Hasan's stay in China, brief as it may be, has been full of exciting experiences so far. Going to China is a decision he doesn't regret making. Here he talks about how he came to be in China in the first place, his thoughts on speaking the local language, and other aspects of his life as a transient expat in China.	Hasan Kazem

-Where were you born?

I was born in Regensburg, Germany. We moved to Amsterdam, The Netherland 2 years later and I've lived there all my life.

-In which country and city are you living now?

Taicang, China

-Are you living alone or with your family?

Alone

-How long have you been living in China?

Since 3 weeks, I'm staying here until January.

-What is your age?

24

-When did you come up with the idea of living in China?

Last year when we were a semester away from our internship that would leat us to our final thesis. 

A friend and I wanted something new, something refreshing, somewhere far away where we could learn about life.

-Was it hard to get a visa or a work permit?

Not at all, we had an invitation from the company we're working for.

-Was it difficult for you to get medical insurance before you went there or when you first arrived?

I'm keeping my Dutch medical insurance, since I'm staying here just until January.

-How do you make your living in China? Do you have any type of income generated?

The company I'm working for pays everything. I only have to pay for food, traveling and other personal things.

-Do you speak the local language and do you think it's important to speak the local language?

It's hard to communicate, since not many people here speak English and I don't speak Chinese. It would be a lot easier if I spoke Chinese, because sometimes you need to know something, but you don't know how to explain. For example, I'm a Muslim and I want to know when the Ramadan period starts, but the local Muslims don't know what Ramadan means and I don't know the Chinese word for it.

-Do you miss home and family sometimes?

I do miss my family, but everything here is new and I'm having a great time, so I don't really realize it. When I'm in bed at night, I do think about my family. I stored all pictures on my phone, so I can look at the people I miss whenever I want.

-Do you have other plans for the future?

I'm looking for a niche to take a jump into the Dutch / European market, but I haven't met the right person. If I start up something, I might come back once in a while to meet with business partners.

-What about housing, have you bought, or are you renting a home? How much do you pay for it?

I live in a house with 4 bedrooms, a kitchen and a living room. My work pays for it and I have no idea how much they pay for it.

-What is the cost of living in China?

Well, a dinner costs you 10 euros a day easily. Lunch about 5, but then again I never cook!

-What do you think about the Chinese? 

Well, they're kind of used to Caucasians, but I have an Indian look, so they stare at me all the time. I went to the barber the other day and this other boy was filming me, so they're not really used to it. 

In general, the people are warm and nice.

-What are the positive and negative aspects of living in China?

Positive: New experiences

Negative: Language barrier

 -Do you have any tips for our readers about living in China?

You won't regret it. I can write about it all I want, but you have to come here to experience it.

-Do you have any favorite Web sites or blogs about China?

http://hazankazem.com