What if I Get in Trouble While I am in China?

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What if I Get in Trouble While I am in China?

Written by Robert Vance on October 7, 2008 – 10:40 am

Dear Jean,

Next week I am leaving for China. I signed a year contract back in July so I have had plenty of time to prepare for my big journey. I think that I have everything in order but there is something that has been nagging me lately. Maybe it’s because I saw the movie Babel recently where the poor lady gets shot on a bus but I can’t stop worrying about what would happen if I really needed help in China. Thoughts of accidents,losing everything to a thief, or being arrested swirl through my head as the time of my departure draws closer. I am not a paranoid person by nature but I don’t know what has gotten into me lately. What can you tell me that can put my worries to rest about living in China?

Tiffany from Vancouver

Jean answers Tiffany’s question on this week’s Ask Jean About China

Dear Tiffany,

First, I am happy to hear that you are going to China next week. It is a huge decision but one that I am sure that you will not regret. Now, about your fears…

While worrying too much about ‘what if that and what if this happens’ can ruin your excitement for going abroad, it is a good idea to make sure that you are prepared for the unexpected. Buying travel insurance with medical coverage is a must for any person going to China. If you are looking for cheap and reliable travel insurance, I would suggest that you visit our travel insurance section on TeachAbroadChina.com.

Aside from buying travel insurance, you simply need to treat each new day and experience in China as you would in your home country. Paying attention to what is going on around you and using common sense is important while at the same time realizing that whether you are walking down the street in Vancouver or Shanghai, you will face risk; this is life.

Here at TeachAbroadChina.com, we offer an entire section on tips for traveling in China. Our helpful and informative articles cover everything from where you should stow your passport while traveling to how to avoid getting in trouble. I suggest that you peruse through that section but you will find that most of what is suggested in simply common sense.

As far as being arrested in China, I would not worry about that too much. If you obey the laws of China (and really they aren’t much different than any other country) and are not looking for trouble, the chances of being detained are highly unlikely. In fact, I would venture to say that there are plenty of foreigners in China who are breaking the law (illegal visas, unregistered businesses, etc) that get away with it. I am not condoning these actions but merely pointing out that you have to do something pretty bad to get arrested in China.

Tiffany, please stay in touch and let us know how your experience goes in China.

Sincerely,

Jean

Ask Jean about China is a weekly feature on TeachAbroadChina.com. We welcome any questions related to living and working in China. Feel free to submit your questions by clicking here. We look forward to hearing from you.

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