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The internet thing worries me a bit just for communication purposes. I know people use VPN's but I may have to do more research about that. It's fascinating how censored the internet is in China.
Fascinating? More like Moderator cut: profane, lol.
But it's not gonna affect you that much, just get a VPN and you can access Facebook, Youtube, Google etc. without any problem.
Last edited by Count David; 03-26-2015 at 06:54 PM..
Reason: unless you want your posts constantly edited, refrain from the profanity.
Good to know. Yeah I'll be living probably 6 months to a year if I choose to accept this offer which I probably will. Shenzhen definitely intrigues me because it's so close to Hong Kong so if I don't get Beijing or Shanghai I think I definitely will consider that. What does Hangzhou have that would make for a better experience?
I don't really know much about China and there's only so much youtube videos, lonely planet, etc you can research about. I think it's always better asking on a forum because people have real experiences for why one place is better than another.
It seems like pollution should be a non factor at this point based on responses. I guess it gets annoying but you get used to it and it isn't a major health concern if your only there for a period of time.
Hi OP,
if you really want to have a fine balance between having a good addition to your CV and having a great experience, here is a list of rankings for you (purely recommendations, you are free to make up your own mind), the one at the top is the best; note that i have taken into account the business aspects of the city, the level of "cool factor" it would look in future business networking or when applying for other jobs/projects:
But it's not gonna affect you that much, just get a VPN and you can access Facebook, Youtube, Google etc. without any problem.
I'm not an expert in this area, but my traveling group used VPN for several days with no issue before things went wrong and we could no longer access Facebook for the last day and a half. I've assumed it was not a 100% reliable alternative.
You couldn't pay me enough to live and work in China for any significant amount of time. Go to Taipei, it's an amazing city! There's a lot of fun stuff packed into the little island of Taiwan. Down south in Kenting are great beaches and a laid-back nightlife/night market scene. The East coast is rugged and beautiful with great surfing up and down. The north coast also has good surf and some pretty fishing towns and cities like Keelung. The West coast has some nice second-tier cities like Khaosung, is easily accessible by the High Speed Rail, and is generally more developed (but a little flat and depressing away from the foothills and mountains, IMO.
Taipei is more of a 24-hour city than NYC. You won't regret going there if you can swing it! Also easy connections to vacation destinations in Japan, Indonesia (Bali), and basically all of Asia.
Oh, but in general, clubbing in Asia isn't as good as in the west. Shanghai, Berlin, Taipei, and HK are really second fiddle to cities like LA, NYC, Berlin, and London in those terms. Not to say you can't have fun, though.
Don't think I'll really mind it since where I"m from, Clubbing isn't necessarily that great either. That's not too much of a concern compared to meeting people.
One more time. What do you guys know about the coastal city Qingdao? From what I've been researching online it does seem like a pretty good city but hard to tell. Anyone have experience living or traveling there? It may not be as top tier or big as Shanghai/Beijing but how is it overall? Also how much RMB would you say is enough to live there? Apartment cost, monthly food cost, etc. Unfortunately Taiwan doesn't seem like a possibility.
Don't think I'll really mind it since where I"m from, Clubbing isn't necessarily that great either. That's not too much of a concern compared to meeting people.
One more time. What do you guys know about the coastal city Qingdao? From what I've been researching online it does seem like a pretty good city but hard to tell. Anyone have experience living or traveling there? It may not be as top tier or big as Shanghai/Beijing but how is it overall? Also how much RMB would you say is enough to live there? Apartment cost, monthly food cost, etc. Unfortunately Taiwan doesn't seem like a possibility.
It's Qingdao in eastern Shandong Province
Thanks!
I haven't been there, but I"ve had two good friends who have lived there, and they quite liked Qingdao.
Qingdao is awesome and there are many expats there, especially from European countries.
Few people realize how much some of these Chinese cities have been influenced by foreign nations. Qingdao, for example, was a German colony in the late 19th century and this is relevant to the city's history because the colonizers structured so much of the city according to German customs. German-styled urban planning, sewage systems, streets, etc.
Even China's most famous "local" beer was established by German expats who longed for a taste of home again. Now every store carries Tsingtao beer.
I was always kind of envious of my pals up in Qingdao (I was in Shenzhen), because of all the craft German breweries they had up there. Tons and tons of great choices. I have yet to drink an authentic Asian beer that I actually like. They all taste kind of like cat **** to me.
It gets cold in the winter (as it is located on the water and is north of Beijing), but I really liked it as it had that big city feel while still maintaining a small town charm. Both Beijing and Shanghai were a comfy 6 hour high speed rail ride away. A great 2nd tier city IMO. Met a beautiful Korean girl there who I fell head over heels in love with so I really cant think of it in any negative light not matter how hard i try.
Don't think I'll really mind it since where I"m from, Clubbing isn't necessarily that great either. That's not too much of a concern compared to meeting people.
One more time. What do you guys know about the coastal city Qingdao? From what I've been researching online it does seem like a pretty good city but hard to tell. Anyone have experience living or traveling there? It may not be as top tier or big as Shanghai/Beijing but how is it overall? Also how much RMB would you say is enough to live there? Apartment cost, monthly food cost, etc. Unfortunately Taiwan doesn't seem like a possibility.
It's Qingdao in eastern Shandong Province
Thanks!
Out of the people I know who have been to Qingdao, they all agree that it is the among the best of China. They say the people there are less obnoxious and the general atmosphere of the city is just much more pleasant than most other large cities in China.
I traveled to Qingdao in 2008. It is among the best coastal cities in China. Definitely a good place to live in.
Also, I think both women and men there are good looking. Not only the stature but also the facial features. A lot of top actresses and actors are from there too.
And food is cheap there, somehow surprisingly.
Last edited by Bettafish; 03-28-2015 at 11:55 PM..
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