Linyi Advice
I have been living in Linyi since November 2006. I occasionally receive emails from people interested in life in Linyi, because of possible work or business in the area. Here I will list some Frequently Asked Questions. If you have a question, leave a comment below or feel free to email me. I do love email! imaglobalgal AT gmail DOT com And remember this page is a work in progress!
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Linyi City Government Official Website in Chinese or English
Where is Linyi? Linyi is in Shandong Province, which is on the East coast, towards the north. Linyi is about three hours south of Qingdao, a big, interesting city on the coast many people have heard of. Not too many people have heard of Linyi. It is small on the Chinese standard.
What is the population of Linyi? The above websites say that Linyi has a population of 10 million, but they are referring to the entire administrative region of Linyi, which is about 17,251 square kilometers. Linyi city itself is somewhere between 3 and 5 million people. That seems like a lot, but trust me, Linyi sometimes feels like a village.
What is Linyi like? Linyi is a developing city. The traffic can be chaotic and there is construction everywhere. Linyi will be a very different city in 5 years. Because it is a small city, there are few Westerners and it could be considered “real” China, although I hate that term. The city is seperated into three districts by the Yi river. Lanshan District is the “downtown” and is located on the west bank of the river. This is where you will find People’s Square and most of the important commerce. Hedong District is on the east side of the river and is considered the “Wild West” to most Lanshan dwellers. I live in Hedong. The airport is also located in Hedong. I am not sure where Luozhuang District is, but Wikipedia says it exists, so I assume it is a newer area of development on the land between the “Y” of the Yi river and I just learned it is actually a little southwest of the main downtown area.
What is housing like? Most everyone here lives in apartment buildings. There are two types: what I refer to as “Soviet Block style” and modern high-rise style. The Soviet block style buildings are typically large and concrete with five or less stories and two to three bedroom apartments. These blocks can be further grouped together into huge complexes. My complex has over 50 “blocks.” These blocks seem Soviet to me because they are very practical, cold and devoid of any kind of decorative appeal. The insides are usually just as cold – concrete walls and floors. Some wealthier families choose to put in tile or wood floors and comfortable furnishings. Others leave the apartments in their spartan state.
Modern high-rise style buildings are usually very tall with much more architectural thought put into their design. The apartments are two to three bedroom and may be just as spartan as their Soviet counterparts. The high-rise style is preferred at the moment and tall buildings are cropping up everwhere.
Individual American-style homes are very rare and are likely very expensive.
Rental rates for a furnished, centrally-located apartment vary from 1000RMB to 3000RMB per month. Landlords often ask for six months to one year rent ahead of time. The apartment I live in cost our company approximately 5500RMB for the entire year, probably due to its location and age. You can see some photos here.
Can I drive? What about public transportation? To legally drive you must obtain a Chinese driver’s license. It is possible, but I have no idea how. Try Google. Some expats here do drive without a driver’s license and have not had trouble with the police, but I would not recommend that route. Driving here is on the right side and is VERY chaotic. Defensive driving skills are necessary. Prepare yourself for frustration and a lot of cursing. Grow eyeballs in the back of your head for best results!
Taxis are plentiful and very cheap. They cost 6RMB for the first 3 kilometers, followed my 1.6RMB for each kilometer thereafter. At night they charge a little bit more. Taxi drivers do not speak English! Be prepared with Chinese or hand gestures. Taxis are a great place to improve your Chinese!
Buses are cheap for getting around Linyi, as they only cost 1RMB per ride (approximately), but they can also be very crowded and uncomfortable. I used to take buses when I lived in Shijiazhuang, but now I am a taxi girl.
Riding a bicycle is an option, but on busy roads it can be a little dangerous. Wear a helmet. The paths along the river are great places for bicycling. Sometimes I just take off into the countryside and end up in small villages.
What work is available for foreigners in Linyi? Almost all foreigners in Linyi are English teachers, either in private schools or at the local university (Linyi Normal University). Some foreigners are here part time or only occasionally as businessmen doing trade with local companies. A few are even flight/ground instructors at the local flight academy. (ahem.)
What food/medicine/clothing/housewares are available?
Food: See this page for an overview of foods and prices in one of Linyi’s biggest supermarkets. The basics are here – fruits and vegetables, meat, fish, etc., but it will take some exploration and adjustment for other things, like bread. Milk is only of the UHT variety, the kind that will stay good in its sealed tetra-brik for 6 months. Yogurt is becoming very popular. Western mainstays like cheese and butter are generally available, but the selection varies week to week. Coffee is expensive.
There are several big supermarkets located in and around People’s Square, the most popular located directly below it. Variously known as RT-Mart, Da Fu Yuan, etc. it is kind of like a Chinese Wal-Mart. The most annoying thing about this place is the checkout. For some reason, the cashiers like to lay out all of your purchases with the UPC code facing up before scanning anything. This is okay for 2 or 3 items, but if you’ve got a cart-load of stuff, this is very irritating. RT-Mart has a membership system, so the cashier will ask you for your member number before ringing up your goods. If you don’t have one, just say “Mei You.” You’ll need to bring your own bags or purchase plastic bags from the cashier.
In addition to the big supermarkets downtown, there are smaller supermarkets and street markets all over town. I usually buy my fruits and vegetables from the street sellers.
Medicine: Pharmacies are abundant here, but they are not all created equally. The best selection can be found in the pharmacies located close to People’s Square or in the #1 People’s Hospital. Ibuprofen, an Excedrin look-alike, and cold medicine similar to dayquil/nyquil are available. These are the only things I buy, and only from one particular pharmacy I have come to trust. I have heard there are a lot of fake meds out there, but I am pleased with the brands I buy. The pain meds are from Fenbid and the cold medicine is known as White and Black. Expat health clinics in the bigger cities can also provide prescription and OTC medications. The International SOS clinic in Beijing can send medication to remote locations in China, but I am not sure how that works. When I’m back in the US I buy: Pepto-Bismol, Benadryl, Neosporin and Mucinex.
Clothing: Sometimes China seems like one big shopping mall, and there are shops everywhere in Linyi selling clothes of varying quality. Known brands sold in individual shops or in department stores can be just as costly as in the US. Cheaper stuff can be found, but the quality might not be so great. Size is an issue as well as the average here is much smaller than in Western countries. This applies to shoes as well. If you have an abnormally large foot, I’d bring shoes with me.
I do most of my clothing shopping in Beijing/Shanghai at stores like H&M, Zara, etc., but I have a few favorites shops here in Linyi, too.
Housewares: Linyi has a huge wholesale market located in the western part of the city. It is an interesting place to explore and you can find just about everything there. Things are sold in bulk, but you can also buy individual items, after some bargaining, of course. RT-Mart and other supermarkets also sells housewares at set prices.
What Should I Bring With Me? Deodorant; SPF lotion; Face lotions if you are picky (almost all the brands here have whitening chemicals included); razors (they sell them in the local supermarket at much inflated prices)
I asked a fellow American teacher at Linyi Normal University if he had anything to add to this list and here is what he sent me:
“What should I bring with me?” Here’s my suggestions:
- I think Pepto Bismol or another type of anti-diarrheal should top that list. The stuff I’ve gotten in the small medicine shops here doesn’t work as well. [GG note: Yes! This stuff is gold!]
- Make sure you’re stocked well on your prescription meds as well.
- If you’re planning on staying for a while, I’d suggest a few books if you’re a reader. Xinhua bookstore and Gone with the Wind? HAHAHAHA. Also bring a Chinese Phrasebook. You can’t buy one (well, a good one) in China. [GG note: English language books in Shanghai & Beijing are very expensive. Kindles & Nooks do not work here. Well, they work, but you can't download anything new to them in China. You can download e-books to a computer from many online sites, however. Update: I just got an iphone in Hong Kong and was delighted to find that Kindle for iphone works just fine here. With a US credit card & billing address, you can download wirelessly to Kindles and Kindle for iphone. 20 Jan 2010.]
- I personally brought back a salad spinner when I came back a few weeks ago. It makes making salads AWESOME! I’d also recommend bringing spices if one plans on doing cooking here. [GG note: a salad spinner is such a great idea! All lettuce/spinach etc. must be cleaned really well and you want to ingest as little water as possible, and getting the leaves dry is a huge pain! As far as spices go, I'd bring back tons of taco mix, you can get ground beef here. Tortillas - now there's a problem.]
- I also think that people shouldn’t come here thinking that laptops or ipods or digital cameras (good ones) would be cheaper here in China. In Fact, they’re more expensive than the U.S.
- Finally, M. says to bring blond hair dye because the stuff here is phony (whatever that means) and some other guys around here suggest to bring a carton of your favorite smokes before you leave. [GG note: Cigarettes are cheap, cheap, cheap but many expat smokers say they are a little harsh. Smoking is very prevalent here so for those who are trying to quit, it might be difficult.]
On my fourth year in China and my +10th as an expat, there are very few things I can’t live without. One is always able to make do with the local products, I find. There are things that I miss and wish I had, but the thought of schlepping tons of stuff back is very tiring. Especially with 20kg luggage limits! When in doubt, remember, you can probably live without it. And if not, you can probably get your hands on it somehow. It’ll be a great first expat lesson!
More as time allows… last updated 26 November 2009
