Business Semester China

Beijing is a city of contrasts. Its ancient parts are simply breathtaking with some corners making you feel like you just travelled back through time. The modern parts on the other hand could be out of a science fiction movie about the not too distant future. Try and sample it all during your stay in the capital of the Middle Kingdom.

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Sights
Too many to count. You will find all the information you need on the Great Wall, Forbidden City, Lama Temple, Temple of Heaven etc. online. After you have visited all of those, we would suggest to head for the areas that are a little less explored, such as the Hutong neighborhoods where the old school Beijingers live. If you speak Chinese, strike up a conversation, if not, just imitate what they are doing. Some may be playing Chinese chess or Go, eating lamb kebabs or just drinking the cheap Yanjing beer by the case.

 

Weather in Beijing
There is a saying among Beijingers: Beijing has two seasons. This means that roughly from mid October till end of March, you run around with a scarf and gloves, while from April to mid October you ditch most of your clothes and go out in sweat shirts and T shirts. The violent swings in temperature are also why there are lots of people catching a cold during the transition months.

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Food
Chinese are obsessed with food and Beijingers are no different. All cuisines of China are represented in Beijing and it is up to you to sample them all. Be it rice noodles from Yunnan, sweet and sour pork from Guangdong or the famous Beijing Duck, you will become somewhat of a gourmet during your stay. The really great thing is that creative Western entrepreneurs have opened many restaurants especially in the embassy area close to Sanlitun where you can get genuine food from France, Japan, Korea, Germany, the USA etc. An American friend of mine once said that he can get better BBQ in Beijing than back home.

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Transport
Your choice of transport is the same as in any other metropolis: taxi (Didi is the Chinese Uber), bus, subway, bike or walking. Taxis and Didis are comparably expensive but still likely much cheaper than what you are used to from back home. Buses are dirt cheap and the subway is efficient (no traffic jams) but has gotten a bit pricey in the recent past. However, if you are a real Beijinger, you take pride in riding your bike everywhere. And it really is the only real way to get around Beijing.

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Fun and excitement
Nightlife in Beijing is quite crazy and you will figure out quickly where to go to party. As a university student, look out for club promoters (who may be your fellow students), who can put you on a guest list which gets you benefits from free admission to free drinks. The famous party areas in Beijing are Sanlitun (one of the first words most foreigners in Beijing learn) and the Wudaokou area for more student oriented entertainment, i.e. more affordable.

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Medical care
Beijing is the best city for medical care in all of China for those who can get it. As a foreigner you can get it as long as you buy travel insurance back home armed with which you can go to the international medical clinics. Usually, you will pay first (cash or credit card) and then get reimbursed by your insurance company. 

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Money

The Chinese currency is the Chinese Yuan aka Renminbi (CNY/RMB). Nowadays, cash is not as common anymore, because people tend to use online payment methods, such as WeChat Pay or Alipay.

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Still, get a credit card before you arrive for ATM withdrawals and understand what your daily and weekly limits are and adjust them, if necessary. Also bring some cash to tide you over during your first few days in country. You can exchange your money legally at most banks. Exchange services in touristy areas are usually scams, for example they will give you counterfeit CNY/RMB.

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SIM cards
You can get your SIM card at most big official outlets of the big Chinese telecom companies, i.e. China Mobile, China Telecom, China Unicom. You can usually find them in the big shopping areas such as Xidan. You have to bring your passport to get verified. The cost is usually less than 10 EUR per month (sometimes much less when they have promotions) for unlimited calls and mobile data. So, yeah, it's probably much cheaper than you are used to from back home.

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Travel in China
Despite being located in the north of China, you can easily hop on one of the futuristic high speed trains and make your way to Shanghai or Guangdong/Hong Kong in just a couple of hours. If you calculate the time it takes to get to the airport, check in, wait for boarding etc., taking a train may well be faster overall door to door. Plus, you can feel good doing something for the environment.

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If you want to go beyond China's borders, Seoul is about 1-2 hours away and Tokyo about 2-3 hours. Just make sure you have a visa with multiple entries.