Millennials moved from Arizona to China to teach at an international school: it's cheaper to live there, but the language barrier poses challenges.

Scott Vleishauer, 34, and his wife were not yet ready for children and reevaluated their lives to embrace parenthood. Instead, they decided to focus on international travel. His wife, a teacher, had previously been to China and realized she could get a visa to teach at an international school there, bringing Scott along with her. She found a job in the suburbs of Shenzhen, the third most populous city in China. The school that hired her also hired Scott, and they put their lives in the U.S. on hold and moved to China.

Moving to China

Vleishauer grew up in Maryland. He received a business education and developed designs for stores. For work, he moved to Roanoke, Virginia; San Antonio, and Phoenix in 2019, where he met his wife. After eight years in retail design, he switched to real estate as an agent and then worked as a mortgage broker for a year.

• They decided to go on international trips before having children.
• My wife found a teaching job at an international school in China.
• They both moved to China on her visa.

The cost of living in China compared to the USA

His wife's base salary in China exceeds her income in the USA, and the school also covers their health insurance and housing. They were also provided with a plane ticket to China, and the school offers them free lunches. Before moving to China, the couple was paying $1,900 a month for rent in Arizona. They still own and maintain two rental properties in the USA. Although he mentioned that they spend about $500-600 a month on groceries, car insurance costs $100 a month, plus $130 a month for gas.

Adapting to cultural differences

Vleishauer said that it took him some time to adapt to the cultural norms in China as he tries to improve his language skills. Although he is trying to learn phrases and expressions for easier communication, he often relies on technology that automatically translates signs and labels.

• He is slowly adjusting to cultural peculiarities such as lack of access to a car and customs in restaurants.
• The use of technology helps him communicate with native Chinese speakers.