Gansu runs north-west along the old Silk Road through the Hexi Corridor, and it has far fewer foreign residents than the coastal provinces. That makes the WeChat groups more useful here, not less: in Lanzhou, Dunhuang, Jiuquan or Tianshui you are unlikely to meet another English speaker by accident, so the group is usually how people find each other, split travel costs and pass on work. Cities are listed below.

Every Gansu city we cover

What these groups are used for

  • Finding other foreigners — the main reason people join in Gansu. Numbers are small and turnover is high.
  • Teaching work — public schools and universities recruit here year-round and often struggle to fill posts.
  • Housing — rents are low, but listings rarely reach English-language sites, so groups are the practical route.
  • Travel and logistics — Dunhuang, Zhangye and Jiayuguan draw visitors, and groups are where people arrange shared cars and guides.

How to join

Open a city above and scan the QR code with WeChat. Codes rotate when a group fills, so use the newest one on the page. Read the group rules before posting.