China General
Old thread is at: >>1048897
General info:
https://en.wikivoyage.org/en/China (preferred, the 'new' one)
http://wikitravel.org/en/China
Hotels:
http://hotel.elong.net/
http://english.ctrip.com/hotels/
Buses:
http://bus.ctrip.com/
http://www.chinabusguide.com/
Trains:
http://www.cnvol.com/
http://www.travelchinacheaper.com/how-to-buy-china-train-tickets-online
Expat restaurants/supermarkets/bars:
http://listings.echinacities.com/
Apps:
Pleco (dictionary)
baidu maps/google maps
VPNs:
Astril/VPNNinja
4chan: get a pass or use a vpn or both (might be blocked now)
(VPNs will get you b& on 4chan if used outside of /trv/)
>>1060743
pic is a Mongolian-Tibetan Buddhist temple in a grasslands town in Inner Mongolia.
I want to go somewhere magical that has no tourism in China. What have you found where you are practically alone but for the sight or attraction?
Can I transfer my savings in my chinese bank account to my UK bank account via paypal (eg having a Chinese paypal account and transfering the money to my British one?) Anyone have experience doing this?
Do I need USB verification from my Chinese bank to be able to make the payment?
Also whats the pollution like in Chengdu? Anyone on this thread lived in China with asthma?
![20151218_115253[1].jpg](https://i.imgur.com/DIHmfDE.jpg "20151218_115253[1].jpg")
>>1060748
>practically alone but for the sight or attraction?
If there's a sight or attraction then you won't be entirely alone.
You can certainly be the only foreigner in lots of places but anything worth seeing will have Chinese seeing it. There are over a billion of them after all.
That said, I went to the Western Xia tombs today and there were about ten tourists there total, the other nine were Chinese. Go somewhere in the middle of Winter and you'll be more or less alone.
Another sight that springs to mind was Song Shan. Millions go there for the temple but way less people do the mountain climbing and hiking around it.
>>1060748
Go to Inner Mongolia and see the grasslands. All the wildflowers aren't in bloom so there is nobody there.
>>1060800
>>1060800
>Go to Inner Mongolia and see the grasslands. All the wildflowers aren't in bloom so there is nobody there.
Anon is technically completely true. There are very few tourists in the grasslands at the moment.
pic related is the grasslands northwest of Hohhot at a rural farm with homestay yurts
That was about a month ago, it's gotten colder and more snow since then. When I went, the highway back to Hohhot was closed all day due to fog (5m visibility apparently, plus ice on the roads) and our minivan had to divert to the next city over (170km away) and we took a train back to the hostel. Wasted an entire day and half the group barely made their flights. My desert trip got cancelled because we just couldn't get there.
>>1060743
I'll be going to Beijing soon to live for about a year.
This is slightly related...does anybody know what other countries are cheap to fly to from Beijing? I'll probably be looking for another place to see during vacation and I'm wondering what the convenient and cheap stops are. I know the answer is obvious for the most part, but I want to know if anyone knows of some exceptional deals that can be had.
>>1060932
>I'll be going to Beijing soon to live for about a year.
>live for about a year
I think you are being too optimistic.
>>1060932
>cheap to fly to from Beijing
>another place to see during vacation
Go elsewhere in China and see stuff that isn't covered in smog. There's no better opportunity to visit all the cool places in China than when you're already living in the country. There is way more than can be seen in a year anyway.
Also this: >>1060945
pic related is the hanging monastery at Heng Shan outside Datong, not all that far from Beijing.
What about Shanghi? Might have to live there for a year long internship starting next fall and Im not sure if I should say yes to it or not because I dont know what to expect going form the US to China (in terms of living + comforts and stuff)
>>1060967
>Shanghi
>living + comforts and stuff
Shanghai is so western that it's a little boring. Well, downtown is. The suburbs probably aren't so much.
It's a pretty safe and comfy place if you're worried about culture shock. Plenty of places you can go to avoid being overwhelmed by Chinese stuff.
>>1060965
Ok yeah that looks awesome. I guess i'll be more specific and ask what is near Beijing i can travel too. I will be teaching at a college though, so during the one or two months off i plan to head to another Southeast Asian Country or something just to see another place. That being said, I could easily be sold on a scenic and quaint area of china to nest in for month or something if you can think of anything that competes with Laos or Cambodia. Plus i fucking HATE the cold, I can deal with it, but i'm going to be looking to escape it when I can.
Any more sites outside of Beijing? I'd be looking for nature because what
>>1060945
this guy joked about seems a bit true. i love the opportunity to live there but i know I'm going to want to get out of the city from time to time.
I kind of just want to daydream about the options right now because I have nothing better to do.
>>1060979
great that's pretty much what I want
I figure I can explore the Chinese culture when I want to and return to my comfort zone when I dont, instead of being forced to experience the culture shock for full as soon as I got there
>>1060791
Chengdu isn't so bad, Beijing was worse when I went, don't know what to advise you with asthma though sorry
>>1060932
you can fly to north korea from beijing, so theres that
>>1060743
how easy is it, for an uneducated westerner, to make a living in China ?
ex.: acting, modeling, promoting parties, teaching western stuff (BJJ, football)
easy to guess where I'm from weheh.
Do I look too much like a kebab? Will the chinese like me or hate me?
>>1061107
>Do I look too much like a kebab?
You look Brazilian. Just tell everyone you are white and you should be fine...maybe you will need to give people a fake name.
Off work for a month in March, strongly considering travelling from Beijing to Shanghai (UK citizen). Would like to see the cultural heartland of China.
Obviously a few questions inbound;
>How difficult (relative to other countries) is it to obtain a visa?
>What are the less obvious sites of cultural interest in Northern China?
>What should I expect to see/be exposed to that I'm not used to?
>Any advice on learning Modern Standard Chinese?
>Any general bits of advice?
I'm 24, male, relatively social, travelling alone for the first time (if that helps).
>>1061126
what do you mean by "fake name"? I'm not a kebab, I'm a HUEBR.
Any other tips?
>>1061140
>what do you mean by "fake name"?
Tell everyone your name is Max Power rather than Claudio Rezende if you're worried about racism or something like that.
>>1061148
great idea, man. It'll be fun
how about Tonald Drump?
I have many questions, too many to be posted on here. They are mostly stuff that just can't be searched for, but have to actually ask a human. I'm staying one week.
But just how packed is the airport in Beijing? I'm going in June, I know 0 Chinese (will learn as much as possible AKA nothing before then), I'm going for one week, and I will have to switch planes. After I get to the second airport, I will meet the people hosting me, but I am kinda scared of flying alone to a country where I can't speak/read the language and then having to jump planes at an airport (also alone). Unless I am just shit at searching for flights since I can't find any that go straight to Guangzhou from Chicago.
Also should I get a bank account, since I don't think its a good idea to have all of my money on me at one time, all cash.
>>1061107
A shame you don't have a degree, there is demand for Portuguese teachers.
>>1061139
>How difficult (relative to other countries) is it to obtain a visa?
It's a hassle, especially for casual travelers. You'll probably need to forge flight and hotel bookings.
>>1061290
>one week
>should I get a bank account
No. Just withdraw what you need when you run low.
Anyway, people don't get mugged in China.
I don't know about Beijing but International Airports rarely require language skills to navigate.
How much mandarin do I have to know to be ok in Shanghai?
Any recomendations for cities to do TEFL?
I am a 20 year old male, never been to China before. I am about to graduate and want to teach English there. I have a TEFL certificate.
I want to live in a big city, work at a school during the morning and afternoon then private tutor at night. I also want it to be a city with a low cost of living as I want to save as much money as possible.
At the moment I am deciding between Chengdu, Chongqing and Guangzhou. Which one of these is the least expensive in terms of living costs? I am going to take a job that has accomodation included btw.
>>1061486
Why are you putting the cart before the horse?
Find a job first.
>>1061492
I want to narrow down my search. I'm not going to go through the process for a job in Shanghai for example if I don't want to live there
>>1061383
Basically none.
>>1061486
Keep in mind that many of the cities with the higher living expenses are also where you can make a fuck ton tutoring on the side, which more than balances out the difference in living expenses.
I'm on the airport on the way to Chongqing now so I'll post if i find out more about living expenses while there. Chengdu is fairly cheap though compared to the cities I've heard and is quite nice, especially food
>>1060791
Sending money out as a foreigner is a pain. Easier to have a Chinese friend send it for you through Western union or alipay
>>1061378
I wondered the same thing but was on my phone so couldn't be bothered acknowledging the potential bait.
I don't feel trolled.
>>1061383
>>1060985
>>1060967
i can tell youre already having doubts.
shanghai will still be a huge culture shock for someone whos never lived in asia. the westernized areas are a very, very small part of the city. as soon as you get to the airport, you'll feel culture shock. hell, you'll probably get scammed by a taxi driver. that'll be your welcome to china moment. that and the pollution will make you want to go home.
I wouldn't waste my time coming here. i'd hands down prefer Hong Kong, Tokyo or Seoul if I was doing an internship or working a real job.
Seriously, think long and hard before coming here. Every little thing will drive you fuckin crazy here, from the slow ass internet, to the bad food, to the people. lol go to Taiwan or hong kong before you come here
>>1061378
Yeah, I was asking a serious question about the airports being hard to navigate or if the Beijing one is really crowded. I haven't been there before, unlike others in the thread.
Is there anything worse than old chinese people?
I tell ya, they are some of the most annoying, rude, disgusting & vile people I've ever come across. It's always them clogging up the subways, pushing and cutting in line, doing square dancing and blasting music from a PA system until 10pm at night.
I guarantee you the ones clogging up on the subway have no place to go. They're just joy riding at crucial times like during rush hour when people need to go to work because they're fucking old dumb chinks.
I remember last year in Shanghai they were doing square dancing in people's square, near the starbucks. I guess the starbucks customers complained, and the police quickly put an end to that shit, KEK. I would have to loved to see the sight when they broke it up, I hope some old vile chink granny got tazered.
>>1061884
anon was dumped by a Chinese granny who found a younger boytoy.
>>1061964
Yeah guy, toothless, wrinkly, hairy, spitting, farting and burping chinese grannies really turn me on.
I once stayed in a place where this fuckin granny and other grannies would all get up at the crack of dawn to gossip and bicker in their filthy language. One in particular would always stand outside my apartment window below and spit loudly every 5 seconds in the most obnoxious way. Literally, "HAWKKKK PA-TOO-IE!" Every fuckin day at 8:00am in the morning: "HAWWWKKKKK PA-TOO-IE!" I wanted to smash her skull in.
Can't tell you how many times I've seen these old nasty grannies pulling along their little fart-knocker grandson or granddaughter and push through the lineup queue at the subway to cut ahead of everyone, push you out of the way, and grab a seat before everyone else.
Useless, vile old chinks.
>>1061976
anon, there are plenty more grannies where that one came from. You'll find love again.
>>1061674
My dad is the one trying to get me to do it (he's a high level executive in an international company so he can hook me up pretty much where ever he wants)
I might just tell him to try and put me in Hong Kong or Tokyo or nothing, thanks for the advice
>>1060743
little off topic maybe :
but in few months i will be moving to china for a year .
i did not have a phone for a long time now , and need to buy a new one
i also want to buy a new ps4 , since mine got fucked up by alcohol
so , my question is
>are electronics and stuff cheaper in china ?
>>1062004
An iphone 6 costs close to $1000 USD in mainland chinkistan
only cheap electronics in hong kong
>>1062004
When I was in China this summer electronics were only marginally cheaper. That said, I was in the west and north west rather than the eastern seaboard.
>>1062014
But if you want to buy anything except iPhone and other overpriced Apple goods China will be a good place to buy.
>>1062004
speaking of that, I'm doing research, and it seems like you can't bring anything electronic with you when you first arrive at China (they don't want any of that nasty porn or their people learning stuff they shouldn't be learning), so I'll have no contact with anybody until I get myself a phone while in China? I'm the guy staying a week, but it seems pointless to get a phone for one week. If there has to be one day where I can't contact anyone in either China or my motherland (usa) in case I somehow get stranded, then so be it.
>>1062038
>I'm doing research, and it seems like you can't bring anything electronic with you when you first arrive at China
wat
Where do you 'research' such bullshit?
321 AQI in Shanghai today and I want to die.
>>1062183
pussy. its 338 in Beijing and it looks like a sunny day. do you even lift?
What are some good parties or clubs to go to on NYE in Shanghai?
I want to get laid with a wannabe fan bingbing slut
>>1060945
Underrated post
>>1062249
Nevermind that old hag, I'd rather pork Angela Baby
i wanna drink soured horse milk and wrestle all day inna grasslands
>>1060922
do u think if u bought a hexayurt theyd let u set up in they lil group w them and drink their horse milk and wrestle for semi extended period
>>1062039
website involving the purchase of air tickets and visas talking about foreigners going into China, which aren't forums. I'll find one link that says so next time I post. I know I won't get service with my American phone in China under my data plan, thats for sure. I want to avoid times where I won't be able to contact anybody when I'm not flying over the Pacific if at all possible. Sorry if I seem like a dumbass to you experienced people who know these things like the back of your hand.
>>1062302
那妞就 is actually pretty nice.
It tastes and looks like vodka that's slightly sweet but you can still just taste the milk. It's not sour at all.
It comes in bottles with cloth covers that sometimes have horns on them. I have a bottle that uses actual animal horns. Probably ram horn.
>>1062308
Global roaming works fine in China.
Or you can buy a local SIM and use that.
Is it T-Mobile that has free global data? That works in China, I've met people using it.
>>1062435
I mangled the Chinese, I meant 马奶酒.
>>1062435
>>1062450
ik about tha vodka but theres like all typa dif unprocessed horse milk drinks @ various stages of fermentation tht tha nomadic ones drink, like 2% alc soured horsemilk, i didnt translate wht u said but i think ur talkin bout tha processed vodka tht they bottle and sell like internationally
I have been living in Suzhou (about 1-2 hours from Shanghai) for 7 months. If you have any questions about either city AMA
>>1062473
how easy is it to get laid there? i'm assuming its easier than sh, but probably not since Suzhou is like a suburb and there are decent amount of foreigners there
>>1062475
>trv
I am 26 and decent looking (probably like a 5-7 in the US) and it is super easy. I can pull way hotter girls in China than in the US simply for how young and white I am.
That said, I can speak some Chinese (only studied here in China, not a super big deal if you can't speak it as they all learn English) and I go to a lot of places here where there are few foreigners.
Also, the girls in Suzhou aren't bad, but they aren't as hot as Shanghai girls.
>>1062471
马奶酒 = Horse Milk Wine
It's not vodka, it's fermented, distilled horse milk. Looks like vodka though and tastes a little bit similar but with a milky aftertaste and definitely sweeter than vodka.
>>1062473
>Suzhou
Do you spend much time down south of the lake? I thought that area was really cool at night.
>>1062479
Which lake? I live near jinji hu (金鸡湖) near times square.
>>1062480
This one, not sure of its name. I forgot that there were so many lakes around there.
I had some excellent Texmex around the corner from that lake. Maybe it was at Zapatas?
I stayed at some random hotel in the old town (Star Galaxy I think) but the old, old town walking street looks like a way better place to stay for travellers.
>>1060743
Would a 3 days stop in Beijing give me enough time to see the great wall and go on a unique nature hike?
>>1062485
Yea that is Jinji lake. I live on the east side. The pin drop area is ligongdi where there is a big concentration of foreigners. I've been several times but its not really my scene just due to how many foreigners there are.
If you are looking to visit (or visit again) I would recommend the downtown area west of the lake as it is more chinese and generally older. You are right, the old town streets are more fun IMO
>>1062492
>pin drop area
That was just what Baidu maps did when I typed in Suzhou.
It was nice but I probably won't be back, kind of saw everything so no real reason to go back but I guess you never know.
I stayed within the old town area west of the lake that is bordered with four (bigger) canals.
That bar street is kind of fun. A lot of negotiably friendly girls there but I wasn't into it.
>>1062494
Yea, I feel you. Onward to other adventures I hope :)
Yea there are definitely some rent-a-girls down there, but some legit ones too. Honestly there are better options elsewhere in the city for meeting legit girls.
>>1062494
>A lot of negotiably friendly girls there but I wasn't into it.
you talking about actual hookers or club sluts?
Where the fuck can I get some deodorant. Lawson and Family Marts don't sell them.
My deodorant from home is down to a nub.
>>1060743
I just read the US and UK Embassies issued a travel warning for the Saliturn area in Beijing. Anybody know what is up with that?
>>1062568
I bought some at Mannings before, but it's like a liquid with a ball applicator instead of a stick
>>1062634
>Saliturn area in Beijing
You mean Sanlitun?
I hadn't heard about it but I guess they think that IS inspired Uighar might cut up some foreigners. It's a popular area for foreigners but it's also where most of the crime in Beijing happens. Possibly related.
>>1062568
>Where the fuck can I get some deodorant
There are Manning and Watsons around the place, go to those. Supermarkets usually don't have deodorant, for whatever reason. I just ran out to and am going to go out to the nearby Watsons in a few minutes.
I'm not sure about Mannings but Watsons has the full range of what you expect. Adidas roll on, Lynx/Rexona spray etc.
>>1062735
>liquid with a ball applicator
That's what I was referring to with roll-on above. They're normal where I'm from, perfectly fine but you don't share them obviously.
>>1062525
>>negotiably friendly girls
>>rent-a-girls down
>you talking about actual hookers or club sluts?
Actual hookers. The bar street in Suzhou old town is kind of infamous for it. A lot of the bars have a handful of usually pretty girls that flirt with passing guys. There are back rooms for doing the business but some people say that there are lots of extra charges and borderline scams. Some are said to be popular with regular local expats though. Most of them are also legit bars too, where mixed groups go just to hang out and drink.
>>1062489
>Would a 3 days stop in Beijing give me enough time to see the great wall and go on a unique nature hike?
Yeah, should be fine. Not sure where you hike around Beijing but you probably can. You can probably combine them into one day trip if you arranged in advance. Hostels in BJ should be able to hook you up.
>>1061976
Why do you live in China when you clearly hate Chinese?
>>1062298
God, seeing her face all over the subway has made me hate her tbqh, just seeing her name has triggered me
>>1063331
anon's issues assumed direct control
>>1063355
I was out in Yinchuan a week ago and she was on banners on every street light on every major road. Something to do with gaming, it had logos for DOTA, LOL and various other games.
>>1060743
Is it illegal to view pornography / download pornography in China? What if it is cartoons (Japan)?
>>1063370
I don't /believe/ that it's illegal to view or download pr0n.
Pr0n itself is illegal but I think it's illegal on the supply-side rather than the consumer side. Certainly most porn sites are blocked but that's just why most young Chinese know how to climb the wall. Occasionally someone making porn gets arrested for it, mostly they just make it in Taiwan or HK and sell it online.
Torrents will mostly work fine, maybe a bit slowly because most ISPs throttle them a bit. You'll be able to get your hentai fix just fine.
There was talk about legalising it based on the fact that it was widespread and not considered a great evil of society and especially because everyone was watching, no matter the laws. It was just talk though, still technically illegal but no one cares.
I doubt that the censors distinguish between hentai and 3DPD, it's all immoral to them.
I think bakabt is blocked so you'll need a vpn but the trackers and peers should be fine.
Should I even bother going to clubs as a chubby (but not huge) guy on new years eve?
I'm in a tier 1 city, and competition is fierce already that I don't really see a point. I see all these stick-thin European guys that 6' 2" - 6' 4" with six pack abs that look like fuckin male models going to clubs here. Are things THAT bad in Europe that they have to come here and risk getting lung cancer for a Chinese 6/10 girlfriend? lol
>>1063370
most chinese watch jap porn. don't worry
>>1063390
I'm chubby AND bald guy who slept with plenty Asians.
Why would you look for girls in a club where looks is the only thing that matters? It's not like they gonna care enough to hear your story unless you flash lots of cash or do something really weird or impressive, is it?
Personally as a chubby guy I never got any girls in a club. Assuming this is why you're heading to a club. I'd love to hear fat guys succeeding though.
>>1063400
Good on you. Where do you normally get girls? Online, or in person? Elsewhere?
I've only pulled once in China from a club, and it was some fat chick.
I'm sure fat guys can get laid occasionally from clubs in tier 2s and tier 3s, but Shanghai, Shenzhen or Beijing? Fuck no.
>>1063403
Usually IRL. Sometimes online but when I've tried they've been only interested in sex, or with some weird history. Organizing and joining sports clubs, cooking classes and that kind of stuff helped me the most.
ofcourse you can get laid, but just wondering why you'd go there
good luck
>>1060743
you've heard this 50000 times before probably
but i'm looking for a city ( not to big ) to teach english .. its for me and my girlfriend
we are looking for an authentic china experience
not to much westernized !
great nature & cheap place
any ideas on good cities or town ?
give us your pro's and cons
pic related , girlfriend
any start for non-english passport holder to teach?
white and lived abroad and in UK so my level is decent, I doubt any chinese could tell the difference.
>>1063416
are american online sites for dating used or blocked in china? what are the ones most accessible to us over there?
How can I meet hot foreign women in Beijng? I think I'll probably be trying to do that the most.
>>1063370
More on the internet, what email addresses should I get before I go to china? Right now i just use gmail and I've heard it gets blocked form time to time. I would prefer to set up all my online social networks and stuff before going there so I can tell my friends back home how to reach me.
>>1063439
Fuck man your girl is beautiful. Where are you from?
>>1063455
plenty of shit schools hire Russians, Camaroons etc to teach English. You'll have to tell parents that you're from London.
Or teach your native language, some others are in demand. I've met Portuguese and German teachers too.
>>1063439
>not to much westernized !
>great nature & cheap place
Maybe Wenzhou.
Very few foreigners, mountains on three sides and a large wetlands region within city limits.
There are two expat bars so you can dip into the expat bubble if you want but otherwise you won't see any.
The sub-tropical climate makes for lush green mountains but it's not ridiculously humid.
Wenzhou have a reputation for being rich but there are poor people in the city too so it's not very cheap but it's not expensive either. If you want anything then it's accessible but you have to go looking for it.
pic related, a little bit of the wetlands
>>1063464
okcupid seems to work in Shenzhen. Sometimes sites are only blocked locally, so you can never know for sure that it will work for every one.
I think fetlife works in Beijing though. Once saw a hot Chinese woman looking for a gangbang.
>>1063575
that's crazy, i would have thought okcupid would be banned if Facebook is. thanks for the info, i guess if it comes down to it i'd be up for sharing.
>>1063620
nobody does politics through okcupid
>>1060743
Note to next OP, Astrill has two Ls.
https://www.astrill.com/
>>1063515
>plenty of shit schools
I figured that, but not how to find them. Just randomly contact schools? Call them?
>>1063735
Check the ecities site in OP, they have ads. Also check ESL sites.
I read you need to reserve in advance to go to forbidden city, or its museum?
Is this true
http://www.shanghaiexpat.com/phpbbforum/topic191151.html
http://www.chinaforeignteachersunion.com/?m=1
>1063812
But do some reading first.
>While at the holding cell we met 22 other foreign teacher who said they were snagged by a dummy ad online at echinacities.com that was offering 20,000 yuan a week with weekends off. When they went for the interview they were told to bring their passports. Since these 22 did not have Z visas they were busted and now being processed for deportation.
>Three of those being deported said their own TA reported them to collect 30,000 in reward moneys!
>>1063879
It takes a special kind of retard to fall for this kind of shit.
On a mostly unrelated note, how does renewing your contract work (in terms of legal stay ie. visas)?
Look.
China wants tourist!
Simple.
People want to be happy, when they are happy. They have fun, when they have fun. They spend money or the yuan.
So how about cleaning the air?
Not being an asshole?
Being curteous?
It really doesn't take that much to make people happy. Period.
People know when your fake and phony.
>>1063887
How would they have known otherwise?
Half of them got busted in the parking lot of a major Western hotel (Sheraton) after a party. The others responded to an advertisement on fucking echinacities that said they'd pay 20k monthly for a teacher, which isn't uncommon in SH. Also, their TAs reported them.
Just goes to show you that chinks are scum that will do anything for money.
>>1063439
>>1063536
Hey I've been interested in teaching english in China but I was confused about the visas. Do most people do it legit, get sponsored and get a Z visa or do most people just come as tourists and work under the table. I'd assume that its really not a big deal as long as it's not a tier 1 city?
>>1063879
for a guy who never really planned to teach, what does this mean?
non uk/us/canad.... passport holder got caught teaching and deported?
>>1064024
You're supposed to get a Z visa then get a residency permit once you arrive and you're allowed to work but these people probably had L visas which are just for tourism, you're not supposed to work with them. However, it seems like a wicked pain in the ass to do things legit. Even if you find a school that will sponsor you, how do you know that thy won't try to pull some shady shit. Does anybody know if you could come on an L visa try and find a job and then just apply for residency or would you have to fly out of the country and then back in?
>>1064022
lol didn't you just read the article? it's illegal, and you'll likely get caught in a raid, arrested and deported dipshit
>>1064028
>You're supposed to get a Z visa then get a residency permit once you arrive
This.
>>1064028
>it seems like a wicked pain in the ass to do things legit
Also this BUT if you work for a legit school and not some scummy agent etc then they will do all this for you. You get a Z visa in your own country and flight out, they do all the paperwork and you're working a day or two after arrival. They do this all the time, it's complicated but they know what they're doing.
>>1064028
>you could come on an L visa try and find a job and then just apply for residency or would you have to fly out of the country and then back in?
That's how slightly less pro schools do it, it's technically legit and you won't get deported but it's a hassle because you're flying off to HK to change visas and stuff. Still, lots of teachers do this and it's legal.
Fly in on an L, find a job, get the school to give you paperwork for a Z visa (letter of invitation etc), fly out to HK, get the new visa (usually arranged/approved in advance), fly back to your city, the school gets the permits, you start working. All legal but a huge PITA that wastes at least three days but it's ok if you treat it as a holiday in HK I guess. Once picked up a teacher in LKF that was doing that. Good times.
I believe that you CAN upgrade to a Z visa in the country but it's hard to do and only a very legit school is probably capable of doing it. Other schools will probably lie and tell you they can then make you go to HK anyway because it's way less work and guanxi for them.
>>1064022
>Do most people do it legit, get sponsored and get a Z visa or do most people just come as tourists and work under the table
It's a bigger deal in Tier1 cities ilke Shanghai that are overflowing with teachers but anywhere might deport an unqualified teacher.
Those people that got deported were probably (mostly) unqualified teachers with no degree that worked at shitty schools.
>>1064096
I said non-tier 1 cities. I'm sure its a big fucking deal in Beijing and Shanghai but there are tons of other smaller cities that clearly don't have the same draw and won't be able to pay nearly as much. I know it's illegal but it seems like most people don't do it the legal way because that entails a lot of bs. If you had any info on getting sponsored by a school so someone could get the correct visa that'd be nice otherwise you can take a big step back and literally go fuck your own face.
>lol didn't you just read the article
>lol didn't you just read my comment
>not a tier 1 city
>49 China foreign teachers arrested in Shanghai
>Shanghai
>>1064106
>it seems like most people don't do it the legal way because that entails a lot of bs
You're just telling that to yourself because you want to justify whatever bad idea you have.
Most teachers; have a degree and get the legit visa, either in the first place or after they arrive. It's probably more common to have it properly before you arrive though plenty of people do it the other way too including some people working for fairly well known and legit schools. Using an L visa while you find a new job is something that experienced teachers are more likely to do in their second year or something.
Most people who do it illegally are unqualified and can't get the Z visa at all, often they're from non-native-English countries like Russia. Almost no one who has a degree and an Anglosphere passport will work on an L visa; maybe a small handful of people of literal backpackers who only intend to work there for a few months on the way to somewhere else.
BTW: I can't read the text, what does trump's hat say? I don't get the joke because it's too low res.
Now for a change of topic...
Speaking mostly to the teachers here, what would you recommend as a present for a young teenage Chinese boy?
I asked his mother what he was like and just got a description of every Chinese boy ever.
"He's a good boy who is good at maths and plays the piano and likes music."
I'm not sure that she actually knows what kind of music he likes and he probably isn't old enough to have developed tastes anyway. He does speak a bit of English. Apparently he plays badminton and skates but not much other sports.
He's at school for about 15 hours a day, what do Chinese kids do in their time off?
>>1064112
Plays video games probably, league of legends is pretty big there get some peripherals for the game, preferably something with English words on it
>>1064112
Why have you taken an unusual interest in a young Chinese boy? You do realize you'll end up on the other side of a firing squad, right? Students give you gifts. If you want to return the favor, bring in snacks.
>>1064130
It's the family, not the boy. But I want to make a good impression on the boy.
>>1064106
actually you're at the same risk, if not higher, outside the tier 1 cities.
it depends on how corrupt the local police are. they will do raids at random on random schools to get bribe money. if your school decides it doesn't want to pay, they'll throw your ass under the bus. then you'll get sent to jail and get jumped and raped by chinamen, then get blacklisted from china and deported. if that sounds appealing to you, then by all means... dipshit. :)
The only thing I like about China are the girls, and even then most of them hate me.
How do you resident sinophile posters, one or two in this thread, pretend to like this shithole? it's so unbearable. and with the recent law restrictions and crackdowns making it more like the US and Europe, it'll be even more unbearable.
>>1064184
>recent law restrictions and crackdowns
They're not cracking down on anything I do so I haven't noticed it.
>>1064184
>The only thing I like about China are the girls, and even then most of them hate me
Well, if you only like the girls and they hate you then I can see why you hate the place.
Why do the girls hate you? I'm dating girls ten years younger than me without even trying. I went to three cities this week and despite my trying to avoid it and actively arguing against it, I had hotels paid for in two cities and was taken out to dinner in the other one, all by girls I was dating or dated in the past.
I'm not saying that I'm knee deep in pussy or am a player or anything but it's really not hard to meet girls and for them to like you.
Anyway, the real answer to your question is that the people that like the place didn't go into it with high expectations. We just don't care about some of the things that you hate or we think the things that we like are worth the price of the things that you hate.
>>1064184
I am teaching at a school in what my Chinese friends (from the United States) call country. The last three teachers quit after one year (I asked for one to talk to about his lesson plans, another was still living in China and reached out to me).
I love it here because of how empty and slow it is, two reasons why the last three foreigners left.
I have no idea what I intended for with this post now that I have written this blurb.
>>1064195
I have a question for you. I am sought by all of my students and all of the woman I come across (including fellow teachers). I have been lauded with praise over how handsome I am, received gushes and squeals after replying to a group with "hello", turn every female head I pass (even those with boys on their arms), but I have no idea how to approach any of them. I mean, I don't speak Chinese. I can't get over that. Isn't it weird to approach someone in China (a stranger) without speaking Chinese? All of my students (and a couple coworkers) have asked a number of times if I have found a girlfriend, as though finding one in a foreign country in what is practically country is simple.
>>1064209
Just say hello (in english).
You probably want a Chinese girlfriend that can speak good English anyway so just talk to people you're interested in with your native tongue.
It's not going to work 100% of the time, but just talking to people will at least make you friends/more confident.
>>1064207
how much do you earn ?
lot of free time ?
provide me some info
>>1064207
I once met and failed to pick up an adorably cute geek girl (deadpool fangirl, squeed when I told her about the movie coming out but I still didn't get anywhere with her) who was fluent in a dialect spoken only on one side of a mountain in Yunnan. She'd been teaching in the highschool for this dirt-poor community for about two years and although I guess she missed the city and not having to catch a bus to the next town to go grocery shopping, she really loved the mountain and all the children.
Some people just like the quiet rural communities. They can be very nice people.
>>1064209
>I have a question for you
>received gushes and squeals after replying to a group with "hello",
>asked a number of times if I have found a girlfriend
how2intogrill?
The questions and squeals etc are pretty standard for everyone but it sure isn't a bad sign.
You've got a phone and I hope you have pleco. Get Baidu translate also, it's not bad at two-way voice translation. Not perfect but acceptable maybe.
Almost everyone knows Hello/How are you?/Sorry/Thank you/Good bye. They've been studying English since primary school so they know a few basic words.
If you really know nothing and want to hook up with someone who knows no English, just ask them to help you learn or something. Use Baidu translate and ask them if they can help you order dinner and read menus for you and/or take you grocery shopping. Make it a date. Go from there.
I speak reasonably good Chinese but menus are still hard work for me. If I was single, I'd definitely take a girl out just to have her read the menu.
Also, can you sing? There are always English songs in the KTV song library. And a girl doesn't need a good reason to drag a guy out to KTV with her friends. Just say that you want to try a KTV because you heard it's fun. Again, use baidu translate.
>>1064207
You must be way out in the sticks where there are no foreigners, in a low population city.
>>1064195
>why do they hate you
I'm in a tier 1 city, I'm bald. Being bald is a death knell in this country and in Asia. There are too many European guys that look like male models that are sportfucking these girls or have like 10 girlfriends. I can't compete with these desperate faggots that had to leave their Muslim-infested countries to find a 6/10 Chinese girlfriend. If not that the girls have nouveau riche millionaire chump Chinese guys paying them tens or hundreds of thousands of dollars each month to be their mistresses.
I simply can't compete. I'm not on the radar for these girls. I get rejected on dating apps and sites. I can only scrounge up dates with 5s and 6s that I have no interest in. Or old leftover women over 25. and I have to work my ass off just to do that, fiddling and swiping right or using wechat during my job and during my lunch breaks.
>>1064261
I live in Guangzhou.
>>1064238
Well, the problem isn't with my confidence. I am exceedingly social. I'll try that, though. It irks me that I might humiliate myself in being unable to communicate, but I suppose I have to chance embarrassment. I hate embarrassing myself.
>>1064245
I save over 70% of my salary every month. I work less than twenty hours a week. I teach eight different classes, and normally at least one is having an internship each month, so I typically work less than fifteen hours a week.
I have two classes in the morning on Monday. No classes on Tuesday. One class on Wednesday. Three classes Thursday. Two classes on Friday. There are times where I sort of forget I am working and lament that I have to teach the next day or in an hour.
>>1064266
If you get that much attention it really is not difficult to fuck them. I wish I had half the attention you get if what you say is true. In my city the girls look at me like I'm a piece of shit if they look at me at all. I get treated like shit from Family Mart stores to cafes by the cashier girls. They seem to hate my fucking guts.
Anywho. all you gotta do is approach them and ask if they speak English and find out a little about them, say they're cute and ask for their wechat. Go from there -- invite them out for a coffee or drink, get them back to your place and fuck them.
>>1064271
The problem is that those are students, those on campus.
I don't want to hook up with my students. That'd be weird. I'll try what you guys said about just saying hello, though, with women off-campus.
>>1064261
>desperate faggots that had to leave their Muslim-infested countries to find a 6/10 Chinese girlfriend
>only scrounge up dates with 5s and 6s that I have no interest in. Or old leftover women over 25
I think I've found the problem. It's your personality.
If you're a 5 or 6 in Guangzhou and you reject all the other 5s and 6s and don't want anyone too old for university or university age then fuck you. I don't have any sympathy for you.
You sound like some cross-breed pol-tard/robot
>>1064261
You're a 4/5 looks wise and you're turning down 5/6s.
Fuck off man, you cant expect to go to China and only pull 8+s. It also sounds like you're horrible to be around.
You're an ugly cunt, you should be grateful for any 5s you get at all.
>>1064278
>you cant expect to go to China and only pull 8+s
To be fair to the idiot above, it is totally possible for a fat, bald, neckbeard to bag an 8+. But they have to actually be nice people.
Chinese girls really do like nice guys, I think the reason I get the play I do is that I try to be a nice person and never lie and not just use them for sex. That's valued in this culture.
There are plenty of girls falling for arseholes though, that never changes.
But this guy sounds like he prejudges every girl he meets, instantly sizes her up on the 10 scale (everybody notices when you check them out) and then dismisses them as not worth his time. No wonder they don't want to talk to him. It's not like he's exotic in GZ, any girl in a service industry has probably been hit on my foreigners before and FamilyMart chicks are too tired to want to flirt anyway, it's long hours for shit pay and dealing with arseholes shitting up your floors all day that you have to mop as soon as they leave.
>>1061107
Also wondering, i dont knoe Chinese but i have a degree in comp sci and physics. How easy would it be
>>1064276
You're confusing me with a guy teaching for a university in Guangzhou. That's not me, dummy. I'm a nice guy, just being here for so long has turned me into a bitter asshole.
>>1064283
Anyway you're in a tier 2 or tier 3 city. I'm sure I could get a hot girlfriend out there, but that would never happen in a tier 1. I doubt it'd happen for you either. Unfortunately I'm not able to leave my tier 1 city because I refuse to work for peanuts/a substantial amount of less money outside of it.
Btw, the materialism and shallowness of the big cities will and is spreading to the countryside and the smaller cities. The days of getting a hot girlfriend easily out there are numbered.
>>1060743
I have a stupid question, how's the weed in China?
>>1064330
>stupid question, how's the weed in China?
You're right.
That's a stupid question.
Police don't care about foreigners smoking weed, until they do.
The last thread had a story about cops trying to get a bunch of foreigners for weed but they chose the one time that everyone was drinking booze instead.
So, family shipped me something and marked it at $130. FedEx is saying, "no, it isn't" and since it was listed below $150 they are sending it back.
What?
Has anyone been to Shenyang?
What's it like there. Girls qt?
>>1064637
>FedEx is saying, "no, it isn't"
Weird, I guess that customs intercepted it. I've never heard of that happening before.
>>1064649
They are telling me to prove it is worth $130 with receipts, which I did, but are saying there are other things inside, which my family has no knowledge of.
>>1064672
>are saying there are other things inside, which my family has no knowledge of
They might be misinterpreting some accessories of a device or something, who knows.
Otherwise, enjoy the free drugs some FedEx guy stashed in your box?
Which cities along the East coast BESIDES Beijing, Shanghai and Hongkong are worth checking out?
I'm a total China noob, so I'm taking baby steps here. But I'm thinking of going on vacation there next summer, I have about three weeks max.
>>1064743
>East coast BESIDES Beijing, Shanghai and Hongkong are worth checking out?
Most of it desu senpai
Qingdao gets good reviews but I haven't been there personally.
Everything in Zhejiang province is nice, that's Suzhou, Nanjing, Ningbo, Putuoshan and even Wenzhou is kind of cool.
Fujian province has lots of cool stuff, especially Xiamen.
>>1064747
>Zhejiang province
Oh yeah, and I guess Hangzhou ain't too bad either.
Some of the cities I listed are in Jiangsu province above Zhejiang.
Basically there is gorgeous stuff from Jiangsu, down through Zhejiang to Fujian, then you're in Guangdong and Hong Kong.
Above Jiangsu is Shandong province which has Qingdao but has also had a lot of factories opened that got kicked out of Beijing due to pollution. Now they pollute Shandong instead. Qingdao might still be ok though.
>>1064112
From my experience TEFL to high schoolers, 99% of them have no hobbies whatsoever, because they just study all day, and their limited free time is further limited by lack of money and lack of opportunities to pursue interests. Basically, when they finish homework, they go for a walk with friends or they play on their phones. If their parents have money, they go to an internet cafe and play LoL. Those are the only responses I've gotten from 99% of my 2000+ students. The occasional student journals, plays an instrument, or reads books recreationally.
Some of them listen to music while they study, so maybe you can make a cd of popular English songs he might not have heard (classic rock / 90's music).
Or, just get them some snacks. Chinese love eating. Bonus points for western food.
>>1064184
Sorry to hear that you're socially awkward and your sex-tourist isn't working out like you planned it.
>>1064570
I don't, but I've heard it's difficult to find, the quality is shit, and if the cops decide to bust you for it, it's a hefty fine and/or immediate deportation and lifetime ban from the country. They don't fuck around with drugs here.
Winter Holiday is coming up for the TEFL-ers, where's everybody going?
I'm going to sit on the beaches of Hainan and drink fruity alcohols all day erry day. Any recommendations for day trips while I'm there?
>>1064915
>Winter Holiday is coming up for the TEFL-ers, where's everybody going?
I'm an IT partner of a TEFLer. Hopefully I count bro
I'm going to take a short trip to Harbin for the ice festival and fuck around with visa shit but the partner is really in charge of the break, I should ask her about it.
> I'm going to sit on the beaches of Hainan and drink fruity alcohols all day erry day. Any recommendations for day trips while I'm there?
Personally I think Sanya is a bit of a shithole but it does have cocktails on the beach. My advice is to get out and find somewhere else in Hainan. Haihou is a beach about an hour out of Sanya, you can take a local bus but I suggest that you pack light enough to go on a MTB or motorbike and tour around the coast of Hainan.
If you really want to just kickback, take the G/D train from Haikou to Sanya (or fly to Sanya) and then take a bus/taxi out to Haihou and stay at a hostel there. There's a hostel called White Cloud or White Castle or something and it's combination hostel/restaurant bar/surfing school. Beach front balcony over the sand, you wake up, have western or chinese breakfast, do some surfing lessons or just surf, then head back for a burger and a drink then chill and digest, do some more surfing when ready then more drinks and dinner. Can't think of a better way to spend the days and Haihou is way, way quieter than Sanya and way, way cleaner. pic related
If you do go to Sanya, there are some nice clubs and Dolphin Sports Bar is pricey but has great food. There's also a little food street sort of opposite the Blue Cloud hostel's alley that is good for street food.
>>1064909
>high schoolers, 99% of them have no hobbies whatsoever
Yeah, he doesn't have much time for it. Money isn't a problem but he's at an elite school from 6am to 9:30pm and has a ton of homework every day. He spent basically all of New Year's day doing homework. He does read a fair bit and play the piano (he's not good, he's fucking amazing with national level trophies). I ended up getting him a Gundam model which turned out to be a good choice, he has a couple of smaller ones already and I'd seen one on his desk. He's not allowed to build it until after the final exam though. Poor kid.
He has too many snacks already so food is out.
>>1064959
>White Cloud or White Castle
Put 三亚白城堡海滩俱乐部 into Baidu maps and you should get the place. It's not really in Sanya thankfully.
pic related but from the web
http://hotels.ctrip.com/hotel/1048443.html
>>1064959
Nice, I want to go to that festival someday. Make sure you show us some pictures later! Thanks for all the advice on Hainan, I'll definitely look for the hostel.
How long do people in China celebrate CNY?
One week?
Two weeks?
>>1065266
>How long do people in China celebrate CNY?
Travelling in China is comprehensively fucked for weeks before and after. That's how I measure the period.
The official dates for this year are Jan31 - 6Feb. It's notoriously complicated because the government 'optimises' the dates and weekends so that people get the most continuous days off and can go on longer holidays (and spend more money).
Some employers will give a few extra days, or they might be swapped from other weekends and stuff. Many people somehow end up with more than a week for it. Schools have their winter break during this time too so that's just a big holiday for children and teenagers as well.
"How long do people celebrate Chinese New Year for?"
One day?
One week?
Two weeks?
Feedback on this topic would be great.
I've dealt with my share of Chinese girls in Australia....I feel like the national taste in men are directly related to who is holding the wealth and that is no longer whites like it used to be....most girls are now going for the loaded arrogant poofy asian guys driving bmw's.....the girls are seriously spoiled...last time I went on a date Chinese girls they have sent back glasses, complained about the quality of food ingredients, dissed my wine cause it wasn't stored in a proper wine fridge, harassed the waiter about why us 2 couldn't sit at the table set for 10 people because the available tables set for 2 had bad lighting etc etc...even the poor tier girls dissed my expensive apartment cause their social circle normally includes guys whose parents bought them 2 million dollar houses etc etc....
>>1065315
OK.
I'm currently teaching young kids at a language mill center for 17k RMB a month. I've only been doing this for a few months, but I'm sick of it already. At this rate I'm gonna be burnt out soon. So I want to get out of the dancing foreign monkey schtick and do real teaching -- middle/high school or older.
Anyone have any tips for moving onto these ages if you've only taught kindergarten ages in the past?
From what I've read in the past here, you can do whatever the fuck want as long as you show up to your classes, and it's a cakewalk. Best of all, no goofy dancing or singing bullshit or playing babysitter.
>>1065765
>17k RMB a month
That's not to be sneezed at, bro.
Still, assuming that you can find the same money in a middle school...It's easier apparently. Teach from a book/just do conversation practice (what the gig usually is) until you get the swing of it and can improve on the book/whatever.
how is life in Chengdu ?
cheap ? westernized ?
I'm teaching in China, and I'm thinking of traveling outside of the country during the Chinese new year/spring festival holidays.
Does anyone know the best day to leave the country and come back? I'm guessing it's a few days after the official holiday starts.
I want to avoid jammed-packed airports and subways full of millions of nong farmers farting and picking their nose in line, and trying to cut in line and push their way through at the line queues. I'd really rather not deal with that headache if I can avoid it.
>>1066093
It's one of the more expensive cities, but not as expensive as HK. It's pretty damn westernized. It's known as one of the seedier cities of China. Prostitute flyers are everywhere, there's a drug scene (most cities are very low in terms of drug use). I didn't like it, but most people I talk to liked it a lot.
>>1066831
Look up your destination on Ctrip, and bring up the calendar, it'll show the price for every day for two months. You can get a good idea of when you should go. I've been refreshing every day for two weeks, and it looks like the prices after January 20th are as low as they're gonna get.
>>1066841
>It's known as one of the seedier cities of China. Prostitute flyers are everywhere
I asked someone the other day what he liked about Chengdu and he said: "the girls"
I guess I know what he meant now.
>>1065025
>Nice, I want to go to that festival someday
Yeah, so do I. I tried to book train tickets...I nearly had a bed on a sleeper three times but it was sold out by the time I got to the final part of booking.
I'm going to go in mid February instead, should be quieter then.
>chinese girls often dont shower
>chinese girls have hairy arm pits
wby are they so fucking dirty
I'll have a 10 hour layover in Hong Kong next week, anything I can see or do in that time?
>>1067197
>wby are they so fucking dirty
Because they're the only ones that will stoop to dating your ugly face
My girl showers every day and shaves her armpits.
Most Chinese girls aren't that hairy anyway. I don't know what you're worried about.
>>1067215
>10 hour layover in Hong Kong
Not a lot obviously but you can definitely get into town. Maybe take the peak tram and have a look, then wonder around a bit.
Try and fit three meals in, you can do a congee breakfast, yumcha lunch and duck rice dinner.
I could look up some good restaurant locations if you want. Google Maps works in HK
I teach at a uni, and I am in southern China. I want to go somewhere with snow that is not obscenely crowded or expensive (because I get shit for pay). I heard that the trains and buses and pretty much every other form of transportation will be swamped for a while because of reasons.
I am free until February 27th. When is an ideal time to go sightseeing? Where is a good place to go sightseeing if I want snow and quiet?
>>1067323
>I am free until February 27th. When is an ideal time to go sightseeing? Where is a good place to go sightseeing if I want snow and quiet?
The good sights will NOT be quiet.
There are lots of places with snow, that's not too special. The trick is finding something worth seeing that won't be swamped and that basically doesn't exist.
If you get your travel directions right, you can travel around the 15th of Feb or later but you need to look for free dates and book now.
Is it safe to buy and take once-a-day vitamins in China? I'm afraid I will grow a second arm or I will be eating rat poison.
>>1067620
>Harbin Ice Festival
>probably not too many
It will be packed and you can't get anything except hard seat or standing train tickets for weeks and weeks.
It's worth seeing but hard to get to. Maybe try flying.
>>1067690
>Is it safe to buy and take once-a-day vitamins in China?
It will be safe though if you eat too many then I guess you might get tooth decay from all the sugar.
If a vitamin were fake, it would just be a sugar pill (possibly with some orange flavouring). There's probably more chance of it being fake because vitamins are unregulated but maybe less because the profit is lower than medicines. Still, a fake vitamin pill and a real vitamin pill have the same effect on you so it would be hard to tell whether you're getting a real or fake placebo anyway.
whew lads, just made it through what is probably the most harrowing, from-rock-bottom-to-cloud9, week in my life.
will greentext if anyone requests, currently staying in downtown backpackers at 南鼓楼巷 and i have nothing but time.
>>1068322
>南鼓楼巷
That's in Beijing, right?
Haven't stayed there before.
Tell us your story. I'm all ears.
>>1068322
share it already
Teaching at a uni in China. Found the job through an agent who hires all of the school's foreigners (only me right now since it is a small uni). He says he will hold onto my insurance card, which he bought and signed me up for, instead of sending it to me. Lives in the same city an hour/two away from me. Has been really great (both the agent and school) this first term, but this set off some alarms. Is this something I should be concerned about? Rather, is there any reason I should not be concerned about this?
>>1068751
You should be. Most Chinese agents are scumbags and will fuck you any way possible to make an extra red mao.
>>1068770
Yeah, I know that. I was asking "why". He has sent me scanned copies of the card, of the insurance fee. All of it looks pretty legit.
But his reasoning sounds really fucking lame.
>We have to keep the original copy of the insurance card for you because we shall use it to ask for compensation for you from the insurance company in case something really happens to you.
I'll be going to Wuhan for 3 weeks at the start of may. What would be the #1 thing I should do while I'm there?
Posted in a new thread but here I go again
>Have opportunity to study a semester abroad in Shanghai
>Also have opportunity to change to Beijing
What would you guys recommend? I heard Beijing is great when it comes to sightseeing while Shanghai has a pretty low number of sights. Also, how are the bus/train connections in both cities?
Hey boys and girls.
I'm living in Shanghai and thinking of buying a scooter/e-bike. Anyone own one?
Are they dangerous to ride in SH? How far can they usually go? What should I expect to fork out for one? I hear they range between 3000-4000 RMB. Also, any things I should check for when buying one?
>>1068819
fuck a bitch....
IN THE ASS
>>1068833
>Beijing is great when it comes to sightseeing while Shanghai has a pretty low number of sights
That's basically true. Doesn't matter though, you can spend a weekend in Beijing and see most of them. Do it again if you missed something.
Shanghai is way nicer to live in, IMO. Cleaner air for one.
>>1068938
>fuck a bitch....
>IN THE ASS
In Wuhan?
What do you know about Wuhan that I don't? There are pros if you know where to look but I wouldn't call it a fleshpot by any means and the girls aren't any different to anywhere else.
>>1068819
>going to Wuhan for 3 weeks at the start of may
Check out Wuhan Prison, I guess it's the main expat bar...there are others but that one is basically always has a few expats vs others that some expats just hang out at now and then. It's very hard to find, it's on a side street, around the corner from a much better known club called Vox live. Just off Luxiang, Lumo lu (鲁磨路)
Helen's Cafe, (卓刀泉北路) has whiskey buckets and acceptable burgers, a bit boring if you want to meet people though.
The Yellow Crane Tower and two or three food streets are really the only things to see and do in Wuhan. It does have ferries over the Yangtze if you just want to check a box.
>>1062038
That's bullshit. Took my phone and laptop in with no issues.
>>1062436
Yeah I think it's t mobile
>>1069025
>Wuhan
It's Wuhan. a 2nd or 3rd tier shithole out in the middle of china... I doubt there are many foreigners there yet, so it should still be pretty easy to fuck the local girls if you're a white piggu
>>1068833
I'm in Shanghai and the pollution has been horrendous this winter again. I'm coughing up fucking phlegm and coughing constantly every day. I've also been getting sick on and off all December and now into January. So... I guess they'll pretty much be the same shithole. The question you wanna ask yourself is, do you really wanna take your health into your hands coming here.
>>1069073
>It's Wuhan. a 2nd or 3rd tier shithole out in the middle of china
2nd tier and a bit polluted but not a shithole and if you think there aren't any foreigners then you haven't been there.
There's fuckloads of foreigners. Actually, there are so many that it's hard to meet them because they don't just go to one bar. Wuhan Prison is just the main one for english teachers I guess. Engineers and business men go to other ones but I never got hooked into that scene. I heard that Blue Sky is one of them though.
>>1069073
>easy to fuck the local girls if you're a white piggu
Local girls aren't that impressed by foreigners, Wuhan is a tech hub with a lot of foreign industry, just not in the league of Shenzhen. One of the main biotech centres in China IIRC.
pic is related to Wuhan's sunset in winter.
>>1069073
>out in the middle of china
Also, Wuhan is at the centre of almost every major rail line, one of the reasons that it's a tech hub is that it's so connected to everywhere. Plus international airport of course.
What's expected for an expat salary?
How about differences between mainland, bigger cities, Taiwan or HK?
I'm looking at jobs in Asia in video games. I'm a senior and make above average in west and I interview for companies as a specialist.
>>1069168
>I'm looking at jobs in Asia in video games
No one here is likely to have much clue about jobs in that area. Try monster or something.
English teaching though...lots of people can help you. That's 7-22k RMB/month depending on location/qualifications/experience/renewed contract years (the big money is if you stick around a few years).
>>1068839
pls respond
>>1069188
I wasn't really expecting any job specifics, more expat in general.
Since housing seems way overpriced and little safety for guaranteed salaries I'm guessing it shouldn't be worth going unless you make a certain amount. Looking at the jobs in HK, housing is twice than here (EU) but I doubt salary is that high. Anyone with experience who would mind sharing?
>>1069199
>in HK, housing is twice than here
HK real estate is ridiculously expensive, Causeway bay has the most expensive commercial real estate in the world and some residential areas in HK aren't far behind.
Many places in the mainland are way, way cheaper. That said, I have no idea where game development is done in China beyond Ubisoft having a Shanghai office.
>>1068839
>I'm living in Shanghai and thinking of buying a scooter/e-bike. Anyone own one?
>Are they dangerous to ride in SH? How far can they usually go? What should I expect to fork out for one? I hear they range between 3000-4000 RMB. Also, any things I should check for when buying one?
I've cycled in Shanghai and had no trouble beyond not being allowed to take a folding bike on the metro unless I bagged it. Traffic seemed fine, a bit more orderly than some Chinese cities.
Not that it gets enforced much but aren't there no-e-bike signs on some Shanghai roads? I'm sure I remember seeing them. You should check that you're going to be able to ride it between the places you most often go.
e-bikes have a very wide range of prices, I'm sure you can get them in the 3-4k range, I've seen them for under 1k but you might not want those ones.
>>1069025
Thanks, I'll keep your suggestions in mind when I'm there!
>>1069572
not of a lot of English teachers in this thread. i'd suggest posting it in the ESL threads, or go on dave's esl café forums and ask your question in the china section
>>1068349
>南鼓楼巷
>That's in Beijing, right?
yeah, it's a bit of a tourist trap though, have to walk a bit to find a place that's not fucking 25-30块。still, the hostel here is quite good.
>>1068502
so im studying abroad in beijing, and the semester just ended. got pretty depresssed, everyone was leaving, especially a korean girl i hooked up with and wants me to come to korea. i'm staying in beijing for the spring semester, and then found out that my ticket couldn't be chagned from january 11th to sometime in june, so it appeared that i would have no choice but to go back to the US and very likely skip out on the spring term. i told a couple of UK friends and they actually cried.
then, on the night after i found out that my ticket couldn't be changed, i received a job offer from my classmate's former private english school, and they're paying 160块/hour, and will give me a pay raise after 100 hours. i already did 2 private tutor sessions left over from my classmate, and they paid me in cash right after i was done. they want me to do a winter session, 13 days in total, 3.5 hours a day. so now i have a way to buy my ticket back, and stay with all the friends i made. and they hopefully want me to stay for the spring semester.
so much shit could've gone wrong, foremost being that i could've gotten my visa processed back in the last week of december and been stuck in beijing with no way to check into a hotel or leave on a plane.
>>1069736
kinda boring t b h pham.
you should also be making way more than 160 rmb an hour in beijing. you're getting ripped off
How is it with mobile internet for tourists in China?
In Taiwan I was able to buy a short term SIM with some data, is there something like this in China as well?
I'll only be staying for three days but it's crucial I have internet on the go (if possible for a reasonable price...)
Portable WiFi would do fine as well I guess, I'll land at and leave from Guangzhou.
thanks lads
>>1069804
they're most likely selling china unicom sims at the airport in guangzhou, but if you miss it, just look for the china unicom logo in town.
i don't remember how much it was exactly, sorry. but it's not a cost to worry about, wasn't a lot. i speak no chinese, this seller in a random small shop that had a china unicom logo spoke no english. we got the deal done in a minute including him verifying how much data i want to pay for, whether the sim worked with my phone, and him showing me how to check my balance later on.
I have 2 questions about teaching English in China:
1. What are the best places to find jobs being advertised?
2. What is the typical time of year that a teaching job would begin and when is the best time to start applying?
>>1070376
>1. What are the best places to find jobs being advertised?
I don't know about best but echinacities.com always has ads. And I hear people say that everything at eslcafe is set up to sucker teachers into scams. The worst scummiest scammiest esl schools advertise for teachers on eslcafe and anyone that complains about them gets b& and all negative reviews are baleeted. That's what people say anyway.
>2. What is the typical time of year that a teaching job would begin and when is the best time to start applying?
They start all times because teachers flake through the year, or schools fuck them over and they leave. They're supposed to start in about Feb though and are usually booked and signed in December maybe.
I used to have a Chinese girl roommate in my old apartment
Every night she would wash her fuckin feet in the kitchen in one of those small plastic tubs. It had me wondering, is this normal for girls here, or was she likely batshit insane?
>>1070570
Dog you've never known the pleasure of washing your feet off proper and then slipping them into a fresh sock.
>>1070376
New semester starts after Spring Festival next month. I'd start applying asap.
I accepted a contract to work for an agency in Chengdu on a student X2 Visa (no degree) for 5 months and I'm flying out next week.
On a scale of 1 to 10 how fucked am I? I really don't want to end up being deported.
>>1070625
You're vulnerable, though I do know people that survive doing that. You're slightly safer than the people on tourist visas.
It seems there's no point in coming to China to teach anymore.
The RMB is weakening and is projected to get pretty weaker. Salaries will be pretty shit in the future if it continues.
>>1070925
nobody's going for the money lmao
all about the c-pussy
I want to move to China. Anyone want to come with me?
>>1070925
your not a mexican working in the US. the exchange has never been in your favor. it's all about the cost of living vs hours worked. you can live far more comfortably being a lazy piece of shit in china than you can in the US.
>>1070458
Thanks anon
>>1070938
>waste your time and money going to china consulate to get a visa to come china
>blow thousands of $ on plane ticket and hotel
>take 14+ hour flight
>not know if you'll get laid for sure
>most chink girls are ugly dog shit
>hairy arm pits or mustaches
you'd have to be pretty desperate to come here just for pussy. there are infinitely better choices, like korea/japan or thailand/phils if youre into brown SEAs. chink pussy for sure definitely isn't worth all that hassle, lol. hell, get a hooker.
>>1070966
No, it isn't. shanghai and Beijing are some of the most expensive cities in the world now and are very expensive to live in, other Chinese cities are catching up. most schools make you work your ass off, now you'll be working for peanuts
>>1070966
>you can live far more comfortably being a lazy piece of shit in china than you can in the US
Basically this.
English teaching is a gig for slackers.
>>1071116
>chink pussy for sure definitely isn't worth all that hassle
>>1071116
>shanghai and Beijing are some of the most expensive cities in the world now
patently false. and even if it were true, that's less than 25 million people in a country that constitutes 1 billion.
please provide proof that any city in china has a cost of living anywhere near as expensive as new york, london, brussels, paris, rome, berlin, copenhagen, los angeles, san francisco, etc.
>>1071306
This thread is tldr but just dropping in to say that mainland Chinese (that I seen in Ningbo, Shanghai, Beijing, Hangzhou) has to be at least in the top five ugliest ethnic groups or races on the planet... Girls looking all fucked up, bad teeth, bad skin... Kept getting requests for pictures because I am an average looking white guy?
>>1071384
that fucking hair lmao
>>1071384
>>1060743
Has anyone been to Ordos?
I want to move to China. I'd rather do copywriting or business english/some for of consulting, but I understand that teaching is the real first step into China. Problem is, I don't have any experience. Do I have to move to a shit hole to get my first teaching job? I really would like to move to Shenzhen, but I hear it's very competitive. Not sure what's hyperbole and what's true.
>>1071542
no, thats the point
>>1071542
>Has anyone been to Ordos?
Yes, I went there with a bike and rode around the 'ghost city', it was kind of a quest that I started because of a semi-meme in /n/.
Ordos/Erdos is actually kind of two cities. It used to be just an area instead of a city, the city was Dongsheng. Now Dongsheng is a 'suburb' in Ordos City which contains Dongsheng where everybody lives and Kangbashi New Area which is the ghost-city that you've heard of. They're about 20km apart.
The high speed rail station is in Ordos, there is also Dongsheng station. There are buses between the two cities, it's easy enough to get around. I stayed in a nice hotel in Dongsheng and travelled over to Kangbashi to see things.
Ask me anything.
>>1071544
>I'd rather do copywriting or business english/some for of consulting, but I understand that teaching is the real first step into China. Problem is, I don't have any experience. Do I have to move to a shit hole to get my first teaching job? I really would like to move to Shenzhen, but I hear it's very competitive
Starting a business in China is not easy but starting one in Hong Kong is very, very easy.
Step 1, find an accountant online and open a company.
Step 2, travel to HK and sign documents etc.
Step 3, Go to Shenzhen and kill some time.
Step 4, Go back to HK and finish company stuff. Now you can do business.
Step 5, Go back to Shenzhen and apply for a business visa.
This doesn't let you teach English but you can do business with Chinese companies through your HK company and travel around China with a long stay visa. 1 year/60 day stay is easy to get.
The entire process could cost about USD$3k which is fuck all for starting a business. Maybe a bit more for a website. I'm a web developer so I did my own.
If you want to do English teaching then you need a different visa but you can still do business through your HK business on your teaching visa. Assuming you have a degree, apply through the normal route, Shenzhen might be hard to get but you never know. Agents will try and put you in shit places because those are hardest to fill and they won't put their best/experienced/most qualified people there.
>>1071594
>Go back to Shenzhen and apply for a business visa.
I forgot to say, don't do this yourself, pay an agent. It's only about USD$1k and I included it in the costs above.
Any anon's in Guangzhou around?
I'm interviewing for a job in an office there. They have decent expat offers. I lived in Japan and Korea before. How is the place? Lot's of foreigners? Survive with just English?
>>1071489
I dont really get the implication here. Im not Australian. I had to look up the phrase.
>>1071323
http://www.cnbc.com/2015/12/10/shanghai-beijing-enter-list-of-the-worlds-most-expensive-cities.html
>>1071384
this.
the vast majority of them are hideous. you'll have to blow like $3000+ for plane ticket, visa (travel to consulate/embassy, standing in line for hours all day and wait several days to get it back), and hotel just try to get laid here. it's not worth it
>>1071596
>Guangzhou
>Survive with just English?
Kind of. Depends on where you are. There are shitloads of foreigners because it's a trade city but they're probably mostly african/indian/middle-eastern. Still, they do business in English half the time.
Zhujiang new town is laowai central, shitloads of bars etc.
You won't exactly find it easy to get by with only English but it's doable I guess.
>>1071596
>Guangzhou
It's hot and raining all the time, like subtropical typical Southeast Asia.
Guangdong women are known to be short, dark skinned and ugly. But supposedly they're easier than every other province in China.
Also, most of the Africans & Middle-Easterners that come to China have made the city their home. There are already black ghetto no go zones in certain parts of the city that are dangerous that even the local chinks won't go into them.
If that sounds appealing to you, then Guangzhou is your city.
i'm pretty well off and am interested in dating a well off chinese woman, thing is im in my 30s and would prefer one who is in her late 20s
i heard they do this thing where chinese parents meet and basically barter their kids for dates , with stats and everything.
My question is are there are websites online for this or do i have to go to china and make a board for myself?
>>1071622
>chinese parents meet and basically barter their kids for dates , with stats and everything
I've seen that done in parks but the usual thing is for people to swap children with other people they know. They basically just arrange introductions is all, the rest is up to the kids.
I doubt a foreigner could get into the game in the usual way but I did hear about someone that did that with a classified ad or something. You'd need to be in the country to do that though.
>>1071622
>dating
It's also not for dating, it's for marriage without the hassle of dating.
>>1071734
Something you have to realize about Chinese cities is that China considers eleven different cities that are separated by an hour of mountain or farmland (and may not even be connected by train) one city.
I live in Guangzhou, but I have not once seen a black person aside from doing my immigration. I have not once seen an Arab person aside from doing my immigration. I have not once seen another white person aside from doing my immigration.
Saying you can work in Guangzhou means about as much as telling us you can work in New York. Anyone who says differently does not live in Guangzhou.
>>1071769
So Guangzhou is made up by eleven smaller cities and chances are I might be in a black neighborhood? What part of Guangzhou are you in if you haven't seen any foreigners?
The company is quite big and I couldn't imagine it being situated anywhere else than the largest city out of them.
>>1071769
>have not once seen a black, white, arab person
Guangzhou is indeed big. In one part, where the wholesale areas are, arabs and africans are a dime a dozen.
That is in my opinion the most interesting parts of Guangzhou. The gigantic wholesale markets. Covers many many square km.
>>1071771
New York City is 789 km2. Seoul is 605.2 km2.
Guangzhou is 7,434 km2.
You need to ask the company where you will be. It is not like anything you can understand. It is stupid.
When I saw niggers praying at the cathedral in GZ I wanted to puke.
Can't even escape the monkeys in fucking China of all places.
>>1071804
kek. i hear most of the clubs in guangzhou are sausagefests packed with nigerians and other africans desperate for pussy. plus all those drug dealers that deal out in the open with impunity
Staying at northern china for somewhile now, ask me anything.
Everyone is talking about south, its liberal pussy.
>>1071865
i heard south girls have better bodies but north girls prettier faces
your opinion on this
>>1071872
Well i have been to only to Yunnan in south so, but i think there is some truth in that. My girlfriend is from north china. Since there are so many people i think finding physically attractive girls is no problem. Getting to them is another subject.
Il also keep posting pics in this thread if anyone wants. Damn i cant get enough of this food.
How is Shenzhen? Going to be living there for at least 5 months.
How's the nightlife, food and girls? One of my mates said it's a shithole but I've seen a few Youtube videos which doesn't make it seem that bad.
>>1071592
>ghost city
It must have been nice and clean and with modern conveniences!
>>1071889
>How is Shenzhen? Going to be living there for at least 5 months.
I think it's rather nice but like Guangzhou, it's a big place composed of several smaller cities. At least they're connected and smished into one city though. There are nice, upmarket and expensive places to live (Sea world/Shekou) and grungy old Chinese village style suburbs (Baishizhou) though even those are likely to have expensive first-world shopping malls and spotless metro stations.
Luohu is the main HK border area and is seedy and rundown in many parts. I prefer Futian.
>How's the nightlife, food and girls?
You won't be disappointed, there's plenty of all that. Try Cocopark, there's clubs there where local girls and foreigners hook up. I had no trouble meeting a qt3.14 in Shenzhen (but actually just off wechat). There are some bars in Baishizhou and many, many more in Sea world.
>>1071895
>It must have been nice and clean and with modern conveniences!
It was!
Everything was freshly built and perfectly maintained by an army of almost the only people who live there.
>>1071925
>goback2pol for pointing out clubs are full of Nigerians
btw, why are limp-wristed libcuck SJWs like you in china or interested in china? this is one of the most unPC, unliberal, racist countries in Asia, if not the most. get used to it, fuccboi. your type belongs in Japan, it suits SJWs more.
>>1072038
>limp-wristed libcuck SJWs
Oh hey, you're the shill that loves The Hump hostel in Kunming aren't you?
I'd recognise that incoherent poltard ranting anywhere.
>>1072044
>Kunming Hostel cuck/Wuhan dyke friend/loser that travels around China working for pennies from his laptop libtard
C'mon guy, you're a cancer to this country. Go back to Hong Kong or go to Japan with the rest of the cucks.
