Beijing: Total Yawn. Just Wanna Do My 'Touristy Duty' and Bolt!

[Jermaine Satterfield]

When talking about living in Beijing, here is how I feel:

• What I like about Beijing:

  • Most of my relatives and friends are here. Frankly speaking, it's also the main reason why I can't seem to leave despite wanting to, given the emotions attached.
  • My salary is indeed higher than in some other places.
  • The weather suits me fine too - at least it isn’t as humid and sticky as the south.
  • Everyone around wears their clothes so casually! Outfit-wise, I wear slippers as fashion and match it with my wind-resistant, waterproof jacket (usually black). In winter, switch it up with a nice black down jacket and put on that black mask, nobody recognizes me, feeling completely free and secure, something like an “earthy-cool” assurance.
  • There are tons of museums for sightseeing and I particularly adore visiting them.

• But there are aspects of Beijing that worry me:

  • It feels quite lacking in the "lifestyle quality" aspect with a missing kind of lively human touch. After eleven o'clock at night, finding night markets even becomes challenging, which is kind of disappointing. Beijing comes across as a city solely built for work, a purely functional metropolis.
  • Its romantic and artistic vibe seems a little sparse.
  • There's no sea or any large river, just tall buildings all around (referred to locally as the “steel-cement forest”), and common mountains, which can become boring after a while.
  • Attention Alert TRAFFIC! TRAFFIC! TRAFFIC! Traffic jams could drive anyone crazy. Be sure to check the road conditions before setting out, otherwise, your time will all be consumed on the road.
    • What can we do? Try using the metro whenever possible, or avoid rush hours by travelling outside these peak times.
  • The food in Beijing is alright but there still needs improvement in telling the authentic deliciousness as everyone rushes to try new fancy, famous restaurants without clear judgement.
  • It’s quite apparent that many parents are extremely overprotective and anxious about success for their children with their obsessive pursuit of learning and extracurricular classes.

#BeijingLife #GraduateLife #Thoughts

[Kristopher Schultz PhD]

The area around Miyun Reservoir is actually quite beautiful.

[Misty Dare]

Isn't the biggest problem that getting anywhere takes forever? Imagine someone from Beijing and someone from Tianjin leaving at the same time for another district in Beijing – the person from Tianjin would probably get there first.

[Karen Bruen]

Beijing actually has a pretty strong arts scene. Because it's so large, you can find abundant resources for whatever you're interested in. For example, many renowned international jazz groups only play in Beijing and Shanghai when they tour China.

[Hannah Rogahn]

Yeah, it's true that without a sea or a major river, it's tough to get a really stunning night view.

[Lena Oberbrunner]

There's a comforting, authentic, down-to-earth feeling to it. So real.

[Mr. Otis Schaefer]

The mountains have a surprisingly artistic vibe.

[Ms. Wanda Kilback]

All big cities have traffic jams, but Beijing's congestion is on another level.

[Ellis Sauer DVM]

The subways are packed, driving means gridlock, and cycling is chaotic. And people still keep flocking here despite all this?