Chengdu, Sichuan - any experiences?

Dear all,

this is my first posting and I'd like to shortly introduce myself.

I am a male business student from Germany but my parents emigrated 25 years ago from Eritrea/Ethiopia and I have just received a confirmation letter from my university for a one-year exchange programm with Chengdu University.

I will start there in autumn and probably some of you have heard about Chengdu and could share some advice. Even though it has a population of more than 10 million people I am not sure if one can call the city really 'international'. Do you know how Sichuan is like in terms of black people/foreigners in general? It's different then Shanghai/Hongkong/coastal area, isn't it?

I am not to worried though as I have lots of good friends from asia here (especially Laos/Phillippines) but I guess that doesn't count there...

Thanks for your response!

Welcome to the forum
I know very little about Sichuan (except that they have very spicy and tasty food) but I've got a friend there and from what he tells me,there are very few foreigners,esp blacks there so prepare to be almost the only black in your university.
Good luck in your studies

Chengdu has a very limited number of foreigners but the number has been growing in recent years, but still very very far behind east cost cities. You will find yourself in a very typical Chinese city, it is the second largest city of the province (behind Chongqing), the food is nice and you will probably like it unless you are looking for western type of life, since western bars/pubs/restaurants number is rather limited. Not speaking chinese would maybe be a problem because english ability would be very limited among the local population. And as the number of foreigners is relatively small, you can expect more looks and pointed fingers as you move around. If you are a traveler then you can take advantage of this opportunity to travel to the nearby ("") Yunnan province.

I have had a few friends from Sichuan, the impression they left me is that they are very straightforward and genuine, willing to know about you and to help if needed, and by being your friend they don't have a hidden interest in mind (english practice, enhanced status for having a foreign friend etc.). I definitely prefer them to Shanghai people whose appreciation of foreigners is a linear function of your purchasing power or the whiteness of your skin (again this is a general impression, as I also have met some great people in Shanghai who do not belong to that stereotype).

And yes realities from other Asian countries Laos or Philipines are much different from China. But the experience is definitely worth it and I wish you good luck. And let us know if by any chance you visit Shanghai during your stay in China.

Hey welcome to China.

I used to live in Chongqing which is close to Chegdu and i traveled there three times mainly when i needed a break from Chongqing for comparatively better climate and foreign food. If you like spicy food you will love chegdu (the Sichuan paper takes time to get used to) but also you have a choice of foreign food (they have Indian, Mexican, sushi, and the famous 'grammas kitchen' which you will learn to appreciate through time), the night life is good too. In terms of being 'international’, it was much more international than the place(chongqing) i used to be but yeah of course it wouldn't be compared to Shanghai and Hong Kong...but the good thing about it is you will have a true China experience(i know i wouldn't have experianced half of what i had in Chongqing if i were in Shanghai).Sichuan Uni there to be very international, of course i suppose you'll see few black faces generally in China...oh and if you love riding a bike,Chengdu is the place as it is very flat....I do love Chengdu and i hope you'll have a great time.

BTW i'm from Ethiopia as well..

I definitely prefer them to Shanghai people whose..........
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Good observation, Shanghai people are well know in China for their looking down on everyone who has less money then them. Some of my friends even dare not to disclose that they are from Shanghai because people from other places do not really like people from Shanghai as their companion. About Sichuan people they are generally very hot temper but have a very generours mind (that hes been the case for several thousand years), especially Sichuan girls. Those girls are famous for their beauty and their temper, no Chinese man dare to annoy those girls as they will beat you up without a second thought. From time to time we heard news about pick pocket thieves being beaten up by those young beautiful girls.

In that case i shall make a plan to go to Sichuan,...I luv spicy food and um crazy about beautiful hot tempered women... How much is train ride from Shanghai??

Mrs Khabzela um on my way...!!

From time to time we heard news about pick pocket thieves being beaten up by those young beautiful girls.

lol That's the funniest thing! I should get m'self a bodyguard!

lol That's the funniest thing! 
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When Chinese man heard about that kind of news, there was no surprise, the response was just "those  spicy Sichuan girls !" 

khabzela....  you are warned 

Thank to everybody for the comments so far, very interesting and funny indeed.

I am aware it will be more a 'china' experience than in Shanghai i.e. but that's what I'll go for. And when spicy, beautiful ladies are the thing to worry most of than the place can't be too bad I think ;-)

 

lol That's the funniest thing! 
=====================
When Chinese man heard about that kind of news, there was no surprise, the response was just "those  spicy Sichuan girls !" 

khabzela....  you are warned 

Hahahoohooo Khabzela will have to say goodbye to his nasty ways forever...or else!

BTW, check out this competition http://www.chinaradionet.net/pandaonline/

So it's official now, I'll be in Chengdu this fall! Any recommendations for a good book to learn mandarin? Thanks!

Sichuan(chengdu) is nice. The people there are know for good and bad omen.lol!!. But the enjoyable part of it is they've got sweet gals and sweet foods.

Sichuan(chengdu) is nice. The people there are know for good and bad omen.lol!!. But the enjoyable part of it is they've got sweet gals and sweet foods.

Sweet gals, I agree.  Sweet food? U didn't mean literally, did u? I believe most of Chinese people cannot tolerate the authentic sichuan food because it's too spicy!

Sweet gals, I agree.  Sweet food? U didn't mean literally, did u? I believe most of Chinese people cannot tolerate the authentic sichuan food because it's too spicy!
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Haha..Too spicy means too sweet,too delicious, too.........

Nnn..uu..sty.waoooo!!!! men,men men... ,can leave with them cant leave without em...