I am so excited to share this interview with you all! Please enjoy getting to know my friend Chaniece and learning a little about her experience being “BLACK AND ABROAD.”
Let’s do a quick introduction:
1. What’s your name, where are you from, and how long have you been in China?
My name is Chaniece, I come from North Carolina and I have been in China for 5 non-conseuctive years.
2. Are you single, married, have any children?
I am currently dating, never been married and no children.
3. What brought you to Asia- more specifically China?
I came to China because I majored in Chinese in college. After studying abroad in Beijing my junior year of college, I decided I definitely wanted to come back after graduation.
4. How long have you been here?
I have been in Shanghai for about 4 years.
Now we have a little background information about you lets dig a little deeper!
Breaking and Crushing:
1. In your opinion – what do you think are some of the biggest stereotypes we (generally speaking – though I know you don’t speak for everyone) face as people of color living abroad – here in China?
I guess the biggest are us being loud and aggressive, strong, athletic, and cool,
2. What are some of the biggest challenges you have faced living here?
My biggest challenge when I first got here was language, even though I could speak it I wasn’t fluent as I am now and sometimes it could be frustrating if there was a miscommunication. Also, the dating scene is another big headache, but that’s another story.
3. How do you think we are crushing stereotypes- if we are at all?
Honestly, I don’t feel there is anything wrong with “fitting a stereotype”, we are all people at the end of the day. Will some of us be loud and aggressive? Of course. Will some of us be quiet and meek? Certainly. I think it’s more about us being seen as humans, there are different types of us and we all don’t fit into one mold. The more we interact with Chinese people, all of us, the more we will be seen as the three-dimensional people that we are.
4. Knowing what you know now- about life in China and being here as long as you have been here, would you still have moved here knowing what you know now?
I would have moved here sooner and done things differently! There is so much opportunity here and I wish I had properly recorded everything from the beginning! Though, there is still so much more to learn.
#LIC – Let’s talk a little about Life in China! There are definitely some positives about being here.
1. What are three things you like about living in China (if you can think of three).
Job opportunities. I wish I could say this one for all three because it’s huge. I like the food here and I like the community.
2. What do you do for fun with your free time?
I used to cycle a lot, now I spend a lot of time cooking, developing recipes, trying to plan events and sleeping. Haha.
3. Has it been hard for you to meet people and make friends here?
I think the first year I moved to Shanghai I had a hard time making friends, I was very limited to my working environment and I hadn’t mastered WeChat or WeChat groups. People who do that early on have it easy! Since WeChat I have had no problem at all making friends.
4. What do you do for work here in China?
I do social media at a blockchain and AI tech company..
Food- Food makes the world go round!
1. How has your food journey been here? Has it been a hard transition from home to here?
It’s been easy, and I have learned a new style of cuisine on the way. Though in some places there is just way too much oil, that is something I don’t think anyone can adjust to. I tend to make my favorite recipes at home and either add a small amount of oil or leave it out all together, but Chinese cuisine varies so much, especially from region to region so I find I am always discovering a new dish that I want to learn how to make.
2. Have you tried anything here that you love that you don’t have at home?
Maybe the Chinese pancakes on the street, I always crave those when I am back in the US.
3. Have you tried anything here that you absolutely hate and hope to never eat again?
Stinky tofu, but this is a hard one because people keep telling me it’s so good so I am always willing to try it and then I think it’s absolutely repulsive and never want to eat it again. I think it’s my addiction to fried tofu that makes me like it so much.
4. How is shopping for food here for you? Do you spend a lot buying food or eating out?
used to eat out all the time or at least do take out because take out is SO cheap, but it does add up. Recently I have been cooking all of my meals. Most of my money goes to food, but I’m not a big spender in the first place.
Access to travel – A lot of people move abroad because of the access to travel to other countries. Let’s talk about this!
1. China is huge!!! Have you been to any places in China? Are there any places in China you would like to visit?
I have been to Beijing, Urumqi, Guilin and Sanya and all the small cities around Shanghai like Ningbo, Hangzhou, Suzhou and Nanjing. I would like to visit Yunnan province! I pretty much want to go anywhere south.
2. Have you visited any nearby countries since you have been here? Where did you go?
Nah I haven’t, unfortunately.
3. What cities/countries are on your list ???
I still want to go to Taiwan, Thailand, annnnd that’s about it, haha. My list is not very long. There is so much to see in China I am comfortable mostly traveling around here; it’s cheap too.
One Last thing-
If you could share one thing with everyone about life what would it be.
Don’t burn any bridges, but don’t let people take advantage of you either.
Thanks so much for joining me on my blog! Many blessings.
CHANIECE: I love black people rappin’ about produce, what can I say— Look what SHE is jammin to!!!!
I am excited about life! I am filled with Hope. I am overwhelmed with JOY!
I am going to do my best to live by the ‘Glad Texts’
(one of my favorites is–Psalms 98:4-Shout for joy to the Lord, all the earth,
burst into jubilant song with music) — Did you know that there are over 800 Glad Texts in the Bible?!?! More than one for each day of the year for me to live by.
#FearlessinShanghai #Thankful #joychangeslives #KMarieTakesChina #BlackGirlMagic #KarlaGirlLivingLife #BlackGirlJoy #LivingMyLifeLikeItsGolden #ChinaorBust #ChinaAintReady #BlackInShanghai #LookOutWorldHereComesKarla #KarlaGirlJoy #BlackGirlInShanghai #eatsleeppartyrepeat #givingisgood #givingisfun #WakandaForever #ShuriAndNakiaAndOkoye #MelaninMagic #Blessed #FaithfulIsMyGod
“life is either a daring adventure or nothing at all” – Hellen Keller
*I choose ADVENTURE*
FEARLESS in SHANGHAI 