Working in Beijing - Is it worth it? (i.e. damage to health)

[TinMountain]

Hi all,

This is my first time venturing into international teaching and I feel like I'm getting a good vibe from an international school in Beijing. It's also the only school so far that I've been getting a positive response from.

My question is - given the pollution in the city, is it worth it?

On the one hand, I already often have chronic asthma/allergy/nasal congestion issues that have me feeling less than 100% (I currently live in Northeastern US). I also have a 2 year old child that I'm not sure I want to expose to this kind of pollution so early.

On the other hand, my parents live in Beijing and I would love for them to get to spend as much time with her as my husband's family gets to now. I also have lived there before and I love (or used to love... so much has changed!) the city. And the school that I'm interested in has a very good reputation and would give me a great start to my international teaching career.

Both my parents and the school say that the pollution "isn't that bad" - but they clearly both have different motivations for wanting me there. The colleagues and admin I'm confiding with about my job search at my current school are trying to convince me that it's "not worth it" - but they all want me to stay, so...

So I would really appreciate any advice from you guys!!

Thank you!

[IAMBOG]

I'm going to say no, it isn't worth it, at least not for us. We live further south in China and have been looking around at schools for next year. There have been loads of jobs advertised for Beijing and I'm assuming we would have a pretty good chance of landing decent jobs. However, we have two kids and the pollution is a real worry here. It's bad enough where we are, we certainly wouldn't want to put ourselves in an even worse situation.

[Taylor]

Well I hope so because I am heading there in July :). I had many of the same concerns you write about (although I don't have a kid) but I talked to some teachers currently at the school...and they have kids and say it's manageable. From what I understand, you just avoid going out when the pollution is heavy (buy good quality air filters and stay inside) and for me the chance to work at a good school is worth the tradeoff. I for sure plan to buy pollution masks and wear them alot, but I feel like I am going to be able to deal with things and if I'm wrong I'll leave when my contract is over. I hope some people with kids will weigh in also as that is a consideration I don't have. Good luck in your decision.

[wntriscoming]

Not worth it. If you already have asthma and you have a young child, there are serious health concerns. I also don't think that it's a quality life when you're "managing" the air pollution by staying inside except for your walks to/from school or a store.

One of the main reasons we left Shanghai is because we couldn't justify what we were making financially with the impacts on our family life. Our daughter couldn't go outside and play (well, she could, but with AQI frequently over 200, we didn't want her to.) We started becoming more and more hermit-like, and didn't want to go out to ride bikes, roller skate, take walks, etc. The grey skies for the majority of the days was also depressing. SO many grey skies...so few blue ones.

[PsyGuy]

@TinMountain

if you already have chronic asthma then no, Beijing will kill you and if it doesnt you will wish on many days that you were. You will constantly be struggling for breath even on good days (depending on the severity of your condition).

[wrldtrvlr123]

I would say yes, but if you have respiratory and/or sinus issues already then I would think long and hard about it.

We were there for 2 years a few years ago and came out with no health problems but also had none going in.

It's a tough call. A few years there could really set you up on the int'l circuit but it would be a risk.

[EllieSLP]

If it's a great school, I would do it. HOWEVER, the pollution in BJ is really that bad. I'm ready to leave it all behind in July. My daughter has a chronic mild wheeze and we are tired of being cooped up inside for days at a time. It's not a constant living situation though. This month, BJ had about 10 days of great air. In my opinion, summer is the worst, but you will probably be traveling at that time. Good luck in your decision.

[shadowjack]

Did you ever stop to think that the reason your respiratory health is what it is now is because you lived in Beijing?

[TinMountain]

shadowjack wrote:
> Did you ever stop to think that the reason your respiratory health is what
> it is now is because you lived in Beijing?

I have considered that - but members of my family have lived there (and still live there) for many many more years than I did and have no respiratory issues, and my asthma started about 4 years after I moved away, so not positive that there's a connection. Also, back when I lived there, the pollution was not as bad (based on what my parents tell me and what I read in the news).

Thanks all for the replies so far - particularly from those who live/have lived in Beijing and have children. This is all really helpful!!

[TinMountain]

EllieSLP wrote:
> In my opinion, summer is the worst, but you
> will probably be traveling at that time. Good luck in your decision.

Hi Ellie - just wondering about your comment that it's worse during the summer... Back when I lived there, the winters were worse b/c of all of the coal. Is there less coal being burned now? What do you think makes summers worse?

Thanks!!

[EllieSLP]

In summer, its extremely hot, humid, and little wind. Winter is more bearable as there's less coal being burned, more blue skies, and its windier (though colder). Either way, if this would make your career, I would do it. I personally like Beijing a lot and appreciate the grittiness.

[BRMC]

EllieSLP is wrong. Average PMI2.5 levels in Beijing are at their worst from November to February, mostly due to the high level of coal burned for heating. If you already have respiratory problems, I'd pass on Beijing.

[PsyGuy]

I agree with @ellieSLP. Coal isnt burned for heating, there arent coal burning stoves. Its electricity production and while there is more power production in winter due to demands for heating as opposed to aircon. The winter months have higher wind and less humidity (keeping particulate matter lighter) creating greater dispersion. In the summer the humidity creates heavier particles (smaller ones that clump together) and their is very little wind, allowing particulates to accumulate.

@TinMountain

While you and your family have similar genetics you could have pulled the DNA 'short straw' and have a predisposition that makes you more vulnerable to environmental air contamination?

[HereThereEverywhere]

Have to say that Psyguy and Ellie may be wrong. Coal is burned for heating. There are still coal burning plants that supply Beijing with power for electricity and that increases in the winter. Besides, the air in Beijing is not only dependent on Beijing. It matters what happens in neighboring provinces where coal burning stoves are still common in the winter. Air moves easily.

I live in Beijing and study the pm 2.5 quite a bit. Winter is definitely worse for pm 2.5 and many other indicators of polluted air. Yes, we get some strong north winds, but the worst days when we get 400+ are more so during the winter, not summer. You can check this out if you want to see what it is like season to season. http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2015 ... harts.html
Of course there are better sites for measurements, but this is a fine overview and doesn't conflict with other sites. The thing is, most people are more reluctant to wear masks in the summer since its hot and stuffy, so that would be the only reason that I would say its worse in summer. People are less likely to protect themselves, not like most people do anyways though.

Before coming to Beijing I thought that I would never do so if I had a child anywhere between 2-18 years of age even if I had a super good offer and I stand by that. I did get a super good offer, which is why I am here, but I am not a parent nor have any obvious health problems and, obviously, I take precautions. I have a filtered school, 5 filters in my home, about a half dozen masks I alternate between and spend at least, if not more, than one day every two weeks at home because the aqi is just too high to justify going to the corner store or out to eat.Kids need to get out and there are not enough good days for this. It might seem extreme, but its the only way to keep air moderate to good. Sure, there are plenty of days that are "good" as in not heavy haze, but there are less than 25% days that are "good" on the aqi scale. Kids, that young especially, are developing. You bring them to Beijing and they have a good chance of having problems later on.

Bottom line, if you have asthma already you will likely suffer. If you have a kid that is 2, you may want to ask yourself if you can picture a future conversation with them where you justify their severe asthma because you wanted to live in Beijing. If you were single and healthy, it may be a different story.

[Overhere]

HereThereEveryWhere is bang on. While Beijing is attempting to replace old home based coal heaters they aren't being as successful as they would like to be. Here is a pretty good opinion piece written by a resident

http://www.nytimes.com/2016/01/13/opini ... .html?_r=0

I would hesitate to bring a young child to a major center in China. I live in Shanghai and while I don't think our pollution levels are quite up to Beijing's, there are still days when we don't go outside and I can't imagine bringing my kids here to live through that. Having said that we have had three glorious days of blue skies and relatively clean air, knock on wood for at least one more.