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)
