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Introduction
Welcome to the Syracuse University Center in Beijing! Your personal, academic, and cross-cultural journey started the moment you decided to study abroad in Beijing and will continue long after you’ve returned home. By the end of the program, you will have discovered new places, new friends, and a new way of life. These discoveries will remain in your memory, and through your new friendships and cross-cultural experiences, you will always carry a part of China with you.
Beijing
Beijing is the capital of the People's Republic of China (PRC), and has a population of 13.8 million people. The city's vastness is hard to imagine- with a total area of 16.800 sq km, Beijing is roughly the size of Belgium! The city is both the cosmetic showcase and government center of the PRC. For the past twenty years, Beijing has undergone relentless modernization. It is now gearing up for the mother of all facelifts in preparation for the 2008 Olympics. But look beyond the wide boulevards, glittering hotels and high-rises and you'll find many historical and cultural treasures that reveal the story of China.
Though it may not appear so at first, Beijing is a city of very orderly design. Think of the city as one giant grid, with the Forbidden City at its centre. A major boulevard can change names six or even seven times along its length. Streets and avenues can also be split along compass points: Dong Dajie (East A CIVIC). Xi Dajie (West Avenue ), Bei Dajie ( North Avenue ) and Nan Dajie ( South Avenue ). All these streets head off from an intersection, usually where a gate once stood.
Climate
Weather conditions in Beijing fluctuate quite a bit. Be prepared for all temperatures. See high and low temperatures below and pack accordingly.
| Month | Daily Minimum Mean Temp. (°F) | Daily Maximum Mean Temp. (°F) | Mean Total Precip. (mm) | Mean Number of Precip. Days |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 15.1 | 34.9 | 3 | 2 |
| Feb | 19.6 | 34.9 | 6 | 3 |
| Mar | 30.9 | 52.3 | 9 | 4 |
| Apr | 45.0 | 67.8 | 26 | 5 |
| May | 55.8 | 79.5 | 29 | 6 |
| Jun | 64.8 | 86.5 | 71 | 9 |
| Jul | 70.9 | 87.4 | 176 | 14 |
| Aug | 68.7 | 85.1 | 182 | 12 |
| Sep | 57.6 | 78.4 | 49 | 7 |
| Oct | 45.1 | 66.2 | 19 | 5 |
| Nov | 31.3 | 50.2 | 6 | 3 |
| Dec | 19.6 | 37.9 | 2 | 2 |
What to Bring
The word is light-pack as lightly as you can, and bring clothing that can be layered. Beijing program students going in spring (January - June) will experience the full range of temperatures: bitter cold in January and February, mild in March and April, and hot by May and June. Fall students (Aug-Dec) should prepare for heat upon arrival and then more moderate temperatures. Because your Tsinghua dormitory rooms are small and without storage space, consider bringing a suitcase that can be broken down/folded up, or used as another drawer under your bed. There is no extra space in your room!
Clothing
For the winter months (and especially for the pre-spring semester seminar when much of the program is outdoors) you will need:
- Winter coat
- Thermal socks
- Waterproof, insulated winter boots comfortable for hiking
- Gloves and glove liners for extra warmth
- Warm hat that covers ears and scarf to protect face from wind
- Long underwear (check LL Bean or Winter Silks catalogs)
Luggage
The word is light-pack as lightly as you can. Remember, on the traveling seminar, you will be responsible for carrying your own luggage, so more is less. Call your airline to double check weight and size restrictions because you will surely shop in China, so you’ll want room to bring things back.
Passport and Visas
Don’t forget to bring photocopies of your passport and student visa with the originals.
Appliances
Beijing is a 220 Volt area, so appliances you bring from the U.S. will require a converter/adapter. You will need adapters with three-rectangular pins, British and US RJ-ll are the norm. These can be purchased at Radio Shack, or other electronics stores. You will be able to buy inexpensive electronics, including hair dryers, once you settle into the residence hall.
Toiletries
Toiletries are readily available, including shampoo, soap, pain reliever. However, you should bring any prescription medications with you (see below).
First Aid Kit
Also bring along a small first aid kit with pain-killer, diarrhea medication (Pepto-Bismol/ Kaopectate), etc., band-aids, antiseptic cream, sunscreen, and insect repellent (best kind is with DEET, for maximum mosquito-repelling).
Living in Beijing
Arrival and Orientation
Upon arrival in Beijing, our US Beijing Director will meet you at the airport. You and the other program participants will spend several days in orientation activities at Tsinghua University in order to rest, recover from jet lag, and receive valuable information about your semester ahead. At this time you’ll leave behind your large luggage and prepare your bag for the field studies seminar, China-Past, Present, and Future. When you return to Tsinghua, you will have one more presemester language and culture course that will prepare you for day-to-day interaction in Chinese when the Tsinghua semester begins. We recommend that students at the intermediate language level audit for review.
Residence/Dormitory Zijing Apartments
SU program students live in single rooms in Tsinghua dormitories, with other international students. Rooms are small and Spartan, but each room does have its own bathroom, sink, and shower. Sheets and towels are cleaned once a week, and rooms are cleaned every two days. Trash is collected daily.
Tsinghua U's campus has many inexpensive student dining halls, and you will need to budget for meals. The average cost of a dining hall meal is around 20-30 RMB (USD $3-4.00)
Like your Chinese counterparts, you will pay an access (per use) fee when you use Tsinghua facilities, including the health center, computer clusters, and recreational/gym facilities.
Studying in Beijing
Tsinghua U. Library Resources
You will have access to Tsinghua's library, an enormous structure that provides more than 2,500 seats for patrons. The library’s collection of books and journals amounting to 3,923,000 volumes. The library has a comprehensive operating system with a variety of sources: students may find information through the online database and the network resources.
The CD ROM network also provides students and faculty with the literature and information searching services via the campus network. In recent years, an increasing number of electronic resources and virtual resources have been made available in the Library or online. These form an information system that is open, multi-level, efficient and service-oriented. For more information and searches go to: http://www.tsinghua.edu.cn/eng/resources
Jesuit U. English Library
Most of Tsinghua’s library materials are in Chinese. However, you will have access to the Jesuit Universities Library, which has the largest English language university collection in the city. It is a 20-minute bus or taxi ride from the Tsinghua campus.
Syracuse U. Library Resources
All SU program students also have remote access to Syracuse University's home campus library system, including extensive online subject databases and e-journals. This e-access requires that you use your SUID number. Follow instructions for remote access at: Click here to complete a tutorial on how to use online databases for research. You might also want to check out the SU Library Asia Studies website for a collection of useful links related to China: http://libwww.syr.edu/research/internet/asian_studies/index.html
Beijing Public Libraries
The massive Beijing Library (Tel: 6841 5566. http://www.nlc.gov.cn ), at 39 Baishiqiao Lu. Haidian District, west of the Beijing Zoo. has foreign periodicals and foreign books reading rooms. Although foreigners aren't allowed to check books out you can buy a day pass for Y1 on the 3rd floor.You can also access the Internet here. The library is open 9am to 5pm daily.
Various embassies also have small specialty libraries you can visit. The American Center for Educational Exchange (Tel: 6597 3242), at Room 2801. Jingguang Centre, Hujialou, in the Chaoyang district, has a useful library. The British Council (Cultural and Education Section of the British Embassy; Tel: 6590 6903) on the 4th floor of the Landmark Bldg Tower 1, 8 Donosanhuan Beilu, next to the Great Wall Sheraton) also has a useful information center.
Health, Safety, and Wellness
Please let us know if you have a special academic concern (such as a learning disability), or a medical or psychological concern (such as depression, anxiety or an eating disorder). We cannot provide appropriate support and assistance unless we are informed in advance of the start of the program.
Medical Care
Syracuse University is an institutional member of International SOS, a service that provides students with information about, and access to, a full range of medical and emergency services including travel, health and safety advisories, referrals, care assessment, and translation services in case of hospitalization. There is an ISOS-operated clinic in Beijing that is the best Western-style facility in the city. After acceptance you will receive an ISOS membership number and card, and at that point you can browse their website http://www.internationalsos.com for complete information about services. NOTE: Informational services are free, but if you use the clinic, you (and your insurance plan) must pay for rendered services. Like the ISOS clinic, the American-run Beijing United Family Hospital also has English-speaking doctors and a western pharmacy. It also has 24-hour emergency service. In both cases, you would be expected to pay for treatment on the spot, collect receipts, and submit the claims to your insurance for reimbursement. Our Beijing director can arrange to give you an emergency medical loan if you do not have a credit card to cover the immediate costs.
For non-emergency and minor medical needs, you will have access to Tsinghua's health clinic. There is a minimal per-use charge for this service.
Pharmacy
Pharmacies, found in all towns, can help with minor injuries or ailments. Larger ones sometimes have a separate counter offering diagnosis and advice, though it's unlikely that staff will speak anything but Chinese, so take along a phrasebook or a Chinese speaker. The selection of reliable Asian and Western products available is improving (though always check expiry dates on brand-name products), and it's also possible to treat yourself for minor complaints with herbal medicines. The staff will usually be able to help if you describe your symptoms If you're interested in being treated according to traditional Chinese medicine - of most use for minor and chronic complaints - many hospitals and medical colleges have attached traditional institutes, while some hotels have their own massage or acupuncture services.
Medication
Bring enough prescription medication to last for the duration of your program abroad. All prescription medication should be kept in the original containers and packed into your carry-on, not your checked luggage. You should have your physician’s prescription with you and available should you need to show it at customs. All prescriptions should include a generic equivalent and your recommended dosages, just in case you need to replicate the prescription overseas.
Eyewear
If you wear glasses, bring your prescription in case you need to buy new lenses. These and replacement frames cost significantly less in China than in the West.
Jet Lag
You should be aware of the very real fatigue of jet lag in crossing a number of time zones on a long, trans-Pacific flight. Pace yourself as you get ready to travel-don't start out exhausted. Drink plenty of fluids in flight and sleep if you can.
Communicable Diseases
Both residents and public health authorities are keenly aware that communicable diseases, if not dealt with aggressively, can spread rapidly in a densely populated environment. The resident director will have sanitizing wipes on the traveling seminar, and a supply of surgical masks which are worn in public when there is a risk or outbreak of communicable diseases. For additional information and health issue recommendations for East Asia, consult the U.S. Centers for Disease Control (http://www.cdc.gov/travel/index.htm).
Avian Flu
Recently, there has been worldwide concern about a possible outbreak of Avian Influenza. Some medical authorities advise getting a regular flu shot before traveling, which may have some immunization value. Please contact your physician for advice. So far, the reported incidents have been confined to poultry farms, with one or two reported cases in humans associated with such farms. To date there has been no linkage between eating chicken and contracting the flu. Syracuse University continues to monitor the situation and the ISIS website also provides regular updates about occurrences worldwide.
Personal Safety
Beijing is like any other large city; exercise caution and common sense when out and about. To protect yourself from pickpockets, be alert in crowded areas, especially while on public transportation, and do not carry large amounts of cash with you. Backpacks or purses slung over your shoulder may be vulnerable. You should keep a close eye on your friends, drinks, and wallets or purses while out at night. If out very late, take taxis and travel in small group rather than alone.
Transportation
Local Travel
For travel around the University, most students use bicycles, which can be rented at Tsinghua. For travel around the city, you will likely rely on buses and the subway as taxis are relatively expensive.
Travel in China
Though crowded, trains are the best way to get around in reasonable speed and comfort. The network covers every province except Tibet, but engineers are working on that last mountainous bastion. There is an estimated 52,000km of railway lines in China, most of which was built after 1949.
In China you choose from available hard seat, hard sleeper, soft seat and soft sleeper options. Hard seat tickets bought on the same day will usually be unreserved. If there are no seats, you'll either have to stand or find a place for your bum among the peanut shells, cigarette butts and spittle. Hard seats are OK for a day trip, but beyond that the enjoyment of your journey will be dependent on your comfort threshold.
Train Reservations & Tickets
Buying hard seat tickets at short notice is usually no hassle, but you will not always be successful in getting a reserved seat. Buying hard sleeper tickets in train stations can be very trying. Large stations like Beijing Train Station have special ticket offices for foreigners where procuring tickets is straightforward. Otherwise it can be a fraught experience should you decide to queue up and get your ticket at the station. Plan ahead and buy your ticket two or three days in advance, especially if you are heading to popular destinations. Some stations are surprisingly well run, and now have computers that spit out tickets quickly. Others are much less efficient.
Banking & Money
We recommend you bring some traveler's checks with you (as a safety net), as well as a major credit card and/or ATM card networked to an international financial network. Check with your bank or card issuer for details of use in East Asia. International credit cards, such as Mastercard and VISA, are widely accepted.
We suggest that you bring along a VISA card since it is the most widely accepted credit card in East Asia. Contact your bank and credit card company to determine international fees and regulations.
Remember that cashing traveler's checks, like making withdrawals with a credit card, incurs a fee. However, U.S. traveler's checks are the safest "back up" currency. Keep them for travel and as emergency funds in case you lose your ATM or credit card. Keep a list of both your credit card numbers and your travelers' check numbers in a safe place in your luggage.
Keeping in Touch
Phone and Mail
Information on purchasing a cell phone and/or pre-paid phone card will be distributed during on-site orientation. Program correspondence related to your academic program will be mailed weekly between SU Beijing and the SU Abroad office in Syracuse. You will also be able to fax academic advisers from the SU Beijing office.
Have friends and family send mail to you at:
Zijing Apartment, (Bldg # and Room #)
Tsinghua University, Haidian District
Beijing, P.R. China 100084
Email & Internet Access
If possible, bring a laptop with you to Tsinghua, for use in your dormitory room, where you will have unlimited internet access.
If you don't have a laptop, you can use the computer clusters at Tsinghua, again on a pay-as-you-use basis. While it is not expensive, you may need to wait for an available computer. Fortunately, Beijing is well served with internet cafes dispersed across the city. Internet cafes closest to Tsinghua will be identified during orientation.
In Conclusion
Adjusting to a new culture affects every aspect of your life. Take full advantage of living in Beijing. You’re not in China as a tourist-you’re a student, living and studying here for a semester, and dealing with the culture at a more-than-superficial level. The essential key to adjustment is getting involved, learning the language, and forming friendships with Chinese students. Don’t be satisfied with just going to class and hanging out with other American or international students. You have made the significant decision to study in China and Beijing has much to offer. Be adventurous and open, and engage in the activities around you. You’ll find that if you make the first move, the Chinese are friendly and interested in helping you learn their language and culture.
Again, congratulations on your decision to go beyond the conventional and to embrace the unknown. Your time abroad will be unforgettable in so many ways. Enjoy every moment- it is all part of being a true traveler.
