As the application of user-centered design spreads across the globe, technology companies are facing new challenges in establishing usability teams in non-western countries. Managers must decide whether to staff their usability teams with local or foreign individuals, and this decision can be influenced by the availability of usability experts who are native to the country. China’s rapid economic growth has led to a strong demand for usability practitioners. Given the relatively small size of the usability community in China, there are unique opportunities for non-Chinese nationals. In this paper, I describe the initial experiences I faced as an American joining a usability team of Chinese nationals. I discuss my preparation and experience before arriving in China, as well as the adjustments I had had to make while conducting user-centered design in a culture that was very different from my own. I believe the sharing of my experiences in both work and non-work settings can offer helpful insights to other non-Chinese nationals interested in conducting usability work in China, as well as to managers who are considering adding non-local staff to their usability team.