Some expats say they drink more in China than they do in their
home countries. Is it really so?
Beijing
Ben Hails
I don't think expats drink more here than they do back home. The
United Kingdom has recently been classified as a binge nation ...
enough said? I had a trip home [to northern England] recently and
was drinking on average 10 beers a day...that's a drinking problem,
and still there were other people drinking far more! Now that I am
back in Beijing, I am on a bit of a detox, but I expect to slip
back into bad habits again soon though ... goes with the territory
as a bar manager at Bar Blu!
Clifton Barnhart
Expats definitely drink more here. First because the shots are
so cheap; you can start your night at Kai and get RMB5 shots. There
is just something about being in Beijing -- you're away from your
friends and family, so you don't have to be so disciplined. Also,
there are so many going away parties and welcome back parties you
can't go a month without drinking because there are always parties
that require you to get drunk.
Shanghai
David Peterson
I think I'm drinking the same amount as I didn't in San
Francisco -- a lot more beer than usual though since I learned of
all the fake spirits going around. In Shanghai, I don't like the
overpriced drinks, the lack of a vibrant live music scene and
segregation between, and among, locals and foreigners. What I do
like about nightlife here are all the small eats you can find on
the street or in small restaurants at nearly any time of night.
Danielle Chirop
My hometown and Shanghai's nightlife scenes are very different.
I think Shanghai tends to be a bit more pretentious and glitzy,
whereas Chicago is a lot more relaxed and full of people who like
to drink a lot of beer and just hang out. I think I drink more in
Shanghai than I do at home though. When people first move here,
they go out all the time for the first year or so, then they calm
down a little. I usually go out about twice a week, but now that
school's out, it's a lot more!
(City Weekend February 25, 2007)