Beijing may have its quirks, but Irish expat Gary still finds that living there can be a fascinating experience. This teacher-writer describes why he and his girlfriend decided to move to China and their experiences living as foreigners in a non-tourist area of Beijing.	Gary Finnegan

-Where were you born?

Dublin, Ireland

-In which country and city are you living now?

Beijing, China

-Are you living alone or with your family?

I moved to Beijing with my girlfriend, who is also Irish

-How long have you been living in China?

One year

-What is your age?

28 

-When did you come up with the idea of living in China?

About 18 months ago we decided to quit our jobs and go traveling. So we sat down with a map and an open mind, and eventually decided on China. The main reason was that it seemed like the most exciting place on the planet because it's changing so quickly and we were looking for an entirely alien experience - which Beijing certainly delivered.

-Was it hard to get a visa or a working permit?

At the moment it's very difficult to come to China without having a job offer in advance. I had accepted a job teaching at a university and they were very helpful in organising the visa. There are a lot of procedures to go through though, including having a full medical.

-Was it difficult for you to get medical insurance before you went there or when you first arrived?

I got global health insurance (which was very expensive) with a company in Ireland but my employer provides basic cover.

-How do you make your living in China? Do you have any type of income generated?

I found my teaching job online. That's my official occupation but the workload isn't terribly heavy. I've also worked part-time at the English language department of China Radio International and done a lot of writing. I've just had my first book published - and yes, it's about China!

-Do you speak Chinese and do you think it's important to speak the local language?

It's very important to speak a little Chinese but I must admit I'm still very much a beginner. I had taken a few lessons before I left Ireland but I found it quite difficult to make myself understood. If/when you get a handle of the basics, Chinese people will think you are a genius. And they appreciate the effort even if your pronunciation is iffy.

-Do you miss home and family sometimes?

I miss people at home and there are often things that irk me about China. It can be quite time-consuming trying to get basic things done in banks, post offices, hospitals, etc.

After a while it's easy to get tired of the food too so the occasional trip to western restaurants - or an Irish bar if I'm really homesick - can be necessary to maintain sanity.

-Do you have other plans for the future?

I want to see more of Asia so the next stop is Thailand, followed by Vietnam and possibly Cambodia.

-What about housing, have you bought, or are you renting a home? How much do you pay for it?

My salary is quite low but the university provides an apartment. Friends who live in privately rented accommodation pay around 3,500 Yuan for comfortable modern apartments. You can pay much more if you want luxury or if you'd like to live in an authentic old hutong in the city centre.

-What is the cost of living in China?

It's low but rising rapidly. If you eat out in a local Chinese restaurant, dinner for two should be less than 100 Yuan - sometimes much less. But eating in western bars or restaurants isn't much cheaper than Europe or the U.S.

Clothes can be extremely cheap if you get used to haggling in markets like Ya Shou (which is near Workers' Stadium in the Chao Yan district, in case you happen to be in the neighbourhood).

-What do you think about the Chinese?

I live in western Beijing which is a world away from the central tourist traps and the east-side business district so at the beginning local people were rather curious about us. We were usually the only foreign faces to be seen on the streets in our neighbourhood so people stared at us a lot, but over the past year that has begun to change.

Chinese people are generally very respectful of foreigners, even though there's a cultural gulf that sometimes leaves tourists thinking the Chinese are rude. I'm a little disappointed that I didn't make more Chinese friends. The fact that my Chinese is not great is a major factor but I wouldn't describe most people here as being particularly open to befriending outsiders.

-What are the positive and negative aspects of living in China?

 The bureacracy is a killer, so too is the media censorship which has eased a little ahead of the Olympics. The smog is a source of daily griping and traffic can be a nightmare (although the same can be said of lots of big cities).

In the plus column, it's a genuinely fascinating place to live and there are lots of opportunities to work in areas that might be more difficult to break into at home - particularly in media, PR, communications, marketing etc. And teaching, of course. 

It's also easily to live quite well on a low (by western standards) salary. 

-Do you have any tips for our readers about living in China?

Learn as much Chinese as possible before you get here - at the very least learn the numbers so you can haggle in markets. 

If I may shamelessly plug my new book: I highly recommend reading Beijing for Beginners: An Irishman in the People's Republic. It charts my battle with culture shock and is packed with personal anecdotes as well as background info on Chinese society, history and culture. 

-Do you have any favorite Web sites or blogs about China?

www.danwei.org is an excellent site.

www.garyfinnegan.blogspot.com is my personal blog.

www.beijingforbeginnersblog.blogspot.com is the site for my new book on life as an expat in China.

The book is available here (and other online bookstores) if you're interested.