What Is Expat Life in Beijing Like?

Beijing is a global business hub and one of the busiest and most ancient cities in the world. Bridging Chinese traditionalism and modern economic power, Beijing can give you 1,000-year-old temples one minute and towering glass skyscrapers the next. All of this, plus the city's pollution, congestion problems, and all the usual difficulties one finds on induction to a new culture, can be daunting to new arrivals but luckily the expat community in Beijing is a large yet close-knit one. Joining InterNations can be your induction to this community, as a well a way to find jobs and accommodation in the Tan Da Bing or "Spreading Pancake" as Beijing is affectionately known by many locals. Most expats in Beijing will be expecting to work in top-level business and technology positions, but many young people travel to China to work as English teachers — a job for which there is high local demand.

InterNations is the largest global network for expatriates, with communities in 420 cities around the world. Meet fellow global minds in your city of residence or get to know local expatriates before you're moving or traveling abroad and never feel like a stranger. InterNations makes it easy for you to stay in touch with your expat friends, both online and offline, so you can grow your network of friends and contacts from all over the world. Whether they live in Khobar (Eastern Prov.) or Amsterdam, InterNations allows you to be close to them even if they are miles away.

Your Network for Expats in Beijing

Local customs, language, and culture can be difficult to adapt to at first for many new expats in Beijing. The city is crowded, sprawling, and sometimes hectic, but underneath it all you'll find a thoroughly exciting global metropolis. Getting to know your way around the best areas for certain services and a million other things can be a big hassle, so why not join InterNations today and let our helpful and welcoming community guide you through this process? Especially during the first few months, downtime with like-minded and culturally similar people can be an important part of your routine as you acclimatize to Beijing expat life. To this purpose, the InterNations Beijing Community offers up a wide range of events and groups to keep you occupied during this sometimes difficult transition period. Whatever your style, from fascinating historical tours and international debating contests, to tennis clubs and movie nights or simply just bi-monthly meetups at one of Beijing's huge selection of nightlife venues, there is literally a group for everyone in the InterNations Beijing Community; you'll be making friends and fitting in in no time.