Tips for students visiting Heilingjiang University on an exchange.

We all were quite in the dark about what to expect when we got to Harbin so thought I'd write some tips for anyone who is planning to come on the trip in future years.

You need to apply for a Visa F - Cultural Exchange Visa online at one of the visa centres. You then have to make an appointment at one of the centres and take your passport to get the visa. You can either pick it up after a few days or get it posted to you for an extra charge. When you go you'll also need your invitation letter from the University, a photocopy of your passport, another passport photo and the fee for the visa (the take cards).

Our course ran monday to the following week thursday so flights need to get there the day before and leave the day after finishing.

The university do one pick up and one drop off so as many of you as possible need to be on the same flight from Beijing. If not you have to make your own way to the University from the airport. Takes about 50 mins and is about £20 in a taxi.

Rooms are large, some have 2 beds, en suite shower, bedding and towels are provided, each room has a kettle and it's own internet. 

Accommodation is 5 mins walk from the 1st affiliated hospital.  You get a bus to 2nd affiliated which takes about 25 mins. 

You can get a bus 101 into Harbin centre (2 yuan) Russia St, Orthodox Church, takes about 40 mins 

Ice festival - about 400 yuan for snow & light festival. Snow festival is best viewed in the day, light festival at night.

Temperature in Harbin in January are from about -7deg to -25deg (up to -40deg with windchill) so a big coat hat gloves are essential. Snow boots are useful as useful as pavements are slippy. 

The hospitals, restaurants and shops are boiling hot so layers are also essential. You'll spend most of your time taking on and off clothes!

There is a small shop opposite the 1st affiliated which sells water, milk, pastries and cake, sandwiches and coffee. You can't drink the water but you can drink boiled water.

You need a 3 flat pin plug adaptor.

15 mins walk away is a shopping centre with a huge carrefour supermarket, food court, restaurants and Starbucks. 

You can only use bank of china atms, there is one en route to the shopping centre.

5 mins walk away are a variety of good restaurants. Meals are usually about 25-30 yuan each.

The hospital canteen is about 5 mins walk away which sells cheap and tasty food. Payment is by payment card. You can also get takeaway.

There is a pharmacy opposite the hospital which sells acupuncture products.

You have the weekend off.

Translators with you at all times in the hospital.

Useful apps are Wechat - fairly essential as the translators communicate through it. iPhone users seem to have more of a problem getting registered though. They need to be verified by someone who has been on wechat for more than a month. You can only verify one person in 6 months.

Google doesn't work in China without a VPN but if you download the dictionary you can use it to translate words and phrases.

Baidu maps is similar to Googlemaps but in Chinese.

The most important thing to bring with you is a sense of humour. Things do not always go to plan and seeing the funny side is really important!