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The Houhai skyline and China Resources Tower above Talent Park at dusk, photographed in September 2020
Giovanni, the person behind LifeShenzhen

ABOUT LIFESHENZHEN

Hi, I’m Giovanni.

The local guide behind LifeShenzhen.

Practical help. Clear steps. Fewer wasted trips.

I’ve lived in China since 2018 and created LifeShenzhen to make housing, schools, healthcare, transport and everyday decisions easier to understand.

In Chinasince 2018Official sourceswhere availableFour educationsystemsThreecontinentsUpdated19 Oct 2026
See how I can help Explore the guides

Live Local. Go Further.

Why LifeShenzhen exists

Real information for real life in Shenzhen.

Make complicated systems understandable

Visas, housing, schools, healthcare and transport, broken into clear, practical steps.

Show what to do next

Checklists, real-world tips and useful tools to help you move from reading to doing.

Separate facts, estimates and experience

Official sources where available, clearly labelled estimates and personal experience where it helps.

From an idea to a community

  1. The departure hall at Shenzhen Bao’an International Airport in July 2024
    Shenzhen airport departure hall · July 2024
    2018

    Arrived in China

    Learning how everyday life, paperwork and local systems fit together.

  2. Shekou coastline, harbor, waterfront buildings and Da Nanshan in February 2021
    Shekou coastline · February 2021
    Learn

    The guide I wished I had

    Turning difficult questions into practical explanations and useful starting points.

  3. The south gate of Nantou Ancient City in September 2025
    Nantou Ancient City · south gate · September 2025
    Share

    LifeShenzhen grows

    Guides for neighbourhoods, schools, food, travel and the decisions that matter.

  4. Talent Park and the Shenzhen Bay skyline in December 2024
    Talent Park · December 2024
    Today

    Information and local help

    A guide to use on your own, with direct support when you want a hand.

City photographs provide context; they are not personal photographs from each stage.

The toolkit behind the work

Science, economics and international experience.

Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada

Dalhousie University

Engineering degree · Graduated 2015

An analytical approach to practical problems.

Spain

University of Barcelona

Master’s in Science · Graduated 2017

Scientific thinking and an international perspective.

China

Peking University

Master’s in Economics · Graduated 2026

Understanding China’s economy and institutions.

Hong Kong

The University of Hong Kong

Former PhD candidate

Research experience across different systems.

Education is personal background. LifeShenzhen is independent and is not endorsed by these institutions.

What I help with

Practical support for a smoother, easier life in Shenzhen.

Relocation help

From ¥1,500 / day

First-week setup, appointments, local systems and practical planning.

  • SIM cards, banking and address registration
  • Housing searches and viewing support
  • School information and application guidance
  • Local apps, transport and daily essentials
  • A plan tailored to your situation
Learn more

Purchase agenting

Flat 5%

Find, check and buy products in China with a clear price and a documented trail.

  • Source through official or established channels
  • Check specifications, quality and compatibility
  • Photos, receipts and serial numbers
  • Coordinate domestic or international shipping
  • Flat 5% of the order value
See details and pricing

Chinese–English translation

Interpreting from ¥400 / hour

Meetings, documents, specifications and local communication.

  • Business meetings and factory visits
  • Documents and product specifications
  • Communication with suppliers and partners
  • On-site or online support
  • Technical and non-technical content
Get translation support

Help hiring local services

Quote on request

I help you find and hire the local support you need, and communicate clearly with providers.

  • Transport, private drivers and airport transfers
  • Moving companies and delivery services
  • Introductions to lawyers for legal matters
  • Maids, cleaners and household help (ayi)
  • Compare quotes and coordinate bookings
Ask about local services

Chinese driver’s licence conversion

Quote on request

Practical help with the process of converting a foreign driver’s licence to a Chinese licence.

  • Check the requirements for your foreign licence
  • Prepare documents and arrange translation
  • Plan appointments and required steps
  • Guidance on exam preparation and local procedures
Ask about licence conversion

Master’s study while working

Quote on request

Guidance on exploring a master’s degree while continuing to work in China.

  • Find programmes suited to your goals and work schedule
  • Compare study formats, timetables and language requirements
  • Understand admissions and prepare your application
  • Clarify study and work arrangements with the university and relevant authorities
Discuss your study plans

Scope and price are agreed in writing before work begins. Goods, shipping, insurance, taxes and third-party charges are separate. Service terms

Work with Giovanni

Tell me a little about your situation. Review your message, then choose how to get in touch.

Which help do you need?

Your entries stay in this tab. Nothing is sent or saved automatically.

This prepares a message for you to review. Email opens your mail app; you choose whether to send.

Email Giovanni directly WeChat: gioalexBooking request form

How I work

A clear process from the first conversation to the handover.

  1. 1

    Listen

    Understand your needs and the job to be done.

    • Discuss goals and constraints
    • Clarify dates and priorities
  2. 2

    Verify

    Check requirements and the latest available information.

    • Use official sources
    • Check current requirements
  3. 3

    Plan

    Agree the scope, price, timing and next steps.

    • Agree a written scope and price
    • Confirm the next steps
  4. 4

    Execute

    Handle agreed tasks and keep you updated.

    • Share progress and records
    • Keep the agreed plan current
  5. 5

    Document

    Provide records, receipts and a useful handover.

    • Receipts and key documents
    • A clear summary and handover

How LifeShenzhen earns trust

Clear standards for useful, reliable information.

Dates on useful details

Time-sensitive guidance is dated.

Official sources

Linked where available.

Prices labelled

Estimates identified when not live.

Availability checked

Confirm directly before committing.

Clear corrections

Report a change or an error.

Editorial guides

A useful starting point for your decisions.

Report a change or correction

Include the page link, what changed and a source if you have one.

By the numbers

A little context about the person behind the guide.

Since
2018

in China

4

education systems

3

continents

1

local guide platform

What clients say · 客户反馈

Feedback from people I’ve worked with.

R
R. · Toronto

Relocation support

“Giovanni had my SIM, bank account and residence registration done in one day—things the forums said would take a week.”

M
M. · Germany

Purchase agenting

“He sent the store receipt and serial photos before I had even paid his fee. The drone was in Berlin six days later.”

S
S. · hardware founder

Factory meeting support

“In the factory meeting he caught a spec change nobody had translated. That catch alone paid for the year.”

Individual client experiences, shared with initials for privacy. Results and timing depend on the situation.

Life in Shenzhen, beyond the paperwork

Guides to help you settle in — and enjoy the city.

Neighbourhoods

Find the right area for you

Schools

Compare your options

Food & Drink

Choose your next good meal

Transport

Metro, buses, taxis and more

Family life

Parks, activities and support

Weekend trips

Beaches, culture and getaways

Hong Kong access

Crossings and onward journeys

A vibrant city

Culture, events and places to go

A few things before we start

Can you help before I arrive?

Yes. Planning, area research, school comparisons and preparation can start before travel. Tell me your dates and what is already arranged so we can agree the useful next steps.

Does asking for a quote cost anything?

An initial request carries no charge or obligation. A paid engagement begins only after the scope, price and confirmation are agreed in writing.

What should I include in my first message?

Your dates, the area or destination, who the help is for and the task you want completed. For purchases, include the product and specifications. Detailed documents can follow once we agree what is needed.

How do you keep advice current?

The guides link sources and date details that change. Confirm current prices, entry rules and availability with the responsible institution or operator; send me a page link when you find a correction.

Photographs, dates and credits

The portrait is the existing authorized site image. City photographs provide context and may be cropped by the layout.

  • Houhai skyline and Talent Park · September 2020 · Charlie fong / Wikimedia Commons · 20 September 2020 · CC BY-SA 4.0. Proportionally resized and converted to WebP/AVIF; cropped by the page layout. · Source · CC BY-SA 4.0
  • Shenzhen airport departure hall · July 2024 · Lyg 2001 / Wikimedia Commons · July 2024 · CC BY-SA 4.0. Existing WebP derivatives; page display may crop the photograph. · Source · CC BY-SA 4.0
  • Shekou coastline · February 2021 · Charlie fong / Wikimedia Commons · 7 February 2021 · CC BY-SA 4.0. Existing proportional WebP derivative; display may crop the photograph. · Source · CC BY-SA 4.0
  • Nantou Ancient City · south gate · September 2025 · Yumeto / Wikimedia Commons · 2025-09-27 · CC BY-SA 4.0. Resized and converted to WebP. · Source · CC BY-SA 4.0
  • Talent Park · December 2024 · Dinkun Chen / Wikimedia Commons · 2024-12-01 · CC BY-SA 4.0. Resized and converted to WebP. · Source · CC BY-SA 4.0
  • Xili university belt · SUSTech campus · February 2023 · Dinkun Chen / Wikimedia Commons · 2023-02-05 · CC BY-SA 4.0. Resized and converted to WebP. · Source · CC BY-SA 4.0
  • Sea World, Shekou · January 2016 · Wishds / Wikimedia Commons · 2016-01-16 · CC BY-SA 3.0. Resized and converted to WebP. · Source · CC BY-SA 3.0
  • Shenzhen North railway station · January 2019 · MNXANL / Wikimedia Commons · 2019-01-17 · CC BY-SA 4.0. Existing thumbnail; page display may crop it. · Source · CC BY-SA 4.0
  • Luohu Children’s Park · 2015 archive · Linjian Li / Wikimedia Commons · 2015-07-09 · CC BY 3.0. Resized and converted to WebP. · Source · CC BY 3.0
  • Dongchong Beach, Dapeng Peninsula · 2024 · kf zhou / Pexels · Pexels Licence · 13 January 2024. Resized and converted to WebP. · Source · Pexels Licence
  • Hong Kong from Victoria Peak · 2019 · Benh LIEU SONG / Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 4.0 · 11 June 2019. Resized and converted to WebP. · Source · CC BY-SA 4.0
  • University of Barcelona · University of Barcelona · CC0 1.0, as published on the Commons description page · Source
  • Peking University · Peking University · Public domain in China and the United States, as published on the Commons description page · Source
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