The China Megathread III: It is not a happy everyday

The Something Awful Forums > Discussion > Ask/Tell > Tourism & Travel > The China Megathread III: It is not a happy everyday

«‹›9 »

Tom Smykowski: Jan 27, 2005; What the hell is wrong with you people?

All of those people have awesome names.

# ¿ Jul 1, 2013 12:09

Adbot: ADBOT LOVES YOU

# ¿ May 5, 2024 12:59

Tom Smykowski: Jan 27, 2005; What the hell is wrong with you people?

I can add a bit of info to that too, I went to Mongolia over land (though it was like 6 years ago).

Mongolia is awesome.

# ¿ Jul 19, 2013 01:31

Tom Smykowski: Jan 27, 2005; What the hell is wrong with you people?

I'm taking the train from Chengdu to Guangzhou this weekend. What's cool to do in Guangdong? Like not-Guangzhou Guangdong?

# ¿ Jul 26, 2013 06:30

Tom Smykowski: Jan 27, 2005; What the hell is wrong with you people?

MeramJert posted:

There's a bunch of knife factories that sell novelty swords and some beaches in Yangjiang. I also saw a naked man with matted hair walking through the city. There's a lake that people seem to really like in Heyuan, but it didn't seem all that special to me. You can go "hiking" around it, or pay like 5 rmb or something to have a golf cart drive you around it instead! If you really wanna see some poverty and violent crime, Maoming is supposedly the place to be. Zhanjiang is cool because they're close to Hainan and Guangxi if you wanna "get out" of Guangdong for a while. Dongguan is famous for its prostitution and also I know a ridiculously tall Englishman that just opened a New Orleans themed bar there. A lot of people really like Zhuhai for some reason but I don't know why because I haven't been there. But I think they have a bar run by a white guy that brews his own beer and sells it at the bar, but I hear it's not very good anyway. The Chaoshan region in eastern Guangdong is where you should go if you want to find a hard working wife that will cook you light, fresh tasting seafood dishes while speaking an incomprehensible moon language. Shenzhen is "cool" and "modern" and "close to Hong Kong." There you can even see a fake Eiffel Tower or go on a safari at some of the many amusement parks in the city. It also has tons of expensive golf courses, if that's your thing! Nobody actually lives in or goes to northwestern Guangdong. Attractions in Shaoguan begin and end at the high speed rail line that can quickly take you out of it (or out of Guangdong entirely!)

That about sums it up, enjoy your trip to non-Guangzhou Guangdong.

Why are you avoiding Guangzhou anyway? It's a pretty cool place.

Knives and hookers and wives and seafood. Yes.

I've been to Guangzhou a few times, figured it'd be good to trek out a bit.

Arglebargle III posted:

Lame

That sucks, where'd you go? TaishanNan Lu or whatever by Chunxi lu?

# ¿ Jul 26, 2013 10:46

Tom Smykowski: Jan 27, 2005; What the hell is wrong with you people?

Magna Kaser posted:

I paid 4RMB for a water at the airport and was livid. But it was the only cold water

Every goddamn convenience store in Chengdu is only putting expensive waters in the coolers. Like 15rmb. Cheap beers in the cooler, though.

# ¿ Jul 27, 2013 13:30

Tom Smykowski: Jan 27, 2005; What the hell is wrong with you people?

Arglebargle III posted:

I need ideas for what to do tomorrow. Are you guys in the city at all this weekend? Because Jeoh is here.

I'd hang out, but I'm leaving for Guangdong later today. I think your only options are go see the fake beach or be like Chengduianers and play mahjong. Partly to avoid the heat but mostly because everyone has a gambling problem.

# ¿ Jul 28, 2013 00:52

Tom Smykowski: Jan 27, 2005; What the hell is wrong with you people?

Dang, none of the Yi dudes I know can read Yi. Sounds cool when they speak, though.

# ¿ Aug 13, 2013 06:56

Tom Smykowski: Jan 27, 2005; What the hell is wrong with you people?

Kunming's weather is 100x better than Chengdu's and the pollution is noticeably less. The western food is better, too. And they have limes. The traffic is somehow worse than Chengdu's, though.

Gonna cross-post this from the LAN thread for any possible lurkers:

:siren:

CHENGDU-TIBETAN-FOOD-EATING-TIME :siren:

Who wants go get Tibetan by Wuhouci? Tomorrow? Lurkers? Anyone else in Chengdu? Argle, you said you'd be in from the sticks tomorrow, ya?

I know a place half way between Wuhouci and Minda's west gate. They have hidden pictures of forbidden lamas and yak pie and all that fun stuff. Also real yogurt.

We can meet at Wuhouci because that's easy to find. Then if we want to do something after, we'll be south so anywhere else is easy enough to get to. We can even go to that skeevy place by the big boat and the suicide rainbow bridge.

# ¿ Aug 16, 2013 06:58

Tom Smykowski: Jan 27, 2005; What the hell is wrong with you people?

Ya, I like living in Chengdu more than I think I'd like living in Kunming.

Also, where the gently caress can you get limes?

# ¿ Aug 16, 2013 08:40

Tom Smykowski: Jan 27, 2005; What the hell is wrong with you people?

Goddamnit, all I can ever find here in Chengdu are sweet lemons.

# ¿ Aug 16, 2013 08:59

Tom Smykowski: Jan 27, 2005; What the hell is wrong with you people?

Edit: New page. Where do you get limes in Chengdu? Serious.

Monkey Fury posted:

I've been wanting to check out that Tibetan area around Wuhouci, so depending on what time this is going down, I should be game

Still working out times, sent you a PM about it.

# ¿ Aug 16, 2013 13:41

Tom Smykowski: Jan 27, 2005; What the hell is wrong with you people?

Ah, didn't see that. Tongzilin has all the nice stuff. You still in Chengdu?

# ¿ Aug 16, 2013 13:55

Tom Smykowski: Jan 27, 2005; What the hell is wrong with you people?

CHENGDU YAK CONSUMPTION MEET :siren:

I'll be down at WUHOUCI around 4 today. Then after some amount of time we can walk down the block into the Tibetan neighborhood and get YAK dinner (yak pie, yak ribs, yak dumplings, yak soup, yak etc). In between those two things we can awkwardly ruin people's photos at Jinli Street or shoot terrible crossbows or complain about the heat in a variety of locations. And if you feel the need to buy Tibetan religious whatnot, we can do that, too. The Tibetan neighborhood is like 97% religious shops, 2% restaurants, 1% hotels, and a pool hall.

# ¿ Aug 17, 2013 03:55

Tom Smykowski: Jan 27, 2005; What the hell is wrong with you people?

It's open and Magna says 2 more are opening in the south. Because only the south gets nice things and they closed like all the goddamn 7-11s on the northside.

What small town?

# ¿ Aug 18, 2013 11:33

Tom Smykowski: Jan 27, 2005; What the hell is wrong with you people?

caberham posted:

So any pictures of the goon meet?

We were too busy figuring out mystery flour/dough to take many pictures.

Magna Kaser posted:

Hey as of now they're all within first ring, hardly north or south!

Says you, southie.

# ¿ Aug 18, 2013 12:50

Tom Smykowski: Jan 27, 2005; What the hell is wrong with you people?

caberham posted:

Man I you guys have take me to Tibetan food next time! When are you guys coming to HK again? I ran out of Yak jerky

Next time you come to the southwest, let me know. I'll try to get some homemade dried on a rock in the open air yak jerky. Its really goddamn good.

# ¿ Aug 20, 2013 12:01

Tom Smykowski: Jan 27, 2005; What the hell is wrong with you people?

Gonna dust off my nice fedora for this.

# ¿ Sep 1, 2013 13:39

Tom Smykowski: Jan 27, 2005; What the hell is wrong with you people?

Smeef posted:

So after a few days in HK meant to be preparing for my move to Chengdu, I find myself having done nothing and still completely unprepared. My flight might be canceled (no one can confirm/deny), but if it's not, I'll be arriving at about 2am.

Any recommended hotels near SiDa that would be a good base for apartment hunting?

e- From the looks of the posts above, there will be a gathering of the neckbeards in Chengdu later this week.

You mean Sichuan University? And what's your definition of good for hotel? I think there are dozens of hotels-for-students-to-have-sex around there.

I'm not super familiar with the area though.

# ¿ Sep 2, 2013 08:51

Tom Smykowski: Jan 27, 2005; What the hell is wrong with you people?

Monkey Fury posted:

Are there are good gyms in Chengdu, either off a bus stop or subway line that aren't too expensive? Looking to pay like... 1800 a year tops. Need free weights and a squat rack, preferably not crazy crowded. I've heard good things about Megafit, and that's probably about my limit for traveling distance from where I am (right around the IKEA)

There's a gym in that mall next to Ikea, I guess. 清健身 Qingjianshen is the name, the address is 成都市高新区天府大道北段8号.

I have no idea if it's a decent place or not. Some guy was handing out fliers for the place (on the opposite side of town) and gave me a card for a free visit if you want it. Though I'm pretty sure you could just walk in and ask to try it for a day, that's what I did at my (terrible) gym.

There are no swole people in any of the ad pictures.

# ¿ Sep 8, 2013 10:15

Tom Smykowski: Jan 27, 2005; What the hell is wrong with you people?

I've heard that and I've heard he's a nice jolly man who is wonderful to his employees. But I heard that from a friend who eats there a lot, so I really have no idea.

Good food, though.

# ¿ Sep 8, 2013 10:35

Tom Smykowski: Jan 27, 2005; What the hell is wrong with you people?

The owners of Lazy Pug are cool but the whole drama about them shutting down last time was a bit :tinfoil:

# ¿ Sep 8, 2013 12:22

Tom Smykowski: Jan 27, 2005; What the hell is wrong with you people?

systran posted:

This defines being a foreigner in China.

I'm pretty sure everyone here does that about everyone. At least in the building I live in, constant gossip about every possible thing.

# ¿ Sep 9, 2013 14:52

Tom Smykowski: Jan 27, 2005; What the hell is wrong with you people?

FearCotton posted:

I am someone who neeeeeeeeeeeeds a super clean apartment (traveling in the US this summer meant I was perpetually untidy and living out of a suitcase, which was awful), and as such ours is pretty nice. Yet at least once a month I find a huge roach chilling in our living room by the front door, as it as wandered over from the hoarder's next door. It's repulsive, and there is no way to get rid of them (we have roach-killing stuff in our apartment as well) because the neighbor's won't.

My neighbors seem to be generally clean folks inside their apartments. But anywhere outside their front door is open game for gross. They drop bags full of food and oil for the old cleaning lady to take out. Drop and splat, oil everywhere. The hallway is like a buffet for roaches.

Better than rats, though. There's a cat family around that keeps the rats away, though. So that's nice. Also cute kitties :3:

# ¿ Sep 28, 2013 03:28

Tom Smykowski: Jan 27, 2005; What the hell is wrong with you people?

I let a Chinese friend use my computer for like 20 minutes now I have some weird Conduit search engine set as my default because of something he downloaded and I can't get rid of the drat thing.

Also :siren:

CHENGDUGOONS :siren:

, lets for real get Tibetan this coming weekend. With the holiday stuff the times didn't match up this weekend. When's good for everyone? Friday? Saturday? We could go to the same place as last time or try a new one, either way it'll be in the same area. We can meet at Wuhouci and then go from there.

# ¿ Oct 13, 2013 13:31

Tom Smykowski: Jan 27, 2005; What the hell is wrong with you people?

Smeef posted:

I can do either but would strongly prefer Friday.

Alright, how's this sound to Chengdu goonfolk: meet at 7pm on Friday at Wuhouci?

We can meet in front by the ticket booth or the ancient street or that big rock thing, whatever. Then we can walk down the street into the Tibetan neighborhood and eat yak pie / yak ribs / yak baozi / yak powder??? and so on.

# ¿ Oct 16, 2013 13:13

Tom Smykowski: Jan 27, 2005; What the hell is wrong with you people?

Good, I figured if you saw the plan now, you could pack your bags up and catch the next passing caravan into the city. If you leave now you might make 3rd Ring Road by sunset tomorrow.

# ¿ Oct 16, 2013 13:24

Tom Smykowski: Jan 27, 2005; What the hell is wrong with you people?

GuestBob posted:

In China "grey economy" can be read on a literal level: the colour of cement.

Do you have two years of work experience post-gradaution? Each Province handles its Work Permit issuance separatley and in Henan there has been a tightening of the procedures so now people who haven't been out of university for two years will generally get bounced straight off the bat (and no, u/g work experience doesn't count). In the past twelve months Henan has become unusually tight arsed about this and I am not really sure why; maybe someone overturned the trash can and lovely laowai got everywhere or something.

Not sure about Sichuan, but my point is that you should probably come over on a student visa (or other visa) if you aren't too sure about working. Nobody is going to bust you for doing some tutoring on the side. By all means give it a bash and fire off a few applications to places, but don't only do that - check out other options.

For university work Sichuan is more or less the same. A couple of years ago some schools would fudge the numbers so you'd meet the 2 year requirement, but I think now they're trying to be serious about it.

# ¿ Oct 21, 2013 04:59

Tom Smykowski: Jan 27, 2005; What the hell is wrong with you people?

Ya, insisting usually works unless, like Magna said they're under like 35. Then they will eat all of it and you will never offer again.

When I first came here, like my first week of work, I had crackers and offered some to an older professor. She declined once so I was like "Suit yourself sucker, more for me" and she still hates me to this day.

# ¿ Oct 24, 2013 14:48

Tom Smykowski: Jan 27, 2005; What the hell is wrong with you people?

You can also go if you have an official letter of invitation from someone living in Tibet.

Source: A Tibetan bar around the corner from my apartment.

# ¿ Oct 31, 2013 07:08

Tom Smykowski: Jan 27, 2005; What the hell is wrong with you people?

Anyone want to go to Chongqing next weekend?

Magna Kaser posted:

If one has roommates how expensive is Shanghai for rent? I may be transferring to Jingan.

The beginning of the end for the Chengdugooncrew. I'm out half way through January.

# ¿ Nov 1, 2013 10:00

Tom Smykowski: Jan 27, 2005; What the hell is wrong with you people?

Not the Peasant Revolutionary Training Institute. It's boring and the mannequins are creepy as gently caress.

truavatar posted:

Shu Jiu Xiang Hot Pot (蜀九香火锅) was great! I had ribs and pig throats. Oily as hell, but I guess I'm never going to get away from that in China.

Along with the million hotpot places around Chengdu, try one of the million ganguo 干锅 places. It's still oily but not hotpot levels and also delicious. Ribs are usually good in it, most places will let you get 2 main ingredients (usually meats). If you can find a place that has good rabbit, it is awesome.

Edit: There still needs to be a Chengdu Rabbit Head Eating Goon Meet, goddamnit.

Tom Smykowski fucked around with this message at 13:43 on Nov 5, 2013

# ¿ Nov 5, 2013 13:41

Tom Smykowski: Jan 27, 2005; What the hell is wrong with you people?

Start the night with hotpot, end the night with rabbit head. A Chengdu solution.

# ¿ Nov 5, 2013 14:03

Tom Smykowski: Jan 27, 2005; What the hell is wrong with you people?

Facepalm Ranger posted:

Thanks man, I had a look at Southwest Minorities School (or as it calls itself "Southwest University for Nationalities") and it's prices for a year seem much more reasonable than Sichuan University at 6000 RMB per semester with around 12-16 hrs per week, which is pretty good I guess and the course starts in March which would give me a month to settle in.

My girlfriend is gonna get her mum to call them and find out more info and how I can apply but this seems like the longest and cheapest option thanks for suggesting it.

EDIT: Any ideas how much a student visa costs or is it classed as 12 month Multiple entry one? gosh! They sure do make getting into China hard.

I think when you get here and start classes they'll switch your student visa to a residence permit, which is multiple entry.

The Nationalities University is the one people go through to get a student visa just to gain entry to China and then never attend class. So I'd guess it has the easiest process.

# ¿ Nov 7, 2013 00:22

Tom Smykowski: Jan 27, 2005; What the hell is wrong with you people?

CHENGDU FOOD STUFF GOON EATING MEETING :waycool:

WHEN?
Tomorrow. 6? 7?

WHAT?
Eating 干锅 Gan guo (Dry pot??). Maybe a rabbit head or two.

WHERE?
Southside is probably the easiest to meet. I don't know any gan guo places in the south. We could meet somewhere easy (Jiuyanqiao or Chuanda?) then move on from there. Because there are a million gan guo places all over.

Unless one of you Southies has a suggestion. Or you could brave passing Tianfu Square and try some northside food :getin:

WHY???
The death of the #1-China-Goon-Crew-That-Is-Better-Than-The-Lame-Hong-Kong-Crew draws near.

# ¿ Nov 7, 2013 09:40

Tom Smykowski: Jan 27, 2005; What the hell is wrong with you people?

BadAstronaut posted:

The death of the #1-China-Goon-Crew-That-Is-Better-Than-The-Lame-Hong-Kong-Crew-That-Itself-Is-Soon-To-Be-Overshadowed-By-The-Shanghai-Crew draws near.

Ya, because I'll be in Shanghai for like a week in January, duh.

# ¿ Nov 7, 2013 13:28

Tom Smykowski: Jan 27, 2005; What the hell is wrong with you people?

I know some places that are a couple blocks away from the Luomashi 骡马市 stop on line 1 only stop north of Tianfu. Across the street from New City Plaza 新城市广场 there are a ton of gan guo places and general Chengdu eating-drinkin restaurants. One of the places even has a tomato beef dish that tastes like tomato soup, it's awesome.

# ¿ Nov 7, 2013 15:06

Tom Smykowski: Jan 27, 2005; What the hell is wrong with you people?

Tom Smykowski posted:

CHENGDU FOOD STUFF GOON EATING MEETING

So how about we meet at the 7-11 by Jiuyanqiao (by all the clubs) between 6:30 and 7?

# ¿ Nov 8, 2013 05:38

Tom Smykowski: Jan 27, 2005; What the hell is wrong with you people?

Ya, on the Chuanda side of the river with all the clubs and shaokao places. The 7-11 is across from Muse and I think around the way from the Underground.

Tom Smykowski fucked around with this message at 09:31 on Nov 8, 2013

# ¿ Nov 8, 2013 09:28

Tom Smykowski: Jan 27, 2005; What the hell is wrong with you people?

Universities usually hire for the start of the fall semester in September, so not hearing anything isn't a big deal.

What training centers are you looking at?

# ¿ Nov 11, 2013 00:21

Adbot: ADBOT LOVES YOU

# ¿ May 5, 2024 12:59

Tom Smykowski: Jan 27, 2005; What the hell is wrong with you people?

mrgoodtrips posted:

Few leads so far. English First seems like the one to avoid. Have you heard anything about Shane English? I'd rather teach adults but it looks like the odds are I'll be teaching kids.

I've heard mixed things about like every cram school in Chengdu, the mileage seems to vary by location. Also, listen to this guy:

Jimmy Little Balls posted:

I work at UESTC and we have a couple leaving at the end of this semester for medical reasons who will need to be replaced for february, my boss keeps asking me if I know anyone so pm me and I can give you her contact details.

Do people really call it UESTC? That sounds slightly more difficult to say than where I work, SWJTU.

# ¿ Nov 11, 2013 15:13

The Something Awful Forums > Discussion > Ask/Tell > Tourism & Travel > The China Megathread III: It is not a happy everyday

«‹›9 »