Ting: Living Alone in Shenzhen — Apartment Hunting and Daily Life 🇨🇳
About this video
In this video, Ting takes viewers along as she searches for a new apartment in Shenzhen, visiting several units and discussing rental prices, layouts, and neighborhood vibes. She shows the pros and cons of each place, from modern high-rises to older walk-ups, giving a realistic sense of what it means to live alone in this fast-growing city. The camera lingers on details like natural light, storage space, and nearby amenities. After finding her new home, Ting shares snippets of her daily routine, including cooking, relaxing, and exploring the area. The atmosphere is down-to-earth and informative, like getting advice from a friend who has been through the process. This video is valuable for anyone curious about independent living in China, offering practical insights into housing costs and the experience of building a life alone in a foreign city.
Video transcript
I'm Ting.I live alone in Shenzhen, China for 4 years. I am looking for a new apartment ... This summer, I look forward to one thing... My brother and sister coming to visit me. My hometown is over 1,500 kilometers away. Summer is one of the few times we can truly be together. In China, there's an old saying: "The eldest sister is like a second mother." I've always felt a responsibility to look after them. But finding apartment for 2 months is really challenging At first... It didn't look too bad. Then I notice the smell. mold The second room is even
smaller. But still have everything... It seems like has enough sunlight Somehow,Even more mold. Back into the maze. When people think of Shenzhen... They usually imagine skyscrapers and futuristic buildings. But this is also Shenzhen. An urban village. Small. Crowded. Full of life. It's common to see grandparents looking after children in China. Many parents are still at work. I contact an agent . He said he has another place This one is 3km farther from my apartment... But I don't really have many options. At least it's a little more spacious. Buildings
are not too close But everything feels a little worn out. So... the search continues. Another building. Another staircase. There was barely enough room to walk. This one I will consider No sunlight... There is one nearby This one looks a little bigger...But not that much. No sunlight either. It's near, so I will consider this too The next day, after work... The agent tells me he found another one. Kinda don't expect to be good... The alley is super narrow Traditional Guangdong style stairs But inside feels different Some greenery outside the window. The
bathroom is clean with squat toliet For the first time... I think this gonna be the one. I have already imagined my bro living here We are waiting for the landlord Here we use this one to heat the shower water Outside it suddenly pouring I have been ready to sign the contract Doing my last check... But in the end, the landlord changed their mind. Since it's peak season... They only want long-term tenants. I am so disappointed... But there is nothing I can do but keep searching My brother and sister are arriving soon. Time is running out. The agent showed
me one more place. It is farther away. Waiting for him to open the door ... I feel like I am becoming numb My dress is half wet... It is spacious... But the smell of mold was everywhere. I try to picture my brother and sister living here... I can't... Sometimes... You just know it's not the right place. Since it's hard to find short term here The agent suggested to check a little far away area, tomorrow... Suwbay cummute aroud 20 minutes This one is fully furnished. Actually... I quite like it. I want them to live comfortable Another furnished apartment.
But it is even smaller than where I live now Finding a place in Shenzhen isn't always easy. Apartment hunting is tiring Small apartments are just part of life in a big city. This one almost felt like a hotel. Handshake building Another nice apartment. This will be fine for my siblings The short term price is higher, 2750 yuan In the end... I called to discuss with them They said living close to me matters more, than comfortable I want them nearby. So I could cook for them... Or simply spend more time together. Cooling off before the train arrives. My
brother is arriving tomorrow. Today... I have to decide. I'd spent the last two weeks thinking about this. This pillar in the middle is super strange 2nd floor, no sunlight but it is near to me I am trying to persuade myself, it is just the short term I feel bad about myself , I have to choose this one... Even the previous small ones, 4th snd 5th had already rent out... My brother finally arrived. We hadn't seen each other for almost 6 months. He just finished the Gaokao (exam). Three years... All for one exam. In China, many people see a good university
as the path to a better future. But the world is changing so fast. We never know, what the future gonna be... First... Food. He spent 20 hours sitting on the train.... Because it is peak travel season, all the sleeper tickets were sold out. But seeing each other again, made all the waiting worth it. I wanna buy some snacks for him... I told him, pick anything you want. Today's my treat. He's twelve years younger than me. So I've always wanted to look after him. Whenever we meet... I just want him to enjoy himself. I know how hard it is to grow up with
your parents far away. When he was 2 years old ... He was left behind to my mom's side grandparents... I was still young too... But I've always felt responsible for him. Now that he's here, I just wanna take care of him. First stop...my apartment. A few things he'd need. Some everyday essentials. I hoped they'd make him feel a little more at home. He loves to drink tea This tea kettle is just perfect for him... This lamp also gonna be useful for him My apartmentis a little crowded since my bro came We grew up in a small village. So we've learned to
appreciate the little things More grateful to think what we have now And trying our best to make life better and better Finding the building... Was an adventure on its own. These alleys are like a maze. I am lost... Finally I find it ... I also remember the wrong room... Finally I find it... I need to buy the new sheet as soon as possible Bed sheets - ¥70 ($9.7 / €9.0) I want my bro to try this Guangdong friut, Longan Longan - ¥10 ($1.5 / €1.3) Actually,I kept wondering if I'd made the right decision. This room is really not good At this moment I
am still in the down mood Blaming myself why not find a better one... But my bro feels like, the room is okay for him... He brings a bottle of sesame oil from my mom... He really needs a few hours rest... I am too hungry to cook. Instant noodles it is. When I am lazy to cook I just eat this ,quick and yummy so much seasoning in the package Just 3 mins, it is ready... I just eat some thing simple now but tnight dinner I will cook Pizza and others for us ... The first thing I did... Was tell my mom he'd arrived safely. Ahaha, finally I have some
companion... His room feels even more humid than mine. So I gave him my dehumidifier. He need it more than I do. I lived without it for 4 years in Shenzhen The kitchen needed a little help. A few stickers can fix anything. The kitchen part is really dirty ... But he is not gonna use the kichen to cook... I hope he has a good summer here. That's all I really want. He is also trying to clean the door... This part also need to cover it ... I am still overthinking this room... But little by little, it started to feel different. Maybe it's not about finding
the perfect place... Maybe it's about making it feel like home. Two hours later, 79% down to 54% humidity... He likes reading... Finally it looks better Give him more time for resting Pay with my hand Tap water no drinkable, so I make sure he has water nearby Last time, I ran out of time to make the pizza. So today... I'm finally giving it a try. Ever since I bought my air fryer... I've been looking for new recipes to try. Today's pizza is a little unusual. Durian pizza. Roste this pizza dough first Durian is one of my favorite fruits. It's also one of
the most expensive fruits in China. So I only treat myself once in a while. Let's see if this actually works... More cheese...Always more cheese. Now we wait... It smells incredible. But not anyone can stand this smell I am over the moon.. For my first homemade pizza... I'm calling this a success. These slices are for my sister.She arrives tomorrow. My brother can't stand the smell of durian haha Time for another one. A safer flavor this time. Since we're finally together... I want to make a proper dinner. Today's menu...Pizza. Stir - fried pork with
peppers. And tofu soup with beef. I wanted him to have at least one proper homemade meal after his 20-hour train ride. Cooking for two somehow feels more exciting than cooking for one. Tofu is one of the cheapest sources of protein in China. The crust got a little crispier than I planned... But it still tasted amazing. My brother definitely prefers the sausage pizza. I could tell he really likes it. A classic Chinese dish. Stir-fried pork with peppers. a simple tofu and beef soup. Simple ingredients... comforting food. My temu quality table is fighting
for its life. The bowl is safer. For our staple food today... pancakes Everything is finally ready. Almost three hours in the kitchen... But it was worth every minute. After all the apartment hunting... I could finally relax... Maybe the best memories begin around the dinner table The agency told me ,there is only one option left nearby my place. Sometimes I still get lost here myself.
