Job Discussion Forums

[Sourigaijin]

Hello, everyone. First, I want to apologize if these questions have already been asked and answered before.

I have finally received my Z visa and am looking into flight tickets. Am I allowed to fly into China on a one-way ticket with a Z visa, or do I have to get a round-trip ticket?

I will be living in Dalian. I will be responsible for finding my own apartment, but the school will provide assistance. I figure the best thing is to stay in a hotel for a week or so while I look for a place.

I have a couple of questions about apartments in China:
1. Do they normally come with anything inside them, such as a refrigerator in the kitchen? Or is it just an empty box?
2. In general, are furnished apartments available that aren't exorbitantly expensive?
3. What about second-hand shops that sell used furniture and other items? Are those common in China? In Japan, I could often find really nice stuff for dirt cheap at second-hand shops.

I am a bit nervous about China. I have read so much negativity and am wondering if China is really like people say. There is also a lot of negativity written about Korea, but I had a wonderful 2 years there, so I am hoping that China will turn out the same way. Indeed, I am expecting to have a wonderful, positive experience (at least until reality smacks me in the face )

Thanks in advance for any advice, suggestions, and comments.

[roadwalker]

China won't have any problem with you arriving on a z-visa and with a one-way ticket. Your airline may, but I have made the flight many times without showing a return ticket to anyone at any point in the trip.

New apartments for sale are bare to the walls. You should be able to find furnished rentals. I'm sure that your help will involve some sort of agency. Here's an expat online mag with a few apartments in Dalian: http://www.dalianxpat.org/index.php/classifieds . Note that the ads are in English which may drive up the price a bit, but at least it gives you some idea. There are probably more expat mags to be found and some of the posters here are in Dalian or were recently. I lived there about 10 years ago. It's a nice city for the most part.

I'm not sure about second hand shops in China. I don't recall seeing them, at least not in shop form. The thought of it doesn't appeal to me, and I've bought second hand in the States.

With my limited experience with Japan and Korea, never having been to those countries, it seems that the Chinese are less formal, less hierarchical. I'm not bestest friends with every Chinese person I've met, but I've met enough good ones to have many fond memories of the place. (I left as of this summer but will probably return some day in the not too distant future.) Good luck and enjoy Dalian!

[Alien abductee]

[teenoso]

[jm21]

There should be second hand furniture shops. Most apartments should be at least partially furnished. What, if any, furniture you need depends on you usually. For example, there will probably not be a western style dining table, which a few teachers here insist on having. Some apartments in qingdao don't have refrigerators but maybe that's different in dalian. It also seems hard to find a 1 bedroom or studio apartment where i am but that may be different too.

Edit: there's a nice second hand furniture shop near my school but apparently ymmv.

[Bud Powell]

Am I allowed to fly into China on a one-way ticket with a Z visa, or do I have to get a round-trip ticket?

No, you won't be required to buy a round trip ticket. Since the Z visa is a work visa, there is the possibility that you will renew and stay in China for another year. I've NEVER been questioned upon departure from the U.S..

Re: your apartment, in all likelihood, your school will "help you find" a furnished rental apartment made available by a favored owner unless you request an unfurnished one. (Don't unless you intend to be in China for the Long, long haul in that city. Even then, you're better off finding out about your school and your city before making a commitment to furnishing an apartment yourself.

[Sourigaijin]

Thank you for your input guys. I really appreciate it.