EASC Study Tour 2006
Topic of the Week

Welcome to the "Topic of the Week" series! Each week we will discuss areas of interest or things that need your attention in preparing for the Study Tour to China.

Week 2: General Tips for Travel in China

Travel in China presents special circumstances and challenges which Americans may not have encountered in previous travels. I'm presenting this information at this time so that you'll have time to digest these issues, and if you have any special needs (such as allergies), you'll have more time to implement coping strategies!

General Health

Travelers to China are advised to check the CDC website for health advisories, and also consult with their personal physicians or a travel clinic for advice on health issues. Indiana University has a health clinic which is open to the public, and many other universities as well as large hospitals offer a similar service.

Insurance

All participants are required to have adequate health and repatriation insurance. Please confirm with your insurer that you are adequately covered for any situation which may arise, and find out what the reimbursement procedures are if you should need medical attention. It will be very difficult to get a receipt or a signature from a doctor in China after you've left China! You will need to submit proof of adequate coverage to us at the May orientation (or before).

Medicine

All prescription medications should be in clearly-labeled original containers, and it doesn't hurt to take a copy of the prescription with the generic name of the drug. I would recommend taking at least a 45-day supply with you. Familiar US over-the-counter products such as aspirin, antihistamines, stomach remedies, etc. are widely available in Hong Kong, but will not be readily available (probably not available at all) in China. My advice is to try to anticipate all possibilities and take the appropriate remedies with you.

From National Geographic Traveler China

"Carry a record of any medical condition you may have and the proper names (not just the trade names) of any prescribed medication you may be taking."

Water

The following may be the most important advice for you to remain healthy in China!

Do not drink tap water in China. Chinese people don't drink the water without first boiling it. Bottled water is readily available, and your hotel room will have a hot pot for boiling water. Local bottled water brands are cheap, while foreign brands (Evian, etc.) are more expensive. You can buy a large bottle of local water and use it to refill a smaller bottle which you carry with you during the day.

If you buy bottled water on the street, check to see if the seal is intact. It's not uncommon for people to collect discarded plastic water bottles, fill them with tap water, and sell them to unsuspecting thirsty people on the street.

Do not rinse your contact lenses in tap water. People have been known to get severe eye infections by doing this. Rinse them with boiled or bottled water.

Do not rinse your toothbrush with tap water. Chinese hotels provide new toothbrushes for their guests. My strategy is to use the tooth brush provided by the hotel and throw it away when I leave. Yes, it's wasteful, but I don't get sick.

Be careful not to swallow any water while taking a shower.

Food

Be cautious with street vendors selling soft-serve ice cream. Water is used in the mixture for soft-serve ice cream, and it may not be purified water.

Salads and fruits prepared by the hotel or good restaurants should be safe to eat, but be cautious about eating these items on the street. Fruits which you peel yourself are safe.

We'll deal with the specifics of regional cuisines and specialties you shouldn't miss in another Topic of the Week. In general, Chinese food is made with fresh ingredients and is prepared in a very healthful manner. Most Americans are very familiar with Chinese food, but what we get in the US is often altered to suit American tastes. Don't be afraid to try things that are unfamiliar to you, and remember that "bad" food and "unfamiliar" food are two different things!

From National Geographic Traveler China

"Thoroughly wash fruit and vegetables bought at markets (human manure is used plentifully in agriculture). Avoid eating shellfish and seafood unless you are by the sea; especially avoid it in landlocked provinces. Very spicy food is safer than mild foods. Eat more vegetables than meat dishes if possible. Chew your rice softly-occasional stones can lead to costly dental repairs."

Restroom Facilities

From Culture Smart! China

"A Chinese lavatory consists of a porcelain trough set in the floor, over which one has to squat, feet on either side, facing the end where there is a kind of hood. There is usually no lavatory paper (remember to take some with you), and even if there is, the Chinese usually require you to throw it into a special bag after use rather than to flush it down the pan. (This seems to be partly because of the limitations of the sewage system but also because the Chinese use what is euphemistically referred to as "night-soil" as fertilizer, and they do not want strands of paper spread all over their fields with it.) As a result, public toilets in China have a very distinctive and unpleasant smell and are not places in which to linger. It is often not possible to wash one's hands afterward either, so carry a packet of moistened tissues or keep a small bottle of water in your pack."

Bring your own pocket tissues or tear off some toilet paper from the hotel and bring it along each day. Paper towels may not be available for drying your hands, so bring a handkerchief. And sometimes there might not even be any water, so moisturized wipes or hand sanitizer might not be a bad idea.

Toilets with star ratings ("5-star toilet") are increasingly available, especially in tourist areas, as China prepares for the 2008 Olympics. Our tour guides will alert us to their availability. Please don't complain to the tour guides about the poor quality of Chinese toilets. They're just as aware as you are of the condition of their facilities and aren't proud of them. There's no need to rub it in.

Environmental Health

From National Geographic Traveler China

"Air pollution is a serious problem in China , largely because of increasing industrial and vehicle emissions in the rapidly expanding economy. Large cities such as Beijing, Lanzhou, and Jilin suffer from dangerous levels, especially in winter (on bad days equivalent to smoking two packets of cigarettes a day). Those with respiratory problems such as asthma should speak to their doctors before traveling and make sure they take sufficient medication with them."

Lining up

From National Geographic Traveler China

"The Chinese are slowly learning the patient art of standing in line, but be prepared to see a jostling mass with no beginning or end, all elbows and bellowing voices. Polite attempts at lining up are usually trampled." (Anne's note: Recently in Shanghai the station officials have been trying-with some success-to get people to line up for subway trains. The rest of the country? Bring your elbows!)

Beggars

From National Geographic Traveler China

"Chinese economic reforms have removed many safety nets for society's more impoverished. Rural hopefuls travel to the large cities in search of work; some end up penniless and hungry. Foreigners are natural targets for beggars. They will gravitate toward you if you give money to other vagrants, and they collect outside temples."

It may seem rude, but the best thing to do is to ignore the beggars or say "Bu yao" (Basically "no thanks") very firmly over and over. Kids are often used to try to "soften you up." Also beware that if you do buy something from one person, you will be mercilessly hounded by all of his/her friends.

Counterfeit and pirated products

If that $10 North Face jacket seems to be too good to be true, it is! If you can't believe that you found that movie that was just released in the theaters in the U.S. already on DVD in China, it's a pirated copy. In 2004, the movie Farenheit 911 was available on DVD in night markets for 99 cents at the same time that it was being shown in U.S. theaters! These products, from clothing to software, are widely available in China. If you try to bring counterfeit or pirated goods into the United States, you won't be the most popular person at Customs and you may prolong your re-entry into the country. See the Customs and Border Protection website for more information.

Eyeglasses

Eyeglasses are cheap in China and Hong Kong . If your prescription can be made in 24 hours in the U.S., you can get a new pair of glasses in Hong Kong (and perhaps China ) in 24 hours as well. Even if your prescription is too difficult to have made in 24 hours, you can still buy designer frames at a fraction of the U.S. price, bring them home, and have lenses made here. Bring a current prescription with you if you're interested.

EASC Study Tour 2006 Topic of the Week

EASC Study Tour 2006
Topic of the Week