Meet the 'huapiao': China's drifters from abroad

Expatatriate Ralf Schuchmann[Photo provided to China Daily]

In addition, pollution is a well-known big bother for expatriates.

Ralf Schuchmann, a Hungarian, says: "Pollution kills people. That's what I hate about Beijing."

He says he had left Beijing for Berlin in 2012 to do a master's program in fashion. Schuchmann had come to China in 2009 to work in the fashion industry. He returned to Beijing in 2013 to teach making patterns to students of Institute of Mode International, a Sino-French fashion school in Beijing, owing to the city's diversity.

"You can go to the Guomao area that is new and very 21st-century, and then you can go to Nanluoguxiang, where you can feel how people used to live earlier. In Dashanzi, it's like in the 1960s. You can time travel to 50 or more than 100 years ago, so that's why it's fascinating."

Other than being drawn to an ancient civilization, friendly people and delicious food, expatriates come to China looking for professional opportunities.