Being an expat in China comes with a lot of advantages – you experience a completely different culture, meet people you'd never normally meet, learn a new language (well, maybe) and basically have the adventure of a lifetime. But no matter how much one loves China, there are always going to be those certain things from your home country that you miss the most. Family and friends obviously top the list for most people. But many expats find themselves missing things they had never even considered before. Homesickness can strike at the weirdest times, but when it does it can be a powerful force. And no matter where you're from, there are certain things we expats all seem to commonly miss.

1) Clean Air
When speaking with people who have moved to China from abroad, I've found that one of the most commonly cited items we all seem to miss is... fresh air. That's right folks, apparently everyone craves their oxygen minus the smog and dust that often clouds the streets. Weird, I know. While it's obviously worse in big cities like Beijing and Shanghai, low air quality is a problem in many parts of China. There are definitely places you can go for a fresh air fix (Tiger Leaping Gorge is a favorite of many people) but if you can't afford to travel, you're pretty much out of luck. Too bad clean air doesn't fit in a carry-on bag.

2) Food
Food is another thing that gets expats bemoaning their life away from home. While Chinese cuisine can be absolutely amazing (baozi, anyone?), there's just something irreplaceable about one's hometown favourites. As an American, I go through bouts where I would just about scale the Great Wall to get some authentic pot roast, gravy and the occasional chocolate cake or two. There is a comfort in eating something you grew up with, something so familiar that eating it is, in essence, a taste of home itself. And this is a phenomenon that everyone, whether you're from Germany or Italy or Australia, has experienced. Next time you're in a large group, try asking your expat friends what food they miss most from their home countries – you may be amazed at the passion with which they speak!

3) Driving
I've found that driving always comes up in discussions about what expats miss most while living in China. I recently went back home for a few weeks and the moment I found myself behind the wheel of my car, I had this wild sense of freedom that I hadn't felt since the day I got my drivers license when I was sixteen years old. Granted, there are many advantages to not having a car while in China. You save money on gas, car maintenance, and insurance. You don't have to worry about registering your car or paying exorbitant amounts of money for a license plate. And the public transportation system in many Chinese cities makes traveling around fairly simple. Yet, there is something about having your own car, having the freedom to control where you go and when you leave. It's also important not to underestimate the importance of having that alone time that only comes while driving, by yourself, on a long stretch of road. You get time to think and to wind down after a hard day, or to sing at the top of your lungs to your favourite song on the radio. You just can't get this experience while sitting in a subway car with thousands of other people milling about. Well, maybe the singing-at-the-top-of-your-lungs part.

4) Ease of Communication and Everyday Tasks
Another thing that many expats miss is simply being able to do everyday tasks, such as speaking with the waitstaff in a restaurant or shopping for groceries, without giving it a second thought. While some expats are fluent enough in Chinese that they can speak to anyone with no problems, I would say that the majority of expats (myself included) do not have a good enough handle on the language to communicate effortlessly. This means that even the most simple conversations take an extra amount of brainpower, which is not always something with which people want to deal - usually after a particularly boisterous weekend. When visiting my home, it's always a welcome change to not have to convert currency in my head while shopping for a loaf of bread. While these are certainly minor inconveniences, they can certainly make you appreciate and miss the ease of home.

5) Non-counterfeit Goods
I personally miss not having to worry whether or not something I buy is a fake, and I have a feeling a lot of people feel the same way. In my home country, I always took for granted the fact that I could walk into a bar, order a glass of Jack Daniels, and actually get a glass of Jack Daniels. In China, however, you have to practically do a twelve-step checklist to make sure that you're getting the real deal. Whether a bar or restaurant serves fake alcohol unwittingly or on purpose, the fact is that counterfeit alcohol is rampant here. I, and my fellow bar frequenters, miss being able to sip whiskey without suspicion!

So while China can be a fantastic place to live and work, the very nature of being an expat means there will be things you miss. And while visits home can help ease the homesickness, it's also important to realize that this is a normal emotion that you don't have to deny. Just remember to savour everything China has to offer, even if it's not quite the same as home.
 

Related links
Beat those Homesick Blues
5 Things To Not do in China
Packing for China: Things to Being From Home

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Keywords: what expats miss most China what we most miss in China Homesickness China