I said it a few months ago that if the Coronavirus pandemic and subsequent lockdown doesn’t resolve itself by June then that’s when things would become worrying. And that is slowly becoming the reality.
I’ve made posts on Facebook indicating that things are starting to look a bit more desperate here in Beijing, despite the fact that the country is re-opening. Although there is some scary news out there about companies shutting down and people losing their jobs, for this to directly impact me two things would have to happen: first, ESL education goes goodbye, second, even if ESL education stays but foreign universities refuse Chinese students. In those cases, my job here would basically be finished. I don’t see that happening any time soon.
In terms of living arrangements, since I still have rent money I’m able to make those payments and even ask for an extension because everybody is getting hit by this economic blowback. Should that fall out, there are friends I can stay with here in Beijing. So, housing isn’t a big issue at the moment but it is something to keep an eye on.
Second concern would be a visa, which is tied to my current employment. If my current employment disappears (again, possibly because of the two aforementioned cases), then I’m not sure if my visa gets cancelled right away or what happens. This, I simply don’t know.
That being the case, the company has said that it is trying to do everything it can to ensure that it can keep its workforce in the country because, let’s face it, China is a big market and it doesn’t want to lose that access. I have no doubt the company will continue, it’s whether or not all of the current employees will be part of future operations which, suffice it to say, is difficult to gauge. I understand tough decisions have to be made.
So, to follow on from that, if the job disappears but the visa remains, that means I have until October on my current visa. I can make rent work until then, though it would be a stretch. I could switch apartments but that would only partially reduce the cost since my contract is until November. And when the landlord holds the contract, they like to abide by it. If I did leave early I’d lose my deposit, but I’m not even sure anyone else would or could move in just yet. What would be necessary at that point is to find another job, preferably in the same city.
Hey, you could come back to Canada and re-whatever!
The short answer is no.
Why? There are a host of reasons chief among them that plane tickets aren’t free and that, should a light be taken, what would the quarantine situation be like upon arrival? Regardless, returning to Canada “to figure things out” is not in the cards unless absolutely necessary.
Does it have to be the same city (Beijing)?
No, it doesn’t. Most places in China would be fine and I have been thinking about moving somewhere else within the country to see things from a different perspective. I can say that I hear more of people moving to Beijing rather than moving away from it but still within the country. It seems that Beijing (and other top tier cities, such as Shanghai) are the “last resort” in a sense, in that once you move there you’re probably not moving back into the countryside.
If that’s the case, moving out of Beijing but within China, where would I go?
Shanghai would be first choice, but the problem with Shanghai is that there is a huge expat community which means it would be like living in any other Western country but with Chinese signs hanging around. That being the case, there would be more modern amenities, some of which aren’t available in Beijing (even something as simple as gym access), closer distance to other points of interest (Hangzhou, Suzhou, Nanjing), and, suffice it to say, in my opinion, better architecture.
Guangzhou was always an idea in the back of my mind, mainly due to its proximity to Hong Kong and, as a result, flights to just about anywhere around the world, especially southeast Asia. However, with the current turmoil going on in Hong Kong, it’s become a lot less attractive as a tourist destination, though I’m sure the city hasn’t lost its lustre just yet.
Other than Shanghai or Guangzhou, where else is a possibility?
Tianjin would be similar to Beijing but a touch smaller and much greener and slower paced (in my opinion). The accent and accessibility to Mandarin Chinese would also still be available, which would encourage my language studies.
There are cities such as Harbin and Dalian in the north east of the country and lots of other cities to choose from all of which are nice but then the question of finding a job becomes a focus.
I’m sure there are jobs but they certainly wouldn’t be paying as much as they do in the bigger cities. Yes, cost of living would be far cheaper (like, lots of amounts cheaper!), but access to different services would also be problematic. It’s an idea and would certainly help in learning Mandarin Chinese a lot more. But, is that something I’d be able to commit to? Given that I don’t have much, if any, debt, I’m pretty free in terms the amount of money I can make for the next little while.
But, if the job disappears, visa remains or is cancelled, but no other job available in Beijing or staying in China is just not possible or viable, then where else?
I recall saying when I first came to China some five or six years ago that I would stay for a little while and then probably move on to the Middle East. However, given the current crash in the price of oil, I’m not sure if there’s that same availability as a few years ago. Besides, moving to the Middle East would be similar to China in some respects in that there are some restrictions on internet usage and, more importantly, restrictions on alcohol consumption. I actually don’t see that as a bad thing so that wouldn’t put me off. So that is one option to explore.
Any countries in particular?
I haven’t looked recently but I remember considering Oman and Qatar if Abu Dhabi or Dubai weren’t available. Of course, those are the “bigs” in terms of the Middle East, there are also places such as Kuwait or even Iraq that, although they sound dangerous, are known to have job opportunities and decent pay. That would require a shift in culture as I’d be removing myself from the Asian cultures I’ve become so familiar with over the last ten years. Further, security issues, to say the least. On the plus side, I’ve known people who worked in Afghanistan and Kuwait and both said they enjoyed it so it can’t be all that bad.
What about South America?
The news does not print a pretty picture of going to any country in South America to live and work. There are some jobs there but their pay level is not as high as some other places around the world. That being said, everyone I’ve met who’s worked there has said they enjoyed the quality of life and the people, so, if money isn’t important, it sounds like a decent option in terms of cultural shift. But, again, the news does not print a pretty picture.
I do recognize the fact that if I were to change locations then there would be another learning curve, be it the people, culture, language, job, or even just me in removing myself from this comfort that I’ve built up here in China. This change, although it wouldn’t be entirely easy, would give me some more content for my podcast and blog and certainly would add another chapter in the biography, but is it a challenge I really want to be taking on?
I am lucky in that I’m not tied down in any substantial way. No kids, no house, no payments I need to make, so there are relatively few strings to consider (but there is a relationship).
The one sad thing about the current times is that, unlike 2008 or even 2017, nowadays there is a restriction on travelling. So, it’s not like I can just pack up and go travel for a bit. The move would have to be a little bit more planned than before. Hopefully this isn’t forever, but it is the current reality.
So, given all that, why not just move back to Canada?
I’d prefer not to but, given the current global situation, if this were to happen, I wouldn’t say no. Would it be back to Winnipeg? Maybe, but probably not. Vancouver or another city in British Columbia would be nice, though I understand costs are really high. But I do see other people moving there. Montreal has always been a dream destination, though I’m not sure about the job market there. But, as I’ve always said, Montreal is just a better city.
And then, if it was for the money, the northern regions of Canada, ie, Northwest Territories, Nunavut and the like, those do offer some proper pay even within my chosen industry of ESL. Plus, people who work up north get taxed at a different rate than those in other parts of the country. Not a bad deal. But, let’s face, then I’d be living in the frozen tundra of the north. Quite a change from Beijing!
But these are all just ideas right now. I’m entertaining the “doomsday” thought just in case. I’m not actively sending out my resume just yet, the entire idea of being on a job search kind of sickens me! Given the choice, I’d like to see how things play out so a move is not in the cards just yet.
So how long do you plan on staying in China?!
I think I’ve changed my timeline a little bit from a number of years to until I’ve passed HSK 5 and on my way through HSK 6. Why not? Seems like a good goal to have. And that level, if all goes well, should be attained within the next year and a half at the very least.
And that’s how things stand at the moment!