Job Discussion Forums

[Mike E]

Two-part question:
Is there a part, or parts, of China that one should aim for if he is concerned about air pollution and doesn't want to live where it is particularly bad?

and

Do you think it is rational for a new FT to have that level of concern about coming to China? That is, is it really, in your experience, likely to make an incoming FT ill or otherwise make their time there that unpleasant?

[Dedicated]

Try Qingdao on the coast - the least polluted place I saw in China!

[7969]

Coastal Guangdong is pretty good, east or west of Shenzhen. That stretches all the way from Zhanjiang to Shantou. Pretty good air along much of that. Some of the more remote (but still livable) areas like Sichuan west of Chengdu - Kangding for example, are nice.

[liebkuchen]

I'm in Yantai and its fine due to a lack of heavy industry and also being on the coast. I think its a genuine concern, especially if you have a history of lung problems or asthma.

[carken]

In addition to Yantai and Qingdao, both coastal cities, there is nearby Weihai, a beautiful coastal city and smaller than Qingdao.

[milkweedma]

North east China (Liaoning, Jilin, Heilongjiang provinces) are quite good in my experience. Problem there though is it's extremely cold. In winter I expect it's worse than the Spring/summer/Autumn period I saw because the coal chimneys start burning coal for heating purposes from 1st November to March 1st.

[Baozi man]

Mike E,

Quality of life issues should be asked by every FT. Noise, smoke, smog, dust, congestion, bad water are legitimate concerns. With major construction going on in large cities, the air pollution is horrific. Few places, if any spray water to keep dust down. If there are pollution codes, they are ignored. Areas ~ the size of an entire football stadium and its parking area are demolished for new construction. The dust is more than you can imagine.

I recently moved away from a large, air polluted city. I have been hawking up goobers every morning for two months. My lungs are cleaning house. I had eye problems like never before, most certainly from the dust.

Another very real issue is the pollen from trees in spring. If a person is sensitive to pollen, some cities can be very bad. That's true anywhere.

A tremendous amount depends on the school to which you attach yourself. A prestigious school doesn't mean good housing. Actually, some of the better known places treat their FTs much worse-- give lower salaries, more classes, and so forth. The worst housing I have seen was at a rather prestigious university in a major city. OTOH, another FT, at a different uni, not far away, was living in a virtual penthouse.

If you can find a place which appreciates having an FT, you will do much better.

High schools are not a bad option for FTs. Don't think that being a "foreign expert at a university" is an especially good job. It isn't, not if you ever had a good job in the States. It can be a good job. It can also be the worst experience of your life.

You have to start somewhere, however. Just make sure you have enough cash to bail if you can't take it.

[MisterButtkins]

[Non Sequitur]

I've spent two years in Dalian and one in Qingdao.
Both not bad from a pollution viewpoint, but that said you never get the crystal clear days you might encounter in say Aust or NZ. Near the beach particularly in Qingdao in summer, you get a nice afternoon breeze off the ocean. Message? Check the locality of the campus you will be living at AND teaching at.
On balance Qingdao gives a nice mix of old German ambiance and Westerner-friendly facilities, plus not-so-bad climate and lowish industrial pollution. Qingdao salaries are said to be lower than other centres. Dust from building sites, which do not (as another has mentioned) do anything to keep dust down, is a factor just about everywhere.
Beijing air quality is back to pre-Olympic levels I hear.

[sistercream]

Go west, young man!

[dog8food]

Anyone know of Zhaoqing? Is it far enough from Guangzhou so that it makes a difference in air quality?

[MisterButtkins]

[Mike E]

[7969]

I personally vouch for any of the following places - Zhanjiang, Huizhou, Shantou, Chaozhou. All have very decent climates and good air. By that I mean breathable air and lots of clear blue sky days. And even though some people may dispute it the air in Shenzhen isn't too bad either. I've spent significant amounts of time there, Nanshan in particular, and laid under a clear blue sky by the pool at the Kinking Gym Club near Qianhai Rd.

[GMark]

Pollen and dust are a serious problem for me. Does anyone know a university in a pollen and dust free area that is desperate for teachers?