First Days in Canton
It's time for us to discover what the city has to offer, but before that, some administrative procedures are necessary...
It's time for us to discover what the city has to offer, but before that, some administrative procedures are necessary...
Police Registration
Foreigners are required to register at the local police station within 48 hours (normally) following their arrival on Chinese territory. It's a free procedure but rather cumbersome in that it must be repeated with each visa renewal... Fortunately, the neighborhood police station is located not far from our building, so we gather the following documents:
Copies of passports/visas
Copy of our rental contract
The procedure, which should normally take a few minutes, will nonetheless be prolonged by the lack of staff, but we will eventually manage to leave with the precious document attesting to our registration.
A police station
Getting Around Canton
Apart from traditional taxis, which start the meter at 7 yuan (compared to 10 yuan in Beijing), the metro is an affordable way to get around Guangzhou, especially since it was inaugurated in 1997 and is therefore very modern. A single journey costs between 2 and 14 yuan depending on the distance traveled, and the modernity of the network extends even to transportation tickets, which are simple tokens to insert to enter and exit, much more practical than traditional paper tickets...
Guangzhou metro map
Inside the metro...
Buying a token for each trip is fine, but having a pass is better! That's why we head to Gongyuanqian metro station, where transit cards are issued. After struggling to make ourselves understood at the counter, we get our cards for 80 yuan each, including 50 yuan in credit.
Gongyuanqian metro station
While we're in the area, we take time to wander through the shops that stretch underground for miles.
Underground shops
Shopping in Canton
As you can imagine, Chinese products are often very different from ours, particularly food items. Packets of biscuits often give way to chicken feet in plastic wrap, which the Chinese enjoy as a snack, and rice is bought the same way as fruits and vegetables: by weight.
A supermarket in Canton
In any case, prices here are really low, even lower than we had expected! For example, 2-liter bottles of soda (Sprite/Coca-Cola...) can be found for 6 yuan (60 cents), biscuit packets average 2 yuan, and menus at McDonald's/KFC cost 23 yuan... After our various expenses getting to Canton, we figure we'll finally be able to save some money! Apart from the small supermarket near us, we had learned of a Carrefour store a few metro stops away. An opportunity to stock up on Western products, especially cheese, which is nowhere to be found.
A Carrefour store
The Carrefour in question is organized over several floors, separating food products from household items or appliances... The store is huge, and the crowds, as always, very much present. A pleasant surprise at the checkout: we can pay with a debit card, which had never happened before in other large supermarkets!
Chinese-style marketing...
A rather questionable Chinese toothpaste
First Impressions
The Chinese philosophy is really nothing like ours—we get the impression that as long as you have money, you can do anything here, even illegal things. Contrary to popular belief, the streets are generally much cleaner than back home, at least on the main busy streets where we haven't seen a single piece of litter. The police are omnipresent and you can sense that the Chinese are (very) numerous (15 million in Canton) and speak very loudly! We often get the impression that some employees don't serve much purpose given how many there are, like in fast-food restaurants where they just wait for one thing: to clear our trays... One thing is certain, their working hours are nothing like those in France... For example, our real estate agent was still at our place at 9:30 p.m. with a smile, and shops are often still open at 11 p.m... We also sense that they love Westerners and are always surprised to see us, with Charlene's blonde hair causing quite a sensation. Moreover, they have a completely different relationship with money and don't hesitate to ask when necessary rather than beat around the bush. The language barrier, on the other hand, is often quite constraining, given that we expected to find more Chinese who speak English. It can be tiring at times, but we need to adapt, and that's also what makes the stay charming... More to come!
Rule number 1: always write down your destination in Chinese characters!
To view our photos from Guangzhou, feel free to visit the gallery.
Frequently asked questions
Yes, all foreigners living in Chine are required to register at their local police station within 48 hours of arrival. The procedure is free and must be renewed with each visa extension. Bring your passport, visa, and a copy of your rental contract.
The Guangzhou metro is modern and inexpensive. The fare for one trip varies depending on the distance traveled. You can purchase a token for each trip or obtain a rechargeable pass at Gongyuanqian station. The card costs 80 yuan, which includes 50 yuan in transport credit.
There are several local supermarkets offering typical Chinese products at very low prices. To find Western products (such as cheese), a Carrefour store is accessible by metro from the city center. Payment by debit card is accepted there, which is not always the case in other large supermarkets.
The cost of living in Guangzhou is generally far lower than in France. For example, a 2-liter bottle of soda cost around 6 yuan and a menu at an international fast-food restaurant around 23 yuan. Public transportation is also very affordable.
Contrary to popular belief, few people in Guangzhou speak English in everyday life. The language barrier can be a challenge for expats. It is strongly recommended to write down your destinations in Chinese characters and use a translation app to facilitate communication.
