1. Make sure your family always has this note on hand. Print a few copies for them to carry through customs, on the plane, and during any transit in Australia: I am sorry, I cannot speak English.
2. Pre-departure preparation
Tag both checked luggage and carry-on bags with contact details and a phone number.
– Passport;
– Flight ticket;
– Wallet (credit card, some Australian dollars, and a printed copy of emergency contact details);
– Mobile phone (activate international roaming before you leave so you can call Australian numbers on arrival);
– Watch (set it to Australian local time once you board);
– A letter for the customs officer at the Australian border (similar to the letter you wrote for the visa officer, but tailored to this purpose – don’t reuse the same letter, since the situation is different);
– Flight details;
– A small note in Chinese and English explaining that you don’t speak English, ready to show on arrival;
– A water bottle (so the cabin crew can fill it with hot water in one go);
– Slippers;
– A small supply of medication;
– One or two black or blue pens (for filling in forms) – you’ll need to complete an Incoming Passenger Card on the plane.
– Each seat comes with a small blanket (it’s worth bringing your own as well – the airline blanket is small and international flights can get freezing), a pillow, and headphones (the jack is on the front of the armrest). Overhead, you’ll find buttons for the reading light and air conditioning, plus a button with a small figure on it – press that to call a flight attendant.
– The screen in front of your seat shows Chinese-language films and a flight map – you can check the plane’s altitude, speed, flight time, and arrival time in real time. An arrival briefing plays before landing; if you’d like to watch it, ask the person next to you to switch the channel, but it’s fine to skip. Either way, drink plenty of water and rest as much as you can.
– Cabin crew will come around regularly with a drinks trolley and usually ask: Anything to drink? If you don’t need anything, just shake your head.If you’d like a drink, simply point to one of the options below:
– Hot tea, please.
– Hot coffee, please.
– Orange juice, please.
– Apple juice, please.
– Water, please.
– Coke without ice, please.
– Coke with ice, please.
– For hot water at any time, hand your cup to a flight attendant and point to:
Can you give me some hot water, please?
– There are usually three or four toilets ahead of and behind your seating area. Some doors slide inward, others pull outward.
– Always check the indicator on the door before entering: green Vacant means it’s free, red Occupied means someone is inside.
– Once inside, lock the door – the indicator outside will switch to red and the toilet light will brighten.
– Different aircraft vary slightly, but if you follow the arrows you’ll be fine.
– The flush button is labelled Push – just press it firmly.
A menu will be handed out, or tucked into the seat pocket in front of you. It’s printed in both Chinese and English. Each meal usually offers two choices – just point to your preferred option when the cabin crew comes around with the meal trolley.
They might ask: Chicken or beef?
Reply with: Chicken, or Beef.
Cabin crew will hand each passenger a form, and it’s best to complete it before landing. Both Chinese and English versions are available. If you receive the English version, you can ask the cabin crew for the Chinese version by pointing to:
– Can you give me a Chinese version, please?
If you make a mistake, ask for another copy by pointing to:
– Can you give me another copy of the Chinese version, please?
– Can you give me another copy of the Chinese version Custom Declaration?
For each line, simply copy the entries below as shown. If only the English version is available, you can use it side by side with this guide.
English version:
Chinese version:
Then have the following ready:
– Passport;
– Incoming Passenger Card;
– Selected supporting documents from your visa application (especially the school’s invitation letter – the customs officer asked my mum for it, and the letter I wrote to customs also helped: after reading it, the officer waved her straight through);
– The note explaining you don’t speak English (hand it over straight away, then pass the officer your passport, the letter to customs, and the school’s invitation letter):
I am sorry. I cannot speak English.
When it’s your turn, show the note to the officer first, then hand over your letter, passport, Incoming Passenger Card, and any other paperwork. If they have questions, they’ll arrange for a Mandarin-speaking officer to assist.
Once you’re through customs, grab a baggage trolley – they’re usually nearby. If you can’t find one, ask another Chinese traveller, or use this with anyone:
Could you help me find a baggage cart?
The screens around the baggage hall will tell you which carousel your flight is on. If you can’t see your flight, ask:
Excuse me, can you tell me where I can find my check-in baggage? My flight number is *** Thank you very much.
Excuse me. I cannot speak English. I don’t have anything to declare. I am not carrying any meat, plants, or fruits. I take about 100 dollars with me.
From there, head out through the exit. If you can’t find the person picking you up, give them a call.
If your phone has no signal or anything else goes wrong, you can borrow a phone from a stranger by pointing to:
Excuse me. I cannot speak English. I want to call my daughter. Could you help me to make a short phone call? The number is ******XX. If it is ok, could you please dial it for me? Thank you very much.
And of course, if you run into real trouble, you can always call us.
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