Job Discussion Forums

andyscott84 · Joined: 02 Nov 2005 Posts: 115

Hi,

I've had a lot on my mind recently concerning the future. I've been living in a relatively small town for just under two years. I have two months left on my contract and lately have been entertaining the idea of moving. The reason for this is solely based on boredom. I am very happy with my school, wage and other things. Learnt a bit of Chinese and made some friends because of that. But, have found it difficult to make my life outside of school exciting.

My question is for those of you living where there are more FTs. Is life more exciting because there are more people around? Do you often do many things together or is it still a life of seclusion?

I would especially like to hear from people who have lived both the small town and big city life. Is there much difference? I'd hate to move away just to find that the lifestyle isn't any more exciting than it is now.

winterlynx1 · Posted: Sat Nov 19, 2005 2:59 pm Post subject: Big City Life

I'm in Xi'an, China. It's a big city by my standards - lots of touristy sites and all the big city entertainment. I socialize with both foreigners and the local Chinese. There are more people wanting to spend time with me than I have time for - I can't imagine a person being bored here, unless it's really not their bag. There's sports and hiking, art and culture, hundreds of places to eat out.

clyde · Joined: 13 Jul 2005 Posts: 52

I would recommend trying a city out as well. The only draw for a small town is that you are forced to live in the culture and learn the language, well guess what, you can do that in a city as well. Make sure and choose a lest western part of a city however. And if you get bored take a whopping 40 cent subway ride somewhere else. Beijing is an amazing city, you will never have a dull moment, millions of different restaurants and things to do, and the people are also very nice. I agree that Xian is also a fascinating city, and the noodles from the Muslim quarter are first rate. It has a growing tourist sector also so you can meet a lot of people from your own country. Hope this helps

NickH · Joined: 29 Jul 2005 Posts: 40

Super Mario · Posted: Sun Nov 20, 2005 9:12 am Post subject:

How about the middle road? There are lots of cities of less than a million people where you get the best of both worlds. I liked living in Guilin. There were farming villages within a 15 minute walk of my school.
However, if you want a big city, I liked Shanghai. Boredom wasn't an option unless you wanted it that way.

andyscott84 · Joined: 02 Nov 2005 Posts: 115

Thanks for the responses so far. The truth is that I wouldn't move to a giant city like Beijing, Shanghai... if I didn't have to. I was thinking more along the lines of one of the cities that Super Mario mentioned. Somewhere in the middle. But...

...The peace and serenity of small towns can be wonderful most of the time. Life is pretty easy. But, sometimes that silence just really gets to you and you want to go to a bar and have a drink/chat with some friends. Friends who are able to speak the same way you can. No explanations, no translations, just free talk and cheap laughs. You just need that fix sometimes. Well I do anyway.

I guess I should move eventually before I get too comfortable here. Very Happy

kev7161 · Joined: 06 Feb 2004 Posts: 5880 Location: Suzhou, China

I used to say Hangzhou was a nice city. Lots of "western" things mixed in with local culture and, of course, the beautiful West Lake. Recently, I returned for a visit and was aghast at the clogged arteries of the city thanks to constant construction (they're preparing for the 2006 World Leisure Expo) and thousands upon thousands of cars. The main shopping district is jam packed with pedestrians, bicycles, motor scooters, cars, taxis, and city buses. And this can be on any given day of the week, but especially weekends.

I now live in Suzhou and I went to a shopping area today and was pleasantly pleased with the manageable crowds and the fact I was able to actually buy something I've been looking for. Suzhou seems like a nice town with only a little personality, in my opinion.

NickH · Joined: 29 Jul 2005 Posts: 40

Yeah..that's kind of my situation. I live in a city of a few hundred thousand and am one of two foreigners. It doesn't really have the benefits of either end, though, because it's too big to be anywhere near serene or quiet, and it's too small to be cosmopolitan..but there is a funny bar with a car sticking out of the front of it across from my street I like to visit...haha.

clyde · Joined: 13 Jul 2005 Posts: 52

Dear Nick, though I agree with you that 95% of city people are as you say soulless, please bear in mind the good 5% is still close to a million people in somewhere like Beijing. Part of the fun of living in a big city is meeting and evaluating other people. Remember also that Beijing is a city of migrants, many of whom are country people. Yes the massive streets and concrete do get tiresome, but it is only a city and can be escaped very easily and cheaply whenever you want. In fact the bus system can get you out to the country (fragrant hill) or beyond. That is not to say that a small town is not equally good, in fact I grew up in one in Canada. Whatever blows your hair back...but Beijing deserves a chance, if for nothing else but the vibrancy in the air.

greent · Joined: 13 Sep 2004 Posts: 40 Location: HCMC, Vietnam

what is shanghai like compared to beijing? i'm also looking into shanghai to live, but haven't been there yet. i've been to beijing and have heard the two cities have very different feels to them. anyone with experience in both? tx...

NickH · Joined: 29 Jul 2005 Posts: 40

Agreed. I think the thing I would be able to take least is the pollution. Even in my small city, I can barely stand to be outside for more than a few hours at a stretch..

7969 · Joined: 26 Mar 2003 Posts: 5782 Location: Coastal Guangdong

i'm in zhengzhou now. to tell you the truth, i know little about the place even after 7 weeks of being here. it was never high on my list of places to go, but i'm here.

on the upside, its big, and you can find most of what a foreigner might want here, restaurants, shopping, but its limited much moreso than beijing or shanghai. its got very good train connections, its a major hub on the rail network. its still very chinese, with little foreign influence (good place to practice your chinese). the weather seems to be ok as well, even winter here wont be too bad, temperatures probably only dipping down to single digits in the minus column.

on the downside, its very dirty. its dusty as hell here and i need to clean my flat out everyday. most chinese cities are like this, but ZZ seems to be much worse. makes for a bit of difficult breathing at times as well. ZZ (henan) also has a reputation amongst chinese for being full of "cheaters" as well. cant say if its deserved or not, but my initial dealings with my school caused me to give a bit of credence to that term. little of touristic value here as far as i can tell, but i havent been out enough to judge that one fairly. henan is certainly no yunnan or xinjiang. its all farming and manufacturing.

so i wouldnt recommend ZZ overall. i'd vote for a place like xian, or hangzhou, or even nanning, where i once worked. all much more pleasant than ZZ in my opinion.

Super Mario · Posted: Mon Nov 21, 2005 6:57 am Post subject:

Pollution free cities is an oxymoron, especially in China. Places like Wuxi and Suzhou are pleasant though, and close to Shanghai.
On the Shanghai v Beijing question, I liked them both. They do have different feels, cuisines, weather, history [hence architecture], but long live the difference.
You need to spend a bit of time in each to make a decision.
If I go back, I'd look at the NE coast, maybe Qingdao or Tianjin.

andyscott84 · Joined: 02 Nov 2005 Posts: 115

So, what I'm seeing is that it doesn't really matter what city you're in. I'll keep that in mind around contract signing time.

jg · Posted: Thu Nov 24, 2005 2:39 am Post subject:

It matters. Shanghai might be more pleasant if you don't have to take the bus or subway. There are only three subway lines, and lines one and two - particularly one - are difficult to bear, what with the crowds people and the stream of new arrived migrants with their ubiquitous bags-on-a-stick. I agree with whoever said Suzhou is cool - after the evening Suzhou's traffic thins considerably, making it nicer to go around, and Suzhou has enough western amenities and bars to have that "best of both worlds" quality.

Keep in mind that the fabled "cosmopolitian" nature of big cities isn't nearly as present in Sh and Bj unless you want to stay in the westerner-saturated areas all the time - very few of the staff at restaurants/shops is likely to be from Shanghai, and the service industry here is pathetic. Big cities have more of the creature comforts but you will pay dearly for them too.

I think you have the right idea to look for a mid-sized city, maybe on the coast. Pretty busy during rush hour, but not insanely so, and rush hour ends at a reasonable time. Cheaper prices, friendly locals - Shanghainese can be pricks, especially to non-local Chinese - and some remains of the local culture.

Shanghai does have lots of work though long commutes might be involved.

What about Ningbo? I've heard good things.