<p>My S is interested in traveling to China with roommate over the winter break. They would stay with roomie’s relatives. Anyone have any thoughts about safety, health, risks etc?</p>
<p>Absolutely fine.</p>
<p>Just got back from Shanghai (3rd time) and Beijing
(1st time) on business. Wonderful, facinating, affordable cities. Too much to do, never enough time. Shopping for clothes is dirt cheap. Take a small suitcase, buy another one over there and fill it up.</p>
<p>Safe, safe, safe. Friendly, friendly, friendly.</p>
<p>You will need a visa so get started on that NOW.</p>
<p>sj~</p>
<p>My brother has worked in China, gone to school in China, and otherwise travelled there extensively. He loves the country. He’s spent most of his time in Beijing (he has worked in the American Embassy as a diplomat several different times), but has been to many places. I think your son would enjoy this experience tremendously! :)</p>
<p>I have travelled a lot. Trip to Bejing about 5 years ago was hands down the best trip I have ever taken. Amazing place. Go, go, go.</p>
<p>sjmom:<br>
I’ve been to China twice in the last couple of years, most recently this past summer. While I did spend a few days in Beijing on the first visit, both of these trips were really spent in very remote areas, especially this last one. I think China is extremely safe, most especially for foreigners. The most difficult part, by far, is not knowing the language–not really a problem in a city like Beijing, but outside the cities, it can be really difficult. It sounds like your son won’t have those issues, though, if he’s staying with his roommate’s relatives. </p>
<p>As far as health issues, I did not get sick either time I visited. I did watch what I ate and did not eat at any street vendors (of course, I don’t do that in this country, either!). Shots aren’t even required to go there, but some are recommended. I updated my tetenus, and also got a Hep B, which is worth doing, and they strongly recommended a typhoid shot. I went ahead and got one the first time I went, but that may have been overkill. I had just seen some movie, though, where the main character dies of typhoid, and it wasn’t a pretty sight, so . . . And then this last time, they strongly recommended a polio booster, which they had not done 2 years ago. I suspect that was overkill, too, but I was going into some fairly remote areas, as I said, so I got it.</p>
<p>If you want to pm me, I can give you a list of what he ought to take with him, but I’d certainly have him get a prescription for cipro, and take some over-the-counter stuff, like pepto-bismol and immodium. As I said, I never got sick, but it’s always good to be prepared.</p>
<p>He’ll have a wonderful visit. It is simply an amazing country, and the Chinese are extremely gracious and hospitable.</p>
<p>Travel, travel, travel and let your kids take every opportunity to do the same. The world seems like a scarey place when you don’t go out and see it. It is even better that you S can stay with roommates relatives so he will see China from a less touristy perspective. Having said that, travellers need to always use good judgement, caution and common sense. If your S is level-headed, let him go. My D is going to Israel over winter break…</p>
<p>Thanks for all of the advice, everyone. My H lived in Taiwan during his junior HS years, and we have both travelled through Europe and North America. I’m not sure that darling son has any common sense, though! I do think it’s an experience he’s unlikely to have again, but I confess that I am a worrier.</p>
<p>Worry is in our job descriptions. Let him go anyway.</p>
<p>My husband has practically filled a passport book with trips to Beijing. He loves the place, food is great, has custom shirts made while he is there, always manages to snag some antique pieces for me… It’s very safe, very friendly. He’s been to the Wall, Tiananmen Square, The Forbidden City, etc… He has traveled to so many places on business… all over Africa, the Far East, Australia, Russia, Middle East, virtually all of Europe, and yes Kazakhstan…lol! And China is his very favorite place. (Got a vicious strain of E Coli on a trip to Paris, so you can never assume one place is safe and another will make you sick.)</p>
<p>Let your son go…he’ll love it. But check the weather. At winter break, depending on where in China he is traveling, he made need a heavy coat, hat and gloves.</p>
<p>China should be no problem. In addition to the shots jack listed, our local health department recommended Hep A. State’s international travel site:</p>
<p><a href=“404 - Page Not Found”>404 - Page Not Found;
<p>Any other thoughts before this thread dies? I did talk to MD, who suggested typhoid and Hep A vaccine, so that’s scheduled.</p>
<p>There is a software program for the iPod that is called “iLingo Asia Pack” that allows one to quickly find helpful phrases, ask directions, etc., then listening to it and repeating it. One can also let another listen to it if saying it is a problem. Very useful. </p>
<p>My 14 y/o S stayed in Beijing this past summer for 6 weeks in a dorm while training (martial arts) with other athletes from China and around the world. For 3 weeks he was on his own, no parent or known adult around. He had a great time, felt very comfortable, and will be heading back soon. This was, however, his 4th trip to China, but first where he was without a parent for an extended period of time. (He loved buying lamb sticks from a little stand in the Hutong near where he was staying for 12 cents each!) My oldest S lived in Beijing independently the summer before his senior year, and loved it (though not of Asian ancestry, he does speak Mandarin, however).</p>
<p>Wow, idad, how exciting! DS doesn’t speak Chinese, but roomie is Chinese and speaks fluently (I’m not sure which dialect). So as long as they don’t become separated, it should be fine. If this were a school related trip, I probably wouldn’t worry so much. But it’s just two college guys touring around for a couple of weeks.</p>
<p>Getting a VISA has to be your first order of business (after making airline plans).</p>
<p>You either have to do it in person (a major pain) or have a VISA agency handle it for you.</p>
<p>My daughter is in China so I can’t ask her, but I believe she used this one recommended by the Chinese Embassy site:</p>
<p><a href=“http://www.visamailservice.com/[/url]”>http://www.visamailservice.com/</a></p>
<p>My daughter is also in China and and received a japanese encephalitis vaccine series. This was recommended due to some of the areas of China she was going to visit during her studies. She also was advised to carry anti-malarial meds. The US State Dep’t has up to date health advisories for anyone planning to travel abroad. <a href=“404 - Page Not Found”>404 - Page Not Found;
<p>I have business in China and have been to Shanghai something like 12 or 15 times in the past two years. Beijing once. Do not worry any more about sending your kid here than to Chicago. Except, if he has asthma be careful as the air is terrible. And get all vaccines, including both Hep A and B.</p>
<p>Other than that, go East young man, go East. If he is travelling with a China born friend, it will be fantastic.</p>
<p>And visas are really easy - you can use a service or if a Consulate is near you just drop by and leave it overnight and come back next day and pick up if you are leaving soon and have your ticket or proof of flight. Remember to get his photos:). SF is really easy.</p>
<p>And my secret hope is to one day get to Yunnan. Where I stay in Shanghai it is like staying in the Fremont of Shanghai, if you are familiar with the SF Bay Area.</p>
<p>Oh wait. I’m in Shanghai as we type:).</p>
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<p>Boston, not so easy. If you want to get the visa in person, you have to go to consulate in New York City.</p>
<p>I think DS and roommate will be sending passports to an agency to get the visas. At this point, it’s his problem, as far as H and I are concerned. We think the trip will be interesting, but he hasn’t been really communicative, so it’s up to him to make the arrangements. Thanks, everyone, for all of the great information.</p>
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<p>No problem. My daughter’s plane left Shanghai an hour ago. On to India after five weeks in Beijing and Shanghai.</p>
<p>We’ve only gotten a few pictures and a little e-mail update with a some highlights every week or so, but she seems to be having a blast.</p>
<p>I think she’s probably in informational overload mode and we won’t get the full data-dump until she gets home and we get the running commentary while looking at her photos. I was able to find the apartment building in Beijing where she was living in a homestay on Google Earth. That was cool.</p>
<p>Going with a friend from China, I would have no qualms whatsoever.</p>
<p>My S1 spent two summers in Beijing as an 18 and 19 year old.</p>
<p>China is a totalitarian state which also has a large mafia presence. Those two facts must never ever be forgotten. Do not overestimate your ability to retrieve your son should he get into trouble in China.</p>
<p>I won’t go into details but I do know American students from an elite university who were beaten, chased, threatened by a riotous crowd, arrested and publically humiliated the next day in the local newspaper. In 2004. When I told my son about it, he said that they must have done something to irritate the locals. (They told their parents they did nothing–and htese are straight A types). </p>
<p>My son also said that they were hanging out at a mafia nightclub–perhaps unbeknownst to them? I am not sure but they were terrified even though they had been living in China for a semester beforehand. The parents were terrified. The Ambassador to China was contacted about the incident.</p>
<p>My son learned some of the ins and outs of Beijing nightlife after he befriended a young ex-pat club owner–who turned out to be an Old Boy from my son’s school–from the same House, in fact. His bar is one of the well known ex-pat hangouts. <a href=“http://www.lushbeijing.com/[/url]”>http://www.lushbeijing.com/</a>
The china FAQs on the Lush site are a good resource.</p>
<p>The Lush onwer had an interesting history. He went to China to teach skiing after high school. He went home, got a 3 year degree in Chinese, went back and opened up a business. He’s now a favorite of the Chinese government and helped to organize an overnight party on the Great Wall for 6000 kids as part of the Chinese effort to figure out how to entertain everyone in 2008. “Awesome” was son’s review of the party.</p>
<p>Don’t forget that the reason American students go to Beijing to study is because so few Beijingese speak English.</p>
<p>Anyway, according to my son, Beijing is intense and fun. Very polluted–son never saw the son in six months of study. Great experience for your son.</p>