LYDIA TAMUNGANG

Achiever of the week: Lydia Tamungang 

June 10, 2021 | By Nqobile Mdima

This week’s feature is Lydia Tamungang. Lydia is from Cameroon. She holds a Master’s degree in International Relations and a Tesol Certificate. Lydia moved to China after obtaining her Master's Degree. It was her first time traveling internationally. She is a TEFL instructor and currently works for Mingyue Education in Yuyao, Zhejiang. She has been living and working in China for 3 years. Lydia enjoys experiencing different cultures and ways of life which is a beautiful learning experience for her and so far she has visited 6 countries. She also travels within China and she has visited a couple of cities including Zhenjiang, Wuxi, Wenzhou, Suzhou, Shanghai, Jiaxing, Wuzhen, Cixi, Ningbo, Shaoxing, Guangzhou, Chengdu, Nanjing, Yandangshan and Tianjin.

Lydia shares her travel experiences abroad, expat life highlights and lowlights, travel tips to Dubai/Abu Dhabi, Cambodia, Philippines and Singapore and travel hacks for capturing her memories. 

What were you doing before you moved to China? 

I moved to China about a year after obtaining my masters degree. 

When did you start traveling?

My first international travel was to China. Although I did travel a lot within Cameroon.

Do you enjoy traveling solo or with a group? 

Honestly it’s a 50/50 answer for me because both trips have their pros and cons. My first few international trips were solo and I enjoyed being able to decide and change plans at my will, making new friends and learning so much about myself. On the other hand group trips (preferably small groups of about 2 or 3) gives company and people to chat with during your adventures and it’s such a beautiful experience as well.

When you travel do you do everything by yourself or do you use an agency?

I normally use ctrip to book all my flights and hotels. And I also use trip advisor and do some research online on things to do and not do. Some activities like group tours I get tickets online and sometimes I just get a ticket upon arrival at the tour desk.

Which airlines do you use when you fly and which ones are your favourite? 

So far my favorite airline to Africa is Ethiopian airways.Within Asia, China Eastern airlines and Singapore airlines.

How long have you been living in China and which cities have you visited? 

 I have been in China for 3 years plus. Currently at Yuyao, Zhejiang province. Have been to a couple of cities including Zhenjiang, Wuxi, Wenzhou, Suzhou, Shanghai, Jiaxing, Wuzhen, Cixi, Ningbo, Shaoxing, Guangzhou, Chengdu, Nanjing, Yandangshan, Tianjin.

How many countries have you travelled to so far? 

So far I have visited 6 countries. 

What do you like and dislike about living abroad? 

To keep my response short and precise, what I like about living abroad is experiencing different cultures and ways of life which in itself is a beautiful learning experience. And the tough side of living abroad is getting to cope with the new environment, missing family & friends and even after adapting,  getting to encounter & deal with some ignorant people with a very limiting perspective of people from Africa.

What do you like and dislike about traveling? 

I enjoy adventures & visiting new places, always an enriching experience. It’s really hard to think of something I dislike about traveling but one thing for sure is there are always ignorant people out there who could act in an annoying way but I have learnt over the years to not let that affect my experience anymore.

Do you take your own pictures or sometimes get a photographer? 

During my solo trips I take along my tripod which I barely use because there is always someone nearby who can help, all you need to do is ask. During group trips, my friends are responsible for all the photo memories. I have never used a professional photographer during a trip.

Please share financial management hacks that works for you? 

Personally I think before going for a trip it’s good to have a budget planned for it and try as much as possible to work within that budget. Now there are so many apps with hotels and flight deals, browse through and compare rates and get good deals. It’s always better to book flights a few months before because it’s cheaper than a week or days before. 

Do you always pay for travel insurance? 

Yes is I do. 

Where did you book flights and hotels when you travelled to Dubai/Abu Dhabi, Cambodia, Philippines and Singapore? 

I did all my bookings using ctrip.

What are the best things to do or places to explore in Abu Dhabi?

Burj khalifa building top floor, desert safari, Abu Dhabi mosque, old Dubai historic town, Marina Cruise, Miracle garden.

What are the best things to do or places to explore in Cambodia? 

There are so many temples you can chose a few and explore them with friends, if solo you can pay for a personal tour guide or join a group tour. All the temples are not far from one another. There is a good number of cocktail classes where you learn to make different cocktails and later enjoy them all. I chose one from my hotel because they had a tourist desk. There is also a good number of Cambodian meal cooking classes. The water village experience of sien reap is also very beautiful; tickets can be bought in most Cambodian hotels.The night life of pub street is always alive with many bars, pubs and restaurants.

What are the best things to do or places to explore in the Philippines? 

I visited kawasan waterfall and enjoyed spending most of my time at cebu by the beach.

What are the best things to do or places to explore in Singapore? 

Gardens by bay is a must, the garden is the best floral experience I have encountered. I also had a cruise at the city center bay which was lovely. Visited Indian town and had some Indian food. Sentosa Island has so much to offer aswell, I had the opportunity to visit Madame Tussaud at Sentosa island.