What's it like living in China for the past 6 years without going back home ? Ask me! PART 1

Originally posted by gwynnhwyfar
reply to post by crackerjack

 

When are you coming home?

I have a long term plan within the next 3 years to return if all goes well.

Originally posted by antar
reply to post by crackerjack

 

Amazing, so are you attracted to Chinese women or do you miss the Caucasian ladies?

I have a Chinese wife, Surprisingly Chinese women are more caring for family than most western women this is one advantage of a Chinese wife but there's ALOT OF BAGGAGE that goes with it.

Originally posted by js331975

Originally posted by crackerjack

and the ME,ME, ME society, you're pretty much on your own in life in China, if you're old then you move in with your children and they take care of you. No one else will bother about you.

That alone interests me. The ME ME ME Society? Are you sure you are not talking about the US instead of a supposed communist nation?

Communist nation ?? I think that died out in the early 80's here with the economic reform.
I've never been to America, but where I come from people still actually look after one and other and respect people not by how much money or power they have.

Originally posted by SportyMB
reply to post by crackerjack

 

I used to live in Chengdu for awhile and what you posted is spot on.

Thanks man, As you know a person as only a limited tolerance when it comes to China.

Originally posted by colbyforce
So how do they view Americans, generally? Is there anti-American propaganda spewed by the government? How do they view the world, in a political sense?

Americans have a hard time here with Visa's, alot of hoops you gotta jump through to get one now.
In the large tier cities, Americans are viewed as awesome people by the Chinese, most people want to learn American English and want to work for American based companies, so there' not really alot of anti-American propaganda around.
Alot of American products are dominating the domestic markets here, outselling local brands, so more American companies are coming here to explore the domestic markets, Chinese love American stuff.

reply to post by generik


Yeah I feel now my English is breaking up, I don't interact alot with other foreigners I mainly deal with Chinese, so my accent and way I construct sentences has adapted to the environment.
Most Chinese here use broken English or Chinglish, so if you hear that everyday for 6 years, you're going to change.

For the security guards they just carry around a nightstick, there's guards everywhere so do feel safe.
Only armed guards are the escort guards for the banks.

Originally posted by Destinyone
reply to post by crackerjack

 

Great thread. A quick question. Do you ever worry about your email being compromised, like this thread for instance.

Des

No not really, unless I use some keywords which will get flagged, I had a friend who's gmail got hacked, he was emailing a friend about the g reat w all of mud. All he got was a notification from gmail that his account had been breached.
I'm not too worried here as I haven't relieved anything major for them to worry about.

Originally posted by niceguybob
I have been importing products from Chinese manufacturers for years. YES, I try to get the products "Made in America" when I can. I always do.

I have NEVER gotten an eamil here in the States that doesn't start with "We will be good friends" or ends with "We will be good friends"

I always thought it was a nice gesture until now I know they want to get me drunk on cheap booze and make me sing "Country Road" by John Denver.
How dare they?

GREAT post OP. Thanks.

I'll send YOU to my next manufacturer. I like staying in the States and bitching. Safer.

At least you have some Jack Daniels to comfort you.

Thanks niceguybob, so don't be fooled by their niceness there's always an agenda, if you find something wrong or a problem, it's very hard for them to own upto it and compensate. After all "We are friends".

Hey! Another China ATS member!! I'm a college student in Beijing, though I've been to the rural areas as far west as Xinjiang. I was even stranded in a brothel town in the middle of nowhere waiting for the next train out
Anyway, right now I'm studying the language, culture, gov't, economy etc. and what you said is absolutely correct!! Except instead of the Baijiu they tried to have me drink this so called "Three Penis" drink. This drink is absolutely disgusting, it's supposed to be made from the penises of three animals... they call it "a man's medicine!"

Generally speaking Chinese usually seem to have some sort of agenda (not all, but most) when contacting/"making friends" with you. There was one guy that wanted to "make friends" with me, so he took me out to a cafe. Bought me a snack and coffee. Then WHAM! he asks me to help him apply to a university in the U.S. I've learned much since that time...in dealing with these people....

Anyway it's nice to get to know other China ATS members thanks for making this thread?

BTW if I may ask, what is it that you do?

Originally posted by univac500
reply to post by crackerjack

 

Another ATS China member! I wonder how many of us are scattered across the Middle Kingdom? I have been here seven years, straight.

I have often pondered crafting a thread on China. However, I don't have enough skill ( or Jack ) to put this 'Mad Max meets Bladerunner meets every Philip K Dick Novel ever written' place into the appropriate words. I congratulate you on your efforts.

So you know exactly how I feel, I'm in South China, my wife is returning from her holiday tonight, I just had the real urge to get everything off my chest, if I explain it to local people they think I'm just stupid and should think about money. So I really don't talk to many people here that's on the same wavelength.

So did you go travelling around for the national day holidays ? Or avoided the hoards ?

reply to post by crackerjack


Very interesting thread, I am from Harbin. Met my husband when I worked in Beijing.
He is American and I'm now a Naturalized American as is our daughter.
We miss China some times, My husband likes the people and he never has to buy a beer at the local bar he visits.

I know many people here at ATS believe the propaganda they read about how American companies mistreat and pay poorly.
Like the workers living in barrack style apartments. They dd live that way because most want to and they work and send most of their earning home to help support their parents and siblings, send monies home for a family member to receive better health care, they make money and it's not what you would call a living wage in America, But it is in China.

Hell, my parents are both University Professors and I grow up in an apartment building with one bath room and kitchen on each floor for 8 families, no elevators either, we climbed up 5 flights of stairs and thought we had a Great Life!
We didn't see or own a B/W TV until 1991.
Chinese are a hard people to understand some times and my husband still rolls his eyes and shakes his head at some of the things I do and say

Friend crackerjack, You're correct, we are very family oriented, We have for centuries and we will continue to take care of family. Every one else can go to hell

Thanks for the thread and giving some an insight into a culture so many will never visit or understand.

reply to post by TheIllusiveMan


Yes, apparently Turtle is good for "man" as well, I've guessed you've eaten some fairly exotic foods?
I try and study up on my Chinese when I can, really trying to get my HSK certifications.
When I went to BJ, there's a market near Tianiman square, the stalls will have 2 prices on their boards, local and foreign which they flip around depending on who's walking by.

I wish you luck with you're studies, how long have you been here for ?

So how does the average Cinese person live?

Can you describe the life style of the average Chinese?

reply to post by TheIllusiveMan


TheIllusiveMan, The Three Penis drink is good for your manhood, your stamina, your staying power you might say.
Taste bad Yes, but most things that are good for you do.

But to each their own,,,,,, you are absolutely correct about Chinese wanted to be your friend and asking for a favor.
Be very wary of strangers you meet.
I hope you enjoy your stay, if you get the chance travel north by train 12 hours to Harbin in the winter and enjoy the city of Ice and Lights.

reply to post by guohua


Guohua, nice to read your post.
My neighbor is from Harbin, very LARGE MAN. People's culture up North is completely different than down South.
I know Northern people like culture, family, politics, entertainment, more relaxed, that's partly why I married one. They are also very direct.
Southern people are generally very cunning, tricky to deal with and money orientated.

No problems, Lately I've been reading alot of threads about China and the lack of understanding about it.
It's not all bad, I will cover the advantages in my upcoming thread.

Originally posted by poet1b

So how does the average Cinese person live?

Can you describe the life style of the average Chinese?

Average ? I can describe an average middle class person living in a main tier city for you.

Things are quite hard, white collar pay is usually 4000-6000 RMB a month depending. Buying an apartment here is out of reach for most people with prices starting at 10,000RMB per square meter.
For a guy it's hard, he can't find a wife unless he has an apartment of his own (that's the culture), so usually the parents will give their son's money for a deposit for his girlfriend to marry him.

Working hours are usually 9-6PM sometimes 6 days a week, usually involves lots of social interaction to improve relations with your boss, so mostly you're working day and night plus having to maintain your 'relations' with people who are important for you, it's a very complex society.
It's about how well you can socialize, not what you know but who you know.

Cracker... did you ever get to see the massive ghost cities (like Zhengzhou New District)?

I read a short article with a few photos and instantly fell in love with their almost mythological nature.
Are you allowed to go there on your own or do they guard them like a treasure?

I wrote the Chinese local embassy once about travelling there to document what I told them I thought was a great feat in infrastructure and societal safe keeping. Haven't heard back from them hehe.

reply to post by flice


No I haven't been there before but can understand why these ghost complexes are built, Chinese will buy them for 'investment' purposes, if you're paying money on an apartment no one will ask questions, so it's an easy way to use it. most money is black, not taxed so if they have too much in their accounts flags will get raised.
That's what I hear from people anyway, I've seen new developments completely empty but apparently all sold out.
Investment logic here is completely different, most people invest in property even though they don't technically own it .

Originally posted by crackerjack
Investment logic here is completely different, most people invest in property even though they don't technically own it .

Yes. Some call it a 'housing bubble'; a false economy generated by government infrastructure spending in order to keep domestic productivity up.

Let's hope it doesn't 'pop!' like the American equivalent did recently...

reply to post by Sablicious


I hope so as well, you 'lease' apartments here, after 70 years it's returned to the government again, but the thing is the quality of the building only lasts for 20 years.
The government controls property prices here, that's how they make most of their revenue, so they won't let it happen.