Tag Archive for 'relocation'

Hotter Than Hell

Published
by
David
on September 21, 2008
in China
. Comments

So after 5 days in my new home, Shenzhen, the most resounding impression so far is that this place is hot - really hot. During the day it’s been around 32°C and at night 27°C, all intensified by 66% humidity in the concrete jungle of high rise apartments and offices. Air-conditioning is a must-have and makes working indoors much more pleasant but wandering around in the midday heat is physically draining and you’ll probably want to carry around a bottle of water at all times.

DSC_7220

Most likely having something to do with the heat at around 1 to 1.30pm each day most people take a nap, in fact, in my new office a security guard comes round and turns the lights off then on at the allotted time. I found it rather amusing the first time to watch everyone get out a pillow and rest their heads on their desk!! I’ve not followed this trend yet but might give it a go next week ;)

Globalisation

The other thing which strikes me about Shenzhen is that this is predominantly a city where people come to work. The skyline is filled with high-rise apartment buildings as far as the eye can see which houses an approximate 16 million inhabitants who have come from all over this massive country to find their fortunes. In China you are literally 1 in over a billion, perhaps giving a new perspective on the power China’s collective mind. This is living on an industrial scale.

Shenzhen Hot Pot!

I’ve already had some amazing food since I arrived including fried frog which tasted like chicken, but not much meat! Last night after many hours of apartment hunting I had hot pot (above) with a colleague and his wife who have been very kind in helping me to find an apartment. This has got to be one of my favourite Chinese meals - simple yet very very delicious and nutritious.

The past week has been pretty non-stop but in one week there is a national holiday which will mean a week off work so I can’t complain! More soon.

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Relocating to Shenzhen

Published
by
David
on July 30, 2008
in China
. Comments


Photo by Sze Tsung Leong for The New York Times

A little over a month ago I posted about my desire to relocate and work in China again. Well, after a great deal of research and interviews at odd hours of the day and night I’m pleased to be able to announce that I will be relocating to Shenzhen (next to Hong Kong) in just over a months time!

I’ll be working in the same field as I do currently but in a slightly different role for a new company and, all going well, intend to stay out there for a couple of years at least. I’m a little sad to be saying goodbye to London which has been my home for the past 3 years but feel ready for a change, new challenges and above all an adventure!

The process of obtaining a work permit and the appropriate visa (type Z) is the first hurdle on my journey which is so far proving to be a complete nightmare. Not only am I required to submit verified copies of all the usual documents but also have to provide comprehensive medical reports, criminal records (of which I of course have none!), and education certificates. Frustratingly no official documentation is available for the process which is eating a lot of precious time and money but, keeping the end goal in mind, worth it!

A Little About Shenzhen

Shenzhen is a city of over 12 million people which only 30 years ago was a small fishing village until becoming China’s first Special Economic Zone in 1979 under the leadership of Deng Xiaoping. With the help of massive foreign investment it has since grown at a rate unseen in human history before and is now the largest manufacturing base in the world (your iPod/iPhone was born there!) and southern China’s major financial hub.

With no recognisable centre Shenzhen is a city like no other and has been described as a “vast field of urban experimentation” for modernist architects who have thrown the concept of the 20th Century city right out the window. Much of this highly dense skyline was built in the last decade and its populous is a mix of intellectuals with a high level of education, and migrant workers.

It’s proximity directly north of Hong Kong has further propelled its development and there are even plans for the two cities to integrate over the next decade to create a metropolis large enough to rival New York and Tokyo. Whilst it might have close neighbourly ties the cost of living in Shenzhen is considerably lower.

With average temperatures of 22°C year-round (around 34°C currently) it’s certainly going to take some getting used to for someone used to English weather! Whilst I have never been to Shenzhen I can’t wait to get there :)

Last but certainly not least, many thanks to everyone who has offered help and advice. I have no doubt I will be asking for many favours over the coming months as I adjust to this new life so please bear with me!

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Life Relocated

Published
by
David
on June 15, 2008
in China and General
. Comments

In this time of increased personal mobility and global connectivity the world is nowhere near as big as it once was. The days when you made a home for yourself near the place you were born are long gone and, certainly in places like the UK, multiculturalism is now well defined and spreading. Whilst a discussion of the cultural implications of such movements is beyond the scope of my question it does present an interesting challenge…

Going on holiday somewhere exotic is one thing. Relocating there is a completely different proposition.

I don’t usually like to talk about myself here but I’m going out on a limb today - ever since spending a few months living, working and travelling out in China last year I’ve wanted to go back for a longer dose of the excitement, energy and adventure I found there, but am struggling to find the right path. The traditional route is to study Chinese or teach English out there, neither of which really appeal to me - I ideally want to work and use the skills I have to do something both personally enriching and meaningful to a wider audience of some sort.

I may be asking too much but luckily I have age on my side (I’m 23), a lack of personal responsibilities, and a valuable few years of experience working as a technology consultant (loose definition!). My investigation has so far proven that finding an opportunity out there is probably going to come down to a large amount of research and an even bigger dose of luck. I am however willing to bet that someone out there within a few degrees of separation of here (if not an immediate connection) knows of some opportunity and it’s just a matter of making that connection which is partly why I’ve written this post.

So what to do? Preferably something related to technology and the internet but am quite open to something new. Finding a job with a local company is probably out of the question as I’m currently in London and don’t have a Chinese work visa. The best route appears to be through a western company who require native speakers with the appropriate skills.

The challenge I have set myself is to relocate myself to China (or possibly elsewhere in east Asia) within 1 year or less. It’s not that I’m unhappy with what I currently do but would like to try something a little different before it’s too late!

View David Gilbert's profile on LinkedIn

Any help or advice anyone might be able to offer would be hugely appreciated - I’m easily contactable either by commenting below, the contact page or via my profile on LinkedIn. Thanks!

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