Clothing

There is a little opportunity or need to dress up. Exercise clothes, sweat shirts, slacks and work clothes are adequate.; although, it should be noted that Chinese students and professors normally dress-up (white shirts/ties and even “heels”) for classes! Synthetic clothing is recommended because it dries more quickly.  Long thermal-underwear (available locally and inexpensive!) is often needed, as some classrooms lack adequate heat. An all-purpose jacket is more useful than a coat. You will also need good walking shoes and sneakers. If you need size 9 (women)-size 10 (men), or larger; respectively, you should purchase these at home.  It is dificult to find these in China.  It is also difficult to find “large size” clothing.  Chinese sizes are approximately 1/2 size different than western clothing.  If you wear XL in North America, you will wear XXL in China.  It is very difficult to find things larger than XL in most stores.  Walmart in Taiyuan carries some larger clothes.  It is also possible for clothes to be tailored.  Thick cotton 'sports' socks must be purchased in large cities (Beijing, Shanghai).
 

Hygienic Products

• Medication as required (most OTC products are available).  There is something called "Black & White" which is the equivalent of Sudafed/Actafed.  There is a less effective version of something like Halls called "Golden."  Bring a bag of Halls if you think you might need it.

• Name brand female hygienic products are widely available.

• If you have a favorite brand of toothpaste that is not Colgate, you will want to bring a couple of tubes.  You probably won't find you brand here.

• They sell electric razors here, but they are rather expensive as a percentage of your salary.  If you have one you might want to bring it (be sure it runs on 220 volts).  Disposable blade razors are available (Mach3), but relatively expensive.  Gillette Vector is a reliable, inexpensive brand that can be purchased most places.

• Athletes foot medicine and related products cannot be purchased in China.

• Ibuprofen cannot be purchased in China.

• Tums chewable ant-acid cannot be purchased in China.

• Halls cough drops cannot be purchased in Linfen.

• There are only one or two brands of 'antiperspirant' available and they are hard to find.

• Eclectic toothbrushes (and refills for OralB electric brushes) can be purchased in big cities (at Carefours or Walmarts).  If you bring your OralB electric brush be aware that the voltage might not take 220.  Large cities will sell OralB brushes that take the proper voltage.

Food and Kitchen Articles

• Yeast, but not baking soda, is readily available

• Favorite spices (oregano, and basil, and some other herbs are nearly impossible to find in China); but whole nutmeg, and many others, are abundant, and inexpensive!

• Powered-milk (local dried milk has a higher sugar and fat content)

• Wide variety of vegetables, eggs, tofu, bakery items are readily available. Vegetables in Linfen are quite inexpensive. 

• Pork, mutton and chicken are readily available.  Beef if available in a couple of stores, but getting a certain cut of mean is a 'challenge.'   Asking for ground beef is easily accomplished ( by pointing at the grinder and gesturing with beef in hand, if you don't know how to ask)

• While coffee makers are becoming more available, ground (or not ground) coffee is not yet (except in large cities at Carefours, Walmarts or Starbucks).  It might be wise to find a friend back home willing to send the occasional care package with a bag of coffee)

The Bus or Cab

The # Ten city bus comes to Campus. It goes east from here until the dead end, then north to the City Square, then on northwest up to Lin Fen’s Train Station; turns around and comes back to Campus. Catch it just outside the East Gate at the Hospital. The municipal transit system is very good: new coaches, not crowded, clean, heated in winter, relatively fast and inexpensive!  A cab costs three times as much. There are no “transfers” but the routes are vast and one ticket covers the entire round-trip.

Miscellaneous

• Novels, magazines, & books add weight to your baggage but give you something to read

• 'Special' batteries for a camera might be purchased before coming (most are available; e.g., watch batteries are just pennies each!!)

• Voltage is 220 so you may need an adaptor.  Most newer computer laptops and PCs today take 110-240, but check yours if you intend to bring it.  The plug outlets are a combination of the typical two prong plug and an exotic three prong slanted plug.  Adapters are available here relatively cheaply.   

• Sometimes it is much, much cheaper to mail boxes/packages to China than to pay the airlines fee for extra weight.

The MAIN street names [see International Office for maps of Lin Fen (literally, “Bank of the Fen” river) for pinyin names, as well as City Bus routes/numbers].  There is also a map on the website.

Grocery Stores: One of the two largest (Milky Way) is located on, or close, to the north-south “Bei Cai Sheng Road” just out the south gate.  The other chain (Wongef with three locations) can be reached easily by taxi (or a bit of a walk).

When in Beijing, or while visiting other large cities, you may want to purchase ground coffee, not normally available in Linfen; but instant coffee, coffee mate, milk, oleo, and yogurt, a type of sliced cheese and Canola are.

Our apartments have a microwave or toaster oven (your preference), self-contained hot-water heaters, washing machines, refrigerator-freezers, computers, purified water  machines, private phones, cable television, etc.