Skin'emAlive Posted June 9, 2011 Share Posted June 9, 2011 So i am taking a job offer in Beijing. Im not going to lie, im pretty excited and terrified about the whole thing. Theres alot of things that i will be giving up, but there are also plenty of positives. Ive been thinking about this really hard for over a month now and i think i have finally come around to this decision. Work around here just isnt happening right now, so i need to do what i gotta do. Has anyone here had any experience living/working in China? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CrypticVillain Posted June 9, 2011 Share Posted June 9, 2011 I don't have any advice for you, but congratulations. You must be good at what you do if somebody wants you to travel to the other side of the planet to work for them....... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Burgold Posted June 9, 2011 Share Posted June 9, 2011 Don't know what the job is, but what a cool opportunity. Learn and study and take in all they have to offer, but also teach and be a good ambassador of our culture. Best of luck! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chipwhich Posted June 9, 2011 Share Posted June 9, 2011 My cousin spent 2-3 years working in Xian. He hated the place. He is a picky eater, and didn't like the food. Chinese food is much different than what is served here, he thought it was dirty and the public restrooms in many cases were a hole in the ground. Many family's there still live without refrigeration in there homes. They buy food daily. However, he loved the chinese women and at 40 brought home a 21 year old bride. There are lots of chinese girls looking for a way out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Predicto Posted June 9, 2011 Share Posted June 9, 2011 Talk to mcsluggo. He taught econ at a university in Beijing a few years back. The pollution is horrific, but otherwise he enjoyed the experience. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Skin'emAlive Posted June 9, 2011 Author Share Posted June 9, 2011 I am getting a job in architecture. I will intern with a language school as well to learn mandarin! They are pretty excited about me coming. Their style matches up very well with my skills. Hopefully everything works out well! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sikbug Posted June 9, 2011 Share Posted June 9, 2011 Very awesome, congrats! I have a buddy that moved out there a few years back and he loves it. The only problem I hear from him is sometimes it's hard for him to get on certain websites like Facebook. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bcl05 Posted June 9, 2011 Share Posted June 9, 2011 I travelled around china for work earlier this year. I spent one night in Beijing, and spent most of it eating street food at the night market. One of the great culinary experiences of my life. I thought the food all around China was spectacular, fascinating, and tremendously fun. Beyond the food, the culture(s) there are really fascinating. I'm jealous - I'm confident that if you have an open mind you'll have an amazing experience. Have fun. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Skin'emAlive Posted June 9, 2011 Author Share Posted June 9, 2011 Thanks guys... do you have any advice on what i should definitely bring with me? Ive heard personal hygiene stuff is a necessity. Also, bring packages of tissues because they dont usually have napkins. Anything else? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SkinInsite Posted June 9, 2011 Share Posted June 9, 2011 Hope you can find an apartment that's reasonably priced and near the metro. You really don't want to walk around Beijing in the summer with the smog and heat. Try to stock up on over the counter drug you might need like Tylenol or nyquil. Avoid "westernize" restaurant like the plague. Try the Peking duck at various small vendors, you could go to Quanjude but it's really famous just for being famous. I couldn't tell the difference between them and a hole in the wall place I found next to some University. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Elessar78 Posted June 9, 2011 Share Posted June 9, 2011 Are you going there to milk cows for human breast milk? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Skin'emAlive Posted June 9, 2011 Author Share Posted June 9, 2011 Its a dream job elassar. Dont hate. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zoony Posted June 9, 2011 Share Posted June 9, 2011 However, he loved the chinese women and at 40 brought home a 21 year old bride. There are lots of chinese girls looking for a way out. I would never be able to live/work in an Asian country, simply because I do not find Asian women attractive, in the least. Unless they have some of that colonial-rapist heritage mixed in. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sideshow24 Posted June 9, 2011 Share Posted June 9, 2011 Hope things work out well for you! I'd be a more than a little apprehensive tho, with all the crazy **** China posts on this board. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Skin'emAlive Posted June 9, 2011 Author Share Posted June 9, 2011 I would never be able to live/work in an Asian country, simply because I do not find Asian women attractive, in the least.Unless they have some of that colonial-rapist heritage mixed in. Haha... I dont know what to make of that. But there are like 15 million people in Beijing. Theres gotta be some good looking ones there. The law of averages demands it. ---------- Post added June-9th-2011 at 09:50 AM ---------- Hope things work out well for you! I'd be a more than a little apprehensive tho, with all the crazy **** China posts on this board. To be honest, im kind of hoping i get to see that totem pole / capture the flag game that was on the board here a few weeks ago. Although, maybe that was in Japan... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Elessar78 Posted June 9, 2011 Share Posted June 9, 2011 Its a dream job elassar. Dont hate. Not hating. It's an attempt at humor by relating it to another tailgate thread. Apparently the attempt failed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hockeysc23 Posted June 9, 2011 Share Posted June 9, 2011 I went there for a week 2 years ago in October for the golden week. It was an amazing trip. My friend was doing a whole semester there. Couple things I learned: 1. Bottled water for eating drinking, brushing teeth everything. 2. Bring some medicine until your stomach adjusts to the food. 3. Try to pick up the language quickly as they like to barter and sometimes take advantage of westerners. They tried to do that to my friend and I at a restaurant. Luckily he spoke mandarin so he talked our way out of a potentially expensive lunch we never ordered. 4. Tour all the sites. It was amazing going to the forbidden city, the museums, great wall etc. lots of parks. He said to try and not buy electronics and stuff there since they are super expensive. Best of luck. Just try to immerse yourself in the culture. It is amazing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Skin'emAlive Posted June 9, 2011 Author Share Posted June 9, 2011 Not hating. It's an attempt at humor by relating it to another tailgate thread. Apparently the attempt failed. I was speaking about the milking of human breast milk! No worries..haha. Double fail! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
renaissance Posted June 9, 2011 Share Posted June 9, 2011 I don't really have any advice but congrats on the job! Sounds like an awesome opportunity! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Skin'emAlive Posted June 9, 2011 Author Share Posted June 9, 2011 Thanks Renaissance! I appreciate it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gortiz Posted June 9, 2011 Share Posted June 9, 2011 I would never be able to live/work in an Asian country, simply because I do not find Asian women attractive, in the least.Unless they have some of that colonial-rapist heritage mixed in. is that you? or a quote from a movie! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wwSEANd Posted June 12, 2011 Share Posted June 12, 2011 i've lived in Beijing for the past year and a half. i'm leaving in a couple months but, if you'd like to meet up, let me know. i'll pm you my email. as for general advice: 1) the water isn't unsafe (in the short term) but it's not *good* for you, and it tastes gross. everyone drinks bottled water, but brushing your teeth with bottled water is a waste. 2) bring deodorant and tums. you can find everything else here. 3) you will get used to the hocking-loogie noises. in fact, you will join in because clearing your throat becomes a frequent necessity. 4) if you are living here, rather than just visiting, it's silly to avoid western food. to the Chinese, "western" (italian, french, mexican, american, etc.) food is lumped into one small category of the food spectrum; the rest of the spectrum is comprised of different styles of Chinese food. in fact, many Chinese do not like any non-Chinese food at all. there is an AMAZING variety of styles and dishes, but don't feel obliged to go all-Chinese all the time. that's a surefire way to get hypertension. 5) research VPNs. that's how you get facebook, youtube, etc. 6) unless you get a Chinese girlfriend, don't expect to learn much chinese (beyond the absolute basics) in your first 1-2 years. 7) you WILL go through a phase of hating it here. that's a promise. there is a lot to hate. for most people, it passes, because there are things to like, too. 8) good luck, man. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Skin'emAlive Posted June 12, 2011 Author Share Posted June 12, 2011 Thanks sean, Ill be sending a pm your way. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mcsluggo Posted June 13, 2011 Share Posted June 13, 2011 I loved my time there... but my situation was pretty different. --- i knew my time there was finite (4 months, one semester) ---all the basic logistics for me were taken care of --- i lived in the "friendship house" on campus, and there were ALWAYS plenty of students that were eager to help out with day-to-day things that come up (showing us around, or what not) --- I had a decent group of other ex-pats (other foreign teachers) that were in the same boat as me, there for a short time, and ready to make the most of our experiences but all that said, i LOVED my time there. I lived in the Haidan (university) section of town, not far from the foreign language institute, and there was a lrge vibrant internation community there that was always eager to make friends, and chat. i wish i could go do it again (by the way... my trip was 12 years ago... things have definitely changed rapidly since that time!) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Skin'emAlive Posted June 13, 2011 Author Share Posted June 13, 2011 12 years is indeed a long time! It is probably an entirely unrecognizable by now. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.