Moving to dalian

Hi Jon, i'm Becky!
I noticed that no one has actually replied and i can't really advise on anything except where you say that you and your wife do not speak mandarin. I'm from London, England and i moved here nearly 2 months ago. If i'm honest, unless you know someone here who can speak fluent mandarin, the basics will be difficult as english is not especially common here. I'd advise to learn the basics eg. Hello, Goodbye, taxi jargon etc and don't be shy... once your here you must practise as much as you can. It doesn't take too long to pick up common phrases. Sorry i couldn't help with anything else
Good luck with the move!!!!

Thanks Becky for replying. Not sure why you're the only one but I'll take it:). There's actually a friend here who studied in china for a few years and is pretty fluent and willing to teach me basics. I need it more because I'll b at home with the kids by myself. I heard it was difficult to do mUch w out at least the basics so I'm ready to learn. My big thing is immersing myself into Dalian as much as I can and just get used to not having the same things we have here at home. If you can think of anything else please let me know. Thanks again!

Hi Jon,
Fist try to understand where in Dalian you are about to live, Dalian city is just one part of Dalian metropolin, some live in DDA, and some in Jinshitan, they are all districts of Dalian.
Second you don't have to bring so many things, just some clothes and important things you think you find here.
no need to bring electronics unless you are attached to your mp3 player, same for home staff, I would suggest you to visit Ikea store here in Dalian and buy everything you need for home.
As for medical things, better to bring more then to be sorry, it's hard to get here what we used to find in the west, so if you have some special issues, or you are using special medicine, take duoble the amount, just in case you will need it.
Bring some english books and also your favorite music as youtube doesn't work here...

Hi Jon, I would definately agree with Yiftah about bringing some medicine. When i moved here i didn't feel well for a while due to time difference/different foods etc and i couldn't find any kind of medicine that i could buy back home. As for immersing yourself here, to tell the truth i found this really hard and i'm lucky in the way that my boyfriend here is a chinese national so i haven't really needed to lift a finger. Just try hard to make new friends as these people will help if you and your family feel lonely at any time. The city is beautiful so explore it and enjoy it. Now the weather is not so cold anymore (although it has done nothing but snow for 2 days) its easier to take the time to get out and about.

Excellent thread. My family and I just made the move to Dalian and are at a serviced apartment (Somerset)  right now, but its rather far from the office in Tian Di - does anyone know of good serviced apartments that are located closer to that side of town?

I have a young son, so it would help if its an area where there are other expat families. I dont want my wife and kid to be bored when I'm away all day!

hai,welcome to dalian.

i'm jenny a local resident,as i know there's some apartment for rent near Dalian TianDi,but there are not servie apartment.

besides that i know a gay who come from Maldives has a son of about 6 to 7 years old if you could rent the apartment there then you wife and you son won't feel lonely.

and don't you consider of sending you son to the local school?

my information is useful for you.if you need my help please let me know.

jenny

Crockus - how did you like the somerset?  That is where my wife's company will set us up for temporary housing while we look for an apartment.  Her office is about 40 minutes from there down in the southern part of the city, and people have told us that we should try and live near peace plaza given there is much down there for our kids and shopping is centrally located.  Curious if anyone else lives around or near that area and how they like it.

Hi Mate,
Reached Dalian on 30th June and company has put in a month's accommodation in Somerset. It is good as long as you are not paying. Services are good and front desk does speak english (now dont expect you will be understood completely) .

My office is in HItech industrial zone and takes me 40 minutes in morning by taxi from somerset . Traffic @ peak (rush hour) from 6:45 am till 7:30 am (China time).

Any other help, let me know. thanks

Thanks so much for the reply Indians. My wife's office is also down in the Hitech development zone as well in the ascendas business park. When we visited she had no issue getting a taxi to go down but when she attempted to leave and come back the people in her office said it was difficult to get a taxi down there due to the traffic and someone actually had to drive her to the software district to get a taxi.  Do you find the same issue?  Also we are told there is a small little store/market near the Somerset that has some of the imported milk and other items.  Have you been there?

Hi There all,

thanks for the advice as I took am currently under going a process to move to Dalian for work! Hopefully i will be there in August at some point.

dzr9212 - Perhaps we can meet up for a beer once we both arrive..would be nice to get to know other new poeple there too!!

Thanks
Bally

Bally I'm down to dO anything. Lemme know. Still looking like a late August arrival