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i wonder how common the random drug tests are now. before covid one time i was on a first date at the rooster I think??? with an american chinese woman and the cops barged in and did a "random" drug test on several white men. they took hair too so they were hosed if they did anything in the last ?? months. my date told me they were glad they stuck to white men and said she would've never tested negative.
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Jun 5, 2023 05:58
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youve been on a date? lucky...
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Jun 5, 2023 06:01
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It seems like they used to do it a bunch and then COVID happened and they forgot about it. I dunno. I know one guy who was being real loud and dumb while drinking and I guess somebody narced on him. The cops showed up at his job and piss/hair tested him. Guys a dick though so it's funny. He's the kinda guy who gets really drunk and then just goes out of his way to pick arguments with people. Like I know this other guy who really likes playing fighting games, it's just his hobby. Drug test guy knew that and is asking him about some videogames. Next thing I know fighting game guy is just sitting there 0_0 while drug test guy is screaming "you don't know poo poo about street fighter!" finger in his face and stuff.
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Jun 5, 2023 06:14
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Amergin posted:Gonna be back in Kunming for a couple months this summer. LetsVPN. Limited to three devices per subscription, but it works. Was back in the 'guo two months back. ExpressVPN worked occasionally. VyprVPN not at all. PureVPN not at all. But if you're using a foreign SIM card all the traffic gets routed directly back to your home country's provider unmolested.
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Jun 8, 2023 13:47
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Yeah, a ton of people have taken pause to travel to Thailand since that one British dude got deported after they found weed in their system. However, there are also rumors that one that dudes associates got picked up for slinging and gave the Brit's name. You know how rumors go in China among the expat crowd. Chinese customs also tests citizens of countries that have tension with China, such as Canada during the Two Michaels Saga. Speaking of VPNs, Astrill is probably your best bet as a tourist if you don't know how Linux works. It's still prone to poo poo the bed during big national events, and it has been a little spotty lately, but it'll do.
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Jul 26, 2023 08:08
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at least korea only tests korean citizens on re-entry.
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Jul 28, 2023 15:22
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I'm going to China soon and I've heard that it's basically completely cashless there now. I'm trying to setup Wechat Pay and AliPay but it's difficult without a Chinese ID/Bank Account. Some guides said that you can use a foreign bank card, is that still the best way to do stuff? If worse comes to worse, I guess I can get my Chinese girlfriend to send me money and I can just use the balance while I'm in China?
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Aug 11, 2023 03:54
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You can definitely pay with a foreign card on Alipay. Your gf can also let you use her card as a Relative Card on WeChat. Maybe also on Alipay.
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Aug 11, 2023 05:45
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vanity slug posted:You can definitely pay with a foreign card on Alipay. Your gf can also let you use her card as a Relative Card on WeChat. Maybe also on Alipay. yeah you can do the relative thing on alipay too
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Aug 11, 2023 09:43
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there are a lot of people saying you cannot use your foreign credit card with alipay, but the only two places i wasn't able to pay was an apple store, and a craft beer brewery in qingdao even the watermelon seller on the corner will accept it
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Aug 11, 2023 09:50
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Thanks for the tips. I tried setting up the WeChat pay but when I got to the identity verification, it didn't let me choose United States as my Passport country. I messaged WeChat support about that so hopefully I get a response there. AliPay allowed me to use my passport for verification and I was able to put in a credit card. I guess the test will be in China to see if I can actually use it to buy stuff. I'd like to get both working but having one of the two should hopefully be good enough.
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Aug 12, 2023 05:49
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Going to Beijing next month for the first time since 2019 to visit my wife's family. Is there anything still open/cool in Beijing? I've already done all the big tourist stuff so I guess mainly I'm just going to be eating a lot and hanging out around Sanlitun malls/parks and whatnot. I saw there was a Teamlab thing at Chaoyang Joy City that looks interesting. I don't have a good sense of how much stuff would have closed during lockdown. Is it still basically the same? Read the last couple pages and I don't smoke weed so I guess I'm good there.
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Aug 22, 2023 19:28
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Last week was in Beijing. Weather was very good. Pollution was small. People were many. Cars were many. School Bar was really fun.
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Sep 28, 2023 02:46
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Currently in Beijing. My trip report is similar. Not much has changed, seems like. Nobody seems surprised to see foreigners anymore either.
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Sep 28, 2023 05:12
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I’m in the big Bay Area grinding away
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Sep 29, 2023 01:20
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big bae area
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Sep 29, 2023 14:16
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If anyone wants more terrible chinagoon posting / questionable advice, post your wechat ID and I'll invite you. We are mostly crusty long-haulers / those who finally escaped, so it'd be interesting to hear a new visitor's perspective. Dare you enter our magical realm?
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Oct 16, 2023 23:39
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Long-term Goon China expat here. Yeah, I can also PM and send the Wechat QR code if you need it.
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Oct 17, 2023 02:47
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Atopian posted:If anyone wants more terrible chinagoon posting / questionable advice, post your wechat ID and I'll invite you. Is this the capture fun sell happy group?
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Oct 18, 2023 22:35
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Trammel posted:Is this the capture fun sell happy group? It is for now, yes
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Oct 19, 2023 01:01
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Welp. About to travel to China for the first time in 8 years. Taking off on 11/4. I lost all WeChat pay capabilities when I converted from Weixin to Wechat several years back. How hosed am I if I just try and rely on cash?
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Oct 20, 2023 15:59
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Aero737 posted:Welp. About to travel to China for the first time in 8 years. Taking off on 11/4. I lost all WeChat pay capabilities when I converted from Weixin to Wechat several years back. How hosed am I if I just try and rely on cash? Lots of places probably won't have change, you're kinda rolling the dice of a place being epayment only. Can you set up Alipay? They take foreign Visa cards
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Oct 20, 2023 16:37
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WeChat and Alipay both take foreign cards now but WeChat is finicky. It would be very hard to get around with just cash imo.
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Oct 20, 2023 16:39
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Does Ali pay convert USD to RMB or does it run RMB through your credit card?
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Oct 20, 2023 16:47
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Aero737 posted:Does Ali pay convert USD to RMB or does it run RMB through your credit card? In my recent experience, it runs USD through your card and you get the normal conversion rate. You will pay international fees so make sure you have an international card. However, not all places will accept Alipay with credit card, it was kind of hit or miss for me. Some places would accept it and others wouldn't and there was no rhyme or reason to it. I could not get my international (HSBC) credit card working with WeChat no matter what I tried so I have no experience there. Going cash only is not going to work for daily life at all. The only time I used cash in my recent trip was in Hong Kong and everywhere else was electronic. Your best bet is definitely getting your hands on a phone with a Chinese phone number/bank account if you can since that will be the most reliable. Edit: I checked my statement and fixed an error. OGS-Remix fucked around with this message at 05:49 on Oct 22, 2023 |
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Oct 22, 2023 05:46
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Does a Wise card work well with WeChat/ Alipay?
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Oct 22, 2023 06:00
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Aero737 posted:Welp. About to travel to China for the first time in 8 years. Taking off on 11/4. I lost all WeChat pay capabilities when I converted from Weixin to Wechat several years back. How hosed am I if I just try and rely on cash? It'll be inconvenient. Taxi driver happily accepted 100 kuai note, but could only give change on Weixin. Ordering in restaurants is all through WeChat mini apps. Didi rocks, but yeah, it needs Alipay or WeChat. You need one or the other. Also losing physical picture menus to WeChat mini apps sucks.
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Oct 22, 2023 11:58
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I’ve been thinking about visiting China. No idea where really, just getting into the logistics of it From what I can divine in the last couple pages and comparing to the first post, … it sounds like in ~ 10 years cash has gone from being the predominant way of buying things, to almost alien??? That’s wild Anyway what’s this about random drug testing? I’d never pass that. Is it seriously something to consider? Is there a …more up to date source of ‘hey dummy here’s what you need to know visiting China’ source?
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Feb 10, 2024 15:43
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They're not going to drug test random tourists unless they're doing extremely foolish things. It's something for long-term residents to worry about. Yes, cash is on the way out, you will need to set up a wechat account and add a bank card to that, but that was made much easier this year. The main trick is surviving the ~24 hours it can take for that to be approved - suggest a hotel near the airport for the first night. You can do most of the necessities of life with cash, but it's inconvenient. There's a bunch of China threads, but the problem is, none of them have been updated since covid, and some things have changed.
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Feb 10, 2024 15:59
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JAY ZERO SUM GAME posted:I’ve been thinking about visiting China. No idea where really, just getting into the logistics of it So: 1. Figure out where the closest Chinese consulate is to you, find the application for a tourist visa, fill it out. Before you go you need to have your flight in, flight out, and a hotel for every place you go to for every day of the trip already purchased (if you're taking a train overnight they seem to be ok with a 1 day gap). If you're going to multiple cities and commuting by train that's fine, you'll just need to sign something saying "I will go between cities x/y/z on train" 2. Print the application and any other documents you need out, and schedule an appointment with the consulate 3. Go to the consulate, bring your application/documents/passport/sukodu or a book to read (at least in NYC your phone needs to be fully turned off when you're inside the consulate). Make sure you have everything you need printed, you cannot email the consulate stuff and have them print it there. Worst case, if you forgot something you need to print, leave and ask around, there's a good chance there's a little store nearby that lets you print stuff (there's a bodega by the nyc consulate that will let you air print for a buck or two) 4. Sit in a litany of lines. Eventually go through every paper like 3 times with 2 different people. Pay like 400 bucks. Hand over your passport, and get a little receipt for it 5. Keep your phone off silent, wait for a call. Sometimes they email, but usually they'll call from numbers with weird area codes to tell you that your visa is ready, or that there's a problem 6. Go back in, get your passport back with the visa inserted Also yeah that's weird I didn't get it ever hear about a random drug screening. That said, do not gently caress with drugs in China, don't buy them, don't do them, don't bring them, don't accept them from anyone. For payments: - p much everyone takes Alipay or WeChat. Alipay you can easily set up with a us card. WeChat is tougher because you need someone to scan your WeChat code when you're first registering. I guess ask around here, see if someone will scan you in? You absolutely need at least one though, because - China runs on miniapps. Basically, you'll scan a QR code in WeChat or Alipay and get sent to a little applet where you can order food or make a reservation or register health data. - download and set up DiDi. It's Chinese Uber, works great, very cheap - Apple Maps works pretty well for public transit everywhere but Hong Kong, because HK is a bullshit maze town - keep a bit of cash around to get subway and bus passes, sometimes they don't take Alipay, or at least not foreign card Alipay - in fact, keep in mind anything you can rent with an app, you probably won't have access too without a Chinese bank account linked Alipay/wechat. This includes those rentable phone chargers and scooters - I don't have a good link for it, but there are HK esims for sale that will give you cheap unlimited unfirewalled data in China. Most us cell providers have a 10 dollar roaming option that's also unfirewalled, but it's usually only a gig or two - like any foreign country where you don't know the language, download a few translator apps, get used to using them, download Chinese to be used offline - try to learn a bit of the language before you get there, even just "thank you" is nice to have. I like HelloChinese if you want an app. - lastly, I swear my phone burns through battery so much faster in China. Bring a portable charger in your pocket, existing in China with a dead phone is hard
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Feb 10, 2024 17:10
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Isn't Alipay really easy to set up with a foreign credit card these days? I swore I heard something about that e: misread the above post which mentioned it Also if you're not from the US check if your country has the 15 day visa free thing now OP. China implemented visa free entry for a whole bunch of countries in the past few months. China is well worth a visit even if you have to go through the pain of getting a visa Also, get a VPN and install it before you go. A lot of VPN services don't work, so I recommend Astrill which has been very reliable for many years now. Others might have different suggestions. a7m2 fucked around with this message at 17:22 on Feb 10, 2024 |
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Feb 10, 2024 17:18
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Speaking of this I will be going back to China soon and should I get the L visa or the q visa cuz now I’m hitched to a Chinese citizen? Besides lasting longer not sure what other benefits or trade offs there are to one vs the other
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Feb 10, 2024 17:23
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uninterrupted posted:Also yeah that's weird I didn't get it ever hear about a random drug screening. That said, do not gently caress with drugs in China, don't buy them, don't do them, don't bring them, don't accept them from anyone. i did hear about random drug screenings where the police showed up in a couple bars in shenzhen back in like, 2018 or 2019. keep in mind though that the punishment for foreigners found with drugs was deportation, not prison or anything
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Feb 10, 2024 17:24
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Ailumao posted:Speaking of this I will be going back to China soon and should I get the L visa or the q visa cuz now I’m hitched to a Chinese citizen? Besides lasting longer not sure what other benefits or trade offs there are to one vs the other i dont know op, but are you going to hk or sz?
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Feb 10, 2024 17:25
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I’m not sure if it’s the same because I have a 10-year visa for visiting family and stuff because my wife’s family is in China, but we got all our visa stuff done through a travel agent. If there’s a Chinese-American travel agent near you who handles travel to China that is going to be a lot easier than trying to do it yourself at the consulate. There are a lot of weird rules about how forms have to be filled out that are not obvious.
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Feb 10, 2024 17:25
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When we did my daughter's visa, they were seriously questioning my signature on her application vs my 10 year old signature in my passport.
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Feb 10, 2024 18:22
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Aero737 posted:When we did my daughter's visa, they were seriously questioning my signature on her application vs my 10 year old signature in my passport. They take signatures seriously yah! I usually just scribble, cus whatever, and they have bitched about the different scribbles multiple times.
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Feb 10, 2024 18:44
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That OP is pretty old. Anyone want to write a new one? I'm way too out of date to do it.
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Feb 10, 2024 18:54
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a7m2 posted:
Also worth noting that while you don’t have to get a visa, you still want to have your poo poo in order for immigration. When I went to CN a few weeks back, the lady still wanted to see the official invitation from my company, the hotel where I was staying etc. German passport or no.
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Feb 10, 2024 19:00
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thank you ...just to be clear, i should purchase flight/hotel/etc. entirely before i even apply for a visa?? I mean, I guess i'm just screwed if my visa is denied? seems unlikely of course, but that's gonna be a significant cash outlay. i'm less interested in major cities than i am nature/mountains/small towns/etc. but i know speaking zero chinese will make it harder to get out. i'm looking into it though. shanghai/shenzen is cool i'm sure, but i live in nyc and don't make it a point to visit other large cities more than a day or two
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Feb 10, 2024 19:13
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