The 14-day quarantine had begun. I was exhausted from travelling and looked forward to settling in my new room. I loved the decor of the hotel.  I also liked my room especially for the view that I had. It was a view of a highway and buildings nearby.  The hotel was called the Holiday Inn which was located in Chengdu, China.

The hotel room amenities consisted of: a TV, 2 double beds, Air conditioning and fan, fast Wi-Fi, towels, mini-fridge, kettle, tea, bottles of water, hand and body soap, shampoo, toothpaste and a toothbrush, robes and slippers, in-room phone, menu for daily food provided. There was a choice for Chinese or Western food.

The other option was that you could order food from outside of the hotel but only after the first test was received back as a negative result.

Unlike other people’s experiences, we were not charged for the hotel when we checked in. We had to pay at the end of our stay. It cost 350 RMB per night plus food.

When you do go to collect things from outside your room, the rule was to always wear a mask.

On the first day, I was provided with a letter that I had to sign. It explained the process of the daily routine and that I must abide by the rules. The daily routine consisted of having temperature checks in the morning and in the afternoon. Breakfast was usually provided around 5am and left on the door handle then lunch at 12pm and dinner was after 5pm.

Due to the language barrier I used to communicate with them via WeChat so it definitely helped to make the communication much easier. The staff at the hotel were fabulous as they were super accommodating and helped to make my stay very comfortable. I never felt neglected as they were always there to provide a helping hand. Anything that was needed for the room was quickly sent to the door so it was overall a stress-free experience.

My advice is to bring things that you enjoy doing even if that is exercise stuff or games. Also, bring snacks or any type of favorite foods that you may not be able to have access to while at the hotel. I brought my favourite cookies and candies from the UK. I also would order from Taobao or fruit from the local market which delivered. Make sure that your phone has a local SIM card / telephone number.

3 meals were too much for me so I ended up only having breakfast and dinner. Dinner was my favourite meal of the day. The food overall was very delicious.

On the 7^th day they did a blood test and on the 12^th day, they did an oral test.

For the first couple of days it was a bit challenging but I used meditation and yoga throughout the time. It truly helped me to stay calm and make the best out of the situation.

On the 12^th day, I was given a code that I had to scan and add the details of where I was travelling.

On the final day of my quarantine the checkout was at 1 p.m. I went downstairs to the front desk and was provided with the outstanding charges which included the room and meal charges per day. It came to 5,800 RMB and I paid via WeChat.  The other options where to pay via Alipay or credit card. After making payment, I was guided to a table where I collected my passport and was provided with a paper to show my test results and a letter explaining that I had successfully completed the 14-day quarantine.  I was free to leave so I ordered a DiDi and headed back to the airport to continue with my final destination to Shanghai.

I would recommend for anyone who’s travelling to try to arrive in the place where you’re going to be living and not doing a connecting flight.  Many provinces have implemented an additional 7 to 14-day quarantine if you have travelled from province to province.  I’ve shared my experience but remember every province and hotel will vary in regards to the rules and the procedure of how things are done.

I’m deeply grateful for the Facebook group called, Foreigners Stuck Outside of China and the WeChat groups where people took the time out to share valuable information to help others.  Without these groups, I would have probably made many errors and quickly became discouraged. I wish you all a very safe and smooth journey back to China. I hope my articles can help as a guide.

The post My 14 Day Quarantine in China – The Details appeared first on Teach English in China - Current TEFL / ESL Teaching Jobs.

Before we start, if you haven’t read my article on the application process for the PU letter and work visa, you can read it here.

Arrived at the airport

I arrived 3 hours ahead of my flight at Heathrow Airport. I set aside an extra hour just in case something went wrong so I had enough time to fix it without rushing.

Check-in at the airport

Prior to traveling to the airport, make sure you print out a copy of your Health Declaration Form, photo page from your passport and Visa for China. You’ll need these documents to show when you check in at the airport. There was some confusion with my Health Declaration Form as the person who was checking me in thought I needed a QR code which is required by Chinese travellers. The rules change every day and they vary based on the country so please stay up-to-date prior to traveling so that you can ensure that you have the proper documents required. Also, make sure that you take your COVID test within the required time frame that is needed for traveling to China. When I was traveling it was within 5 days but they were preparing to change it to 3 days.

Transiting via Greece

My flight departed on September 1st at 10:15 pm and arrived in Athens, Greece on September 2nd at 3:50 am. The bad news was I had 18 hours and 25 minutes in Athens International Airport. I slept, ate delicious Greek food, read a book and talked to friends and family on the phone.

Boarding the flight to China

9pm arrived and it was almost time to board my flight to China. I didn’t know what to expect so I was feeling many different types of emotions but trying to remain calm. I decided to go to the front desk to ensure that I had the required documents to board the flight. I was met by a man in a hazmat suit and given a form to read and sign. The form stated that there may be a possibility that I may not be allowed on the flight if my temperature is high. I was then reissued a boarding pass due to the flight not traveling directly to Beijing but rerouting to Chengdu, China.

Soon we began to line up to board. It was unlike what I was used to. The stewardess and other workers were dressed in hazmat suits, face masks, face shields, googles and gloves. This was now the new normal. I noticed the majority of travelers were Chinese with maybe less than 10 foreigners. While boarding, I was given sanitizer wipes. Once we all boarded, there was an announcement that said that you must stay in your seat that is assigned to make it easier to identify if you come into contact with someone who is sick.x

The flight

I realized that the aisle seat next to me was empty so I was happy to practice some social distancing for the long flight ahead. I used the wipes to sanitize the area where I’d be seated just to be safe. Throughout the flight there were:

– regular temperature checks
– Chinese snacks in a box provided with a bottle of water or milk.
– entertainment

I think 95% of the flight was occupied so overall it was a great flight.

Arrival in Chengdu, China:

We arrived at 1 pm. People began to exit the plane in groups, starting at the front of the plane. Finally, it was my groups turn. We walked down the steps and were directed to a bus that was waiting for us.  The bus transported us to the airport terminal. We then sat down in chairs and were instructed to download a health app that was only valid for 24 hours.  This app required you to write down your personal details, previous history of travel, have you been exposed to COVID-19 in the past and the address of where you will stay. Once I completed the form, the app provided me with a QR code that I would need to use while in the airport. The COVID-19 testing consisted of:

1. Body temperature screening
2. Nasal and saliva swab testing

When lining up for the tests, you must show your QR code. The nasal and saliva swab test weren’t painful but very uncomfortable. I was more freaked out seeing something go up my nose.

Customs

After surviving the testing, I filled out the arrival form and then waited in line for customs. This was the normal procedure that entailed the four fingers on the machine for right then left, followed by both thumbs and look into the camera. Next, the Customs officer stamped my passport and I was free to go.

Collect bags and board bus

I collected my suitcases and put them through the X-ray machine and then collected them. I walked to the waiting area where I was provided with a sticker with a number on it to show that I was with the same group of people from the flight and we would await a bus that would take us to the hotel. The bus ride took about 40 to 45 minutes.

Arrive at the hotel

After we arrived at our hotel, we were greeted by people wearing hazmat suits. I was so amazed at how nice the hotel looked as I was not expecting it be fancy and modern.  We collected our bags from the bus and then were informed that we had to scan a QR code. I scanned the QR code which provided me with a form. I had to fill out the form with my personal details such as name, birth date, my final destination / address. Next, we had to line up to go into the hotel where we were provided with additional forms to fill out, such as agreeing to abide by the quarantine rules. Once I had signed the forms, I was given my room key, had my temperature checked again and was then on my way to my room for the 14 day quarantine.

Next up – read about my experience during the 14 day quarantine.

The post My Flight from England to China – The Entire Process appeared first on Teach English in China - Current TEFL / ESL Teaching Jobs.

Before I explain the steps I’d like to explain how I ended up being stuck outside of China: the place that I’ve called home for the last 2 years.  So due to the rapid spread of Covid-19 globally, the Chinese government decided to suspend the entry of foreigners who hold Visas and Resident permits effective from March 28th 2020. In order to obtain a visa now, you must apply for a PU letter.

Step 1: Apply for a PU letter

What is a PU letter? A PU letter is an invitation letter issued by the Foreign Affairs office or also known as the Commission of Commerce.  This letter is very important because it allows you to then apply for a Work Visa. My new job applied for a PU letter on July 16th and it took about 2 to 3 weeks to receive it.

Step 2: Begin looking at airline tickets online

The reason why I began to look at airline tickets right after receiving the PU letter was because I heard that tickets were super high in price, like $5,000 dollars. Also, there were very few flights traveling internationally back to China. As you can see when you search online there are many flights that show that they fly to China but in reality they don’t so you must be very careful when you book. The best advice I can give you is to try to book with a Chinese airline as there is a higher chance that the flight will not be cancelled. I booked two flights and unfortunately both flights were cancelled and therefore I finally booked a flight via Air China for £1700 which allowed me to come back in time. The other issue with booking flights that will most likely be canceled is that it takes months to receive a refund, so please keep that in mind.  I booked my flight in advance so that I had enough time to follow the other important steps to help me to get back to China.

Step 3:

I applied for the visa application online via www.visaforchina.org. I applied for the F Visa which is a non-commercial visa. You’ll need the following documents in order to process the application:

– a recent colored passport photo with a white background
– a passport that is valid for at least 6 months with blank pages available
– print out the completed online visa application form.
– my new school provided an invitation letter to explain the purpose of the visit

Once I submitted these documents, I was then allowed to choose an appointment for when I can visit the Visa facility in London. I attended the Visa appointment at 12pm on August 20^th and was there for about 3 or 4 hours so please make sure you have enough time as it can get super busy.  They took all of the documents including my passport and told me to come back in 7 days. I paid £151 for a single entry visa. It was pretty straightforward as long as you have all of the proper documents that are required. Also, make sure you attend your visa appointment at least 30 minutes earlier as the lines can get long. On August 27th, I went to the Visa office and received my Visa.

Step 4:

I immediately made an appointment online through the NHS British website to arrange for my nucleic acid test to ensure that I do not have COVID-19 and I’m safe to travel. I attended the testing location at 10:30 a.m and it took less than 10 minutes. It was not as scary as I imagined it to be and the people were very helpful and patient with the process. I was able to do the self test with the instructions from the person who worked there. I had to do the nasal and the oral test, then insert in a bag and drop in a box. It took less than 24 hours, so by Saturday morning I had received the results by 9:30 a.m.

Step 5:

Then I forwarded the nucleic acid test results from the email, a copy of my photo page in my passport, and the Health Declaration Form filled out to the Chinese Embassy via email for authorization and it was sent back within 5 hours.

Finally, I was all ready for my trip back to the country I call home, China!

For the next steps, read my articles on the flight from England to China. and my 14 day quarantine in China.

The post Returning to China – My Visa Process appeared first on Teach English in China - Current TEFL / ESL Teaching Jobs.