Starting a new life

[EmilyP]

Hi Judith!

Hope you're well! I'm actually moving to Harbin in Mid-November too coincidentally! I'm from the UK and will be travelling to China teach. I've been teaching in the UK alongside animating, but never to international students so it's going to be a complete change of scene! I've never been to China, or any of Asia, so I'm really looking forward to it. 

I'd love to meet up and explore the city together. I'll be working with about 20/30 other Native English speakers (from Australia, America, Canada etc.) apparently, so I'm sure there must be a few foreigners dotted around the place! 

What will you be doing in the city? How long will you be living there for? 

I've been told to bring very very warm clothes, so have bought thermals, snow boots, gore-tex mittens and my boss has a clothing company so is really kindly making me a thick lined waterproof coat and trouser set. So I recommend bringing as many layers as you can from what I've heard about the climate! Though I imagine you know this! 

Where are you from originally?

All the best,
Emily 

PS If anyone else out there is from Harbin, feel free to get in touch with me too! 
 

[AnneK]

Judith, Hope you enjoyed the holidays.  I'm not sure if there is really a business district in Harbin, probably Nangang district.    

 

Emily, Hi!  I hope you have safe travels getting here.  Harbin is indeed turning cold.  We have already seen freezing temps overnight and the days are cool enough to need a jacket and sometimes scarf.  By November it'll be plenty chilly!  

 

I am looking forward to meeting you both.

 

-Anne

[JudithO]

Hi! Emily nice too meet you!

 

I'm looking for thermal undershirts and pants! The cold seems scary!

[JudithO]

Right now I don't know when I'm going there, because today I received an email telling me that they misttok the dates and it was 20th of actober and not 20th of november. But I can't be there for the 20th of october, first is my mom bday and second ... it's too sudden and expensive. I can'¡t pay the flight rates.

 

hahaha

 

I don't know why I'm telling this to you! lol

[armando305]

Hi Judith, I'm also going to move to Harbin this month to work. I should be there in about 2 weeks, this will be my first time it China so i'm excited!

[abcdefg]

What happened to Sujeto?

 

I was wondering the same thing. Maybe he went back to Venezuela. Sounded pretty unhappy in Harbin.

[JudithO]

Hi armando305 nice to meet you!

 

I'm looking for the flights right now, getting to harbin by plane is very expensive so I guess I will have to go by train from Pekin. 

 

btw people, does anyone know in Harbin a place with good quality coats? Because bringing one from home will surpass my suitcase limit weight XD

[ChTTay]

Uniqlo for anything you need. Thermals, coats, wool sweaters...

May not be everyones favorite but the quality is decent, price is good and they do have a lot of pretty good winter basics.

[JudithO]

There is uniqlo in Harbin?, I searched on the internet and I didn't find any.

[Shelley]

Wear your coat on to the plane then take it off cos you are now too hot.

 

You will probably need it when you land.

[JudithO]

Hi Shelley, I was going to do that, but I don't think my coat is going to be warm enough for Harbin. I thought that if I buy it there it will be warm enough.

[Shelley]

Ah fair enough. Might be better than nothing when you land though, even Beijing is quite cold at that time of  year. And it would useful for not so freezing days.

[JudithO]

I will bring a normal one, the one I used for Nanjing winter time, but I think I will need a warmer one for the raw winter of Harbin so that's why I'm asking if someone knows where I can buy one in Harbin of good quality.

 

Suitcases are difficult XD

[abcdefg]

#27 --

btw people, does anyone know in Harbin a place with good quality coats? Because bringing one from home will surpass my suitcase limit weight XD

 

Wear the heavy coat when boarding your flight even if it's not cold. That way it doesn't use up luggage space.

 

-------------------

Edit: I now see Shelley already suggested this.

[ChTTay]

Yes, there is a uniqlo in Harbin. Often you need to search in Chinese.

http://www.dianping.com/shop/13886225

You could also buy a coat in Beijing if you have time.

Don't count on cold places having decent outdoor gear. I lived in Yinchuan which is pretty cold by UK standards (sometimes -15 or -20) and most locals had terrible winter clothing. Often they would just wear ridiculously thick thermal underwear and 5 layers. There shoes and socks would just be normal black work shoes. I guess they might have had layers of socks too. I would often see "down filled" jackets in markets that would just be filled with something else entirely.

[JudithO]

Haha, thank you everyone! My boss told me that they will help me to find the winter clothes when I arrive XD

[ChTTay]

I'm telling you... Uniqlo!

[AnneK]

Good luck Judith.  I'm hd success at Unliqo, also at H&M here in Harbin.  There seems to be plenty of places that carry warm clothes, you just have to get lucky on sizes sometimes.  If you need help shopping beyond what your work does, let me know and we can get together.

[Nataliebb]

Hi everyone,

I'll be going to Harbin end of October (from the UK). I've been to Harbin plenty of times before (my bf is from there) but I don't really know any ex-pats. It would be great to get to know any of you also living in Harbin!

By the way, winter in Harbin is bitter cold, expect up to -30 degrees celsius. My suggestion is (as the warmest coat may still leave you shivering), to wear a few coats! Everyone looks bulky in winter, so don't worry too much about looking strange.

Any questions feel free to ask!

[AnneK]

So, it sounds like a number of people are moving into town int he next month.  Would you guys be interested in some sort of evening out?  Dinner somewhere or KTV or ???

 

I'm open to suggestions, just thought it might be fun to meet up.