇳 China through the eyes of a tourist: 10 unexpected discoveries

Anastasia Shimanko is a singer, lead singer of cover bands and songwriter. At the age of 23, I went to work in China alone, without friends or family support, only with the guys from the new group. Anastasia shared her impressions of the country and told what she had to face and what others should be prepared for.

— How did you get to China? Was it difficult to get there?

— Some musicians I knew offered me a contract, I read the terms and agreed. As for the route to China, there were flight delays, because of this we were late for all connections. There were three of them.

— What were your first impressions after the flight, when you saw China?

— We flew to Hainan Island in the city of Haikou during winter. The first two months I suffered a lot due to acclimatization. When they brought us to our house, the first thing that surprised us was the dirt, cockroaches, rats, stench and terribly broken roads. This, of course, is not the main street, but, roughly speaking, a back street, but this place was considered a party place.

About the locals

— What was the most difficult thing at first, and what have you gotten used to now?

“Before coronavirus, they could come up to me and film without asking for a camera or pointing a finger at me. For me, it was not cultural. And after the start of the pandemic, I was ignored. Sometimes it seems that locals have no sense of tact and personal boundaries.

They smoke in all places: shops, at home, in elevators and restaurants. If you treat someone with a cigarette, it is a sign of respect. If you don’t even smoke, but they offered you a cigarette and you didn’t take it, it means that you don’t respect this person.

— Is it difficult to communicate with local residents?

— If you don’t know Chinese, it’s very difficult. Few people speak English in China. We always use a translator or try to speak broken English somewhere.

In terms of mentality, they are completely different, because of this, conflicts can arise. Their norm is to be late by about 30-40 minutes. Because of this, we often had misunderstandings with them.

About the kitchen

— How do you like the national cuisine of the Celestial Empire? What shocked you and what did you like?

— The first thing that shocks us is fermented tofu. It is usually sold on the streets at night and in the evenings. This scent is impossible to describe. When you go outside, this smell comes from everywhere. It doesn't taste very good. If we draw a parallel, we can compare it with rotten socks.

There are also “hundred-year-old” eggs, they look worse than they smell, and taste as good as they look. They are buried in the ground for six months, and then taken out and eaten.

Also, what shocked me was the silkworm larvae. As far as I know, they are simply fried. They have a very specific smell, comparable to the smell of maggots.

What I like are street and fried noodles, fried rice, rice flour dumplings, bone broth soups, eggplant, Peking duck, hot pot, sweet and sour meat and unfermented tofu. The locals cook all their vegetables divinely; you can simply eat them without meat. Everything about them is very spicy. It took me a long time to get used to this. I also really liked the Chinese barbecue. But the most delicious thing is instant noodles, or simply called rollton.

About interesting things

— What beautiful or unusual places have you visited and what can you tell about them?

— Visited the Nanshan Buddhist center in Sanya, where the main object was the sea statue of the goddess Guanyin. She protects people from disasters and protects children. The three-faced goddess is depicted in three images, each of which signifies compassion, pure thoughts and wisdom. 

I was in the Valley of Longevity in Nanshan. Portraits of people are displayed in the park. These are those who are lucky enough to live over 100 years. Proceeding further, we find ourselves on the “Hundred Year Staircase”. It has one hundred steps, each equal to one year. The legend says that if you go through all of them, you will live a hundred years. 

And on the park square there are three turtles, symbolizing three generations. A little further there begins a mangrove forest, in which you can find “ageless” pine. It is called the “Dragon Tree”. She is very old and they say she is over 8,000 years old. 

Tropical Paradise Park in Yalong Bay is also a memorable place. This is one of the most environmentally friendly parks in China. People come here to see the wild nature, heal their health, and enjoy the picturesque landscapes.

This park is home to the Orchid Valley and the Gojianglong Rope Bridge, also called the “Lover's Bridge.” It is located between two hills 40 meters from the Earth! The total length is 168 meters. And there, at an altitude of 450 meters, there is a glass bridge, the length of which is 400 meters. From there you have a very beautiful view of Yalong Bay!

The dinosaur park will be interesting for adults and children. Located in the National Rice Park. There are more than 300 dinosaur figures scattered throughout the area. The figures are interactive; when you press a button, they begin to move and make realistic sounds. They look very believable and scary.

You can have a great time in a romantic park in Sanya. There are many different entertainments and most importantly a famous theater show. It's hard to describe. Everyone needs to see this! So, if you are in Sanya, be sure to visit this show.

In the city of Xi'an, where I am, there is also an interesting place – the city Medieval Wall – the most successfully preserved in China. Built on the foundations of the city walls of the Sui Dynasty during the Ming Dynasty (14th century), the length is 13 km. You can climb it, take a bike, ride and enjoy the views, or sit in a restaurant.

About culture

— What interesting things can you tell about the culture of the Chinese people? 

— For example, the music may seem unusual. At performances, the Chinese do not dance, but simply sit and watch the stage. In this regard, they are very shy, and if someone comes out to dance, it is a shock for them. In musical terms, even the number of notes is different.

If we take clothes, the Chinese do not look like the West. They have their own fashion, they live by their own rules. As for holidays, they are celebrated with family, even people from other cities go to the village to visit their relatives. Only then can you go somewhere for a walk with friends, but with your family this is a must. There is always a lot of food on the tables. Their favorite holidays are: New Year, birthday, international women's day. Birthdays must have noodles as a symbol of longevity.

About difficulties

— What difficulties did you encounter in China?

— First of all, lack of knowledge of the language. Each province has its own dialect, and knowing some words in another city may not save you.

This is a completely different culture: for example, no one celebrates our traditional holidays here. There are differences in medicine: it is all paid, very expensive. A consultation without treatment will cost approximately $30. Another difficulty for me was that there were a lot of people, there was a rush everywhere, you couldn’t walk around peacefully. And this happens everywhere and every day.

I also had problems exchanging money. It is very difficult to change dollars to yuan. There are limits – $500 per foreigner. The process of exchanging currency also takes a lot of time; once they even asked for paper from their place of work.

The most painful topic is the Internet. You can't go anywhere without a VPN. Instagram, Telegram and all foreign social networks are blocked.

It is also important to take into account that not all hotels can accommodate foreigners. This is due to a special number that is not in our passports. These are the most basic problems I encountered.

Advice from an experienced

— What souvenirs will you definitely bring with you?

– Definitely tea, children's toys, silk, traditional jewelry made from natural stones, reusable chopsticks, porcelain and baiju – rice vodka.

— What advice would you give to anyone who wants to visit China?

— The first thing you need to do is install a VPN. It is even mandatory to keep in touch with someone back home.

Be sure to know the number and address of your embassy just in case. So that in case of trouble, you can find help. 

Also, it is worth finding out the support number for foreigners in China, because you may encounter racism.

Book your hotel in advance, as you may encounter the difficulties I mentioned earlier. Install a translator to make it easier to communicate with local residents. These are the most basic tips that I would give to anyone who wants to visit China.