Weifung
Housing:
Typically, employers will arrange or at least assist foreign employees with accommodation while working in China.
“If [accommodation] isn’t in an employment contract, it can usually be negotiated to be part of the contract [which should be discussed with Arts Co-op office].The housing the employer arranged for me met all basic necessities”. – Winter 2006 Co-op Student
Other expenses will be the responsibility of the student, but employers are usually quite helpful in terms of housing issues and concerns.
“In terms of advice for students who are relocating to the area, they need to be relaxed about it. Housing and appliances in a house are arranged very differently from Canada. The company was really good about helping me out with any issues I had with my apartment.” – Winter 2006 Co-op Student
Info and Advice from Former Co-op Students:
Zai Zhongguo! ("In China") is an arts@work article by Tiffany Glover from April 2006
Transportation:
The public transit system in China is fairly reliable, however, the buses only run until 7:00 p.m. Taxis are also reliable and affordable as well.
“Bikes are fairly cheap and are very common for transportation. I suggest that students invest in a bike and a bike lock and this will give them a lot of freedom”- Winter 2006 Co-op Student
Other Information:
Learning the Language:
“For students going there, my advice is to learn Mandarin! Once you have some skills, it's easier to meet people. The only thing about meeting new people is you do have to be cautious. Some Chinese locals just want to be your friend and use you to learn English so you have to beware sometimes, but for the most part people are really friendly. There are foreigners in Weifang and I recommend getting to know them. They're great for support, bouncing ideas off of, and just hanging out.” – Winter 2006 Co-op Student
If you would like to take a language class in Mandarin before you relocate to China, some links to established institutions are provided below. You may also be able to find private language schools that offer Mandarin courses. Cost and time commitments do vary, so choose the one that meets your specific need:
UBC Continuing Studies
Vancouver Community College
Vancouver School Board
Langara College – Continuing Studies
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