Traveling to China independently, everyone is hesitant due to the language issue. However, traveling to China independently is not as difficult as you think. Why would you miss out on such an attractive destination in our neighboring country? Let’s see if traveling to China is as difficult as you think.
Is the Language Barrier Really That Difficult?
Even though no one knows Chinese. Even though the language barrier is huge when all public transportation services are 100% in Chinese (and there is not a single word of English). Here, restaurants and cafes have menus in only one language, and especially the Chinese people almost only speak their own language (from old to young…). However, our group of ladies still confidently ride the subway and buy dozens of kilograms of goods to bring back to Vietnam using only body language + their own intelligence + life experience!
I may have been lucky on this trip to only meet good people!!! The first impression of the country and the people of China is extremely warm and friendly!!! The students are willing to be free guides for us (to learn English – even though my English is not that great), they enthusiastically help us with shopping, pushing carts,… they serve very professionally and even if we don’t buy after bargaining, they still smile and thank us,…
Wechat is Everything
Note for those preparing to travel to China independently: DOWNLOAD AND REGISTER FOR WECHAT IMMEDIATELY. Because WeChat in China has tremendous power, sometimes if you don’t have money in WeChat to pay, you won’t be able to eat anything. Now in China, they don’t use cash anymore, all services use electronic wallets, even street food stalls, pushcarts, taxis,… and WeChat itself is the largest social network in China, without it, it’s very difficult to communicate and chat with Chinese people because they don’t use Facebook or Google like us, all translations are on WeChat.
When I went to buy things and paid with cash, people looked at me like I was an alien or like I just came from the countryside. So embarrassing.
How are the prices in China
The prices of goods in China are not cheap, because they are mostly domestic products of good quality sold by Chinese people to Chinese people!!! As for food, I don’t know why people often complain about the oiliness, but I usually eat at street food stalls or small local restaurants, not fancy ones, and the food is amazingly delicious. However, the restaurants I see are mostly filled with Chinese people, not foreigners!!!
The room I booked was also an apartment in a residential building, living harmoniously with the locals. Sometimes the receptionists here only speak Chinese, so there are some misunderstandings in communication, but it’s quite funny, and sometimes we end up laughing at each other.
Traveling in China
The transportation is modern and fancy. I found it almost like Japan, very clean too, with beautiful roads that have been developed way ahead of Vietnam for many years. And this is just a province in China, not even Shanghai or Beijing!!!
Anyway, China is a country worth visiting and my advice for those who love to explore is to go on your own without hesitation (because traveling independently in China is very easy) if you want to discover the life and people here!!!
Despite the busy trip, shopping, and sightseeing, I only managed to take a few photos, my mouth is sore from braces, but I still smile broadly because no one knows I’m wearing braces.. Truly overwhelmed in the shopping centers of China, I just want to buy the whole world… everything is beautiful, everything is likable!!! The food is delicious, the accommodation is beautiful, and you can go shopping,… Surely after these experiences, I will definitely plan to visit China again soon!!!
Who is getting ready to go to China!!!
