Travel Guides & Tips in this video
Filmed in Shanghai, this conversation with Sheku Mans and Harvey covers their experiences living in China as expats. They compare the cost of living and public transport with the UK, including Harvey's story of taking the wrong subway before switching to the Maglev and reaching the airport in eight minutes rather than forty. Sheku talks about meeting his Chinese girlfriend in the UK and moving to China together. Harvey recalls friendly welcomes and invitations to meals, especially in southern China. Both describe feeling safe at night, and they advise newcomers to stay open-minded and gain experience with other cultures.
Next travel video:
More about the current video:(Published on 2023-11-11)
Everyday life and getting around
Filmed in Shanghai, this conversation brings Sheku Mans and his friend Harvey together to share personal views on living in China as expats. The setting is a lesser-known spot rather than a familiar tourist attraction. They compare their experiences in China with life in the UK, including their perceptions of cost of living, housing, transport and day-to-day convenience. They say that their own costs in China have been lower, particularly for housing and transportation, and that this has helped them save and feel more financially comfortable. These are their experiences, not a universal account of every person's expenses or salary.
They also discuss public transport and infrastructure. Harvey recounts a trip to the airport when he boarded the wrong subway. He was able to change to the Maglev and says the trip took eight minutes instead of forty. The story is an example of how the network helped him recover from a mistake. They describe phones as useful for everyday transactions, reducing the need to carry a physical wallet. The conversation also touches on high-speed trains and the convenience of travel between cities.
Relationships, hospitality and adjustment
Sheku says he met his Chinese girlfriend while they were both in the UK, and that they later decided to move to China together. Harvey talks about his time in southern China and the kindness he encountered there. He recalls people inviting him into their homes to share meals. He notes that warmth can vary from province to province, while describing his own overall experience as welcoming.
Safety comes up in their comparison with the UK. Sheku and Harvey say they feel able to walk around at night in China without the same concerns they have experienced elsewhere. Their comments reflect their personal sense of safety and should be understood as their own impressions. They also discuss cultural differences and the need to learn local customs and etiquette rather than assuming every place works the same way.
Their advice to someone considering a move is to be open-minded, willing to adapt and, if possible, to have lived in another culture before. They acknowledge that settling in can be hard at first. Their view is that prior experience and openness can make that adjustment easier and help a newcomer find a satisfying life. The conversation balances practical comparisons with stories about relationships, public transport, hospitality and the process of learning how to live in a different culture.
Putting the comparisons in context
The discussion moves between individual stories and broad comparisons, and the speakers are describing what they have personally encountered. Sheku and Harvey talk about their own housing and transportation costs, their experience of commuting and traveling, and their feelings about moving around after dark. Their accounts are useful as first-person perspectives, but they do not establish that every expat will have the same salary, expenses or sense of safety. The video also presents cultural adaptation as an ongoing process: newcomers need time to learn customs and build relationships, and the experience may be difficult before it becomes familiar. Harvey's account of being invited to dinner illustrates the hospitality he personally experienced, while Sheku's move with his girlfriend shows one path into life in China. Together, their stories explain why they value both practical conveniences and personal connections.
FAQs (From the traveler's perspective)
- Q: How safe is China compared to the UK?
- A: Sheku and Harvey say they feel a huge difference in their own experience. They describe being able to walk around freely at night in China, compared with feeling more concerned about something happening in the UK.
- Q: What's the cost of living like in China?
- A: They say their cost of living in China has been much lower than in the UK, while their expat salaries have been higher. That's their personal comparison.
- Q: What's the public transportation like?
- A: Harvey describes China's infrastructure as incredible. On one airport trip he took the wrong subway, switched to the Maglev and got there in eight minutes instead of forty.
- Q: What's your take on the people in China?
- A: Harvey describes people as friendly, while noting that it differs by province. He says he experienced particular warmth in the south, including invitations to share dinner in local homes.
- Q: What advice would you give to someone thinking about moving to China?
- A: They recommend being open-minded and having some experience with other cultures. They say the start can be difficult, but settling in can lead to a good life. They say prior experience abroad can help, while an open attitude matters as well.
