Job Discussion Forums

[naturegirl321]

Three years ago I worked in China for a bit and now my (Peruvian) husband and I are thinking of relocation there on a permanent basis to live and raise a family. His English is basic, he knows databases and stuff like that.
We're planning in advance; the soonest we could go would be next year, but I can't just pick up and go, I have to make sure that my husband will have a visa, job, etc. So that's why I'm asking so far in advance.
I have already talked to a school that would get us both visas, so at least that's taken care of.
Anyways, I just wanted to hear from anyone who's in a similar position as me. If you're married to NNS, what's it like for you?

[dave_merk]

[naturegirl321]

Right, about the visas, I'm sure it would be no problem. Just wanting to hear from those who are in China with a NNS and what their experience is like.

[Yu]

I think many of us here are with Chinese spouses....

I had a friend here from OZ, she stayed home. Her husband was a chef at a hotel resturant. They seemed to do fine... but you situation would be different.

[naturegirl321]

[colonel]

Assuming the acronym is Non Native Speaker I'm here with my wife and our three year's old daughter. My wife is Thai with a fairly good command of English but that ability is of little use here as almost nobody can speak English. You posed the question, 'what's it like for you?' It's a challenge but one which we are enjoying. Our daughter goes to a local kindergarden as we want her to learn to speak Mandarin. Looking after a child is a full time job in itself so my wife doesn't get time to get bored. However, you've got a man, without any babysitting tasks, to consider! I have no idea about employment opportunities, other than teaching, here. Feel free to ask me any more specific questions if you need to.

[naturegirl321]

[clark.w.griswald]

Naturegirl321 I understand that you have been considering this for a while but I would certainly not want to have the experience that you are likely going to have.

Being an expat with an expat spouse here short term is one thing, but moving here permanently is entirely another.

As foreigners we are pretty well tied to our employers and while I don't have a real problem with that considering that we are here for employment, I wouldn't relish the prospect of forever being reliant upon employers for my future stability. If you had a local spouse there is some scope over time to move away from that reliance, but as you are both foreigners that is not likely to happen unless you are recognized in some way as contributing greatly to China in which case you may get some special concessions.

Would you consider Taiwan? At least in Taiwan you can get open residency after a certain period of time without any marital ties to a local resident. You are close enough to the mainland to travel throughout China and you can probably earn enough money there to achieve this.

In both countries your spouse can likely be here on your visa but as far as him attaining employment here I think that not likely. Not from any legal espect but from the practical aspect of someone who does not speak English or Chinese - I assume!

If you are committed to the China route then I don't know if there is much foreign trade to Peru but if there is then perhaps it would be worth locating yourselves in a area that produces product that Peruvians are currently buying in China. In this way your husband may be able to get work with a local trading company to promote their business with Peruvian customers. As English teachers we can fortunately locate ourselves almost anywhere.

[naturegirl321]

[vikuk]

[naturegirl321]

[vikuk]

[naturegirl321]

The East is very different from the West. We don't want to go to a super small town, I would like to go back to Changchun. I understand that education is not the same there as it is here, but we'd like them to study primary school in China and then come back to Peru for secondary.

[colonel]

[naturegirl321]

American. Trying to get Romanian citizenship, but who knows if that'll happen. I'm pretty sure that my mother's entire family left stateless when they left Romania. And in another year, I'll be Peruvian.