Anyone been to China? | Vital Football

Anyone been to China?

OldLeazes

OldLeazes

Vital Football Hero
Any of you folk on here ever been to China?

I've just been offered a job there, and I'm mulling it over. Not getting any younger, and this might be the last chance I get to do this. Half of me thinks it's a great idea, the other half is humming and hawing over it.

Anyone ever been who has anything to add please do so. I'm interested in all aspects. Food, people, culture, sport, gambling, drugs, drinking ... whatever you've got then I'd appreciate your sharing it with me.

The city I'm possibly heading to is Shenzhen, just over the border with Hong Kong.
 
Salted chilli chicken is lush.

On a more serious note, I have little to offer this conversation as have never been, however, I know a few people who have and they said it was fantastic. Good links to other countries too so you can go to places like Vietnam etc on a weekend and be back for work on the Monday. All cheap as chips too.
 
A good friend and former workmate just retired there last year, but prior to his retirement for 3 years he was spending all his time off from work there (roughly 2 months a year). He married a lass from there the city he lives in fails me at the moment but i know was in the north east towards Korea Fuzan or somewhere. Anyway he likes the place being ex navy he loves traveling . Its a huge country think he once flew from north to south to go to Hong Kong and that was a six hour trip. The averageworking mans wage is roughly 150 pound per month, so with what he has acquired ove rthe years he lives like a king if he chooses. Some places are hugely expensive like Shanghi and Dalion (forgive the spellings) Shanghai house prices on par with large European cities.He told me when you have a chinese meal at home ite nowt like what they have in China, all pretty dry meals but tasty enough. Beer is like 20-30 p a bottle for something called ting tou (sold in tescos too) i had one so not bad made from rice i think. As i say he is well travelled within the country and has been west to east and north to south and said some amazing sights he seen, The ice bar and sculptures in Harbin he loved. He did say more western type foot outlets are springing up and pretty difficult to get a reservation for ( places like pizza hut macdonalds etc) but eating local cusine is dirt cheap and massive portions. He also said the bars are always pretty full but hie wife didn't like him going in them lol. Learning the language was tough as madarin and cantonese both spoken more madarin in north i think, the you have pinion and hamza , one is wriiten form like English and the other is Chinese writing. Bills are very cheap to, he was telling me for heating you pay roughly 300 pound per year and the heating is constantly on for 6 months, you regulate how much heat you want by turning thermostat off or down. My mate wasnt a big sport person nor a gambler but we see the football taking off in China and by god they love a bet in Hong Kong.
 
OL get yourself away mate this country is fucked, you would probably have a better standard of life over there than here.
 
Been a few times for work mate, Shenzhen is a good area to be based, but it don't half get hot down there! Hong Kong is fabulous, like a Blade Runner set in places and like Alice's Restaurant, you can get anything you want. I would have gone out there to work 20 years ago but the missus wasn't having any of that.
 
Never been to China but know plenty of folk who have been and I haven't heard a bad word about it, just out of interest OL, what line of work are you in?
 
I'll be working as an English teacher.

I don't really have a set job in England, do a bit of all kinds. For the most part I make my money from playing and teaching music though. I play in a duo with my partner, and we get bits of work doing the odd gig here and there. She's a knock out singer and i stand around trying not to look too stupid while I back her with guitar.
 
I'm calling Bullshit on this one..OL being head hunted by the Chinese to teach English, when there are so many much younger, better educated, bright young things out there to choose from....you fluent in Manderin then OL?..Feckin joke man!
 
You don't have to be able to speak their language to teach English to the Chinese. You don't think they would put a none Chinese speaking teacher in a room with none English speaking pupils. most of the pupils speak some sort of English who will understand basic English.
 
Billy, you couldn't possibly teach languages to anyone without a basic understanding of the students mother toungue...it's a minimum requirement man. Just more made up stuff from OL..he has form you know!
 
I believe its called a TEFL qualification, a lot of people get it prior to travelling the world etc. Comes in handy when you need to earn a few shekels if funds are running low.
 
The-realist67 - 8/6/2016 07:00

I'm calling Bullshit on this one..OL being head hunted by the Chinese to teach English, when there are so many much younger, better educated, bright young things out there to choose from....you fluent in Manderin then OL?..Feckin joke man!
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Jealousy is a terrible thing. It can eat you up. I don't know a word of "Manderin", nor Mandarin either. I'm well educated in my mother tongue though, which is clearly an alien concept to you. I'll be teaching that subject. You could probably apply for a job yourself. You'll need a degree, and you'll have to submit to a telephone interview. Let me know if you want the number. They are on the lookout for smart, well educated people. If you know of anyone ...
 
The-realist67 - 8/6/2016 12:51

Billy, you couldn't possibly teach languages to anyone without a basic understanding of the students mother toungue...it's a minimum requirement man. Just more made up stuff from OL..he has form you know!
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It isn't a requirement that you have to speak even a little bit of the local language, as ive said the people OL will be teaching will have a grasp on the English language so they will understand him quite well.
 
Got a mate who made millions selling little engineering pieces, and sub structures, good for him, says it is an amazing place.
 
I haven't a clue if it is expensive to live there? I know they make 'Fred Perry' polo shirts there and they retail for ?55 when they arrive here.
 
Good point Mac which brings me to another. Where are the clothes made that are sold in the shops in the Far East?

Our shops are flooded with theirs.
 
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