![daylife in nanjing daylife in nanjing](https://a.storyblok.com/f/86150/1920x1279/8fbc8968c6/nanjing-0.jpg)
Gotoco also provides participants with lists of some key phrases, and programme staff are always very helpful in making sure you know how to get around when you first arrive in China, at least they were for me in Nanjing and Shenzhen! However, you can still use helpful apps like Google Translate or Pleco to get by. Outside of large cities, it can be more challenging unless you have some basic Mandarin skills. Gotoco will provide you with tools and resources for this before you come out so do make use of them! There is also the practical aspect of making your day-to-day interactions much smoother-rather than pointing at things or pulling out Google Translate, you can save some time and headaches by knowing how to order food, ask directions, or make a simple self-introduction. While the compliments may sometimes be a little generous, it does allow you to make a better first impression, perhaps to your a new good friend. Countless times I’ve made a feeble attempt at firing off a sentence, to be greeted with a smile and a compliment about my interest in learning Mandarin. Not only does this make life easier, but it is highly appreciated by locals, and makes your experience more fun and engaged. Eating out is also quite easy as it seems to be common practice for restaurants to include pictures on their menus, and not just for tourists.Īlthough you can certainly get by without much Mandarin in international cities, I would highly recommend at least attempting to learn a bit of the local language. I’ve found navigation to be fairly easy as many of the travel hubs have plenty of signs in English, or at least pinyin (transliteration of Mandarin), to navigate, and apps such as Apple Maps usually work (although local apps are better, including Baidu maps).
![daylife in nanjing daylife in nanjing](https://dailysnippetsoflife.files.wordpress.com/2012/04/dscf5584.jpg)
I’ve found myself going days speaking only English without realising it while still visiting shops, restaurants, and bars. There is a large English-speaking expat community with many restaurants and shops that are geared towards foreigners with English-speaking staff. In cities like Beijing and Shanghai, I’ve met people who have gotten by on no Chinese for years. Admittedly, it could be a bit challenging and frustrating at times, but that’s part of the fun of travelling and exploring another country and culture! Now, I will caveat this by saying that I have primarily been based in Beijing and in the city I do meet many more English speakers than I might in more rural areas, but when I’m out running errands or getting food most of my interactions are in Mandarin. I surprised myself and managed to get by in China for almost a year with very limited Mandarin skills. How is living in China with little to no Mandarin? The view over the hutongs from my room in central Beijing. If you have any questions for Tristan that aren’t covered below, let us know by submitting a question on our FAQs page.
![daylife in nanjing daylife in nanjing](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/OD-hyWwVex4/sddefault.jpg)
This blog aims to answer common questions that Gotoco’er interns have about coming to China and to give you an insight into what life is actually like in the city.
#DAYLIFE IN NANJING SERIES#
This is the second in a four part series journalling Tristan’s experience on a Gotoco internship in Beijing through all of the craziness around the global pandemic in 2020. What’s Life Actually Like For An Intern Visiting Beijing For The First Time? The blogs do not, however, try to give authoritative answers on the questions raised from every perspective and we encourage you to read a range of our blog posts from different Gotoco’ers and our FAQs and pre-departure information (as well as other websites/books’ ideas!) to make sure you’re as prepared as possible for your trip to China with us! all the views in this blog series are from Tristan’s personal experience and should be very helpful for anyone looking to move to China or join a Gotoco programme. In this blog series, Tristan explores why he came to China in the first place, what life has been like as a newbie in Beijing during the global pandemic, and answers questions that many Gotoco’ers have as they prepare to come to China from his own personal experience and perspective. Tristan had been due to intern in Beijing with Gotoco after the camp until May 2020 and, after extremely careful deliberation, decided to stick to his original plan and head to Beijing, while his fellow Gotoco’ers were supported to fly home or continue travels around Asia. After joining a programme in Nanjing, he was training for a second camp internship in Shenzhen when COVID-19 brought China to a standstill and his camp was cancelled. Tristan Knotts graduated from university in Texas and joined Gotoco in China from January to November 2020. Interning in Beijing: Tristan Knotts Blog Series