Shenyang with young children
Throwaway account for work-related reasons.
We have the opportunity to move to Shenyang for my partner’s job and I’m wondering what the expat community is like for young families. I do not speak any Mandarin (but am willing to learn/try!). My questions are as follows:
We have multiple children under the age of 5. Where is the best place to live with active children? The kids very much enjoy being outside; I understand the winters are very harsh and some months they won’t be outside much, but I’d still like to have somewhere they can ride bikes, scooter, kick a soccer ball, run around, etc.
What are the school options for preschool and early elementary? We have a preference for English language school (not bilingual). I’ve done some research on schools and have my opinions based on what’s online, but would like to hear from others.
Will I have friends as the partner? I’m unsure if I’ll be able to work (both due to logistics of the kids + visa requirements), but whether I’m working or not, how likely is it that I’ll be able to make friends not speaking the language? Where would I meet these friends? We are 40.
Lifestyle. Any comments on lifestyle, recreational activities, etc. are appreciated. My partner and I have independently lived abroad in multiple different countries before we knew each other so we are up for an adventure (!) but I’ve never been to China so just trying to get a sense for what it would be like in Shenyang. We have a 60 lb. dog and I enjoy running outside and going to workout classes (F45, solidcore). We currently live in a major US city and on the weekends we really enjoy grabbing a coffee, hitting a few playgrounds, hanging out with friends and their kids at breweries or someone’s house, and going on date nights.