Now ye're talking - to an Irishman in China

up for anything wrote: »

How are things now? Are restrictions still easing?

Things are getting better. We're all allowed out now every day. Still only residents allowed inside each apartment block/complex, that'll probably last another while. Everyone had to scan a QR code and fill out a online form with your details, which in turn generates your own QR code. So you need to show that your QR code pretty much everywhere you go (I've only been to the supermarket), and to get back into your apartment complex. Some places scan it, but most places just ask to see it. I've seen some restaurants open, but you basically place your order at the door and they hand it out to you when it's ready. I had starbucks yesterday I had to order it on the app and wait outside, when coffee was ready the barista guy unlocked the door and handed me the coffee. Some malls have opened, but I haven't been so I don't know to what extent. Tourist areas have opened. My office building is still sealed off for another week though, so another week working from home :rolleyes:

In general though, much better. A lot more people milling about so the city is starting to look normal again in that sense. I don't know if that is a good thing or a bad thing to be honest. I'm still on venturing out to get coffee and some groceries, not taking any risks. Been cooking up a storm at home. Sad to see the first case in Ireland, but that was inevitable I guess. Hopefully things don't get too much worse. It's kind of surreal seeing all these new cases popping up all over the place as that's just been the norm here the past 5 weeks. I can understand the concern and panic (somewhat), in hindsight we didn't know at first what this thing was or how bad it would get until we were in the midst of it. If anyone wants any quarantine tips I'll be happy to oblige :pac: I am starting to go a bit mad at this stage though.

fritzelly wrote: »

With cases popping up everywhere else and only 3 new cases outside Hubei today do you have any sense of worry that this could blow up again now everyone is starting to return back to work and people left to mingle freely?

Definitely a worry for everyone. But after 5 weeks I think they really had no choice but to loosen the restrictions. Most things are still closed, and schools won't reopen for at least another 2 weeks, probably longer. What they have done seems to have worked, hopefully it will continue to improve but there is always that 'what if' at the back of your mind.

miamee wrote: »

Do you think being indoors and restricted in your movements will affect you when the restrictions have been lifted? I know it's only been a few weeks but will you feel really weird when you have the freedom back to go wherever you like, as if you are doing something wrong by heading to the mall or getting on a bus?

Glad to hear things are returning to normality though, being stuck inside for so long can't be good for anyone either.

It's affecting me now to be honest. Not in a terrible way, but I'm more irritable and just don't know what to do with myself half the time. If I didn't have work to do I'd be literally driven mad. The idea of staying at home for a week or 2 and watching movies, reading or doing whatever hobby interests you is something I'm sure a lot of people would love to do. Get away from the daily grind so to say. But I'm entering my sixth week, this is not fun anymore. Sure, I can go outside, but to what? Going for a 'Sunday stroll' is nice and all, but when it's all you have you lose interest very quickly. In saying all that I'm staying positive, amidst fleeting moments of extreme boredom. This is a once in a lifetime thing (I hope), and I do not want to do it again. Catching the virus is the last thing on my mind.

But yeah, it'll be weird going back to normality. Or maybe it won't, I don't know. It's monday and I've at least another week to go before going back to the workplace. I'm obviously avoiding buses and malls at the moment, even though they've started up again, but you've no idea how much I wanna go to a restaurant and eat some food I haven't cooked. I love cooking, but twice a day for over 5 weeks and it's gets mundane. Never thought I'd say that.

Quarantine is not fun guys. If you're stuck with it, for whatever reason, that's fair enough, but certainly don't hope for it. Stocking up on food does nothing except ensure you have something to eat, that'll be the least of you worries.

Ubbquittious wrote: »

Have you ever seen a mobile execution van? Do you ever see or hear anything about the death penalty over there? Do summary executions still happen?

No I haven't, or maybe I have and didn't notice it. It's not something you hear about often, apart from hearing news stories. I think the most common use of it is for murder. My first year in China, 2013, I taught in a high school. One of my students was stabbed to death in a ktv (karaoke) by a kid from another school. Both were 17. I remember hearing that the victims family was calling for the death penalty. But I left before it was all resolved so not sure what happened.

There's a massive list of crimes that can carry the death penalty, but not all of them are an automatic death penalty. I've heard some surprisingly lenient sentences given for crimes such as rape etc. In saying all that, it's a very safe place.

fritzelly wrote: »

Questions have dried up as Ireland is in a state of hysteria now

Yeah I can see that, it's surreal seeing cases popping up all over the place and things here improving. Hope you all keep safe.

Titclamp wrote: »

What's the food like?

Very different to your generic Chinese takeaway food, not even comparable to be honest. The only things I can think of off hand that you can actually get here is sweet and sour (somewhat similar depending on the restaurant), chow mein (very different), fried rice (somewhat similar), roast duck (much better here), dumplings (do Chinese takeaways even sell them?). Hong kong restaurants here tend to be a bit more comparable to Chinese takeaway food (taste wise), but even that is only small number of things.

I adore the food here, I will miss it when I eventually leave. If you like spicy food then there's lots of great options. It's not all spicy though, depends on the region. Hot pot is godly good (when it's done right), probably my favourite. Are there any hot pot restaurants in Dublin? I'm not moving home until there is at least one.

cee_jay wrote: »

There is a new hot pot restaurant on Marlborough St in Dublin called Kitchen 85. It is mainly Cantonese cuisine, really good! But I've never been to China so don't know how it compares to the real thing.

What do you normally cook for yourself at home, especially now when you've been home for so long? Do you tend to stick to Chinese cuisine, or can you get ingredients for Italian, Mexican, etc?

I cook pretty much everything; Italian, Indian, Mexican, comfort food etc. You can get pretty much anything online here so I've built up a decent pantry full of ingredients. Usually just need to get meat, veg and a couple of other things. I don't cook Chinese food that often as it's everywhere, and cheap. https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC54SLBnD5k5U3Q6N__UjbAw/videos this is a good youtube channel for 'real' Chinese food if you want to give it a bash. Once you have all the staple ingredients you can make plenty of dishes. But like I said I'm literally surrounded by dozens of restaurants so I tend to cook other things. I made chicken balls and curry sauce the other day if that counts :pac: Good to hear about the hotpot restaurant.

up for anything wrote: »

What is the difference between locked in and sealed in? Are you locked in or something less? Sealed in sounds ominous - like if everyone outside died you wouldn't be able to free yourself. :eek:

What happens if you don't have money to pay for grocery delivery? Is there some sort of government welfare to cover this eventuality or if you don't have money to pay upfront or at all for medical care in the hospital?

Some apartment blocks have literally been sealed with chains, nobody in or out except someone delivering you some groceries every couple of days. I've also seen a few videos of people being sealed in their apartment in Wuhan. That's a bit mad. From comments on Weibo the videos are real, but obviously I can't be sure.

Honestly I have no idea what happens in regards to people not having enough money for food or medical care. I'm sure there are some provisions in place at the moment for that, given the circumstances. I've heard the government will cover all treatment for coronavirus patients, but not sure if that is just Hubei or countrywide. Regarding medical costs outside of this period, people usually have to save up money for treatment if they can't afford it straight up.

up for anything wrote: »

Does anyone conjecture as to why some are chained or sealed in and most not?

Are you still allowed out every couple of days?

In most (all?) cases it's because there had been 1 or more confirmed cases in a particular building. As I mentioned before I know British girl whose apartment block was fully quarantined for 2 weeks, they delivered her food (vegetables) every second day. There are still some apartment blocks in my city that padlock the front entrance at 10pm every night, one of my colleagues only noticed when he ran out of water at midnight one night and tried to go to the shop.

We're allowed out pretty much whenever we want now, no more 'every two days'. The problem is there is still not much open, so go where? Supermarket is really as far as we go, though we usually go the long way for the walk. I'm not really comfortable just yet going to a park (which are probably packed) or something like that. Still checks going in and out of the apartment complex and when entering the supermarket.

I've been informed that I'll likely be working from home until the end of March/start of April. Hooray :rolleyes: Hope you guys don't have to endure this sh**e, but if you can (and are willing to) work from home, short term of course, I would highly suggest it. Ireland is not going to be able to contain this like China has. I've never seen anything like it and will never again (I hope).

up for anything wrote: »

How're things now? Are you back to work? Have the personal liberty restrictions been lifted? What did you do to celebrate Paddy's Day? Is there any noticeable difference between people before Covid-19 and now? Have you met or spoken to anyone who had it and recovered, yet? So many questions. Please don't disappear on us. I'll need someone to talk to during lockdown because as it is, I've fallen out with 90% of the people online and 100% of my nuclear family in the last three days of self-isolation.

Things are continuing to improve. More things are opening up and free to go outside whenever you want. They've started letting people enter other peoples apartment complexes, so we've had a couple of friends around. Everyone has a personal QR code on their phone (with their personal info) which you need to show entering most places. That's how they're tracking people in case anyone new gets the virus. Interesting approach. Most (foreign) people still not back to the workplace, including me. Though I've been working the whole time so makes no difference, as have a lot of the teachers with online classes. Schools will begin to open the end of the month (staggered), so probably back to the office then. To open a workplace you have to apply to the government. My whole office can work from home so they won't let us go back yet.

A LOT more people roaming about now. I would say the streets are probably at 80%, I don't know if that's a good thing or a bad thing. Actually went to the mall a few days ago for a stroll, it was pretty empty though. Everyone still wearing masks, so no difference there. Though I will say that Trump's comments on the 'China virus' has roiled up some of the folk here. Had the security guards outside asking if I'm American. They were fine when I told them I was Irish, one of them mentioned Whiskey lol. Have heard of a couple of foreigners being turned away from restaurants and public buses, though that's more to do with fear of people bringing the virus back into China. Hence why anyone arriving from abroad is to be quarantined for 2 weeks.

No I still don't know of anyone who has had it. I guess with 1.4 billion people and approx 80k cases (can't remember), the odds are pretty low on that front.

Yeah the isolation is not fun, hopefully you're keeping yourself busy which is not easy. Anyone (minority I'm sure) who was hoping for everything to close will regret it very very soon. I'm still at home 80% of the time, but it's become pretty much the norm after 9 weeks.

I went to a friends apartment on Paddy's day and had too much Jameson

PMBC wrote: »

Good friend had son working there up to recently teaching English and enjoyed life and was well paid in Irish terms. Came home due to fear of spread some weeks back. Are there opportunities, or were there rather, for this kind of work?
Hope it is still good for you and that you had a happy Paddy's Day.

Tonnes of opportunities and no enough teachers to fill them. With schools opening again soon and thousands of teachers gone home, there's gonna be a huge shortage. Even though China is heading the right direction, people are not going to want to travel or leave their family. I certainly wouldn't if I was at home. Plus, as mentioned above, you gotta spend 2 weeks in a hotel on arrival :pac:

Thanks, I'm going less crazy now so that's a positive. Feel sorry for everyone at home though, looks live it's just the beginning Stay safe.

Gruffalo22 wrote: »

I hear that many people in China cannot get loans or credit cards from the banks. How do they manage? Have you heard of many people using online lending platforms such as Qudian or Laifenqi? I have heard that people may get loans from multiple sites.

Is IQIYI popular in China for streaming?

Loans (and any form of credit in general) are just not popular in China. Most loans are confined to businesses and mortgages. Small personal loans are becoming more popular through companies like the ones you mentioned, probably because Chinese people have more income then they did 10 years ago, so can afford repayments. What the average person did with no work for almost 2 months, I don't really know to be honest. That will be something I'll be asking my colleagues when I go back to work.

IQIYI is very popular, probably the most popular along with Youku. I don't use any of them though, I download everything 100 mbps internet, unlimited download, no piracy laws and the Great Fire Wall...it is what it is.