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Anyone in Shanghai? (or any other interesting place in China?)

  • 30-09-2011 04:13AM
    #1
    kraggy
    Closed Accounts Posts: 6,414 ✭✭✭


    Hey folks,

    Decided on starting a thread on this as my questions were getting split between different threads.

    First off, what are considered the more interesting places in China and what are the least liked? Have very little knowledge of the country. Looking into Shanghai at the moment but not sure if that would be regarded one of the more favourable places to live or not.

    So, wondering if anyone on boards is living in Shanghai? Am looking into going there in a few months to teach. (preferably in an international primary school but will consider teaching English aswell).

    So...

    1. What is Shanghai like? Interesting, busy, lots to do? To look at?
    2. What salary can an experienced English teacher expect in Shanghai?
    3. How much of this could be saved?
    4. What are the prices of the following:

    a. rent for a decent apartment not too far out from the action
    b. a casual lunch/cheap dinner
    c. a beer
    d. a typical subway journey
    e. a bottle of water

    5. And what sort of things are there to do in Shanghai?
    6. What's it like to look at/atmostphere etc.


    Any help would be great.

    Thanks.


«1

Comments

  • #2
    kraggy
    Closed Accounts Posts: 6,414 ✭✭✭kraggy


    Bump.

    Anyone? Even some info on what Shanghai is like as a city would be great.

    Thanks.


  • #3
    Chocolate_Bar
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 10 ✭Chocolate_Bar


    Hi, I've been in Shanghai bout 6 weeks now.

    I think English teachers can earn pretty good money, from what I've heard anyway, and there's definitely plenty of teaching jobs going.

    -Try echinacities website, has rakes of em.

    Don't have any experience in relation to that myself though.

    a. Rent I believe around 180-400 euro, depending on the quality of the place n size n stuff, but don't quote me on that..!
    b. You can get a decent Chinese meal for €1.50, it's trial and error as to the quality of the food. Proper meat in the supermarkets is fierce hard to come by though. Big Mac meal is under €3.
    c. Can of budweiser - €1, Chinese vodka, cheapest i saw was 2.5 litres for under €2! Prices of drink in the clubs/bars differs. Some places y'can get 2 pints for €4 during happy hour, other places you can pay over a tenner for a drink.
    d. Subway trip minimum bout 30c, max 60c. 30c for under 6km i think.
    e. Bottle of water - 45c, cans of coke 30c

    It's a cool city, i'd recommend (Then again the only other city I've ever been to is Dublin!)
    Ya lots to do, there's a bunch of expat websites that tell you what's on - Shanghaiexpat, smartshanghai etc..
    There's a Gaelic club with a bunch of Irish people.
    Good fun to go out in.

    Pollution is pretty bad, fairly smoggy somedays but you get used to it.

    Hope that helps, any other Qs let me know


  • #4
    kraggy
    Closed Accounts Posts: 6,414 ✭✭✭kraggy


    Hey Chocolate Bar,

    That's great info, thanks a million.

    What else is there to do there other than go out on the lash? Is it so big there that it's hard to get around?

    If you're talking to any English teachers, will you ask them what they earn in Shanghai?

    Thanks a lot!


  • #5
    Brokentime
    Closed Accounts Posts: 287 ✭✭Brokentime


    kraggy wrote: »
    Hey folks,

    Decided on starting a thread on this as my questions were getting split between different threads.

    First off, what are considered the more interesting places in China and what are the least liked? Have very little knowledge of the country. Looking into Shanghai at the moment but not sure if that would be regarded one of the more favourable places to live or not.

    So, wondering if anyone on boards is living in Shanghai? Am looking into going there in a few months to teach. (preferably in an international primary school but will consider teaching English aswell).

    So...

    1. What is Shanghai like? Interesting, busy, lots to do? To look at?
    2. What salary can an experienced English teacher expect in Shanghai?
    3. How much of this could be saved?
    4. What are the prices of the following:

    a. rent for a decent apartment not too far out from the action
    b. a casual lunch/cheap dinner
    c. a beer
    d. a typical subway journey
    e. a bottle of water

    5. And what sort of things are there to do in Shanghai?
    6. What's it like to look at/atmostphere etc.

    Any help would be great.

    Thanks.

    1. Shanghai's a big, big city, but a lot different to anywhere in Ireland. There's loads to do here, and it's fairly interesting to live in. And yeah, it's busy as hell; rush hour on the metros, and even on the streets, is lunacy. Given that in the greater city, there's around 23 million people (unofficial figure), you can imagine what it's like. And the city itself is a nice mix of old and ultra modern, albeit with a lot of the old stuff getting torn down to make way for newer developments.

    2. Depends on how experienced is 'experienced'? Starting salary for a decent company, around 13,000 yuan (maybe 14,500 euros). Better jobs give better wages. I work in a college and pull in a good bit, with rent allowance and travel allowance perks, too.

    3. Depends on your overheads, mate, which are mainly rent and eating. Travel is dirt cheap and so are the bills.

    4.
    (a) I pay 4,500 yuan per month (about 500 euros) for a big 2-bedroom apartment in a modern building. It's just outside the city centre, but I can walk to downtown in about 25 mins, or get a metro in 5 minutes. Bills are sod all.
    (b) Cheap dinner... depending on what food you like, but if you like Chinese food then it's only around 50-60 yuan (around 5 euros, sometimes less).
    (c) Cheapest can or big 500ml or 750ml bottle will be less than 1 euro, maybe even as cheap as 50 cents. Most expensive, well, it just goes up and up, depending on where you drink. Some of the Irish bars in town sell Guinness for about 10 euros a pint, and it tastes like pish anyway. There's a Chinese drink here called Bai Jiu (pronounced Bye Joe), with alcohol % of between 45% and 72% (I kid you not!) and you can get a bottle of it, about the same size as a shoulder of vodka, for about 2 or 3 euros. Drink a bottle of that in a night and you really can't stand up. It's hardcore and I love it.
    (d) 20 cent
    (e) Again, 20 cent, very cheap.

    5. Anything you want to do, really. Lots of sports, sightseeing, exploring, all this stuff. It's a very modern city, so if you can think of something, you can probably do it here. Nightlife is... well... to a paddy, your best friend and your worst enemy. Some pubs don't close at all, so you can wander out of bars at 6am or 7am in the morning, obliterated, and laughing at the sun coming up. Some great pubs and clubs and live music venues here, but the scene is a little different. If you want to know more, I can tell you.

    6. Atmosphere is rushed and hectic, with people pushing past you and bumping into you wherever you go. It's hectic, but at night it chills out more. Also, if you're a guy and even remotely human looking, be prepared to be hit on by girls. You'll go gaga for the women here and the way they dress. A big plus is to learn the language, too. I've been here a year and a half and I speak it pretty well, and it's not as hard to learn as you might think. Just ignore learning characters too much and focus on speaking and listening and you'll be fine. Grammar is different, but it's a more stripped-down language, making communication a bit easier sometimes. A lot of people here speak some English, too, and most signs are in English, also.

    You should come here. Lots of jobs and a good standard of living on a teacher's wages. You can easily afford your rent, bills, transport and all that, as well as eating out a few nights a week and going on the lash, too, and save some money also, on the wages you'd get. Just hold out for a good offer.

    Hope this helps.


  • #6
    Donegal_11
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 32 ✭Donegal_11


    Hi guys,

    Some great info here and it is really useful! I intend to move to Shanghai in September to do a 3 year PhD, it is quite a daunting move as I am only 22 and I’m wondering if anyone could help me with a few queries.

    Basically, I do not have to worry about accommodation as I get a room on campus, however, how much would I need to live on after accommodation? I’ve seen some crazy figures on the internet such as €5,000 per month? At the minute I would intend to live on around 4,000 yuan per month.

    I do like to go to pubs/clubs and spend money on clothes, are designer clothes expensive in the city?

    Furthermore, I have absolutely no Chinese at present, would this be a major problem when grocery shopping, getting taxis etc…?

    Finally, is the city safe in general, is the crime rate high?

    Thanks in advance for any help!


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  • #7
    Funglegunk
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,566 ✭✭✭Funglegunk


    Donegal_11 wrote: »
    Hi guys,

    Some great info here and it is really useful! I intend to move to Shanghai in September to do a 3 year PhD, it is quite a daunting move as I am only 22 and I’m wondering if anyone could help me with a few queries.

    Basically, I do not have to worry about accommodation as I get a room on campus, however, how much would I need to live on after accommodation? I’ve seen some crazy figures on the internet such as €5,000 per month? At the minute I would intend to live on around 4,000 yuan per month.

    I do like to go to pubs/clubs and spend money on clothes, are designer clothes expensive in the city?

    Furthermore, I have absolutely no Chinese at present, would this be a major problem when grocery shopping, getting taxis etc…?

    Finally, is the city safe in general, is the crime rate high?

    Thanks in advance for any help!

    I lived on about €800 (~6500 yuan) a month in Dalian, but was eating out most nights of the week and pubbing/clubbing quite a bit. There's a bit of discussion about living costs in this thread, particularly this post, just be aware that Shanghai is basically the most expensive city in the country so you may have to add a buffer onto any of the figures mentioned (he is talking about Xi'an which is a much cheaper city).


  • #8
    Donegal_11
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 32 ✭Donegal_11


    Thanks for that!


  • #9
    Brokentime
    Closed Accounts Posts: 287 ✭✭Brokentime


    Donegal_11 wrote: »
    Hi guys,

    Some great info here and it is really useful! I intend to move to Shanghai in September to do a 3 year PhD, it is quite a daunting move as I am only 22 and I’m wondering if anyone could help me with a few queries.

    Basically, I do not have to worry about accommodation as I get a room on campus, however, how much would I need to live on after accommodation? I’ve seen some crazy figures on the internet such as €5,000 per month? At the minute I would intend to live on around 4,000 yuan per month.

    I do like to go to pubs/clubs and spend money on clothes, are designer clothes expensive in the city?

    Furthermore, I have absolutely no Chinese at present, would this be a major problem when grocery shopping, getting taxis etc…?

    Finally, is the city safe in general, is the crime rate high?

    Thanks in advance for any help!

    Shanghai will be a fair bit more expensive than Dalian, although Funglegunk's (?) point that he ate out and clubbed a bit are valid. If you're going to be a student here, then you'll be heading out a fair bit, mate. Shanghai's a great town to go out in, but like any city there are cheaper things to do and places to go, and more expensive ones.

    I guess it depends on your lifestyle at the moment. That said, though, you can live it up in Shanghai for a lot less than Dublin, for example.

    Clothes are cheaper here, and there's black markets where you can pretty much buy anything knocked off for a fraction of the price.

    4,000 yuan should be fine for a student, if your accommodation is sorted out. That's almost 450 euros, which'll bring you a long way here. Try to eat on campus where the food will be probably subsidised, and go out for dinner in town once or twice a week, just to mix it up. You could also easily get a small teaching gig at weekends, and that can make you around 20 - 30 euros an hour, depending.

    Regarding learning the language, I'll say this: If you are going to be here for 3 years, you should learn it. It's not as hard as everyone says it is, if you just want to speak and listen. Learning the characters if probably not necessary, although you inevitably pick them up when you're learning.

    Try to have a cupla focal before you get here; dig up some language group and see if you can learn. Last time I was in Ireland, 2..5 years ago, in Dublin in the Ilac Centre, there used to be language groups in the library there. That'd be a start.

    But you should be psyched about coming here. This place is like nothing you've ever seen before or experienced before. It'd a madhouse at times.

    Any more questions, just let me know. I'd love to help.


  • #10
    Donegal_11
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 32 ✭Donegal_11


    Thanks a lot, I really appreciate the help!

    I live in Dublin at the minute, rent costs €400 per month, after that I spend approximately €400-600 per month on bills, food and socialising. I do like to go out a good bit but with my research project I may not be able to do that much. That is very interesting about teaching English and good to know, there seems to be a great demand for English teachers out there!

    I will try and learn the language, I will definitely make the effort to learn conversational phrases.

    Thanks again for all the help!


  • #11
    Brokentime
    Closed Accounts Posts: 287 ✭✭Brokentime


    Donegal_11 wrote: »
    Thanks a lot, I really appreciate the help!

    I live in Dublin at the minute, rent costs €400 per month, after that I spend approximately €400-600 per month on bills, food and socialising. I do like to go out a good bit but with my research project I may not be able to do that much. That is very interesting about teaching English and good to know, there seems to be a great demand for English teachers out there!

    I will try and learn the language, I will definitely make the effort to learn conversational phrases.

    Thanks again for all the help!

    Get in touch coming closer to the time, and I can help you get sorted out here


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  • #12
    magpie0508
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 38 ✭magpie0508


    "€5,000 per month", in a big city like Shanghai, your monthly cost could range from 5000RMD to 5000Euro, all depends on you lifestyle.

    And also, in a big city like Shanghai, you can easily find part-time jobs (a language teacher maybe) in weekend. You can go to out-ring of the city for a country scenery and hunting for exitements in the downtown. Old buildings, modern sites, fashion and tradition, you can get everything ever think of.

    Rythem here is desperately quick...But since you are a student, there's nothing to do with you, just keep this in mind, DO NOT try to going out in rush hours, you can witness the biggest population ever and get mad.

    BTW, funniest thing is, I am heading to Ireland for MSc this Sep and maybe you can PM me about it.


  • #13
    pauldla
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,248 ✭✭✭pauldla


    If you're on a student visa and looking to get some extra work, watch your step: there is a bit of a crackdown on "illegal" foreigns at the moment with Beijing announcing a 100 campaign against illegal foreigners, including students who work without a work visa.

    http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/china/2012-05/14/content_15290400.htm


  • #14
    Brokentime
    Closed Accounts Posts: 287 ✭✭Brokentime


    pauldla wrote: »
    If you're on a student visa and looking to get some extra work, watch your step: there is a bit of a crackdown on "illegal" foreigns at the moment with Beijing announcing a 100 campaign against illegal foreigners, including students who work without a work visa.

    http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/china/2012-05/14/content_15290400.htm

    Sure, this is fine to say, but to be honest, the Govt don't have much of a hope. It's such a booming industry, the 'working foreigner', that all parties involved stand to protect it. If there's money to be made from it, the Chinese will hide it. Beijing's having this crackdown because of a couple of 'International Incidents' that have happened recently. Come to Shanghai - much better


  • #15
    Lazarus Malrax
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 32 ✭Lazarus Malrax


    Hi. I spent three nights in Shanghai [out of almost seven weeks] in April- It was my least favourite Chinese city I visited. I found it the most European of the places I was [Hangzhou, Beijing, Guilin and Yangshuo.] I found it brash and gaudy. But my colleague who was there loved it. Different strokes. I wanted the Chinese experience - I didn't find Shanghai particularly Chinese. That being said it there were parts I loved. The parks, The former French Concessions. And it was the easiest to navigate of all the cities. The Metro makes it so easy to do so and most of the signs and street signs are in Mandarin and English.
    As to safety. I found it very very safe. Just be careful when around the main touristy areas of hawkers and people 'trying to sell you things' - do not go with them. There have been instances recently of tourists getting ripped off and mugged when they went with people to get a rolex, ipad, iphone etc. Shanghai is fast paced and busy and you will probably love this.
    As pointed out you should try to learn the language. Most Chinese people do not speak English and they will be delighted if you make the effort


  • #16
    pauldla
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,248 ✭✭✭pauldla


    Brokentime wrote: »
    It's such a booming industry, the 'working foreigner', that all parties involved stand to protect it. If there's money to be made from it, the Chinese will hide it.


    Indeed. But when the music stops on that particular game of musical chairs, you can be damn sure who'll be left out...

    It's probably not something to get too worried about (especially if you are not of dusky skin, shall we say), but it is something to be mindful of.


  • #17
    pauldla
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,248 ✭✭✭pauldla


    Lazarus Malrax wrote: »
    As pointed out you should try to learn the language. Most Chinese people do not speak English and they will be delighted if you make the effort

    I'll second that. Learn some of the basics, it'll be greatly appreciated and will definitely add to your experience. If you even manage to cough out a ni hao you'll probably be praised for your wonderful Chinese...


  • #18
    Brokentime
    Closed Accounts Posts: 287 ✭✭Brokentime


    pauldla wrote: »
    ...especially if you are not of dusky skin, shall we say

    erm.. what?

    You must be Chinese to come out with something so egregiously and unapologetically racist as that. Is it that hard to just say black?


  • #19
    Brokentime
    Closed Accounts Posts: 287 ✭✭Brokentime


    Lazarus Malrax wrote: »
    There have been instances recently of tourists getting ripped off and mugged when they went with people to get a rolex, ipad, iphone etc.

    To be honest, this is rare. I've been here over 2 years now and have gone to a few of these and never had so much as boo said to me.

    But in fairness, if you're going to buy fake or knock-off **** from people who essentially are on the wrong side of the law, what do you expect if they decide to relieve you of your possessions. Can't exactly plead innocent.

    These people are all around the touristy areas of the city. But they're not half as annoying as the 'lady massage' touts, or the guys trying to sell you marijuana the minute they see you're a foreigner.


  • #20
    galwaybabe
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,068 ✭✭✭galwaybabe


    Hi. I've been in Shanghai playing music a couple of times. It's a madhouse!
    But I love it there. I was there again this March and had the cupla focal this time, it really helped and defo was a door opener with the locals.

    I travelled to Hangzhou (about 300 km south) for a bit also. Loved the place. Very chilled on a relative scale but be aware that you have to re-define chilled in China because it is so full of people. Hangzhou felt chilled because it only had 6.5 million people as opposed to Shanghai's 28 million. It has a lovely lake as it's centrepoint and it is surrounded by parks. Nice place to hang out and a lot cheaper than Shanghai.

    Another cool place is Gulin in the south. Quite an arty vibe about this place. A few folk have described it as the Galway of China and they wouldn't be far wrong.

    Avoid Beijing...it's grey and its grim. Did five days there...never again!

    Have a ball wherever you end up and be prepared for your head to be blown off with all the madness of the place!


  • #21
    pauldla
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,248 ✭✭✭pauldla


    Brokentime wrote: »
    You must be Chinese to come out with something so egregiously and unapologetically racist as that. Is it that hard to just say black?

    I must be Chinese, I'm so racist? Ah, always nice to start the day with a laugh... ;)

    I said 'dusky', as that's what I meant, even if I was trying to be slightly tongue-in-cheek. People of dark-coloured skin, be they black, Filipino, whatever, will find it harder to find work teaching, and will probably get more attention from the authorities during campaigns like the current one in Beijing.

    Having said that, do watch your step if you're working outside your visa, as there are occasional crackdowns. Web International is a case in point, a few of their centres were raided here in SZ last year. My advice is, don't work on a tourist or student visa, and don't work for third parties if you're on a work visa. I've known plenty of people who have done both and have lived to tell the tale, but I've also known others who weren't so lucky, and if the excrement hits the fan, you'll be in a much worse position than your employer.


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  • #22
    Brokentime
    Closed Accounts Posts: 287 ✭✭Brokentime


    pauldla wrote: »
    I must be Chinese, I'm so racist? Ah, always nice to start the day with a laugh... ;)

    I said 'dusky', as that's what I meant, even if I was trying to be slightly tongue-in-cheek. People of dark-coloured skin, be they black, Filipino, whatever, will find it harder to find work teaching, and will probably get more attention from the authorities during campaigns like the current one in Beijing.

    Having said that, do watch your step if you're working outside your visa, as there are occasional crackdowns. Web International is a case in point, a few of their centres were raided here in SZ last year. My advice is, don't work on a tourist or student visa, and don't work for third parties if you're on a work visa. I've known plenty of people who have done both and have lived to tell the tale, but I've also known others who weren't so lucky, and if the excrement hits the fan, you'll be in a much worse position than your employer.

    Come on, you could have just said dark-skinned, seriously. Dusky? WTF!

    Heard about the Web thing, too. I used to work part-time for them in Shanghai and it's a mixed bag of odds and sods working there. Not a great teaching environment, to be honest. And it's no secret that they apparently just hire good looking male teachers to cater to their largely female clientele (not saying that I"m good looking or anything).


  • #23
    pauldla
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,248 ✭✭✭pauldla


    Brokentime wrote: »
    Come on, you could have just said dark-skinned, seriously. Dusky? WTF!

    So I opened the online dictionary, and this is what I see for the entry on 'dusky':
    1: somewhat dark in color; specifically : having dark skin

    Am I really out of line using it in this context?
    Brokentime wrote: »
    Heard about the Web thing, too. I used to work part-time for them in Shanghai and it's a mixed bag of odds and sods working there. Not a great teaching environment, to be honest. And it's no secret that they apparently just hire good looking male teachers to cater to their largely female clientele (not saying that I"m good looking or anything).

    Yeah, I worked for similiar places here in SZ: Com-com, Cleverlearn, etc. All completely sales-focused, and the teacher left to pick up the pieces. Not great places to work, but if you are prepared to put in the hours it can be rewarding financially. I was pulling in abt 25-30 a month at one point, but it involved a huge amount of travelling, 17 hour days, and other assorted nonsense. Ah, the memories.
    not saying that I"m good looking or anything

    Oh I'm sure you're gorgeous. :P

    Vive le difference! I've been told countless times here that I am 'so handsome'; at home nobody ever said that to me, unless they were drunk, or had given birth to me.


  • #24
    Brokentime
    Closed Accounts Posts: 287 ✭✭Brokentime


    pauldla wrote: »
    So I opened the online dictionary, and this is what I see for the entry on 'dusky':

    Am I really out of line using it in this context?

    I know some 'dusky' people here who would give me more than an arch look if I referred to them as dusky. Kinda too close to 'darky', IMHO. This is something I never gave a hoot about back home (not racism, but being overly reactive to some things), but working in closer proximity to just about every race on earth has made me more sensitive. For better or for worse.

    17 hour days... we've all done them, I think. My first few months in Shanghai, I was working 3 jobs concurrently - 1 full-time teaching and 2 tutoring part-time. 7-day weeks, all this nonsense that you wouldn't have to do back home (or couldn't, now, even if you tried).

    Luckily, after working for the usual McDonalds-style English Schools here (Web, EF), I landed on my feet and got a job in a university, which is where I am now. It's a steep slope here.

    You still in Shanghai?


  • #25
    pauldla
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,248 ✭✭✭pauldla


    Kinda too close to 'darky', IMHO

    OK, point taken. BTW did you ever see that toothpaste...?
    You still in Shanghai?

    No, only ever visited SH once. I've been in SZ for the last seven years, before that I was a few years in Hunan, before that Guangxi. NEVER intended to stay so long! :rolleyes:


  • #26
    Brokentime
    Closed Accounts Posts: 287 ✭✭Brokentime


    pauldla wrote: »
    No, only ever visited SH once. I've been in SZ for the last seven years, before that I was a few years in Hunan, before that Guangxi. NEVER intended to stay so long! :rolleyes:

    I was back in Ireland last week, for the first time in almost 2 and a half years. Hard to believe there's a recession there. Walked around shops in Dublin and people are still throwing cash around.

    While 2 and a half years is only spare change compared to your 7, I'd say I'll be here for another while yet.

    What's SZ like? Never been there.


  • #27
    pauldla
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,248 ✭✭✭pauldla


    What's SZ like?

    Big, the same area as London with about twice the population (though not as big as SH, of course). Quite developed with green belts and lots of shopping and western goods (after three years in Hunan I was over the moon when I came here), though I'm told that the Chinese consider the place to be soulless. Very convenient for HK, which is great when you want a change. It's a good place to study Chinese, as almost everyone here is from somewhere else, so they all tend to use putonghua, though you do hear a lot of cantonese dialects being spoken too. Night life is good, I'm told, though I don't get out much these days.

    Drawbacks: well, nothing that I can think of that is specific to SZ. Traffic is a nightmare, as is the standard of driving, but that's the same everywhere here. It being such a cosmopolitan city, there are not many gasps of lao wai when you walk out (I found that to be grating when I lived in Hunan: granted, I was in a very small city, but it can get to you after a while). Very transient expat community, friends come and go, but there are a few long-termers. For some reason, SZ seems to attract its own special brand of expat lunatics, but it's not too hard to keep clear of them (and not that I am one of them, oh no, heaven forbid, etc).

    If you're dropping down this way let me know, it'd be fun to meet up over a pint and compare notes.


  • #28
    Lazarus Malrax
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 32 ✭Lazarus Malrax


    Originally Posted by Lazarus Malrax viewpost.gif
    There have been instances recently of tourists getting ripped off and mugged when they went with people to get a rolex, ipad, iphone etc.

    "[Original post] To be honest, this is rare. I've been here over 2 years now and have gone to a few of these and never had so much as boo said to me.

    But in fairness, if you're going to buy fake or knock-off **** from people who essentially are on the wrong side of the law, what do you expect if they decide to relieve you of your possessions. Can't exactly plead innocent.

    These people are all around the touristy areas of the city. But they're not half as annoying as the 'lady massage' touts, or the guys trying to sell you marijuana the minute they see you're a foreigner."

    Yep, it is very rare [and media reports mention this] but it is something to be aware of. I intervened when one American guy was walking with two chinese 'hawkers' and the Chinese guys reaction was quite scary - verbally abusing me.
    But as you say, if you do play safe and take care you will be fine. You just need to be aware - particularly around the tourist areas.


  • #29
    tunnels
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 3 ✭tunnels


    kraggy wrote: »
    Hey folks,

    Decided on starting a thread on this as my questions were getting split between different threads.

    First off, what are considered the more interesting places in China and what are the least liked? Have very little knowledge of the country. Looking into Shanghai at the moment but not sure if that would be regarded one of the more favourable places to live or not.

    So, wondering if anyone on boards is living in Shanghai? Am looking into going there in a few months to teach. (preferably in an international primary school but will consider teaching English aswell).

    So...

    1. What is Shanghai like? Interesting, busy, lots to do? To look at?
    2. What salary can an experienced English teacher expect in Shanghai?
    3. How much of this could be saved?
    4. What are the prices of the following:

    a. rent for a decent apartment not too far out from the action
    b. a casual lunch/cheap dinner
    c. a beer
    d. a typical subway journey
    e. a bottle of water

    5. And what sort of things are there to do in Shanghai?
    6. What's it like to look at/atmostphere etc.


    Any help would be great.

    Thanks.

    Hi I live in China not to far from Shanghai !! Its a huge big spread out place and i been there a few times and always get lost everytime !
    I live in Suzhou just 80 kms away ! on a fast train 300km/hr is just 20 minutes away
    China is a toatally interesting place i been here for almost 2 years and its now classed as home for me i have been other places and origanally came from New Zealand!! , lived Japan , live south Korea but its china for me . busy busy busy all the time never stops .
    want to know anythig spacific email on stuartwrcom@ gmail.com any time !!:D


  • #30
    tunnels
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 3 ✭tunnels


    Brokentime wrote: »
    To be honest, this is rare. I've been here over 2 years now and have gone to a few of these and never had so much as boo said to me.

    But in fairness, if you're going to buy fake or knock-off **** from people who essentially are on the wrong side of the law, what do you expect if they decide to relieve you of your possessions. Can't exactly plead innocent.

    These people are all around the touristy areas of the city. But they're not half as annoying as the 'lady massage' touts, or the guys trying to sell you marijuana the minute they see you're a foreigner.

    You are a sad sorry person and dont come to china because with that kind of attatude you will not be very welcome i hope you get awhat you deserve if you do . I am an new zealander and have lived and worked here for 2 years This is what i call home because i was glad to get away from peolple with your kind of attatudes to others that are differant !!
    Chinese people are hard working more honest and kind than any foreigners that tread there streets . you completely got the wrong idea about this place if you believe what you see and hear on the media and the untrue programs you see on tv you know nothing !! its been here for thousands of years and will be here when you lot are all gone . you know nothing and understand even less !! Idiot person !!!! :eek:


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  • #31
    Brokentime
    Closed Accounts Posts: 287 ✭✭Brokentime


    What age are you? 10?

    I have lived and worked here over 2 years, too, so don't try to pull the "I've been here longer than you" spiel.

    I'm still not specifically sure which point I made you've taken umbrage with. Was it:

    (1) That I've never been harassed by black market touts,
    (2) That people who buy stolen or fake items should not feel bad when something bad happens to them in the process to buying said goods,
    (3) Or pimps or pushers who try to sell you drugs and hookers are bad people.

    Which of these 3 points has annoyed you so much? I'm thinking a little hobbit has stayed up past his bedtime and has been sipping his expat Dad's expensive bottle of Bai Jiu that was given to him as a gift..


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