Moving to Shanghai - humidity and eczema problems in summer!

Australian.

My husband (of about 6 weeks) has been offered a job (within the same company) in Shanghai. (we live in Sydney). He has accepted it and can start when he likes but has told them early May (to give him/us a month to finalise stuff back home and move and stuff).

My sister has previously lived there and everyone who I've spoken to about it (and read online in expat blogs/sites) says that the summer is horrid with an average of 90% humidity. For even a normal healthy person this is bad, but I suffer from a weird kind of eczema (dyshidrotic/pompholyx) on my hands and fingers and this ONLY flares up when the humidity level rises above a certain level (about 70 or 75%). a good example of this is, we went to Brisbane in January and the whole week I was there I had this hideous, intensely itchy rash but as soon as I came back to Sydney it died down. We recently had our honeymoon to Hawaii an I was fine on Oahu but as soon as we go to the Big Island the eczema started up and then died down when we got back to Honolulu. No I am not kidding!

I have a LONG history of asthma, allergies, hayfever and anything related to that.

I'm also not liking the prospect of mosquitos in the hot humid summer as I am extremely allergic and the bites swell up huge, not to mention are extremely painful and itchy and red.

OK.

Now my dilemma is this. I want to, and I know I should be with my (new) husband but the thought of THREE MONTHS of this skin-allergy hell (1 week is already hell enough) would drive me to tears. I guess I would be housebound forever with the air-conditioning.

So my thoughts were:

1) I could go over there and stay for as long as I could bare it, then come back, then go over in late Sept or Oct when the weather became nice again.

2) I could not go until September (but then I wouldn't see him for 4 months!!)

3) My other dilemma is. He will be there for over a year, at least until the Beijing Olympics, if not later. Since Beijing is also horrendous during the summer (June, July, Aug) I don't know what to do. (the Olympics are in August, typical!).

4) Meanwhile I don't know what to do about my own job/career and also we will try to start having kids but don't know how to fit all of this in :(

5) I'm not even sure if I am allowed to live there automatically just cos I'm his spouse? How does this work?

I just don't know what to do, I can't sleep at night thinking about it all. Thanks.

That's a real problem! Unless you stayed inside in AC comfort until the fall. Humidity will last longer than September.

Didn't he think about this when he accepted the job???? I think he ought to pass on the job. He DOES have you now and you ought to be more important.

You can get a spousal visa through his work.

Hope you can work something out. Isn't there any sort of shots or meds you can take?

Hi Ruth. Did you used to be called Ruth in China? :)

Yes we both knew about my probs prior to acception the job. He was understanding but I insisted he go. It's been a dream of his to work in an Asian country, having been fascinated with all things Asian (my background in Chinese/Taiwanese although I grew up in Australia) and wanting to learn more of the language. His company also gave him a very attractive package so I guess it was too good to pass up!

Unfortunately I have researched my problem - it is ONLY caused by humidity so I can't prevent it from happening other than avoiding humid places for the rest of my life :( what can I say other than it sux having these shitty (rare) health problems!!

Not to add to your tales of woe, but I've spent the last decade of my life in VERY humid cities (Hong Kong, Houston, TX) - and even I find the humidity in Shanghai unbearable in the summer.

Beijing isn't actually humid - it's pretty dry (it's in a desert) - but the pollution and sandstorms are pretty awful too.

Are there any sorts of topical or oral solutions? I have really bad hayfever - but I can control it in Asia with eye drops and Claritin.

We get that yellow sand from China (thanks, guys!) over here in Japan, and it is awful! I have never had allergies until I came to Japan and have to deal with that sand every year! Amazing! There is a lot of industry in Asia, plus an abnormal amount of dust. Makes life very difficult for allergy sufferers or people with asthma.

I'd go with option 1. Then return when things get better. Absence can make the heart fonder. However, do make a trip or two back during the year for short stays.

You never know, maybe the Chinese traditional medicine will be helpful.

Yes, you are correct in that #1 use to be Ruth in China and has now returned to Canada.

Since you are both talking and trusting I would also consider just staying in Australia to continue in your current job. It may come in handy.

...and no one's mentioned the "Plum Rains" that begin in late spring/early summer and last for 3 weeks to a month. Yeah, it rains a lot, but worse, the air is incredibly heavy with moisture. Even if it's breezy and tepid (not warm, not cool), it's still stuffy as hell, sometimes suffocatingly so. I'm not in Shanghai, but that doesn't matter: the whole Lower Yangtze region gets to enjoy this annual rite.

and the winters are even more unpleasant. Did you know? Most expat postings fail due to marital conflicts.

way to get Camelina all fired up about living in Shanghai. I think our work is done here.

Although, I don't think this:

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<hr>Most expat postings fail due to marital conflicts<hr></blockquote>

is true. Perhaps "many" or "a good number" . . . or "a good number of those that fail, fail due to marital conflicts"

As others have said above, you're likely to have problems, no way of knowing until you go over and check it out. As for your thoughts 4 and 5--for goodness' sake hold off having kids until you either know you can live in China, or his assignment in China is over in 2008. Don't compound your potential problems. As a spouse of someone on assignment in China, you would also be entitled to a visa/residence permit same as your husband--his company should take care of this for both of you--with the residence permit (usually for 1 year at a time), you can come and go from China as you please. You would be able to work if you can find a company to hire you, but sounds like you should sort out your health issues first. BTW, if you have this kind of history of environmental sensitivities, you may find the polluted air gets you before the eczema does. Sorry to not be very positive on all this.

Well you've heard all the negative news! So I thought I'd say some more positive things (and I'm not disagreeing with what others have said, I just don't want you to lose all hope!)

1. Is your husband's job fairly generous financially? Presuming that it is then you can afford to give Shanghai a try and if it doesn't work out you can afford to return to Australia. Can you take leave from your job and then decide after you've tried Shanghai?

2. You don't give details of your career but would it be something that would be likely to land you a job? I ask because I know that I personally spend all day in airconditioning at work in summer. Would that help your skin?

3. With regards to the other allergies/hayfever etc it might not be as bad as you are thinking. I get hayfever in Australia but have no problems in China...obviously it isn't pollution that causes me trouble, probably plant related and there aren't too many plants here! My mum suffers really badly in Australia from hayfever and she also had no trouble at all in China.

4. I must admit that the mosquitoes in Shanghai drove me crazy but if you are living in a fairly nice apartment with good screens then you should be able to limit your problems by being careful when you go outside. I found that a mosquito net on my bed kept me sane.

In short you've obviously got a less than ideal situation but I think that you can work around it. And don't be put off by #7. Of course some marriages have problems but that's true everywhere. I would say come over with your husband, give it a try. If it is too horrible return to Australia for a few months and come back when the weather is cooler.

i agree. plus, despite all the negatives listed above (and agreed to by me) - Shanghai is a pretty cool place to be - especially as an expat. Good restaurants, plenty of things to do, opportunities to travel . . .and if you have money, you can live a MORE comfortable life than one does in their native country.

What is your career in Australia? Somethign transferrable?

Thank you everyone, your responses have been immensely helpful :)
I have a lot to think about!

In regards to post 10
"1. Is your husband's job fairly generous financially? Presuming that it is then you can afford to give Shanghai a try and if it doesn't work out you can afford to return to Australia. Can you take leave from your job and then decide after you've tried Shanghai?"

Yes it is a pretty good income, not huge for Australia, but for China it would be pretty good I imagine. He's getting more than what he's getting here now, and I think apart from rent everything else would cost a lot less? generally speaking.. obviously I'm not going to go shopping at LV every day! ;)

"3. With regards to the other allergies/hayfever etc it might not be as bad as you are thinking. I get hayfever in Australia but have no problems in China...obviously it isn't pollution that causes me trouble, probably plant related and there aren't too many plants here! My mum suffers really badly in Australia from hayfever and she also had no trouble at all in China."

I know what you mean there. Actually I'm glad to have found someone else who also noticed this!! My sister and I experienced it too. In every other country we have been to we didn't have hayfever symptoms - only Australia :( That's why I didn't mention it much. I have been to China in summer (not Shanghai though) and didn't suffer from that, but at the same time suffered from asthma from the pollution and eczema from the humidity - ARGH I just can't win! :(

Yes, we were in China for 6 of the last 7 years...came back to Canada last summer.

I wonder if you could be helped by Chinese Traditional Meds? Might as well give it a go while you are over in China.

And my marriage is still damn good even tho we spent 3 years in a wee village in Botswana and all those years in China.

I think you're brave...good on ya, matey!

Hehe.. I remember corresponding with you years ago! :) before my first trip to China I think.

I have tried TCM . I've been taking it since i was a young kid, my dad makes me take it. I've tried all sorts of things.. I get so sick of trying stuff that doesn't have long term effects i just give up :(

and thanks!

Ruthie, don't start making me wanting to get married to someone like your... ;)
Cheers!

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<hr>good on ya, matey!<hr></blockquote>
Ruth, is that a Canadian's version of OZlish?