Living in China is a blast. Wuxi is rapidly modernizing, and it's kind of fun to watch. Puts our planning commissions at home to shame.
I have had China employer problems elsewhere, so respect your asking these important questions. It is only by chance that I discovered EMW, but very provident. Beijing office often go above and beyond our expectations in resolving potential problems. With school relations I feel they always have my back. Ironically, I never felt this support in any American company I've every worked for. Because of this, I'm already planning on staying with EMW.
You can definitely count on your pay and an oh-so-handy Bank of China ATM card. The card is on the Union Pay network, which allows you to do point-of-sale transactions in convenience stores, groceries, department stores, and other places. Also, you can use it at ATMS in Hong Kong , where you can stockpile American greenbacks at bargain rates these days. Union Pay is now also available in Europe , so if you holiday there all you need is your Bank of China card. If you have tricky financial needs, such as wire transfers and currency exchange, the Beijing office can and will help you out if you ask. Or you can open an account with another Chinese bank and use your BOC card to transfer money.
It's hard to think dialectically about China/Wuxi living, as even the cons can be turned into pros. This is one thing you'll learn if you move to China , that every crisis provides an opportunity. Here are some of my wife and I's observations:
Traffic: Hair-raising for pedestrians. You will develop a unique ability to walk across traffic with the sleep still in your eyes. After a few taxi/bus rides you will be numb to drivers' shortcuts through opposing traffic and other seemingly jackass moves. I already have dreams about being chased by the Reno police back home for driving my sedan Chinese-style on Virginia Street .
Scooters: Most are electric which, while better for the air-we-breathe, are silent projectiles that might bump you unawares. Some of them are "E-bikes" which have a pedal assist. When the operator is not pedaling the pedals rotate around the sides of the bike so be careful they don't brush against you. It's kinda like being in the arena during Robot Wars.
Food: Requires bravery, an iron stomach, and an ability to recognize Chinese characters. Outside of the touristy areas you no longer have pictures on the menus so this is critical if, for example, you want pork 猪肉 instead of dog 狗肉, as the left-hand radicals are all similar.
Stares: The elderly remember the pre-Tianmen days when foreigners were all suspect. So they will usually stare at you in public. Everyone else stares for reasons of curiousity, I suppose. For example, your shopping cart will be stared at constantly. It's best just to smile, even if you want to slap them around. Privacy is a little different here.
Garbage: You will find many public spaces are filthy, but private spaces are spotless. So while you may take off your shoes to enter someone's home, you can spit and cough and vomit on the streets without repercussions. Go figure.
Antiquity: The Chinese have historically liked erasing history to modernize, and this is sometimes depressing. However, you will find some relic buildings,temples, and etc. tucked away in niches throughout the cities. Usually, just when we are exasperated with the traffic and the smog and the crowds of people we find something antiquated to relieve our stress. For instance, behind a billboard you might find a Ming dynasty bachelor's garden with ponds and bridges and a teahouse. Or behind an industrial district you will find an 88-meter Buddha on top of a hill looking over Lake Tai.