US international student here

i'm looking for a part-time translator/teacher job, a couple of UK students told me they got such kinds of jobs through classifieds on thebeijinger.com

i'm terrible at finding jobs even in the US, i always manage to pick the ones that are scams or they just hired someone. what are some things to look out for when doing my job search?

>>1048909
Always get paid in advance for tutoring and translation work.

>>1048920

honestly, that seems like a hard condition to get, especially when i have no certification other than my US passport. not even white, either.

>>1048909
check echinacities, they have job ads.

You can need a degree and/or tesol though

>>1048897
op, should have linked wikivoyage, that's the one everyone moved to

I want to go to Si chuan when the current university term ends. Right now I'm teaching in the hicks where a large bowl of noodles costs 4.5 RMB.

How expensive can Si chuan get? A week or two of travel. What is the traffic going to be like at the end of the academic term?

>>1049136
>How expensive can Si chuan get?
No more expensive than other provinces, less than Beijing and Shanghai but not dirt cheap either.

Chengdu and Chongqing are about the same as any other large tier 2 city. Though some people say that Chongqing should be tier 1.5.

I would budget about 2kRMB/week but I tend to stay in business hotels about as often as hostels and eat fairly well.

>>1048897
whats up with Zuhai and Foshan? Anybody been there? Are they more expensive than usual?

Where is the best music scene in Asia and is it possible for non Chinese citizens to be free lance musicians there? I'd even busk if I had to, but it sounds like busking would be illegal there, or take years to get a permit.

>>1049250
>Zuhai and Foshan
Never heard of Zuhai, you probably mean Zhuhai the port city for Macau, right? I haven't been there yet.

I like Foshan, it's basically a suburb of Guangzhou but it's a little older and quieter, still big enough to have at least one of everything you'd want, supermarkets with imported goods, starbucks, etc. There is a nice 'western' district called Tiandi to hang out in and have pub meals or cocktails, several foreign restaurants including good Tex-Mex, British, Italian and others, there are shops everywhere selling yumcha snacks, siumai are really common. There are a few things to see around there, it has a suburb with a big Guanyin statue (77'?) on a mountain, there's a daoist temple called Fumiao which has Cantonese opera playing most of the time and 'museums' to Yip Man and Wong Fei-hung which aren't that interesting but they do have kung fu displays several times a day.

I really like the restaurant in the "Revolving Palace Hotel" even though the revolving restaurant has been closed for years, their 3rd floor restaurant has really good yum cha, their walnut custard buns are fantastic and their fish congee is really nice.

>>1049256
wow, thanks for the info. Is Guangzhou really more like the area called Guangzhou and all the surrounding cities that go by a different name? I have looked at it on a map and it looks like it's really a massive city that has been pointlessly divided into a bunch of different areas.

>>1049250
>Are they more expensive than usual?
Price wise, Forshan is not bad, hotels are cheaper than Guangzhou and I guess most other things are too.

Unless you go to the western bars/restaurants, then things are not so cheap of course. Still maybe a bit cheaper than Shenzhen too.

It doesn't really work as a place to stay to visit Guangzhou though, it takes about 90 minutes on the metro to get to downtown Guangzhou with at least one or two changes to get anywhere interesting.

Why are you using the same image

You don't have to keep making these generals, there isn't enough demand.

>>1049257
>Guangzhou really more like the area called Guangzhou and all the surrounding cities that go by a different name

It sprawls and has gradually flowed into some of the neighbouring cities.

>>1049277
>You don't have to keep making these generals, there isn't enough demand.

If OP didn't make it, I was thinking of doing one. They aren't moving as fast as they used to but they survive to the bump limit and contain a lot of questions so they're useful.

>>1049196
>>1049136
I did a week in Chengdu for less than 1kRMB, including the Panda Center.

>>1049499
>1kRMB, including the Panda Center
I guess you didn't do the 'volunteer' stuff where you wash a panda cub for that price. Still, if I was more of a tight-arse then that budget would be just doable. Dorm rooms and street food for every meal, no hostel restaurant pizzas or bacon and eggs for breakfast and I guess you don't include transport or at least not long distance for that price but it's about right for a backpacker who's being careful.

>>1049258
How much cheaper? I recall finding some decent 100 kuai a night places near Ximenkou station.

>>1049506
>How much cheaper?
That hotel I mentioned is a dated 3* hotel, probably once 4* but not any more.
http://english.ctrip.com/hotels/foshan-hotel-detail-1694198/rotating-palace-hotel/

You can easily get a room for Y150 and it's a nice room. In GZ, most rooms for 150 are shithole budget hotels.

Also, check this out:
http://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-china-34773556
Worst ever recorded smog in Shenyang. The URL for the story gets its own special place on the firewall though so use a VPN (the rest of BBC is accessible, though not the RSS headline feed).

>>1049499
Is chengdu overrun at this point? I have heard it used to be a cool city but now it's kind of "discovered" so it's hard to "find yourself" and "live as the locals do" and "eat where the locals eat" type thing, if you know what I mean.

>>1049516
>I have heard it used to be a cool city but now it's kind of "discovered"
So you mean there's an expat bubble where you can get western food, drinks and play pool with English teachers and stuff?
Sounds cool.

You don't have to go to all those places if you don't want to. No reason why you can't still go get skewers of stuff stir-fried in chilli and served with rice on a steel tray like locals do.

I appreciate having the expat bubble, it keeps me sane a bit in a long trip here.

>>1049516
You can do that even in Bangkok if you walk 500 meters from Khaosan road. In China you'll struggle to find any place geared toward foreigners at all (except maybe the central street of Yangshuo).

>>1048897

Thinking of teaching in Guilin. Anyone have any experience with the place? Looks beautiful in pictures. Cheers.

>>1049014

so, echinacities, thebeijinger, all these english-based websites mostly have small schools advertising on them.

where the hell does one go for private, one-on-one tutoring? i've even looked at chinese websites like zhaopin, ganji, and these schools also advertise there.

i'm thinking i would be better off walking around to cafes and looking for paper ads.

>>1049523
>Guilin
>Anyone have any experience with the place?

It's a touristy city which is famous for all sorts of shit. Therefore, it's overrun with scams targeted at tourists. Treat it a bit like the Bund in Shanghai, don't trust anyone, don't leave public places with anyone that asks you to follow them to anything.

Watch your valuables in the markets.

Otherwise, sure, it's pretty. The pretty stuff is mostly outside the city but Elephant Island is nice enough too.

>>1049504
If you do hostels and street food, you'll probably spend less than I did. That trip is the trip that made me decide to never travel with a companion again, because I was stuck with a prissy bitch that whined if we didn't spend 100RMB per day on western bars and restaurants. I live in China, so travel cost was negligible, ~150 RMB total.

>>1049516
Absolutely. There is no 'local' culture. It's just another big city. I felt like I was walking around New York.

>>1049523
One of the most beautiful areas of China. However, as >>1049532 said, it's overrun by tourists. Guilin/Yangshuo is the most popular domestic tourist spot for Chinese people. If you live there, you'll get over the scams pretty quick. Put your foot down hard, after a few months the scammers will recognize you and ignore you.

>>1049530
That's because the teachers take all the tutoring availabilities to supplement their income, and most tutoring is done through schools and training centers, no hiring specific tutors.

I need to purchase a fake degree diploma for my work visa. I left mine in my home country and my family members refuse to mail it.

Where can I get one?

>>1049761
>>1049761
Why would you ever give them a physical copy? Just get a scanned copy. If they tell you a scanned copy isn't good enough, then they are scamming you. I work at a public university (read, strictest rules and conditions for getting a visa) and I never gave them a hard copy.

So, I'm not the guy who asked about Chengdu (though I am the one who asked about Si chuan). While I have always known about Chengdu, I never knew that was Si chuan. All I really want out of Si chuan is the food and mountains. I'm going to research it myself, but do you guys have any advice on where to visit? Smaller places? I intend to travel with a local friend to translate.

>>1049765
I went to western Sichuan earlier this year and loved it! The Tibetan plateau has so much to offer outside of TAR.

http://www.thelandofsnows.com/

Read it, he will provide you with loads of useful information about the Kham and Amdo regions (Tibetan regions in western Sichuan, Qinghai and Gansu)

File: 20150125_161919.jpg (2 MB, 3264x1836) Image search: [Google]

2 MB, 3264x1836

>>1049764
>Why would you ever give them a physical copy? Just get a scanned copy

Anon doesn't have a degree, it's the usual "lol, china is corrupt, I can get a fake degree" post that we get every thread. Just dressed up a little this time.

>>1049765
>Si chuan
>any advice on where to visit
Although not legally part of Sichuan, I recommend a few days in Chongqing, it's kind of a crazy city. The geography is weird as hell, try and stay in the downtown or better yet, a cheap hotel in Cai Yuan Ba. Take the world's longest escalator up the hill from the station and check the signs in the basement that you arrive in at the top of the hill, there's about four or five hotels about ten floors above you and they're all pretty cheap.

>>1049764

I'm pretty sure you need a hard copy to give to the consulate in your home country or in Hong Kong to apply for a work visa.

So your uni helped get you a visa without you having to go through that? Or how did you get one?

>>1049819
>apply for a work visa
You get the university/company to get your work visa for you. That's how people working for good schools do it.

Most legit teachers don't actually go get their own visas, that's more for people working for shit schools or who are doing something dodgy.

File: 10449537_10205993574377806_6551517618148694307_n.jpg (48 KB, 540x960) Image search: [Google]

48 KB, 540x960

I have an 18 hour layover in Shanghai, is anything close enough worth checking out? I would have to stay in a hotel and would be open to nightlife...but a bit weary of China haha

Can someone go over any possible way to teach english or get a job in China without a bachelors?

I am 18 and really want to experience other places, really want to go to China or Taiwan. I am ok with getting fucked over in pay as long as I don't work that much and have a bed to sleep in.

>>1050137

It's not going to happen. At least in China. Most employers prefer you to have 2 years experience before working for them, and now they're starting to prefer ages 25 and up. Even if you somehow get past that and manage to get a job, you're going to be setting yourself up to get taken advantage of. Your employer will probably try to blackmail you into working without pay and threaten to report you to the government if you don't tow the line.

You could look into teaching in Cambodia, Vietnam, Thailand possibly. They're so fucked up they'd probably accept any white person that shows up at their door and applies.

>>1050127

Depends on the airport. You're most likely going to be in PVG, or Pudong Intl Airport, which is almost 2 hours away from the downtown and all the nightclubs. In that case I don't think it's worth it to check out the nightlife. You might miss your flight or you'll have to pull an all-nighter.

>>1050326
pudong has the maglev though, quick to get into town

Anyone else see all the offering fires last night for guijie?

Where I was, the fire brigade came and extinguished a burning rubbish bin.

>>1048897
As far as ESL goes, where are the hotspots these days? I mean, are there areas of China that are still booming with nice packages like good money, accommodation, and time off? Location wouldn't matter.

>>1050342
Hohhot seems good for ESL if you're qualified, no fucking around like in Beijing and still an international city. It has lots of the things that expats like to stay in their bubble even though it's somewhat small by Chinese standards.

Looking for somewhere to practice spoken Mandarin that is not Beijing, because fuck that smog.
Any ideas? How's the dialect in Nanjing or Shanghai?

I understand they have their own dialects, but do people make an effort to speak putonghua there now that the area is attracting so much wealth?
e.g. do the middle/upper middle classes try to speak Mandarin? I don't expect newscaster mandarin from somebody selling fried dumplings.

>>1050738
>I don't want to go to Beijing so I'll travel a thousand miles to somewhere else
Don't be such a whiny bitch and think for a minute how stupid you sound.
>Now, I know people in Missouri have their own accent, but do the upper/middle class try to speak like New Yorkers?
That's how stupid you sound.

>>1050738
>do the middle/upper middle classes try to speak Mandarin
Everyone speaks Mandarin. With their own accents.

If you want the Beijing accent without being in Beijing then try Henan or Hebei provinces, they mostly sound like pirates too. Shanxi too maybe.

Otherwise, what this anon said: >>1050758

>>1050758
Missed your nap?

Accents are regional. Accents are also closely associated with social class and education.
A baronet who lives in Yorkshire probably does not talk like his gardener.

As an ignorant person with only personal experience to draw on, you're really not qualified to splutter in rage on this subject.

Maybe if you were an ignorant person who lived in a country with more than one major dialect or language you could offer me some homespun wisdom, but you do not.

>>1050765
People who live in Canton do not speak Mandarin with their own accent. They speak Cantonese, which is not mutually intelligible with Mandarin. So everyone does not speak Mandarin.

>>1050818
>A baronet who lives in Yorkshire probably does not talk like his gardener.
Yeah, and a baronet who lives in X will not talk like a baronet who lives in Y. Also, a gardener who lives in X will not talk like a gardener who lives in Y.

If you want to talk like people from Beijing, go to Beijing. How dense are you that you cannot accept that?

>>1050818
>everyone does not speak Mandarin
I suggest you actually travel in China before you start mouthing off with stupidity like this. The other anon was right to call you an idiot, I just thought I had misunderstood you.

Dude here, is Hong Kong a great place to work as a bio-technologist? I just want to work oversea instead of in LA.
Yes, I speak Cantonese .

>>1050821
>If you want to talk like people from Beijing, go to Beijing. How dense are you that you cannot accept that?
If I want to learn RP English, I should move to central London. How dense can I be? Golly.
If I don't want to learn Occitan, I should stick within earshot of the bells of Notre Dame. Gee whizz.
I want to learn Mandarin, i.e. putonghua.

Look, if I want your sage cultural advice, on matters such as twinkies and Starbucks and which television ads are the most amusing, I'll certainly look you up, but in the meantime please stop pretending to be an expert on whatever subject you happen to overhear being discussed. This isn't the local sports bar.

>>1050845
Thin stuff, anon. There's no point in pretending to be retarded as a form of damage control. It's all out in the open, now.

>>1050818
Jumping in on this discussion...

You might want to make clear the distinction between "Can speak Mandarin" and "Usually speaks Mandarin in situation X". where X can be

"at home"
"at work"
"out shopping"
"in chance encounters with foreigners"

Otherwise you get arguments with people playing on the ambiguity of "speaks Mandarin".

>>1050870
>You might want to make clear the distinction
I don't think anon wants to be clear.

>Otherwise you get arguments
I'm pretty sure that the argument is the point, we're being rused.

>>1050870
In this case, I am looking for people who speak Mandarin at home, or at work (with co-workers not only customers,) i.e. people who are fluent and use it daily in a personal capacity.

Shenzhen and Taipei appear to be southern strongholds of the language, even if they have a soft sh in Taiwan. But I'm mainly interested in the coastal mainland.

>>1050877
You're being reprimanded for stupidity.

(1/2)Hey bros
I could use some advice. I've been traveling for the past 5 months and decided before going back to canada I want to spend some open ended, unspecified length of time in China learning standard Mandarin and experiencing the culture etc. I was hoping to do the same thing I did for Morocco, (work/volunteer doing whatever in exchange for meals and a place to sleep) via workaway.info. However, a private English school in Huai'an took the initiative to contact me, as a result of me listing myself as coming to China. At first flattered, I told them that I have no teaching experience or certification, thinking that would be the end of it. The recruiter proceeded to tell me that it wasn't a problem, and offered a minimum 5000RMB/month salary working at one of their affiliated schools, and said that they could provide the invitation for a tourist visa and AFTER I was in the country they could get me a work visa via a trip to Hong Kong. They also offered a homestay option with a local family, help getting a TEFL certificate, Mandarin training, and 8000RMB reimbursement for flights if I commit to a 1 year stay. The recruiter said the work itself is teaching a class of 40, with instruction being up to me but mostly consisting of vocabulary, since students don't understand complex grammar yet.
Needless to say, all my alarm bells are ringing. I contacted the only person to leave them feedback of their workaway, but have yet to hear back. I haven't found a name or address for the school yet, and reverse image searching their whole gallery turned up nothing. The other thing is, EVEN IF this is legitimate, I don't want to fuck these poor kids over. I'm not a teacher and hadn't planned on being one, but I do take education seriously. Would it even be possible for me to offer these students quality instruction with my lack of experience/qualifications?

>>1050935
(2/2)I really would love to see China, I've long been fascinated by the languages, people, and the landscapes. And maybe I'm being overly cautious here, or letting my excitement get the better of me, but I would really appreciate any input you anons can offer. Replying in the thread is obviously preferable so maybe somebody else can learn something, but here's a throwaway email too: gareth.host@gmail
PS. Sorry for the novel

>>1050879
Yes, go to Shenzhen or Taipei, you truest of gentlemen. You are absolutely right in your nigh infallible deductions.

[spoiler]Is that what you wanted? Someone to agree with you?[/spoiler]

>>1050935
That's not a lot of money but with a homestay, it's probably not too bad.

No idea where Huai'an is.

The general arrangement is not uncommon, a visa run to HK to switch up to a work visa is common enough though some schools fuck you over by putting it off indefinitely.

If you have a degree, then it's legal enough and you could switch schools if they started playing games. If not then they're probably going to screw you somehow.

>>1050935
I looked up Huai'an (淮安) , looks like a tier3 city in northern Jiangsu province. That area is a bit of a blackhole for foreigners, we mostly go north, west or south of the place. You're not far from Nanjing though which is a lovely city to kick back in, a good place to spend your days off if you want a break from China.

Jiangsu is pretty wealthy and open so it should be fine to live in, not too challenging or overwhelming. You also tend to get fucked over less in such cities because they have less replacements.

If you want the full Chinese experience without having to live like a peasant then it's probably a pretty good choice.

>>1051047
I asked a question about Mandarin speaking areas that are not Beijing.
I gave an example of two areas that speak Mandarin, but are not the city of Beijing, or even in northern China, and asked about other such areas.

Just... thin stuff, anon. Very thin stuff. I didn't come here to be lectured by the village idiot. I came here to ask advice from people who know what they are talking about - there are plenty of them on this board. You aren't one of them.

You can pretend I came here to show you up, if it makes you feel better to put the blame on someone else, but you do it fine on your own."Deductions." That's your zinger? It's even thinner than your skin, anon.

>>1051137
do not feed

I'm teaching at a university in China, and I want to know how to tell a crazy apart from a real excited fuck. Had a student force himself into my company after one of my lessons. Went out to celebrate my paycheck. Guy would start laughing randomly throughout his speech. I mean, psycho laughter in the middle of his speech. Was he just nervous or is this guy unhinged? Before I had even known him for an hour he was inviting me to his house "I can drive you, I can drive you!" to meet his mother who is an "American American". Never been worried about someone before this.

>>1051236
He's probably okay. Showing people around a city is a normal thing for locals to do for foreigners with great excitement.

Why does all Chinese meat have bones in it? I swear, people spit out more than they actually swallow.

>>1051236
Chinese use laughter to lighten a tense or awkward moment. It's become instinctive for them. He was probably just nervous.

>>1051236
>psycho laughter in the middle of his speech. Was he just nervous or is this guy unhinged

Both are possible, university is a time when a lot of mental illnesses manifest. Partly due to stress and changed circumstance and partly due to age.

What >>1051289 says about laughter is quite correct though there is an element of face saving involved as well. It pisses me off but it's normal for here.

Basically, we have no idea. The invite to the house, family etc is all pretty normal though. He's probably pretty proud of having a license and a car and plates for a car. That's like 1/3 of being an eligible husband right there and he's not even finished university. I know a high school teacher that got dumped from a two year relationship because he isn't as far down the three rings track as that.

>>1051263
>Why does all Chinese meat have bones in it? I swear, people spit out more than they actually swallow.

In the west, we say that the meat closest to the bone is the sweetest. Roasts, ribs, T-bones, ox tail...some of the best dishes in western cuisine are bone based.

Chinese cuisine is basically similar but since they never cared about steak the way we do, they never saw the parts of animals close to the bone as inferior.

I know a westerner who runs a rib joint in Zhengzhou who had a lot of trouble finding brisket because Chinese love that cut just he same as everyone else where as in USA, it's poverty food which is why it became soul food.

Indian curries are kind of along the same lines, they're often bone based when they're not served in western restaurants. When I bought curry meat in paki butchers back home, it was always on the bone, basically a chicken chopped up into pieces without ever being filleted.

Beijing or Shanghai?
First time to china and i've read ALOT of things about both places. I have yet to have a genuine opinion by somebody whose actually been.

>>1051140
The troll. Do not feed the troll.
The person who does not lap up your ignorant effusions and say "thank you sir, may I have another?"
I'm not your mother, you know. You can't expect the same indulgent treatment.

Does anyone want to have a go at the simple question:
"Where are some areas outside of Beijing that speak putonghua?"
That I so cleverly asked to make that guy look bad, so very intentionally.

>>1051440
>Beijing or Shanghai?
With zero context, we can give almost zero advice.

Beijing has more famous things. Shanghai is nicer to live in.

>>1051440
I am the "troll."

Beijing has the most traditional architecture, 19th century stuff. It's also close to the Great Wall. It's basically obligatory, but for the sake of your lungs, I'd advise you base yourself in Shanghai, and visit Beijing for a week at most. The smog has to be seen to be believed.
The climate is dry and not sweaty, but it would be very cold at this time of year.

Shanghai has charming fusional architecture (shikumen,) and the Bund feels like a genuine piece of Europe. The skyline is incomparably more impressive, not just Pudong, but the whole thing looks like something out of Fritz Lang's Metropolis.
The climate at this time of year is slightly cold but not Siberian. A little more humid than the North.

Central Beijing feels like it's on government lockdown with all the guards and barriers. Some roads are even blocked off at night. Nothing comparable in Shanghai.

Shanghai also has the benefit of being near Suzhou.

>>1051518
The smog in shanghai is fucking terrible anyway

File: DP154471.jpg (2 MB, 3614x2255) Image search: [Google]

2 MB, 3614x2255

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HQ7GRWWgOGM

Posting this for whoever hasn't seen it, great little series

>>1051520
It's not ideal, but I never noticed it in the headlights of cars, the way it was in Beijing. It also rendered the midday sun as dim as the moon.

>>1051582
>It also rendered the midday sun as dim as the moon
(re: the smog in Beijing.)

>>1051582
http://aqicn.org/city/shanghai/
http://aqicn.org/city/beijing/

Beijing is much worse than Shanghai. Not that Shanghai is sweet summer air but it's not too bad really.

>>1051616
But everyone was where like such as, you know the way?

so i just heard about 美团,and bulk/group purchasing.

how do i get into this?

mostly i just want to buy Pocky/百奇 in fucking bulk, i want it cheaper than 5.50块 and want to buy in lots of 10-20.

>>1052573
>so i just heard about 美团,and bulk/group purchasing.
>how do i get into this?
>mostly i just want to buy Pocky/百奇 in fucking bulk

So you want to bulk buy Japanese stuff in China through a US group?

Fucked if I know anything about that.

Whats up guys I need an expert opinion.

I just finished a very unsatisfying working holiday in New Zealand and am in Malaysia right now.

The working holiday situation for my country is rather weird, can't do Australia, yet Taiwan and Hong Kong are an option.

Since I wanted to go there anyway i figured I might as well try to find work there.

How ridiculous would that endeavour be? I have no skills, since i am going to study when I come back home. Being willing to do almost anything, how high would you guys rate my chances to find work and pay rent? I am mainly interested in Hong Kong.

My english is pretty decent, i can speak a nice american accent, but i cant get a teaching visa as a non native speaker. Are people interested in german at all?

I just looked into the language situation, Mandarin makes sense for the future and travels to the mainland. Does it help at all in Hong Kong?

I would appreciate any input, thanks.

>>1052740

There are a few German bars and restaurants in HK; maybe you can get a job at one as a waiter or bartender. If you have no skills, I think this is about your only chance there. Will it pay the rent? HK is extremely expensive, so "yes" only if you live in a shitty shared flat far away from the city center. Also, Mandarin is pretty useless in HK.

You'd be better off in Taiwan, so you should re-focus your attention.

>>1052740
Urban Pack is a hostel that employs backpackers as cleaners and 'party guides'.

Usually they sponsor work visas but they could use you too. And you would probably stay longer than most of them.

Google them, it's run by a flip guy who's a little dodgy but friendly. He'll probably take you.

>>1052771
>Mandarin is pretty useless in HK.
I disagree, I think it's a reliable backup language when dealing with mainland immigrants and generally low-educated locals who don't speak any English, of which there are many.

Of course, it's a poor substitute for Cantonese in HK but it often does the job.

>>1052697

mate, you have no idea what you're talking about.

even fucking Pocky is produced is China, and you don't even need to know Mandarin to know that Japan isn't insane enough to export fucking Pocky.

>>1052697
>Fucked if I know anything about that
>>1052819
>mate, you have no idea what you're talking about

You are correct.

>>1052899

then why did you put my hanzi through google translate and give a completely incompetent ans

oh wait almost forgot what website this is

>>1048897
guys, what is the shittiest, dirtiest, most depressingly dystopian major city in china

i need to know

>>1053099

I heard Tianjin is pretty bad

Guangzhou is a shit hole too. not only is it polluted and humid every day, but it's filled with africans and arabs

What's the general opinion of the western part of China? Both for visiting and teaching English there? Anyone here has been and can recommend anything to see there?

Also, do they bring in foreigners to teach English in Tibet? I'm assuming no...

>>1054108
>What's the general opinion of the western part of China? Both for visiting and teaching English there?
All the teachers I've met there liked it and I'm a fan of the SW myself. I met one girl who taught English in a tiny village on the side of a mountain in Yunnan and had become fluent in the dialect spoken in about 50km^2, she seemed pretty happy with her time.

Except for the Yunnan tourist trail from Kunming to Shangrila and maybe up to the cruise ships in Chongqing, English is pretty uncommon in SW China, there's lots to see but mostly domestic tourists outside of those few Yunnan towns. Basic Mandarin is very useful as soon as you get off the track.


>foreigners to teach English in Tibet?
Seems unlikely. I wouldn't be at all surprised if there was actually some permit you could get to do it but I've never, ever heard of anyone teaching there and I talk to a lot of teachers.

File: xlb.jpg (62 KB, 960x540) Image search: [Google]

62 KB, 960x540

Just got back from a stay in Shanghai and I'm really sad because I have a new favourite food that no one in my city makes well, and is tough as fuck to make.

These hairy crab and pork xiaolongbao were so fucking good.

>>1054201
Which city?

You can usually get proper Shanghai xiaolongbao if you look hard enough.

>>1054201
>>1054227
They're sometimes called tangbao in other places, as in, soup dumplings

can anyone speak fluent mandarin here? if you can give me some tips, and maybe some good sites?

>>1054313
Not remotely fluent but here is a site:
zhongwen.com

It's traditional Chinese but includes simplified. Image based, which is annoying but it's handy for including radicals and such.

>>1054227
>>1054228
Bristol, UK. Several places do them but they're kind of trash.

you lads ready for the winter

because its fucking freezing here

File: xinjiang-05.jpg (321 KB, 1600x1200) Image search: [Google]

321 KB, 1600x1200

ayo redpill me on xinjiang province lads

>>1054182
Interesting. Regarding lack of English, I learned pretty quickly on my travels that as soon as you get away from an area with a lot of tourism and/or major trade centres you must be prepared for no one speaking foreign languages.

But I was more interested in people's experiences in >>1054361 and other regions in the west of China. It seems like it's off the radar for most people going to China.

>>1054361
Coolest place on earth.

File: hong-kong-06.jpg (645 KB, 2560x1600) Image search: [Google]

645 KB, 2560x1600

Hey /trv/
For Christmas I'll be going to Hong Kong to my gf (long story) and besides obvious gifts which I'm going to bring, I want to get something more local if that makes sense.
I heard that Hong Kong is a shopping paradise and all, but I'm wondering if there's anything specific I could bring from Europe that they either don't have or is expensive/rare (and they would appreciate)? I live in Ireland if that helps

File: 1442029184165.jpg (571 KB, 1680x1050) Image search: [Google]

571 KB, 1680x1050

thinking about studying Chinese Lit in Nanjing

only remotely chinese place I've ever been was Taipei for two weeks, what do /trv/

>>1054364
>people's experiences in >>1054361 and other regions in the west of China
I'm about to do an arc through Ningxia, Qinghai and Gansu, I've got about a month for it.

Someone else was going to stay in Yinchuan and thought they might meet anons there? Who was that? We could get in touch on wechat maybe.

>>1054436
>besides obvious gifts which I'm going to bring

HK people are materialistic, traditional gifts are expensive wines and cartons of cigarettes. Bring some good quality single malt or something, HKers appreciate western alcohol and premium labels. Make sure it's expensive or they'll probably be able to buy it around the corner themselves.

I guess if you want to make it special, find a local craft brewery and bring their product but make sure it looks fancy and not just something random in an plainly labelled bottle.

There's nothing that is hard to get in HK. There are plenty of big stores that cater to foreign imports etc.

>>1054444
>Nanjing
I like the city, if you're worried about culture shock, Nanjing has a comfortable expat bubble that you can dip into once a week to stay grounded. If you go, then check out Blue Sky Pub, it's probably ground zero for expats and has great food too. Helen's around the corner is for getting smashed and getting a decent cheap burger and is allegedly popular with teachers but I didn't see any there. Wikivoyage has everything you need to know.

Are Chinese girls as crazy as my experiences would have me believe? Get angry over tiny little things and stay mad about them for hours, happily calling out ignorance but never able to admit their own

>>1054488
In the winter or next summer? Let us know about. I'm very interested in that part of China.

>>1054492
>Are Chinese girls crazy

Some are and some aren't. Depends on the girl and what kind of subculture she belongs to. Also a side effect of China not having much feminism (warning, /pol/ talk ahead).

The 'girly' girls can be like that, they're used to throwing pretend tantrums and having guys mollify them, it's part of courtship I guess, it's called sajiao/撒娇 (acting spoilt). It's considered cute though western men almost universally hate it. My ex did it a fair bit and it's part of the reason she's an ex. Girls tend to have more power in relationships than in the west due to numbers etc. Also, Chinese is a conservative society with very late dating so lots of people have no experience in relationships before settling down and marrying the first partner that meets their parents approval. Strong gender roles in relationships also plays a part, she might be expected to be a cute thing on your arm that laughs at your jokes but you're also expected to have flowers or gifts at every date and pull out chairs for her and apologise even when you're not wrong and buy pretty things for her. Such a girl might well evaluate you by starting fights to see if you love her enough to apologise for nothing. If she's mad for hours, it might not be because of the thing, it might actually because you obviously don't care enough about her to apologise and make her happy and be in love again.

That said, lots of girls are quite humble or modest and think of themselves as traditional and don't approve of acting like 'modern girls'. These tend not to hook up with or foreigners though it does happen.

>>1054510

Continued a bit.

There are plenty of Chinese girls that have a little exposure to foreign culture and have say, first wave feminist ideas (which Maoism contains a lot of) and feel uncomfortable in gender roles and want shared responsibilities and equalities. Those are real keepers and much more compatible with western guys who grew up with first and second wave feminism so that they don't even really think of it as feminist any more. A lot of the current dating behaviour in China died out in the west in the 70s/80s and the only people that miss it are girls who want to free-load and guys who think that life would be better without feminism but don't actually know what that means.

>>1054496
>In the winter or next summer?
In the next few weeks. I guess you're not the Yinchuan anon that posted.

>>1054512
Even with feminism there's still a lot of women in the west who get the guy to pay.

>>1054514
>still a lot of women in the west who get the guy to pay

>the only people that miss it are girls who want to free-load
Sure. I don't think much of those girls generally. Nearly all of the women I dated in the west tended to split the bill automatically. The only time I volunteered was after I started a real job and was still dating uni students and then I didn't mind getting the bill because I had a lot more money and wanted to go to nice places. Even then they weren't always happy about it.

File: despair.jpg (320 KB, 800x450) Image search: [Google]

320 KB, 800x450

Been teaching and living in Shanghai for just over three months now. Ask me anything.

Start off with the boring shit.

>Teaching Mathematics and high school Physics in a High School
>International schools in China are corrupt as shit
>Basically just applying to other jobs right now to get out of this shit hole

Boss loves me though because I get good grades lel.

Thinking of teaching ESL in China next year. What are the most liveable cities in China for a foreigner? Beijing and Shanghai seem pollouted and over crowded. I would ideally like to be near nature and mountains while still living in a cosmopolitanish city. I have a m8 in Chengdu and says great things about it. What do y'all think?

So, I'm working in China, and the school helped setup my bank account and everything: ICBC. I tried buying some things on Amazon to send back home for Christmas when I realized I couldn't. Amazon asks for "Name on card", but there was none. I put in my name a dozen different ways, the way it shows up on my bank sheet, but I always receive a "Incorrect credit card number" message.

How do I unfuck this? Someone helped me setup Alipay, and we even went to the bank and did something (I have no idea what, though I signed a thousand papers), but I still cannot order from Amazon (US).

>>1054543
How are they corrupt? How do you get good grades?

>>1054563
>near nature and mountains while still living in a cosmopolitanish city
Hohhot probably counts. It's easy to get out of the city and it's surrounded on three sides by mountains, there's desert and grasslands nearby, you can go horse-riding, skiing or hiking, depending on the season.

Alternatively, look at Wenzhou, more temperate and another city surrounded by mountains. Biking up the mountains is quite fun.

>>1054636

For example we found concrete evidence of grades being changed without teacher knowledge, with some being boosted higher than others if they paid a "re-test" fee. No re-test us ever done. The students get inflated grades to be accepted into Universities abroad while owners pocket money.

Most teachers in this position are too scared to speak out. It's not a new problem. However, our case is one which may gain more attention due to the amount of evidence collected.

These owners make kids pay 25k USA a year for what is provided as less than a public school education. It's disgusting. They get rich off exploitation.

I get good grades because

>Math

Also I've always been reviewed highly. I came here with the hopes of learning and experiencing new professional ways of thinking. Instead I found nothing but corruption.

Met a Chinese girl on OKC that turned out to be 17 and in HS but not a virgin. She says shes used to dating older guys. Seeing as I was just stroking my ego since I already have a gf, what would you do?

>>1054678
Fuck her raw fag.

>>1054682
She does have big old titties and is thinner than my gf. Ive had a ban experience with my ex who was also 17 at the time when I was 23 though. Crazy philipina left home to follow me to another city and her folks called the cops on me to take her back

>>1054683

Send her my way.

>>1054684
where you at bruh

>>1054685

Shanghai m8

Flying to Japan and have an overnight layover at Shanghai PVG. Where should I stay?

>>1054635
Please, I need to make these purchases before Christmas. I can't speak Chinese. This is the only place I can get advice. Is Chinese banking so backwards that their cards can only be used in China? If so, what can I do to make international purchases (ie. non-cn Amazon)?

>>1054849
>Is Chinese banking so backwards that their cards can only be used in China?
Their credit cards should work normally, what kind of card do you have?

Unionpay cards only work with merchants that accept unionpay and the POS unionpay and the online unionpay networks are a bit different, some are in one and not the other.

Mostly, you need a credit card. Alipay should work for most things I think, use wechat to check your balance etc. You can pay through wechat too, I think.

>>1054863
I have an ICBC card. I setup an Alipay account, but the non-cn (not Chinese) Amazon does not have a support option for it.

>>1051301

I live in Zhengzhou. Where is it at?

>go to China 2 years ago
>everything is normal, cash or card payments
fast forward to now
>everyone wants me to pay with fucking QR codes and some paypal clone that I can do taxes with and book wedding consultants

What the fuck is Alipay and how did it boom so fast?

I went to Memory Restaurant on my first evening in Shanghai and it was fucking terrible, I hate that I was fooled by the nice aesthetics of the place because jesus christ the food was awful.

>>1054543

I'm also in shanghai. How much are you making? Can you get me a job at your school teaching history or lit. or some shit?

>>1054492

they're not as crazy as Korean girls. just rather rude at times, and can disappear on you or delete you randomly and you never see them again.

I've never really had one go batshit crazy on me. They're huge sluts, I've gotten lots of them to come to my apartment to fuck straight up. I've had 18 yr olds send me nude pics and an upclose shot of her pussy, 17 yr olds saying she loves me, milfs and cougars, etc. I'm not complaining tho, I love their sluttiness.

>>1054677

Welcome to China. They're all snakes and scumbags. Don't be a hero cause you're never gonna change it. Just smile and collect your paycheck for being white.

>>1054876
>Zhengzhou
It's called Zax bbq, run by Zack obviously though apparently he used to have a partner who was a pilot but kind of froze him out because Zack's wife is the legal owner.

Anyway, it's at: Dongfeng Lu (东风路) and Wenbo Dong (East) Lu (文博东路) at Lanbaowan Pedestrian Street (蓝堡湾贵人街), 0371 - 55631914
http://www.dianping.com/shop/15880311

Drinks are a bit overpriced, they're cheaper at Target. The food is generally pretty good though I also think Target has good food too.

>>1054871
>ICBC card
So you're trying to buy something on a US website using an ATM card? Are you 12?

Get a credit card, or work out how the fuck to do paypal through a Chinese bank account. Or use taobao or alibaba.

>>1054921
>What the fuck is Alipay and how did it boom so fast?
It's a better version of paypal, more or less. Very useful.
China's online economy is pretty sophisticated, they've overtaken a lot of the west in what you can do. Even in cities where fast food doesn't get delivered, there are 3rd party delivery services for just about everything anyway.

JD.com is basically the only place to buy electronics. All the appliance stores like Sunning will deliver, usually for free.

It's super handy. Of course the owner of Alipay is one of the richest guys in China and he's deep in bed with the party.

>>1054931
Zach's wechat is Zackarere
He basically just posts specials and the latest new dish at his restaurant, it's mostly a business account. Occasionally baby pics.

where can I find weed in beijing? I recently arrived and need connects :(

>>1054933
>So you're trying to buy something on a US website using an ATM card? Are you 12?
Fuck if I know what it is. Not like the papers or clerks were in/spoke English. Does ICBC offer credit cards? How do you know my card isn't one?

>>1054979

if you get caught with it you'll be executed. best not to act like an african your first day in chinkland, negro

>>1055050
You idiot, can you see that your card has UNIONPAY logo on it? Does it have a VISA logo? No?

Does the website you want to buy from accept UNIONPAY or VISA?

Use your brain moran

>>1055080
How the fuck was I supposed to know what UNIONPAY is?

In any case, thanks. I'll explicitly state I want a Visa card.

>>1055084
>How the fuck was I supposed to know what UNIONPAY is?
By looking up the English words on the internet?

Or did you think "Unionpay" was in Chinese?

>>1054926

I should be getting paid double. I make just under 20k a month.

>>1055102

Do you know of any international schools hiring, or schools hiring for subject teaching positions (not math or science related)?

I'm looking to get a job paying 20k+ monthly. I'm fucking tired of teaching English for pennies in shitty training centres.

>>1051518
>>1051520
wtf I'm thinking of living in Beijing for a year. Is it really that bad? I thought it was just bad for a week every once in a while.

>>1054543
how hard is it to get a uni job there?

File: CU32ZpRUsAA8Rh7.jpg (19 KB, 600x450) Image search: [Google]

19 KB, 600x450

>>1055123
>I thought it was just bad for a week every once in a while
Like this week.
"The ministry of environmental protection has forecast severe pollution for the greater Beijing region, as well as the west part of Shandong and the northern part of Henan until Tuesday, when strong winds from the north are expected to blow away air pollutants.

The ministry has advised the public to stay indoors."

http://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/nov/28/beijing-residents-told-to-stay-inside-as-smog-levels-soar

I wouldn't live there if I had an option.

>>1055113

Unfortunately I am unaware of any schools hiring. Maybe some in Shenzen?

>>1055113
Try here?
http://jobs.echinacities.com/

There this but I doubt you're qualified.
http://jobs.echinacities.com/jobchapter/1354492482

What kind of job could I get in Shanghai with no degree but a good TEFL qualification and HSK4 or 5?

>>1055364

Nothing. sh is saturated with teachers already that are highly qualified. kek. go try Thailand or Vietnam, they have a low threshold

File: kgjvft.jpg (65 KB, 674x425) Image search: [Google]

65 KB, 674x425

Why are all of serpentza's gfs so busted and plain looking?

I've fucked and made out with hotter girls than his, and I'm fatter and uglier than he is, and don't speak any chinkese to boot

>>1055383
Maybe he likes things you don't like.

>>1055383
I think his current one is pretty qt, and even beer girl wasn't that bad.

How bad are hostels in china?

What are the types of people that stay in them (e.g. smelly European hipsters or aussie/british dudebros, shady africans, etc) ?

>>1055415
>How bad are hostels in china?

Mostly pretty good in my experience.
There's different kinds, you should learn to recognise which ones are basically just budget hotels and which are full-on YHA places full of backpackers.
Some are guesthouses in the middle somewhere, those tend to be a bit amateurishly run but cheap and sometimes fun and you'll interact more with the family that run it.

Almost all of the YHA type places employ young Chinese backpackers to do everything except clean (which is some old aunties). Picking up these girls is part of the fun though you have to work at it.

>What are the types of people that stay in them

Mostly it's a mix of Chinese backpackers (often students on a holiday or a long weekend) and the standard euro backpackers. Haven't noticed anyone smelly, there are way less dudebros in China because those tend to go to Thailand etc for their beach/beer/hookers trips. China is a bit more hardcore than Thailand and tends to attract slightly more RealTraveller types than dudebros.

Some of the Chinese in hostels will be the same kind of backpackers as western ones but a lot are way more sheltered/conservative. Some hostels basically get no westerners at all, if you can work out which kind of hostel you're looking at, then you might be able to choose whether you hang out with westerners and eat burgers in the hostel lounge or end up with chinese (not locals, from other cities) that you can go out and eat noodles with.

The other type of traveller you see lots of, maybe the biggest group, is English teachers from elsewhere in China. They often take holidays to hostels in other parts of China from where they work.

Im earnign 14k a month as a journalit in Beijing. is that good or bad?

>>1055503
Why don't you try getting a real job?

>>1055503

it's better than teaching little brat kids for the same amount of money I guess

>>1055380
Damn, I really want to work in Shanghai since my girlfriend lives there

>>1055415
Basically this
>>1055454

My personal experience was mostly good. Something I have not experienced in hostels in Europe yet, but happened in multiple Chinese hostels: people were actually sleeping during the nights. They all went from LOUD to dead silent in a few mins, and it remained so for a good 7-8 hours. I realize this was beginner's luck, just saying it's a possibility.
I mostly liked hostels for the quality of interaction with traveling Chinese. Most of the interesting conversations happened in hostel lobbies while I was in China.

>>1055517
Like what, teaching kids? No thanks lol

>>1048897
Student here. Applying for internships in china they pay about 900$ a month how tight is that budget?
Also anyone have experience working for a chinese company? I'm a bit nervous since you never hear good things about them. But this internship could not only boost my career but I love china and hope this can help me cross the language gap.
After this i plan to finish college and work in international buisness.
I know a lot of you did or are doing the samething. Any tips from more experienced 为国人?

Guys, I'm strongly considering flying into Shanghai and staying for 3 or so months, backpacking through China.

I've found flights for USD 600-700, is that a good price from NA to Shanghai?

Is there anyway I can cut costs? I would be trying to stick to a $25 a day budget, staying in hostels, eating street food, and taking hard seat trains for transport. Is that even realistic?

Help, I've never left my country and have no idea what I'm doing.

>>1055622
Also, what is the cheapest way to acquire a visa?
These sites want to charge another $100 on top of the $140 visa.

>>1055527
What? I said a real job, bud.

>>1055624
>Also, what is the cheapest way to acquire a visa?
>These sites want to charge another $100 on top of the $140 visa.
I don't think anything beats the travel agents in HK. Doesn't help you much if you want to fly in to Shanghai.

If you can get to LA or SF to apply in person, you'll save money and those consulates have a rep for easy visas. Otherwise, fake hotel bookings etc and apply yourself.

It's all about time/hassle vs money.

$25/day is a tight budget but just doable maybe. It doesn't really cover transport though. You'll need to budget a little extra for long distance trains, even the hard seats.

Also, 12 hours in a hard seat is hellish, I've done it but I wouldn't wish it on anyone. At least go for hard sleepers, those are fine.

>>1055622
>Shanghai
>$25 a day

Oh yeah, forgot to say, Shanghai will blow your budget, stay there as little time as possible. You'd need more like $40/day there. A hostel bunk alone is about 80-100RMB there.

>>1055672
I was just going to fly into there. It's by far the cheapest airport.

I found a hostel for 4 USD on ctrip while I see the sights there, though.

Thanks for the advice.

I'm going to China tomorrow to mabye fuck my girlfriend over there. What are somethings I should watch out for because I never been out of the country before.

>>1055678
There has been a recent trend in China, mostly following the wake of the Syrian refugee crisis, where a lot of Asians have been popping up all across China.

I want a friend to send me something from America to China. Do I have him put down the untranslated address on the box or both the Chinese and English address? Also, how long does it take? I need it within two weeks.

What should I do on my 14 hour layover, gonna land at 5:30pm and take off at 9 am. I was thinking of going and seeing the Oriental Pearl Tower.

>>1055696
>America to China
>two weeks

Air mail will do that (just), surface mail won't. You could use a courier if it's important. It's possible to get it there in about 48hours if you want to pay.

Ideally, put both translated and untranslated addresses on the box, provide both, he can print them and stick them to something.

Really, the destination address doesn't need to be translated though, just the country. It would help if the country, province and city were translated at least, there might be different mail flights for that but probably the UPS would work it out from the Chinese post code anyway.

>>1055700
>What should I do on my 14 hour layover
Maybe head into town and see the forbidden city or have a drink in Pudong?

>>1055705
Fugg, forgot to say it was in Shanghai.

Thinking about moving to Shenzhen. What's it like there? I really love Guangzhou and I'm wondering if they're comparable.

>>1055731
>Thinking about moving to Shenzhen. What's it like there? I really love Guangzhou
They're similar in weather though Shenzhen is a bit more coastal. Parts of them are like each other but only in parts.

Shenzhen is pretty international, it has whole suburbs of foreigners, one for overseas Chinese and another for westerners. Guangzhou is international too but not at the same level.

Personally, I prefer Shenzhen.

Shenzhen has a bit of everything, it has old Chinese suburbs and slums that used to be farming villages and a suburb that is all western restaurants, downtown near the border is busy and seedy and vibrant, out east there are weird suburbs like Aircraft Carrier that I can't even describe effectively.

>>1055732
>old Chinese suburbs

Not that old, of course

is anyone still alive in beijing

that fucking fog today mang.

>>1055625
Like what, slurping dicks behind the local Pala?

>>1055791
is it that shitty? i may be moving there. i think i might be getting ripped off by the school though. i can kind of see myself ending up eating noodles and coughing up blood for a few months while my students roll their eyes at me.

>>1056029
>is it that shitty?
Even the propaganda news says so.
http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/china/2015-12/01/content_22597489.htm

I'm getting my second paycheck in China ever soon. I want to transfer the money to my Western bank account.

Best way to do this?

I understand there is a $500 a day limit for foreigners, and you need a trusted Chinese national to transfer more. What if you can't find one? Also, what do you do to transfer exactly? Just walk into the bank, give them Western account number and tell them you want to make a transfer? Aren't the conversion rates really bad?

Sorry for all the questions, I'm a newb to this shit.

File: china.jpg (174 KB, 631x559) Image search: [Google]

174 KB, 631x559

Would something like this be doable in 24 days? I'm generally fine with long train/bus rides and a bit of a tight schedule but I'm wondering whether i might be stretching it a bit too far this time.

also, has anyone been to Zhangjiajie? Is it hard to reach? Is it better to fly in?

I would also be interested in hearing experiences with Larung Gar, whether it is possible to get there at all, how long it takes, how best to organize a trip there (local agencies in Chengdu?) etc.

>>1056285
(Shenzhen being a stand-in for Hong Kong on the map)

>>1056029

kek. I bet you're teaching for pennies too. why do idiots like you move there to teach?

If youre making less than 15k-16k rmb there you're a sucker. your life will literally be cut short for a few pennies

>>1056029
>Beijing
>i think i might be getting ripped off by the school though

Beijing is full of schools that rip off teachers, it's infamous for it.

All the teachers I know who have taught in Beijing said that leaving it was the best thing that they did.

Of course I haven't spoken to teachers who still teach in Beijing so my sample is biased. Still, I know several teachers who missed months of pay because schools just stopped paying them after a month or two or never payed the last few months of salary.

>>1056029
>is it that shitty?

it usually isn't shitty, but that day was terrible, worse than when i got caught in the spring-time desert storms (风沙.

i could literally smell the sulfur/SO2 in the air,

File: 1415822256162.png (13 KB, 684x576) Image search: [Google]

13 KB, 684x576

>>1056277

pls respond

>>1056547
Can you not transfer it $500/day?
Ask a gf or friend to help?

How much are you talking about?

>>1056554
>Ask a gf
I probably shouldn't advise asking a gf for help to someone who's posting fbf meme pics.

>>1056554

Won't the conversion rates be terrible? I don't want to lose a significant amount of my money transferring it over.

>>1056558

I've slept with a buncha girls here, but haven't had a stable gf ironically.

>>1056576
>Won't the conversion rates be terrible?
How should I know? You tell us what your bank is offering.

Do a small transfer to test it out and limit any potential loss. Then decide if it's worth doing large.

I really want to go back to China, but I'm afraid of what it means about me as a person.

I think it's partially because I'm really vain. The people there WORSHIPPED me. They treated me like a rock star wherever I went. I literally got tipped for being a cool American once, and yes that's using literally correctly.

>>1056588

what city? what do you look like

File: 1447321367696.jpg (44 KB, 640x640) Image search: [Google]

44 KB, 640x640

>>1056291
>If youre making less than 15k-16k rmb there you're a sucker
what if i have accommodation paid for though? Ill be making about 8k a month. It's shit but I'll have an apartment paid for, seems most places that pay 12k or above don't include accommodation.

>>1056293
Yeah I figure that much, I am anticipating some painful first few months ahead of me.

>>1056596
I went all along the coast from Hong Kong to Bejing, then along the northern border to Chengdu.

I am attractive IRL, which helped, but I seriously think it was mostly because I was white and American.

>>1056588
>I think it's partially because I'm really vain. The people there WORSHIPPED me. They treated me like a rock star wherever I went

I'm sure being hot helped but yes, we all get that to a degree. It's just by being different basically though in some people there's also an element of wanting to represent their country well. Patriotism is drummed into people through school and sometimes that manifests as wanting to show how generous Chinese people are and not wanting to embarrass their country (or wanting to make up for infamous Chinese tourists).

All that said, I do feel like I'm experiencing what it sometimes feels like to be a hot girl.

How bad of an idea is it to take a gf if you live in Shanghai?

>>1056603
>All that said, I do feel like I'm experiencing what it sometimes feels like to be a hot girl.
My god

You're absolutely right

My god

>>1056285
Ehhhhh, I did basically the same trip minus everything from Chengdu onwards and it took me 50 days.

>>1049761
>I need to purchase a fake degree diploma for my work visa. I left mine in my home country and my family members refuse to mail it.
what's their problem? Use a courier. The odds of it getting lost are probably less than it getting turned to ash when your parents' house mysteriously burns down on an early summer morning

>>1050127
what time and day? you could be in for a fuckin ripper my boy
>>1050326
>have to pull an all-nighter.
and where better to do it

>>1051263
>I swear, people spit out more than they actually swallow.
yeh i prefer when they swallow too, but only if they like it. otherwise it's awkward

>>1054492
honestly the majority of the girls I have been with have been push overs.It's kinda lame sometimes when they don't have any spirit. Crushed by their parents and schools no doubt.

I did have one (with her friend) run out on me when we got the bill for dinner. And this was after some afternoon delight. I was shocked. Glad to be rid of her, but damn it wasn't a cheap meal.

Girls here are generally nice. Even Shanghainese. Maybe I just steer clear of the bitches. And jesus, they are fucking cum-inducing. The trim, hairless bodies. The sex. Some of them are F.R.E.A.K.S. But bring marriage/kids into it and maybe things change. At least thats what I hear from older men

>>1056608
I'd be careful. There are a lot of Asians in Shanghai.

>>1054635
go to your bank and figure out the name ont he account. capital letters or whatever. you need to have it exactly correct. same goes for capital letters. my bank couldn't find me on their system because they used a lower case letter instead of a capital on my passport record in their system goddam fuckwits

>>1054843
xuhui, or anywhere on line 10

>>1055102
why do you think you should be on double?

>>1055678
>What are somethings I should watch out for
HIV/AIDS. Seriously I wear a rubber as infrequently as possible.

>>1054843
I stayed in the Jinjiang Inn just outside of the terminal. Take the rail out of the airport to the first stop and get off. Look to your left and you should see a couple tall buildings in the middle of endless fields, just off the road. One should have big red "JI" letters on it. That's the hotel. It's a 10 minute walk along a mostly-deserted superhighway running alongside the train tracks. The bottom of the hotel looks super sketchy for some reason, but it's very nice. IIRC it was 140 RMB a night for a nice suite, but that was over the summer. Buffet in the morning is 30 RMB for all you can eat and is decent. Do not hire any of the illegal cabs outside the train station that WILL be waiting for you, they charge an arm and a leg and prey on newbies.

File: 1421101337880.gif (814 KB, 320x240) Image search: [Google]

814 KB, 320x240

Hey anons. I'm trying to get to China for the new semester with the hopes of landing a teaching job. Don't have a degree but have TEFL/TESOL Qualifications.
SE Asia is seriously a last resort and I'm giving myself December at least to land a job in China.
Since most of the country and the big cities are already saturated with highly qualified teachers, what's a good place to look where I might even have a slim chance? I've been researching Chengdu quite a bit and I've already had a Skype interview with an agency and have been emailing back and forth with questions. All of it seems legit, albeit, I'm undoubtedly getting fucked with pay but I'm not too concerned since it's most just for the experience more than anything. And if I can't stand the place after the 5 month contract I'll just simply piss off to Cambodia.
Sorry for the blog but Christ give me some advice here. Thanks.

>>1056774
Thailand is supposed to be the single most relaxing place to teach English (relaxation seems to be your main goal), but if you're set on China then it's really not hard. Are you white? Done. Just walking around talking to people I was offered jobs. Now I have a Bachelor's degree but that's it, no certs. Still I was offered to be an English professor in Beijing (at two different schools) and an instructor in Qingdao. Actually, twice in Qingdao as well, since on my last day there a woman approached me to give me her card asking if I wanted to teach English at a private institution. I *might* still have that card if you're interested in Qingdao. I still keep in contact with the staff of one university there and I know you could land a job there since it's basically the Chinese version of ITT Tech. Pay was 10k/year plus room and board and IIRC they fly you out there. Qingdao is a nice city too

>>1056781
>I have a Bachelor's degree but that's it, no certs
It's the degree that matters, not the certs. Anon is probably out of luck though they might get something illegally teaching on a tourist visa.

Some advice to anyone looking to head to China: GET IN SHAPE FIRST

They're going to be intensely curious about you and heads will turn wherever you go. It's common for people to take pictures of and with you every day. Being out of shape as a man isn't an issue per se since their men are almost all doughy, but you cannot get in shape in China. The moment you go into a gym and start benching 30 lbs you're going to be a laughing stock.

Women on the other hand can let themselves go since Chinese guys are waaaay too intimidated to approach you anyway. Not sure how Chinese women will react though

>>1056870
>but you cannot get in shape in China
>The moment you go into a gym and start benching 30 lbs you're going to be a laughing stock.
Wait what? Why?

File: 1443050973327.jpg (6 KB, 187x250) Image search: [Google]

6 KB, 187x250

>>1056781
Relaxation isn't my main goal really. It's basically just a test of independence and testing my own resourcefulness. Don't ask me why China, because I've just had it in my head for the last 6 months so i's kind of end of story that I'm going there. The only thing that would make me run off to Cambodia or Vietnam to teach instead is if I run into some trouble, legal or otherwise.
Hey that sounds great and all but I highly doubt they'll jump through hoops to get me over there without a degree. The agency I'm planning to go with have offered to give me a 180 day X2 VIsa (student visa) not a Z Visa. So I already know I'm going over there to work illegally. But hey, as slim as my chances might be, I'd love to get in contact with the institution. I know I could get more jobs if I just "knew" of particular schools, even if I am illegal, but it's hard to dig them up without running into agencies that are questionably legitimate. Where in Qingdao are they?
>>1056832
It really does. Some people I've talked to were worried they might not get anything without certs but in reality a degree is seriously all you need.

Reading a lot of horror stories about flying
china Eastern on yelp and whatnot. Is it really that bad? I'm only using it for the cheap flight to Japan. Is there anything I should know ahead of time? I feel like I'll be fine as long as I pack snacks, water, earplugs and eyemask.

>>1056872
He's full of shit. 99% if people here can't even bench LMAO1PLAETE!!!!! and free weights are always empty.

File: 20150627_113822.jpg (1 MB, 1836x3264) Image search: [Google]

1 MB, 1836x3264

>>1057205
The ones that do lift though...really lift.

>>1056608

shanghai is becoming more and more like hong kong these days. they don't give a shit about foreigners there, and girls are becoming more materialistic and harder. lots of them only want rich beta chinese guys

>>1057220
i live in canada and i found alot of asians (east asian, specifically chinese and koreans as they are the majority around here) seem to not give a shit anymore about just being with white guys, its pretty cool to see this transition as the younger generations realize the rich chinese betas are what they should go after.

There are alot more asian-asian couples in my university now and the brown/darker/kind of uglier asians tend to be the ones that hook up with white guys/foreigners

at first i thought that i just noticed it more often but my younger brother in hs told me asian chicks date asian guys mostly, im not sure if this is a shift in the usa as well but here in canada (atleast ontario) it seems to be the trend.

Humans b weird dawg

>>1057239
Are there any anthropological terms for this?
For a shift in what becomes "attractive" to a human demographic?

>>1057240
It's just foreigners not being as exotic as they used to be. As China became more open/international/westernised, foreigners are less interesting.

Also, a lot of younger Chinese have more of the western culture/tastes/interests that might have been interesting. I mean, I've met Chinese rappers and punks, plenty with tattoos, the hostel I'm in has about five guitars around the place that people play and some guy is drawing manga on his laptop with a USB tablet/stylus.

It's not tai chi and calligraphy any more.

>>1056285
>Doable in 24 days
Sure, but it'll feel a bit rushed. From personal experience, Xian can be done in 2-4 days, since the only real sights are the City Wall and Terracotta Warriors (everything worthwhile is far outside the city, like Huashan). I also got bored in Chengdu after 3 days.

>Zhangjiajie
Just last month. It's almost impossible to train in, unless coming from nearby Changsha. Just fly in, I recommend flying Chengdu to ZJJ, then fly to Guilin. ZJJ is only a 2-3 day trip (the park is only good for 2 full days, plus some other short trips like their big-ass cave), and since the Chinese love to go there, I recommend planning to be there on a Monday-Wednesday to avoid crowds.

>>1056277
Make a friend, they'll do it for you no sweat. Chinese love foreigners (if you're white), just buy someone lunch, ask them for a favor, go to the bank with them to make sure they don't screw you, and give them the equivalent in cash.

>>1056781
>>1056832
Can confirm, half the teachers I've met have a degree, no certs, no teaching experience, still got nice jobs.

>>1056870
You go to a weird gym. I'm /fit/, and everyone at my gym loves me (in Xian). Asking to take pics, asking how much I can lift, girls approaching me asking if I'm single.

>>1057130
Yeah, just don't expect too much. EVA is my favorite, and their prices are alright.

>>1057358
>You go to a weird gym. I'm /fit/
To be fair, anon was talking about un/fit/ laowai in gyms trying to get /fit/.

I agree that it's a weird gym though. I think if a fattie foreigner walked into most gyms, you'd have /fit/ Chinese guys with thick arms falling over themselves to help anon. I swear /fit/ is a religion the way it wants converts. Chinese /fit//izens are just the same.

>>1056870
no idea what you're talking about.... all the gyms in Shanghai have people serious about lifting, Chinese and foreigner

>>1054921
>What the fuck is Alipay and how did it boom so fast?
>>1054933

...kind of -- banks all over China have their own systems and fee structures, and even transferring money between same-bank different-city costs money. Alipay overcame this by offering escrow between buyers and sellers of all types, and excels at connecting online-to-offline transactions.

On top of this, Alibaba group has been instrumental in transforming the economic landscape through providing micro-business owners with the means to make money with literally just a smartphone.

JD is not the only place to buy electronics, Tmall has plenty of official stores, I get my Xiaomi stuff on there. But I wouldn't buy big, important home appliances without checking them out physically at a Suning, Yongle, METRO, etc...

Alipay maybe WAS a paypal clone, but it's now vastly superior due to it's range of features and future connectivity to wealth-building and management, provided ANT financial takes off.

Anyway, I like using it to pay whenever there's some 10-15% off promotions.

>>1057355
There is a high speed train that takes you from Xi'an to Hua Shan in like 40 minutes. No excuse not to climb the mountain if you're in Xi'an. Highlight of my trip.

I'm waiting for pay day to walk out on my employer as soon as I get paid.

I requested the money in cash, but they told me they might not be able to do this, and would have to transfer it to my bank account. Sounds like they're thinking about fucking me over. If not I may have to wait a few days longer to get the payment because transfers are slow in this shithole country, and chinese employers are lazy scumbags. During the waiting period they might try to cancel the payment if I ditch them.

I already promised another company I would start working for them a day after my pay day. Any ideas how I can ensure I actually get paid on pay day, walk out on this shit company, and start my new job without any complications?

>>1057470
Walk in with a baseball bat.

I'm serious. Say you'll be getting paid or breaking a computer.

>>1057470
>Any ideas how I can ensure I actually get paid on pay day
Borrow a laptop to do something work related on.

>>1057471
>how to learn about chinese police stations

>new boss is hot chinese bitch
>would bang
>her husband (?) also works in the company along side her

Damn son, anybody bang their bosses or work colleagues? I've heard many a story of Chinese girl co-workers getting fucked but never tried it myself. that said, if this chick ever came on to me I'd probably bang her

>>1057471

No thx. I don't wanna end up on chinasmack

>>1057563
>her husband (?) also works in the company along side her
I think you're out of luck, apart from everything else.

Back in the day, lots of people lived in company dorms and their families might be out of town, back in the village...even office workers lived this way. These days it's much less common.

I have a good friend who was a PA for foreign execs in Shanghai, she lived in a dorm like this too. All with other office workers and professionals. Of course everyone is away from their partners so there were affairs all over the place, she was single but fucking some guy who was cheating on his wife. When she wasn't giving full service to foreign execs anyway.

File: Untitled.jpg (102 KB, 824x610) Image search: [Google]

102 KB, 824x610

who's about to get wrecked by the pollution tomorrow.

File: 1448998457059.jpg (231 KB, 960x960) Image search: [Google]

231 KB, 960x960

Okay lads, how much should I expect to spend daily in Hong Kong, first time visiting? I'm gonna be there for a week, really don't plan on going to super fancy places or doing hardcore shopping. I've seen estimates of around 700HKD online. (I have the hostel taken care of already)

What's the cheapest way to fly to China from the U.S. (that won't end with my plane lost in the Indian ocean)?

>>1055383

I think she's sexy besides the Chinese teeth, but her personality is quite adorable.

I wrote a really long winded post about my life, but let me trim away all the fat and get right to it:

I make $600 USD a week at my current job (overtime and no set schedule).
Can you save money teaching in China?
Will I have enough free time to learn a skill that will enable me to find a better job if I move back to the states (web development, programming, etc.)?

>>1057564
>No thx. I don't wanna end up on chinasmack
Don't worry, they don't update that site any more except for the vaguest blurbs.

>>1057772
You will earn 12k yuan a month starting out, with room and board taken care of. If you don't travel and eat the company meals you can save about $1,000 USD a month, maybe less now that the exchange rate is tanking. That's working 3 days a week technically, but you'll be coming up with lesson plans and grading papers on the other 4 days.

File: 1430131341763.jpg (31 KB, 456x320) Image search: [Google]

31 KB, 456x320

>>1057772

You can save depending on the city and job youre in, but you likely won't like the work.

Most likely you'll get stuck teaching kids. Most people don't have the personality for it, and it isn't as easy as it sounds. Nobody warned me about it before I came to Asia so I try to make it my duty to warn people: you have to be very energetic and outgoing for these shit jobs, or you won't last. By the end of it you'll look like pic related either way.

You can get several PT jobs in beijing or shanghai and save decent cash, or a full time job with high salary. I wouldnt bother teaching in the smaller cities, they don't pay shit. Btw you usually need 2 years experience and a TEFL to teach in china these days, but there are ways to get around that

>>1057745
>700HKD/week
>not including accomodation

That's pretty insane. I guess if you eat at the best restaurants and drink in sky bars every night then you could manage it.

Expect about $30-$60 per meal maybe. About $30/drink if you get drinks from the 7/11 and hang with other backpackers in LKF to party.

Travel is about $5/trip depending on where you go.

What else do you need to spend money on? Admissions aren't *that* much but I don't have numbers for you.

>>1057813
700HKD is what I found online, hence my question. Thanks a lot for the answer.

>>1054677
Report them to the Communist Party anti-corruption bureau? I'm not sure how much you value your job nor do I know the risk you bring on yourself for doing that, or even if they want laowai's meddling in their affairs, but it could be interesting to report them, sit back and watch the fireworks fly.

>ps. post back with results

>>1057883
If it's not official corruption then it's probably not actually a crime.

>>1057883
What would even count as official corruption?

>>1057893
If it were a public university then it might count as corruption.

>>1050738
lived in Nanjing for a year, they understand the Beijing putonghua fine but sometimes the taxi drivers etc. are hard to understand (hard but not impossible)

in nanjinghua, zh becomes z and sh becomes s, so it's fairly easy to get the hang of

nanjing is a cool city with a decent enough foreign contingent, but not nearly as westernised as shanghai which i personally preferred

>>1057920
>not nearly as westernised as shanghai which i personally preferred
Really?

I thought that Nanjing was like a nicer, greener version of Shanghai. All the same international stuff if you wanted it but more pleasant and less crowded.

>>1057926
yeah totally, I'm saying i preferred nanjing because shanghai was too westernised

i guess i worded that kinda poorly

How hellish is customs if you're just in Shanghai for a layover?

>>1048897
Does Macau have any low stakes gambling. Everything I've heard was that it's all high rollers. I mainly want to go just to experience it and to just say I gambled in Macau.

>>1058090
>Does Macau have any low stakes gambling
I think so, I don't remember the numbers but I'm sure I saw low stakes tables. Most casinos there separate them by floors and funnel people to the higher ones obviously.

>>1057941
It's cool. I thought it was weird to prefer Shanghai over Nanjing,

>>1057631
Hohhot is pretty bad today too, they're talking about maybe closing schools.

>>1054510
Don't want this but don't want feminism.
What's a guy gotta do?

>>1054678
You're going to get your shins caned by her high ranking party member father. People only act out in such a way when they can, i.e., she has a powerful family.
Do it for science.