Menu

Questions about Shenzhen life.

Post new topic

Joysabroad

I've lived in xi'an for almost 2 years so I'm not new to china but thinking of moving somewhere new. What are the best/worst things about living in Shenzhen?  Do people speak English? Currently I'm studying mandarin at a university in Xi'an, are there good universities there?  It's such a new city - are there still old parts of it?

Thanks for answering my questions!
Joy

jayz123

Xi'an is a really city with ancient history. you can explore it with many reltics. Regarding on Shenzhen, if you live in Shekou, there are a famous expat living district. so you can find many new friends outta there.

I hope the info can help you a bit.

Best Regards
Chester

mancha50

Hi I've been here for 2 months. Shenzhen is a modern city only 30 years old. Mostly high rise but a lot of green park space and open areas. Some of the old area on the edges but stunning beaches only an hour away. It is only an hour fron Hong Kong as well. Mainly mandarin spoken and very little English spoken although many people can understand and read English. The tip is to ask a teenager as they are currently studying English. I live in futian, fairly central. A visit to Shikoku for lunch etc is a must as it is the expat area. If you can afford to live there it may be worth it. The area around convention centre is more entral and has a lot of ex pats too

Hot in the summer 35degrees. Winter about 20 degrees.

Joysabroad

Thank you for the reply!  Since I'm studying Chinese I was worried too much English would be spoken since it's close to HK.  Glad to hear that's not the case.

mancha50

Apologies for the awful typing in my last post.  I think I must have been asleep when I posted!

powerman

in shenzhen seldom you find one to talk to in english.i live there and facing problems because of the language

jayz123

Nah, actually many ppl can speak English .but they don't want to speak or they are shy to speak out. Of course, it depends on which areas you are talking about.

If you want to hang out or need help in Shenzhen, feel free to contact me via chesterchen123@gmail.com

Since I am aboriginal shenzhener and my work as company registration consultant, I have great connection in Shenzhen to help out.

Chester

LetChinaSleep

If you're on YouTube, you can check out a guy named "serpentza" === he has been keeping video blogs about life in Shenzhen and life in China for quite a while. He's very good! I've been subscribing to him for a while now - life there is so much different than life in Lanzhou (where I currently am)

Goldingtonhill

I have been in Shenzhen for six months and find it very difficult going. Hardly anyone speaks English. There is nothing to do here unless you like going to bars. Very few restaurants that aren't Chinese. No history or charm like other parts of China. Hong Kong is doable, but it takes about 1.5 hours to get there through customs, so more like a weekend venture. Honestly, there's really nothing about Shenzhen other than the pretty vegetation to recommend it. Sorry...

moirtrevor

Please see my reply to Blair it may help you too.
Trev.

Articles to help you in your expat project in Shenzhen

  • Accommodation in Shenzhen
    Accommodation in Shenzhen

    Shenzhen is one of China's youngest and fastest-growing cities. Once a small fishing village, the city has ...

  • Finding work in Shenzhen
    Finding work in Shenzhen

    Shenzhen is known as the “Silicon Valley of hardware” in China — it's the city where a lot ...

  • Accommodation in Dalian
    Accommodation in Dalian

    Dalian is the biggest city in Liaoning province. The city is home to over six million people, many of which are ...

  • Accommodation in Chongqing
    Accommodation in Chongqing

    Chongqing is an important city in southwest China. It is home to over 30 million people and is considered to be ...

  • Accommodation in Tianjin
    Accommodation in Tianjin

    Tianjin is a first-tier coastal city in northern China and a busy and crowded metropolis with over 15 million ...

  • Accommodation in Xiamen
    Accommodation in Xiamen

    Xiamen, located in Fujian Province in China, is one of southern China's most picturesque coastal cities and ...

  • Finding work in Shanghai
    Finding work in Shanghai

    Shanghai frequently tops the list of the most desirable destinations for expats in China — in no small part ...

  • Buying property in Shanghai
    Buying property in Shanghai

    Shanghai has continually appeared close to the top of the list of cities with the most expensive real estate in ...

All of Shenzhen's guide articles