I am going to Xi'an, China for 2 months this summer, What should I bring with me and any advice?

I am leaving June 25th and returning mid-August. I will be studying Mandarin at Xi'an International Studies University during my time there. I will also have a few weeks to travel when I am finished studying. I am a 21 yr old college student.I am going to Xi'an, China for 2 months this summer, What should I bring with me and any advice?
Xian is a very special city. Inside the city wall, you could find all the necessities you need. It is clean, road is wide, having supermarket and McDonald. Just like a well develope city. Once outside the city wall, it is like a rual area. You'll see dust in the air.





Xian is a city based on tourism. Get yourself enough money (cash in RMB), cause you will be suprised of the high entrance fee of all those museums and those transportation fee. If you are a museum guy, don't miss the museums. Do study the history of China, otherwise you will be bored by all those sightseeing point. Xian is a city with numerous tombs of the Kings in China. And most of the time, you will be visiting tombs.





Local tour is convenience but the charge is a bit high. And they will force you to go to some specific shops for purchasing jewellery etc. You should ask the detail itenary of the local tour. Cause you sure not want to do the sight seeing for 30 minutes and 2 hours for complusory shopping!





If you will be studying Mandarin in Xian, you'd better ask your teachers and local students to give you good advice of where to eat cheap and travel cheap. Remember to try the dumpling.





Beware of pick pockets. Beware of a group of hawkers run to you and urge you for purchase. If you would like to purchase something home, go to the local supermarket (there's one near the bell tower). The place is clean, spacious, food is fresh, price is reasonable.





General speaking, Xian is a save and great city. Enjoy yourself there in such a hot weather! :)I am going to Xi'an, China for 2 months this summer, What should I bring with me and any advice?
Get the appropriate shots. If you haven't gotten them yet, you will need a tetanus booster and hepatitis A, If you pan to be sexually active then get Hep B as well. (It may be too late for some of these but do your best)


When I went, I listened and learned Pimlers Mandarin Chinese from CD. I wasn't close to fluent but did OK. My Chinese guests also appreciated that I took the time to learn some of their language.


You may want to practice eating with chopsticks, it's not that bad!


Take enough film or memory for your camera.


Take a couple of sensible/safe American gifts (non-food items) to give to any special host or hostess as a thank you gift. Maybe a football jersey or NASCAR item.


Periplus Travel Maps puts out a pretty good China Country Map (found at Borders books and Music)


Drink only bottled water. I even used this for brushing my teeth. I had no trouble what so ever but one of the people that accompanied me HAD to have a coke from Burger King(yeesh) and paid the price.


Make sure you take a trip to Bejing. The forbidden city is awesome among other sites.


Have fun and good luch with learning Mandarin.


Zai Jian
money, guidebook, and suitable dictionary.
sun cream, sun umbrella, air conditioned bedroom - it's going to be hot , 35 degrees C.
a guidebook that has chinese characters in it so that you can show it to your cab driver if you ever have trouble.





You can get almost everything that could possibly want here, don't worry to much.
I studied in Shanghai for 3 months. The only thing I'd tell you to bring that I don't think you could get there would be cosmetics or things that you might be particular about. I know we had a problem finding sunscreen in China that wasn't advertised as being ';whitening.';


Also, be careful to pack any clothes you might need. Unless you are a smaller person, you might have trouble finding shoes and clothes in China.