After 4 years living in China, these are the 4 truths I've learned!
ฝัง
- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 31 พ.ค. 2024
- I've lived in China for 4 years. So much has happened in my time here and I wanted to share the 4 truths about life in China as an expat. Life in China isn't easy and it's not the perfect place for everyone. Hope you can watch this video and learn more about why I enjoy living here.
00:00 Intro
00:39 Truth #1
02:26 Truth #2
6:16 Truth #3
11:02 Truth #4
--ABOUT ME-- 😜
Hi! I'm Aleese Lightyear, a 34-year-old Black American living in Beijing, China.
- Born in Michigan, USA
- Lover of Cheese Itz & bike rides
- Been in China for 4 years
- Currently, working as a high school teacher at an international school
- Frequent hairstyle changer who's constantly lost and always hungry
*Follow me on INSTAGRAM: @aleeselightyear
*BUY ME A COFFEE☕
www.buymeacoffee.com/aleeseli...
#aleeselightyear #lifeinchina #expatlife #blackinchina #truthaboutchina
Been here for 10 years and love it! Always happy to see a fellow African-American living well and at peace abroad! Wishing you continued happiness, health and wealth sister Aleese!
🙌🏾🙌🏾
I'm happy that China is the place where people of all races can live in peace and harmony, and respecting one another.
希望更多的美国人来中国看看，来中国的美国人太少了，他们只是从美国新闻媒体报道去看中国。
@@user-ge8mu5bg5g 万恶的资本主义航空公司用昂贵机票控制了来中国的访客数量😂😂😂
开玩笑的话，不过我看过一个在美国通过互联网自学汉语汉字的小伙子说过，机票太贵他舍不得买，要等汉语等级高了再“倾家荡产”去中国😂
Hello I really want to make a trip there is there a way to contact you
I'm 31 years old and only just starting to get the hang of Mandarin now, but it's my dream to live in China - this is a great video! ♥
Jia you.bro
Lol. Welcome you come to China, you must try kids of food here,you will love it
加油
You can do it!
Jia you
I think for a foreigner, the key to living a happy life in China is to learn the Mandarin language which will immediately open the door to understanding everything about China and the Chinese way of life through communication and asking the right questions to get the answers you need, in the different situations you are in.
Yess! I’m currently studying mandarin, my wish is to study or work in china in the future! The language is very hard for me but hopefully I’ll reach my goals. :)
加油！
All your experiences are what I, as an international student and scholar in the US, have experienced on the daily basis for years. So, I can resonate with you. Luckily, China is so safe and friendly to foreigners. No risk no danger at all, which we cannot even wish to have in the US at this moment as Asians.
That's a lie. The CCP literally arrests foreign journalists and vloggers on the regular.
🧢
Exactly
I do not think your life is in danger in anyway more then anyone else
@@davidwestwater2219 More than whites yes.
Happy Chinaversary! 🇨🇳 It’s funny how Americans always think of other countries as dangerous, but I’ve never felt more unsafe than at home. I’ve traveled all over with all my stuff and have never had an issue, but at home in the US, I constantly have to watch my back (and that’s whether I’m in a nice area or back in the hood 😂). Anyways, great content as always!
American exceptionalism myth. Americans have to believe that other countries are shittier in some ways in order to preserve the myth that America is number one in every area, or at least in areas they think matter. Rivals of the US are especially denigrated in their corpo-state media because there is no way a rival can be anything but dirt in the ground. But they can't make their rival looks absolutely weak because then they won't be as threatening so countries like China is simultaneously both lousy and an existential threat. This technique was used by the Nazis to both dehumanize Jews and made them an existential threat.
Fascist gonna fascist.
😂是因为新闻里不是欧美国家的国家都是战乱、贫穷、落后的形象么？😂
When I was a college student and later, a college teacher, I traveled over 120 cities in China. Everything is cheap, tasty, and lovely, it's safe, and people are so friendly. I missed China so badly.
Wow! SOOOO many cities!
This is sad but crime is getting worse in the major cities of USA to where I don't even feel safe visiting my home town, Chicago. I am glad you are safe and wish you the best in China.
If you are Black American get out explore the world. America passport is strong you can teach English in Gulf countries.
'This is sad but crime is getting worse in the major cities of USA '
Who told you that ? Donald Trump ? Fox News ? In reality crime rates in all major categories have fallen or remain unchanged since about 1990. But yes, based on my observations, your personal safety is greater in China.
Amazing content. I am a Chinese living in America right now and can fully understand how challenging it could be living in a different culture. Your open mind and adventurous nature are very encouraging.
你不是中国人，谢谢
@@LTBOAWTH?
Travel with an open mind, experience different cultures and respect their culture, don’t expect people live the way you lived back home.
totally agree! Did you not get that from my video?!
Being a Chinese Panamanian in my whole life, I have ever been back to China as an adult. My last memory was when I was a little kid 30 years ago. Now I live in Canada and I want to see all the progress that China has had. It's also so sad that I've never learned to speak Mandarin until now because I've been too trapped with the western way of life. Gotta open my horizon for learning in this new multipolar world. Continue to have amazing success there.
你不是华人，忘记他
佩服你的选择和努力！在一个没有汉语语言环境的地方学习普通话的确很困难
Panama Chinese are predominantly Hakka (Khek).
@@LTBOA judgmental
i like those survalence cameras! They didnt put them in your bedroom! what part of privacy are you afraid of ? ! If you didnt do bad things, if you dont WANT to do bad things, why do you need to be afraid of those cameras?! to me, in public places, the more the better, the safer!
As a Chinese, I very much agree with you, when I found out that the camera outside my house (public space) was broken and not fixed in time, I called the property management and asked them to fix the camera in time.
There are also cameras everywhere in the US, the only difference is the media will not report about it.
indeed...putting cameras in public spaces can't be considered as privacy issues...
@KD KS that is the problem I have with Americans quite frankly they complain too much about certain issues in other countries, they forget that this world is not an American village, it is a world with over 200 nation States all very different and even within those countries there are many differences. So they are bound to find something they may not like or agree with, it doesn't matter.
The unbelievable thing is that in 2019, the anti government riots in Hong Kong destroyed many public survalence cameras which used for traffic control!
Most of the difficulties you encountered in China are somewhat surface level. It's culture shock and difficulty in assimilation in language and culture. What you don't have is systemic difficulties where you will encounter problems that is unsolvable like the ability to make a livable wage, high rent and healthcare, lack of public transport, costly and shitty insurance, shitty safety, crushing poverty, basically the things that allow a person to live properly. Those problems you encounter in the US.
I lived in the US for over ten years, cultural assimilation is possible and that was the easy part, all you need is to be willing to adapt and learn and be humble to accept the values of the local. But overcoming systemic problem is impossible because you cannot change the country at the core.
Surface level for sure. I think some of the deeper issues that I’ve met in China are too complicated to explain to people who don’t understand the systems of China. Also, I don’t want to talk about those things on my channel.
Yes, the cameras! My 8 year old son left his Nintendo Switch on a cafe table on the patio outside in a mall one night. We didn't realize it until the next day. The cafe had it after we had someone call there! In the States it would have been GONE.
The fact that it was the next day that you realized it and the cafe STILL had it! America could NEVER!
Language is the hardest part 😊😊
Most definitely!
Definitely
Even though the pandemic situation in China made many forigners leave, you stayed. Happy 4th Chinaversary.
How nice to know that you are enjoying that country,despite the cultural differences.
Greetings from Brazil!
Yay!! Much love and thanks for watching me and my randomness!
Amazing content Aleese!😍The things you listed (high quality of life, 💰, booming economy, high tech infrastructures, diverse career options, safety; affordable, amazing trips, saving 💰, vast food & cultural experiences, etc.) are out of reach for the average person outside of China (US & Europe included), except for the RICH. That gap is widening and becoming increasingly more noticeable unfortunately.😭
@t So so true what you say!!
actually, those rich guys in US and Europe are sending their childrens to learn Chinese and study China, but they just lie to normal people China is bad through the media, what a group of hypocrites
Been in Shijiazhaung for about 5 years now. Lived through the pandemic too, so seeing the swab in the mouth scene really takes me back lol. Awesome video btw.
Covid flashbacks are real!! Thanks for watching!
Love this video! It's your honest take from experience. China definitely has its challenges but for me SAFETY means more than anything. The fact that majority of Black travelers/those that live abroad say they can "randomly leave their camera gear" around while in China and being able to take a taxi solo in the middle of the night from the club without issue says a lot because we cannot do that in some countries especially ones where Black ppl swear is amazing like Medellín without being robbed.
As a Chinese, I strongly suggest you not to leave camera gear around. Although China is gererally pretty safe (no mass shooting, no armed), there is still plenty of THIEVES,
1. my iphone was stolen in a subway train in Guangzhou, it was super crowdy in the train and someone must had grabbed my phone from my pocket and I didn't even noticed.
2. my sister's camera set was stolen in the Beijing International Airport during midnight. She was tired that time and fell alseep with the camera hanging on her neck. An hour later when she woke up the camera's gone.
So all I'm trying to proof here is: like anywhere else in the world, even in China, don't challenge human nature, please watch closely to your properties. And welcome to China~~
@@daviddai1867 If you are a foreigner, uncle police will help bring your phone back!😁! Chinese brother.
It is really important to learn the local language, that would open up a brand new door.
Nice to hear of a positive story of your life in China.
Thank you! 😃
Happy to see a fellow american enjoying China. Continue the great work in building bridges!
Thanks for the love!!🥰💜
I only lived in China for 9 months, but I can totally confirm truth #3. I've travelled to many countries in Europe and I've been in the US, but nothing compares to how safe I felt there. Definitely the thing I miss the most now that I'm back in Argentina 😭
You should apply for a job in cgtn, I am sure you gonna be an asset to the company
I like working for myself!
Thanks for sharing your experiences! Love your point about the cameras and feeling of safety! As someone living in the USA, I definitely do not feel safe walking around alone at night. Sometimes I wish there are more cameras on the streets in the US.
晕😂 你知道吗？美国政府和新闻一直在抨击中国大陆地区公共场所遍布摄像头的情况，它们说中国人没人权😂没隐私权😂人民被摄像头监视😂
它们竟然不说自己的人民被各种互联网设备和软件里的后门监视😂
It's both interesting and sad that there are a lot of comments (both here and on other youtube channels) from American people talk about how unsafe they feel in America now
I'm just lurking through.....being educated on the hidden beauties of one of the most misunderstood countries in the world.❤🇨🇳
*老师好，中国是儒家文化的国家。老师在中国社会是备受尊崇的！*
绝对真实，我作证
@@LTBOA 🤣🤣👍👍
你俩让我忍不住笑出声～
恭喜Aleese，可惜前面的四年里有三年是疫情管控，有很多不便之处。祝在接下来的日子里过得更自由快乐。
Thanks!
I love this! I went to China for two weeks as a 12 year old with my family and had grown up hearing such constant communism rants when China came up in conversation, that I was scared almost constantly the whole time I was there. Now that I'm an adult I think that is a real shame. I would like to go back one day and have a do-over and experience the country and culture with an open mind and heart!
I get so much FOMO watching traveling videos but I can’t stop lol… I visited China once (to visit my extended family) but haven’t been anywhere outside of Beijing in China. I haven’t really been to a lot of other countries either and I’m constantly reminded of how many places in this world I haven’t seen and will likely never get the chance to see.
Thanks for sharing your experiences! ^-^
Jenny, explore China by taking the high speed trains. It is the best way to explore! Good luck! 😊😊😊👍👍👍
Lately I have been missing China, I went back in 2012 and had the time in my life. I miss the memories and so I am trying my hardest to get back and enjoying China a second time. Love these truths. They took pictures of us and it wasn't evil or anything, they were just curious. I'm pretty sure I am still on this Japanese group facebook page till this day lol
Huge amount has changed in China. I was there 15 years ago and it was like a free country (as long as you don't criticize government). I was there last month and now it's totally locked down state. You can't access any internet outside China. As a foreigner, you can bring in money, but can't take out any significant sums out of China. You can't open a bank account. You can't buy any gold. Lot of can't for foreigners in China. And CCP may place exit ban on any foreigner to keep them in China as long as they want. No wonder I saw very few foreigners in Shanghai this trip where as the place was overflowing with foreigners 15 years ago.
Oh I saw you went to my hometown datong as well? I would say china wasn’t safe like this before back in 1990s when I was young, I remember every condo has those window protecting fence to avoid burglary. But after lived in Tanzania and usa for almost 10 years, I feel China is so safe and what I really missed
Most of China still need metal cages on the windows to prevent thieves. Hardcore violent crimes are rare in China, but just need to be careful of rip offs, lying, stealing, cheating and other petty crimes.
80-90年代是治安问题最多的时代，入室盗窃，抢出租车，飞车抢夺，车匪路霸太多犯罪案件了，到了00年代就好多了，特别监控普及后，几乎不用担心安全问题了。还有句古话，穷山恶水出刁民，现在都富起来了，忙着挣钱了，有几个闲人去干坏事啊
@@Anonymous------ 如果用安全面积来考虑哪里更安全，我想960万平方公里面积的中国一定获胜😅
毕竟全世界各地遭受持刀伤害和枪支威胁的地区实在太多了
You have a good attitude in life. I think attitude is the most important thing in a person.
As an international student living in Cal, I have many similar issues with what you mentioned. The biggest problem is safety, then the living cost and public transportation. Regarding common folks, I think both countries have nice people who are friendly to help you.
What a lovely inspiring vlog! Lots of Chinese and China get such bad press! I have no desire to live in China 🇨🇳 yet I wouldn’t be against either but Yes I wanna come and visit! My daughter best friend is from Shanghai and her and her family were some of the kindest people I have ever met! Unfortunately for us they had to head back to Shanghai pre covid ( by then we were living in Paris our girls met at international school)and we were supposed to come visit 😢 … the rest is history! Hopefully we will be coming to visit in near future!
I’m so glad to see you thriving in China 🇨🇳 Being in a foreign country is one thing on holiday but a totally different ball game when it comes to move live and work! Anyway thank you for the good vibes 😊
Have fun
I cannot wait to visit beautiful China 🇨🇳
Sabrina 🇫🇷🇬🇧
So glad to see a sister doing well.
Yooo!!! Just got here a few weeks ago and I am very pumped to be here!!!! Thanks for the cool vlog to pump me up some more!!! Lolz
Exciting!!!
Happy 4 year Chinaversary, Aleese! 🥳 I enjoy seeing and learning about China through your vlogs, and I admire the way you're making the most of your expat experience there. Cheers to more adventures! 🥂
Thanks a ton!!!
@@AleeseLightyear Sending love from S. Korea, come visit us here as well! 🤗
@@garyo475 😂……我想发些可能让你不开心的评论😂
但我忍住了😅
我觉得她去韩国后的体会大概率会………
因为她已经体会到中国的博大和精彩，如果先去韩国后去中国，感受会不一样。
@@KING-XINJIANG 没必要说这些东西，一个地方好与不好对每个人来说，感受都是不一样的。好不好人家自己会体会，我们中国人没必要去说这种东西，大气一点。
Since Covid, I’ve watched a lot of videos from out of towners. And I must say you’re the loveliest and such positive energy.
Thank you so much 😊
living in china i found an differnet experience to you. yes there are challanges but i loved the school i went to. i was an student and have some great friends. also food for me was hard. i had dietery requirements and that was not easy to communicate. there was an few resturants we would always eat ate. one was an pub place and we had a starbucks near us. i found that we lived in shanghai which may of had made an difference. we also had an mall which had an few english brands. one thing which i did not like theri was no beaches near us. i am an aussie which moved from an beach. also the teachers at my school all spoke english which mad things alot easier. i never had an bad experience in school.
I realised that you seem annoyed with the unwanted attention where the curious locals want to touch your hair and get pictures with you because you are 'different' to them. Chinese people mean no malice in it and just want to get to know you without realising it's not acceptable in the West.
Comparing to my experiences living in the West, most would not want to go near someone different and can be mean and harass you for being different through no fault of your own.
Meanwhile China: nearly everyone is han Chinese. In the West: all kinds of races from around the planet. Chinese people need to learn some manners
Yes great advice get out of that foreigner expat bubble... I was a foreigner expat living in many countries. You learn the language quicker when you interact with the locals
Thank you for your wonderful video! My dream is to visit China. I love the country and I would love to visit one day 🇯🇲🇺🇸🖤🙏🏾
wish you have a good life here, love your charctatistic, keep going
Thank you so much!
HAppy Chinaversary. Keep it coming!
I can't wait to come visit. Want to bring my son to learn and enjoy. That's for the info
Thanks for sharing with us. You have a wonderful life.
You are so welcome! Thanks for the love!!🥰
OMFG The bank!!! The situation is literally you described it. And then they'll be on the phone with their supervisor's supervisor who *also* doesn't know what to do, so you may just have to come back tomorrow when someone has answers.
Love your positive vibe. Have fun in China! As a Chinese living in US, I envy you.
thmx
Thanks for the video ❤
i just love how positive you are!!
Love their sweet smiles when seeing you
One of my favorite travel vlogs! Tfs Aleese and traveling graces!😊
Also thank you for all these videos 🙏 God bless you ✝️
Love all your videos Aleese!!! Great to hear about all your insights and words of wisdom in regards to living in China, I mean it is your 4th year now. Makes me wanna travel there too 😅😅 love the content, miss your laughter, love your best life girl!!!
Fascinating, thanks for sharing
I think I would feel much MUCH safer with many cameras around than zero cameras as a woman who isn’t very strong or tall, and I like to be out and about during the evenings and nighttime. As you said about issues that may escalate, with cameras it’d feel less threatening. I don’t really mind “privacy invasion”, but I hope I won’t look uglier in the camera view.. 😮😅
Wow, wish you the best!
Congrats! 👍😀🎉🎉🍰☕
Awesome! Great to hear your thoughts on the cameras
Thanks for watching!
I love your open mindedness and acceptance to curiosity from others. Thats amazing to see!
Hi aleese, congrats on your Chinaversary! You stuck it out through the pandemic, now things will only get better and better! Also I love your smile!!
Amazing video, thank you
Great video as always! It just came to me that please be mindful on subway especially when there's a crowd. When I was studying in Beijing, once in subway home my phone was stolen, but since I was wearing a fluffy jacket I wasn't aware at all when someone reached my pocket, and that was a new iphone earned from internship 🥹. I went to the police and saw 2 other ladies got their electronic device stolen on the same day. It was not found back though. Just be careful!
And also since China is overall so safe, funny that it was the first time I realized there were indeed criminals near me hahaha
Expats in China do have easy and comfortable life, but we Chinese live tough lives, especially for costs on buying an apartment, education and etc. China is a paradise for foreigners and politicians.
but not for normal Chinese people. Governments always want to squeeze citizens.
@@alexandercarpenter5791 Your name definitely sounds Chinese 😂
I'm Chinese living in Beijing and honestly speaking, if I were you spending 4 yrs in China with 3 yrs under padamic control, I won't be so positive and happy about what I experienced haha. You are such a great person!
Thank you so much for sharing your experience with us!
Amazing thabks for sharing! Keep pressing fwd!
Very well done, first video I'm seeing on the channel and I enjoyed it.
Love your hair, energy, and viideos.:)
🥰🥰
Happy 4th Chinaversary⚘️🍸
Here is wishing you many more happy years to come.
Thank you so much!
Thanks for telling the true story about China!
Love your open minded approach to life and culture...
Hi from MD！Love your great vids。Keep up the great work.
Love love love your videos. Hopefully I make it to China within the next couple of years.
Thank you ❤
You are doing good, though girl. Keep up the good work!
Very encouraging essay for many of our young people. You seem very happy and having a progressing hopeful future. Thank you for the narrative of your experience.
Nice video. See at school 🏫 soon.
Nice editorial, Aleese.
Thanks for sharing such wonderful facts about China ❤❤️.
Aleese, enjoy your stay in China - I wish I am there
so so real. i cannot agree enough.
What a great V -log！I understand most of what you said, only a few words I don't know, really helpful to practice my listening skill for me
We love this for you
My home country the USA is as big as China in land mass.
Gwwoooorrlll! I think I want to move to China. Ima visit first to determine which city fits me best,but before then I'm learning Mandarin and Hànzì. Ohhh you offer consultation!
Good video👍
Thank you for sharing your amazing experiences!
Of course!!
I kinda did the opposite of what you did, I moved out of Beijing to England when I was 17 😜 I wish I could be there for you when you needed help during the first period after you moved to Beijing. Plz don't take it the wrong way, I mean you did just great & you're doing just great. It's just you seem to be such a lovely person and I'd be very happy to get to know you if I had the chance.
I've been binge watching you lately 😍 so happy that I found your channel! All the best ❤
You are hands down one of my favorite content creators! Thanks always for your perspective and sharing your journey. :D
I’m so proud of you ladies 💐 good job Aleese 💙
THANKS!!
I love this woman and her vibe! ❤
Thanks so much for the love!
What a FANTASTIC video! You are lovely, charismatic and inspirational. So glad I've bumped into your channel and I can't wait to follow more of your adventures. Keep sharing and posting.
Luckily for the two short times that I have been to China nobody harasssed me or called the police on me. I also took the chance with and without others to go into Chinese restuarants and shops to try out the local dishes or see the local wares. So many of the restuarants had photos, so I was just able to point to what look interesting to me to try.
You are a brave girl to always keep learning new things in China👍
Awesome video and content. Thanks for the feedback.
Love all of these tips and truths. Thanks for being so open and enthusiastic.
Thanks for watching!
Thank you for sharing your experiences🙏🙂🙏
Happy too!!!
@@AleeseLightyear