Guangzhou - Post Report Question and Answers
Are there any particular mental health issues that tend to crop up at post, such as Seasonal Affective Disorder (winter blues)?
No SAD, but just the constant underlying stress for me as a non-Chinese speaker of never feeling like I know what's going on, having to translate everything, carrying a huge mental load just trying to find information, and the oppressive heat...it all has taken a toll on my mental health. Guangzhou is very convenient but not easy. It is difficult for me and a dream post for others. You really need to know yourself and what you are walking into. - Jun 2026
Not really. - Mar 2026
Especially during COVID, being in China can feel very suffocating. You never know when you'll be in a lockdown or forced to quarantine at home because you may have been a contact of someone who tested positive for COVID. People used to love Guangzhou because it is only an hour from Hong Kong, but the border has been closed for so long that that is not a respite either. It's difficult to travel in China now because of the evolving COVID situation, so one can feel very stuck in their Guangzhou bubble. Racism against black people is also quite overt, and that is really difficult for those members of the community. - Aug 2021
SAD, yeah. Winters can go for weeks without seeing blue sky, with both pollution and low clouds both contributing. - May 2019
Paranoia, in my opinion, from lack of privacy and strange health issues. - Nov 2018