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Hang it on a clothesline in Harbin for a genuine Cold Smoked Char(red)coal salmon.
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Jan 1, 2014 07:00
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bad day posted:Happy new year, all! I rapped in the new year and got paid for it, hope this year turns out to be better than the last. Drinking a g&t at the bar in your honor right now. I would if I could. I'm in Shanghai now and I'm trying not to spend money too much before my vacation.
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Jan 1, 2014 08:07
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mrgoodtrips posted:Does anyone here have recent info on Qingdao? From what I've read, it's one of the more attractive cities in China (quality of life/culture). I have an interview for a university position, but the pay is really low. I think 4000RMB is enough to live on, but I was hoping to save 100,000RMB after a year of teaching. Am I in over my head? For the teachers, how long did it take you to establish steady side work? Qingdao is a relatively expensive tier 2 city, and easily the most expensive city in Shandong. I lived there for about 8 months and 4k would be rough unless they're giving you a free apartment, a good number of benefits and you barely work. I lived in Laoshan which is cheaper than other parts of Qingdao and the going rate for a studio was like 1.8-2.5k/month depending on how nice they were. You could probably spend about 1.5~ if you have a roommate. That said, while I like Qingdao a lot, the city leaves a LOT to be desired. The place is hilly and most of the downtown/cbd area more closely resembles a European or New England town than anywhere in China in that the roads are totally random and based on where the Germans built them 150 years ago. It has huge traffic issues, no subway (yet), is incredibly bike-unfriendly and getting around is a much bigger pain than it needs to be. Once you get in to Shinan or Shibei or the Old Town I would recommend not even trying to ride a bike, there are no lanes for bikes, the roads are pretty narrow, and the roads are very curvy... so even by China standards it's pretty darn dangerous. No idea where you school is, but Laoshan and Licang are the newer areas of the town and are generally a lot better planned/designed. They also tend to be cheaper. Because transport is such a hassle there, though, you're considerably less mobile than in a lot of other cities. That said, if you end up at Qingdao Daxue or Haiyang Daxue's new campuses you'll be miles away from Qingdao itself. Both campuses are actually pretty nice and because they're so far out of the city they tend to be a lot less polluted. I think it takes upwards of an hour to get from the actual city to either campus. They also both have campuses in the dead center of town (Haiyang is in the smack middle of the Old Town and is actually a really nice location, Qingdao Daxue is on the edge of Laoshan Qu right off Hong Kong Road which is the main road of Qingdao), but I'd be willing to bet you'd be at the new ones.
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Jan 1, 2014 10:46
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Magna Kaser posted:Qingdao is a relatively expensive tier 2 city, and easily the most expensive city in Shandong. Great info! Thank ya kindly. Qingdao isn't at the top of my list, but university gigs seem to be the best route to take so I thought I'd give it heavy consideration. Still, I'd like to spend some time in Qingdao. This particular offer probably isn't the best, though. I just found out that it's 20 hours per week, so I guess I could do better. But, beggars can't be choosers. I'm trying to find the right situation: living wage/housing and enough spare time so I can work on the side to save money. University jobs seem to have the best set-up for that. Thanks again, everyone.
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Jan 1, 2014 20:10
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mrgoodtrips posted:Does anyone here have recent info on Qingdao? From what I've read, it's one of the more attractive cities in China (quality of life/culture). I have an interview for a university position, but the pay is really low. I think 4000RMB is enough to live on, but I was hoping to save 100,000RMB after a year of teaching. Am I in over my head? For the teachers, how long did it take you to establish steady side work? Hello! I live in Qingdao, and make 4000RMB a month. (By the way, slim chance, but you aren't Ryan's replacement are you? Are you coming out to Qingdao Hotel Management College?) I spend less than half my salary without really trying, although I am cripplingly introverted and extremely frugal. You might want to spend more, especially when you first come out here. Also, even though I get the paperwork and benefits of full-time work (on-campus housing, paid utilities, etc.), I'm effectively working part-time hours, 10-12 a week. My colleagues who want money are doing work on the side and pulling 10k+ a month for maybe 30 hours of total work, which is a pretty good deal, especially considering when it's on the side, you get to teach on your own terms. I prefer to use the time to brush up my Chinese, but to each his own. Anyway, if you want to do side jobs, I recommend it, but keep in mind that you're probably going to be working more than I am and not have a lot of free time. You could definitely get more for 20 hours or whatever (which is about as low as you can go for full-time offers from outside the country imo) so you might wanna reconsider. You just have decide what your priorities are. If a nice city is important to you, yeah, Qingdao is great. If you want the money, you'll have to compromise in other areas. I also want to reiterate what Magna Kaser said about location, because I am in Licang and I am way the hell out in the boonies. First of all there isn't even a place to buy vegetables within walking distance because the only thing out here is two college campuses so all the supermarkets and street vendors are serving students who have neither the equipment nor the inclination to cook, and second, even if I go into town, that would be Licun, which is an urban oasis in the suburbs of Qingdao, rather than actual, honest-to-goodness downtown Qingdao, which is still where I would need to go if I wanted anything foreign. It takes me 20 minutes to get to Licun by bus, and about an hour to get downtown to the bars. By cab it's about 40 minutes, which isn't much of an improvement considering how much more you wind up paying. I do have parks up here though. Parks are nice. Do you have any particular questions about Qingdao? If I don't know, I have some buddies who've been here for a while who I could probably ask for you. edit because i just read your post: I should note that my contract technically obliges me to work at most 20 hours, but they don't actually give me that much. Signing it was dumb because working 20 hours for these benefits is not good, and Qingdao doesn't make up for that, but I got lucky. It's better to be smart and lucky than dumb and lucky though. coloncalamity fucked around with this message at 08:49 on Jan 2, 2014 |
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Jan 2, 2014 08:46
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What's a good list of Chinese New Year traditions and stuff? Like what sorts of food, what do you do, the types of decorations and stuff. I want to make a mini New Year for someone who is away from home for it.
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Jan 2, 2014 14:03
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I thought your girlfriend is Hui? But it really depends on the region's. For something easier you can have lots of those Chinese New Year greetings plastered every where. Or just wear a horse head and dance all over the place. Food wise southerners would have a whole roasted pork.
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Jan 2, 2014 16:31
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Yeah but they do all the New Year stuff. Integrated Hui. She is from around Wuhan, forgot that it's surely regional.
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Jan 2, 2014 16:35
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Anyone available should try and hit up bad day to go see Heems because he's a cool dude and makes fun music. Bad day, tell him to get his rear end to Japan again. Edit: actually, seriously, ask him when he's coming to Japan, because he mentioned he was at some point on twitter but I haven't seen any details
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Jan 2, 2014 18:56
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coloncalamity posted:Hello! I live in Qingdao, and make 4000RMB a month. (By the way, slim chance, but you aren't Ryan's replacement are you? Are you coming out to Qingdao Hotel Management College?) I spend less than half my salary without really trying, although I am cripplingly introverted and extremely frugal. You might want to spend more, especially when you first come out here. My interview with the school is on Sunday, so I'm not exactly sure where the campus is located in the city. But, that's something to keep in mind. Thanks! I also like parks and walking around but it sounds like Qingdao isn't very pedestrian friendly. I'm a big fan of live music, so I'd be interested to hear what kind of scene Qingdao has. Other than that, I'm looking for a city that will allow me to eat healthy (I'm on a kick) and has friendly people. Learning Mandarin is a priority as well. I was looking at Chengdu but haven't been able to get any offers, so I'm just fishing for something online until I decide to book a ticket and search for a job on the ground. I'd just hate to find out that I need to return to the US to process the visa.
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Jan 3, 2014 02:03
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mrgoodtrips posted:I was looking at Chengdu but haven't been able to get any offers, so I'm just fishing for something online until I decide to book a ticket and search for a job on the ground. I'd just hate to find out that I need to return to the US to process the visa. Not sure in the major cities, but you still can do a HK run--just had a friend from Wuhan do it. You're not supposed to be able to do though, so who knows if that will change, but he used a visa service there and it took him three days. Roll in, apply, roll out. Not sure how expensive it was though. That said, I would wait to fly in for two reasons--1) hell of a lot easier to apply for a visa from the comfort of your couch and 2) make your future employers pay for your plane ticket! edit: they definitely are looking for people trying to do visa runs though--when Blinky and I went to HK for two days for meetings with our US partners there was an oddly scary moment where the lady at the counter was really upset with me about my F visa/me heading to HK (spoiler! the F visa was from me presenting at a conference in 2009. she was on the wrong page. but she complained about the visa type, not the date, to me). I also know of a former employee (who got fired and got the z yanked) who went on to an EF type place with a tourist visa, and they got denied in HK. FearCotton fucked around with this message at 02:46 on Jan 3, 2014 |
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Jan 3, 2014 02:40
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There's going to be a high school program looking for a teacher in Chengdu this spring so don't give up hope.
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Jan 3, 2014 03:22
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Grand Fromage posted:What's a good list of Chinese New Year traditions and stuff? Like what sorts of food, what do you do, the types of decorations and stuff. I want to make a mini New Year for someone who is away from home for it. This is probably the most common decoration that I see around new year: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fu_character
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Jan 3, 2014 05:16
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mrgoodtrips posted:My interview with the school is on Sunday, so I'm not exactly sure where the campus is located in the city. But, that's something to keep in mind. Thanks! I also like parks and walking around but it sounds like Qingdao isn't very pedestrian friendly. I'm a big fan of live music, so I'd be interested to hear what kind of scene Qingdao has. Other than that, I'm looking for a city that will allow me to eat healthy (I'm on a kick) and has friendly people. Learning Mandarin is a priority as well. I was looking at Chengdu but haven't been able to get any offers, so I'm just fishing for something online until I decide to book a ticket and search for a job on the ground. I'd just hate to find out that I need to return to the US to process the visa. Eating healthy is really only possible if you spend a lot or cook yourself. Cooking is pretty easy no matter where you are, eating out "healthfully" is pretty hard outside of Shanghai and Beijing. That's just cause by Qingdao is fantastic if you like Korean or Japanese food and has good seafood overall, though it doubled in price this year do to them loving up the water. I love Sichuan food to death but Chengdu does really have a lack of options. I cooked most of my meals while there. Qingdao has a much smaller foreigner scene and Qingdao people are notorious in China for being assholes (pretty much the boston/new england of China up there). A good friend of mine who is from Suzhou said cabbies always tried to rip her off because they recognized her non-Qingdao accent, and the few Qingdao friends I do have say that is totally a thing that always happens. I like the city and all but I'll admit I had a way easier time meeting people in Chengdu if only because it's bigger, has a way better infrastructure and is (converse to Qingdao) famous for being open, laid back and peaceful. Also Chengdu is in a bit of a development boom right now as China has it's sights on Chengdu being another Shanghai/Beijing out in the west. They're currently building the new subways at the fastest rate I think China's ever seen (we'll all die when they collapse) and a second airport concentrated on international flights to Europe and North America is scheduled to be done in the next few years. I don't think that will ever happen, but poo poo is happening at a pretty brisk pace there. If you like local music then Chengdu is the better choice hands down. Chengdu probably has the best local music scene outside of Beijing and Shanghai. Qingdao is kind of a dump as far as night life goes unless you're in to hostess bars that cater to the huge amount of Japanese and Korean expats.
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Jan 3, 2014 06:41
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LimburgLimbo posted:Anyone available should try and hit up bad day to go see Heems because he's a cool dude and makes fun music. Heems couldn't get past the border, some sort of visa issue. So tonight is a bust but tomorrow at midnight I'm doing the history of hip hop mash-up set I was planning to do tonight, that'll be worth seeing, I'm trying to run thru like 40 songs in 20 minutes. Edit: but really it's more like a tribute to GTA San Andreas, my most recent obsession. bad day fucked around with this message at 07:56 on Jan 3, 2014 |
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Jan 3, 2014 07:52
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Is he like not coming to China at all now? He was supposed to be in Chengdu on the 12th.
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Jan 3, 2014 09:21
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Magna Kaser posted:Eating healthy is really only possible if you spend a lot or cook yourself. Cooking is pretty easy no matter where you are, eating out "healthfully" is pretty hard outside of Shanghai and Beijing. That's just cause by Agreed. If you don't know how to cook now, spend some time learning the basics before you come to China. I normally do 5 hour fests once a week (while I make stock and pasta sauce) of stews, noodles, bread, and veggie dishes so I don't have to cook the rest of the week, but then know what I'm eating. When we do go out for Western or Chinese food I assume everything is doused in oil.
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Jan 3, 2014 13:00
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What's the deal with this new being unable to go to HK to do visas thing? They're straight up not letting people get into HK? Which border crossing? Last time I walked in through Shenzhen and had no problems but my visa was still valid for another few months and that was 3-4 months ago. And if you do get in, they're denying visas? What about Macau or Seoul or Taiwan? Details please! Cuatal fucked around with this message at 16:20 on Jan 3, 2014 |
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Jan 3, 2014 16:07
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Tom Smykowski posted:Is he like not coming to China at all now? He was supposed to be in Chengdu on the 12th. Yeah I don't know. I'll ask the venue owner tomorrow - it seems like a couple people I know of have had visa/entry problems in the last week or two.
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Jan 3, 2014 18:43
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Cuatal posted:What's the deal with this new being unable to go to HK to do visas thing? They're straight up not letting people get into HK? Which border crossing? Last time I walked in through Shenzhen and had no problems but my visa was still valid for another few months and that was 3-4 months ago. And if you do get in, they're denying visas? Korea might be better but there are conflicting reports all over. I know people who have just recently gotten visas in HK and people who have been denied. Probably relates more to your company's guanxi than anything else. The way most non-ESL companies get their foreigners over now is by having a company registered in HK then opening a second company in the Mainland as a subsidiary because that makes it easier to hire foreigners with less than like 7 years experience/PhDs somehow.
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Jan 4, 2014 02:31
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bad day posted:Yeah I don't know. I'll ask the venue owner tomorrow - it seems like a couple people I know of have had visa/entry problems in the last week or two. He probably shouldn't have put "smoke weed and gently caress bitches" under Purpose of Visit. On a related note I saw Cut Chemist at Yugong Yishan and it was one of the best shows of my life. Peaches were there a couple months later but the tickets were way too expensive.
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Jan 4, 2014 07:21
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Magna Kaser posted:Korea might be better but there are conflicting reports all over. I know people who have just recently gotten visas in HK and people who have been denied. Probably relates more to your company's guanxi than anything else. Are you talking Z visas for L/other visas?
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Jan 4, 2014 10:21
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VideoTapir posted:Are you talking Z visas for L/other visas? Z visas for RPs
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Jan 4, 2014 14:09
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Has there been anything in the news about them cracking down?
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Jan 4, 2014 14:25
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Cuatal posted:Has there been anything in the news about them cracking down? If by cracking down, you mean enforcing existing laws... then yep, it's been going on for a few years now.
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Jan 4, 2014 14:45
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Magna Kaser posted:Z visas for RPs And these are people who meet all the minimum qualifications for a Z visa? New visas or renewals/changing companies?
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Jan 4, 2014 14:58
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My company has hired at least 20 foreigners on real visas in the past year, most of whom are about age 25 so they don't have 7 years of experience or whatever. We haven't had a problem at all.
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Jan 4, 2014 16:20
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MeramJert posted:My company has hired at least 20 foreigners on real visas in the past year, most of whom are about age 25 so they don't have 7 years of experience or whatever. We haven't had a problem at all. AFAIK for English teachers, it's 2 years post-college. A lot of 25 year olds would qualify. At my company I'm one of only five full-time foreigners they've had since I've been there who did qualify.
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Jan 4, 2014 17:12
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The people who are being denied Z visas in HK probably weren't following the instructions of their Working Permit. The Working Permit (or Invitation Letter, I can't remember) has an instruction that tells you where you need to go to pick up your Z visa. The person who applies on the website for your working permit has a chance to select it, I think. Anyway, my Working Permit said I had to go to Hong Kong and I had no problems there. Other people's have said they need to go back to their home country to pick it up, then they read online that they might be able to pick it up in Hong Kong and then are sorely disappointed when they get denied because they didn't follow instructions.
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Jan 4, 2014 18:16
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Pro-PRC Laowai posted:If by cracking down, you mean enforcing existing laws... then yep, it's been going on for a few years now. Not really, they weren't doing anything until maybe a year ago when they shut down the visa companies in Beijing. I would definitely call this a crackdown. No idea if they already were laws or not but they definitely haven't been enforcing them for three years.
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Jan 5, 2014 00:25
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computer parts posted:I'm planning a trip in late July-early August for me and my girlfriend, can anyone give me a rough estimate of how much a two week trip to the Beijing-Tianjin area would cost? Hey you can PM me about Tianjin if you like, would be happy to help you in any way that I can.
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Jan 5, 2014 02:10
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VideoTapir posted:AFAIK for English teachers, it's 2 years post-college. A lot of 25 year olds would qualify. At my company I'm one of only five full-time foreigners they've had since I've been there who did qualify. Well we aren't teachers, but I don't really know what the requirements are. I successfully got hired here as an engineer less than a year out of college.
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Jan 5, 2014 05:52
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Cuatal posted:Not really, they weren't doing anything until maybe a year ago when they shut down the visa companies in Beijing. I would definitely call this a crackdown. No idea if they already were laws or not but they definitely haven't been enforcing them for three years. I think you still get processed in HK if on your permit it says "pick up in Hong Kong" as opposed to "pick up in USA/UK/whatever." I THINK in order to get permission to put down HK on that permit though you (and by you I mean the company/uni with the permit) need to fill out additional paperwork explaining why. There are still HK agencies who are offering Z visa services, so I think as long as you'd be issued ones in the states/wherever you call home you're still okay. edit: haha why would there be a consulate in Taiwan, whoops FearCotton fucked around with this message at 06:30 on Jan 5, 2014 |
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Jan 5, 2014 06:19
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MeramJert posted:Well we aren't teachers, but I don't really know what the requirements are. I successfully got hired here as an engineer less than a year out of college. Yep, like all requirements can be waived if the company is really determined to have you specifically for a specific role. No bribes to pay, just paperwork.
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Jan 5, 2014 07:22
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I've been doing a little bit of thinking about this whole thing and it seems like a new (not new at all I'm sure)way to stick around is to just find a legit school that has really low requirements to issue a student visa or find a corrupt school that will give you one just for the cash. I found one in KunMing that is 650 dollars a semester and they say they issue student visas, looks legit enough, but I don't know what all is included in that price and whether you need to pay more for the visa, etc.
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Jan 5, 2014 23:51
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Cuatal posted:I've been doing a little bit of thinking about this whole thing and it seems like a new (not new at all I'm sure)way to stick around is to just find a legit school that has really low requirements to issue a student visa or find a corrupt school that will give you one just for the cash. Or like... you get a job or something... or open up your own company and work legally.
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Jan 6, 2014 03:53
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Pro-PRC Laowai posted:Or like... you get a job or something... or open up your own company and work legally. Yeah, how do you do this though? To get a Z-Visa / Residence permit, you need an employer to sponsor you. Freelancing isn't an option for getting the visa. I'm not a citizen, so I presume a WFOE (Wholly Foreign Owned Entity) or JV (Joint Venture) are the only options. The requirements seem steep. 15k to 300k in capital depending on the city. 6 months of work. 594 signatures in the correct colour ink. What's the simpler way as a foreigner to own and "open up your own company and work legally"?
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Jan 6, 2014 04:29
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For comparison, what do you need to do to set up a partnership?
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Jan 6, 2014 04:40
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Well if you cured your own meat and bought medicine balls from scrapyards you'd have enough capital to start your WFOE
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Jan 6, 2014 05:09
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Trammel posted:Yeah, how do you do this though? To get a Z-Visa / Residence permit, you need an employer to sponsor you. Freelancing isn't an option for getting the visa. WFOE, go sole proprietor, 10w registered capital, but it's not like that magically vanishes, it just becomes company money.
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Jan 6, 2014 05:19
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