- David Thyne
At the first Shanghai Get-Together I met several American expats. I am very grateful that they shared their experience with me.
Living in Changsha
The beautiful city of Changsha, fondly known locally as the City of Entertainment, is an ancient one. It was first mentioned in the 11th century BC and has since played an important role in the Qin and Qing dynasties as a commercial hub. It was reportedly whilst living in Changsha that Mao Zedong first declared himself a Communist. Expatriates living in Changsha have much to explore – the Hunan Provincial Museum and the Yuelu Academy are a good place to start; the latter has been a center of education for a thousand years. Sitting on a branch of the famous Yangtze river, Changsha is also an important port city and is consequently used to new faces. And of course, as the city's nickname suggests, expats living in Changsha won’t be short of entertainment – the city has a vibrant nightlife and events schedule.
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Attend our monthly events and activities for Changsha expatriates to get to know like-minded expatriates in real life.
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Moving to Changsha
When planning your move to Changsha, you have various travel options. The Changsha Huanghua International Airport is probably the most convenient way into the city, but expats moving to Changsha can also arrive by rail, road or – for the adventurous – by boat. As the city has a busy tourist sector, expats will find locals helpful and used to dealing with new arrivals. Our Expat Magazine also has plenty of articles and information to help expatriates in Changsha to land on their feet, covering topics like expat finance, insurance and cross-cultural communication. Of course, it's also worth having a look at what other expats in Changsha and other Chinese cities have to say about international life as well – we have a good collection of content written by members, for a first-hand taste of what settling into life in Changsha or elsewhere should entail.
Working in Changsha
Changsha is a city that has grown exponentially in the last century. And it shows – a population of around three and a half million people and a strong economy give the city plenty of appeal for expatriates working in Changsha. The port and railway links continue to form the backbone of Changsha’s economy and a burgeoning food and agricultural industry is flourishing. The city shows signs of this success in its new buildings – the Sky City skyscraper, which began construction in 2013, will be the tallest tower in the world upon completion, at an astonishing 2,185 feet. Amidst the buzz of this busy city, you may like to get in touch with other expats working in Changsha. InterNations' discussion groups, forums and private messages make finding other expatriates in Changsha easy. In such a busy center of commerce, it shouldn't be hard to meet up with other global minds – and as the city grows ever more international, the community of expats in Changsha is sure to keep growing as well.