Greetings everyone! This is my first article for Steemit, but I thought it would be a worthwhile one to write! I currently work for a Chinese company, and was flown out from San Francisco, California to Shenzhen, China to meet my team and learn a bit about Chinese culture. While there are plenty of websites and resources that can give you some basic information, I wanted to share some hard-learned lessons that I've come across in my time here. If you find this article helpful, interesting, or have any questions, please comment, donate, or ask and I'll try to provide insight, or if necessary, a follow-up piece.

1) Follow instructions, and pay attention to the details (security checkpoints)

As soon as you arrive in China, you'll experience a few things you're probably not used to. The first one being a fingerprint scanner. You'll need to register at one of the kiosks, and it is pretty simple, but mandatory, for visitors. You'll have to place each finger on these biometric scanners, ensure that your prints and clearly and completely visible, and then receive a receipt of successful completion. China is introducing numerous biometric-backed registration services to build and establish a social profile for visitors. This was described to me, primarily, as a way to ensure that you are not engaging in unscrupulous behaviors (debtors are highly frowned upon). You'll also notice a very large number of security cameras located everywhere; these cameras use facial recognition technologies to track movements on non-asian minorities. This is primarily to ensure that you stay within designated "safe zones" and are actually excellent deterrents against petty theft and crime. It is also important to make sure your paperwork is filled out completely, correctly, clearly, and stamped; the country is very particular about your credentials being in order, especially when entering.

2) Download WeChat/use digital cash

While I was unsure of how to proceed when I first arrived, you quickly realize cash is not the optimal (though it is still accepted) way to pay in China. Many restaurants, stores, and businesses have a scanable QR code at your table/when you walk in. By having a WeChat balance, you are able to buy your meals, goods, and services without even having to speak Chinese. This can be especially helpful, if you are like me and do not speak Chinese very well, for easing the communication barriers that are present. Most menus as dining establishments require virtually no interpersonal communication if you have WeChat cash, and it also allows for easier tracking of your purchase history. This is especially important if you are here for business, as many establishments will not provide you a receipt, meaning you will not be able to track and verify your expenses for the purposes of reimbursement.

3) Make sure you purchase the necessary adapters before you arrive

While the standard power outlet works just fine for things like a phone charger or a low-power laptop, if you have any power-intensive devices that use the 3-prong plug, you won't be able to plug them in or charge them. In my case, I had a high-powered laptop that essentially served as a doorstop for the entirety of my trip. I was still able to use my phone and Lenovo without any difficulty, so if you're traveling with less power-demanding devices, you should be fine.

4) Get a VPN app for your mobile devices

You won't be able to access many popular sites in China. It has the nickname of "The Great Firewall", and it is an apt description. Sites like Google, Gmail, Facebook, Twitter, Youtube, and many others won't work. There are semi-tangible workarounds; it was the first any only time I ever used Yahoo.com and Bing.com to search for news articles. However, a far simpler solution is to find a solid VPN app that works and is supported in China.

BUYER BEWARE The Chinese government is very adept at discovering and shutting down VPN services. There is a great chance that your app may be discontinued within a week. Additionally, there are an exceptionally large number of bogus VPN apps that exist solely to access your phone and data, and can be used for malicious activities. Make sure you find reputable ones; many of the advertised ones are bogus, and could lead to your identity being compromised.

5) The taxi services

One thing you should understand as well is that the language barrier in China is significantly more dire than in other countries. Taxi drivers, who will likely serve as your primary method of transportation between places, speak little-to-no English (much more likely to trend on the "zero" side of things). Things that you may consider "simple enough" are probably not. For example, I stayed at a hotel known as the Kempinski; it was the only building with that name in the area. When I entered the cab, I simply said "Kempinski Hotel", and the cab driver looked at me with a blank stare. Make sure you write down the address, or take a picture on your phone, or where you are going, and also where you need to return to. This will make everyone's life much easier, and trust me, you don't want to strand yourself because you can't communicate with anyone else. Unlike visiting a touristy city, such as Cancun, or Hong Kong, English is not really supported in hardly any capacity.

6) The food

One thing you might be worried about here is the food, and food preparation. You'll be pleased to know that food is generally covering a wide variety of options. If you're not feeling adventurous or curious, and want to play it safe, there are plenty of pastry shops, bakeries, and fast food chains you will recognize. McDonald's, KFC, Burger King, and Pizza Hut exist as well, if you need some American comfort food! These places also all deliver, provided you are able to order your food with basic Chinese assistance.

However, fear not, if you're here to try it all (like I was), there are boundless options to try nearly every style of Asian cuisine imaginable. Whether it is HotPot, Skewers, Dumplings, Dim Sum, Pho, Ramen, or any other variety, it will be supported. If you have a weak stomach, it might be wise to consider bringing some antacids or Peptol Bismol with you. Many foods are saturated heavily in Chili and Soy oils, which can be disruptive to those with weaker stomachs. Be warned that there is a different between mildly spicy food, and Chinese Spicy; if you aren't extremely ambitious, you should avoid the latter. A large part of enjoying these domestic meals involves learning how to make a good combination of sauces, so don't be afraid to try mixing and matching them! I personally found that combining sesame paste, garlic, chili soy oil, and onions was a pleasant combination for dipping food in, but experiment and let me know if you have any must-try combinations!

Conclusion

That's all I wanted to write for this draft! I hope this is helpful, despite being a niche article. Do you have any questions, comments, or other things you'd like to know about? If so, comment and let me know, and I'll try to touch up this article a bit. If you'd like me to go into more detail, provide pictures, or anything else, feel free to leave a suggestion, and of course, donations are welcome.

I hope this was helpful! All feedback is certainly welcome. Thanks for stopping by!