Whether it’s for good, bad, or the ugly, China is always in the news. The country has been at the forefront for a lot of recent global affairs ranging from the global economic crisis, to North Korea to corporate business dealings.
So what is it like living in the capital city of a country where it’s all ‘happening’?
Times they are a changin’
Walking through the Sanlitun area of Beijing today, it really hit home to me how quickly the city has changed in the short 2 years that I’ve been living here.
Back in July 2007, I arrived in Beijing and the city was in a midst of a building frenzy; the skies were almost always grey and Beijing held the record for the most number of construction cranes in any city on Earth. You could literally scrape off the dirt and grit on your face at the end of the day.
Fast forward to today and most areas that were once barren, sealed off and dusty have now replaced with gleaming ultra-modern architecture and flashy plazas with trendy people sipping coffees and smoothies. What was once a basic subway system with 4 lines has since doubled to cover most of sprawling Beijing. The largest airport terminal in the world has since opened and an extravagant and expensive Olympics has since been held.
Big-name international brands from Apple to H&M have since opened their first stores on the mainland here and there seems to be more lao-wais (foreigners) than ever sipping cocktails and swigging beers on the streets.
However, you do sense that things are slowing down. Although in a far better position to weather the global financial crisis that has impacted many in other countries, China has not been entirely unaffected by it.
A visible impact
Falling exports has resulted in the mass unemployment of migrant workers around the country, a group who make up roughly half of Beijing’s population. Hundred of half-finished buildings in the capital stand idle and stripped of its workers - starved of cash, construction companies have abandoned the project, leaving behind imposing grey shells of concrete and steel.
But it’s not just the blue-collar workers who have suffered in the last year. Some students studying at Wall Street English, who are generally quite well-off, have lost jobs and in some cases have returned to their home countries due to cost-cutting.
What’s apparent, however, is that more people have turned to education and self-improvement in these difficult times in an attempt to gain an edge, any edge, in an increasingly competitive job market.
The Good Life
For English training institutions and schools, the current economic climate has been good for business, and Pearson recognised this by buying up my company. Pursuing and prospering from the ‘open-door’ policy of the 80’s and 90’s, the demand for English training in China has never been higher and with it the need for qualified English teachers. Packages are attractive and foreigners (like myself) find that the standard of living can be a lot better than back home.
So do it guys, leave it all behind and join me ![]()










