Job Discussion Forums

JesseM · Joined: 07 Jul 2005 Posts: 19

Dear All,
I am on the verge of accepting a job in Shijiazhuang. The job's not what i'm concerned about, it's the city. Is it really as bad as i've been reading? Possibly the most polluted city in China? Please could someone tell me something good about the place!

Many thanks,
Jess

Roger · Joined: 19 Jan 2003 Posts: 9138

Why did you enter into negotiations for a job in that city? What mitigating attractions are you looking for?

I don't understand this obsession with "pollution" by some, knowing that the whole of China suffers under lethal pollution level - a ranking of worst versus best doesn't really mean anything!

You should be concerned about the blighted city you are going to let yourself in. I know of nothing going for Shijiazhuang!

But having said that, there are guys that do better than merely survive in similar towns, and remaining optimistic. You may arrive there and feel happy with the people, the climate and the food.

nolefan · Joined: 14 Jan 2004 Posts: 1458 Location: on the run

It's no secret that i have a lot of ongoing business in Shijiazhuang but i'd rather deal with a 6 hour bus ride than living there. The city has gottena lot better over the past year or so. There are more parcs, wider streets and the whole est side is not bad at all.

The city does a hae a decent expat community but most of the folks i know there will be leaving soon. I can't speak for the newcomers.
I think that you could do a lot better than shiji but also a lot worse.

You will be able to have a decent amount of western crap over there like cheese, coffee, olive oil, deodorant and the city has about 4 or 5 watson's. There are also 3 real brazilian churascarias, an indian restaurant and over 20 trains a day connecting it to Beijing.

therock · Joined: 31 Jul 2005 Posts: 1266 Location: China

Spent a year there. At first couldn't stand the place, by the end of the year I had no regrets about spending a year there. Probably could say that I enjoyed my time there.

Yes the pollution is a problem, but it has got better in the past year. There is nothing really to do in the city, but Beijing is quite close and there are some mountains a couple of hours bus ride away. The people in general are friendly and its cheap compared with other cities. There are other foreigners to hang out with and its very easy to get around the city. After a month or so you will be telling the taxi driver how to get back to your place. It's not completely isolated by it still lags behind the major cities.

Overall its not a bad place to start and get some experience under your belt.

tw · Joined: 04 Jun 2005 Posts: 3898

My parents visited Shijiazhuang in late October (or was in early November) 2004 and they described the city as "very dirty" as compared to Dalian where they had visited for a few days. One thing they mentioned was that the leafs were grey, not green. Shocked

Louras · Joined: 24 Nov 2004 Posts: 288

Never been to Shijiazhuang. I realise though that there is a new language originating from there. This language consists of new words such as gottena, parcs, hae and i. That's right Roger, how dares he?

JesseM · Joined: 07 Jul 2005 Posts: 19

Thanks for the replies. Not having been to China before (and therefore not having experienced the pros of the more attractive cities), i think Shijiazhuang would be an ok place for a first job, and i'm pretty optimistic by nature so hopefully it won't be too bad.

Thanks again,
Jess

brasilstu · Joined: 02 Oct 2004 Posts: 271 Location: China

I only spent one day the but my eyes were burning from the pollution and a man spat at me. (Not directly at me, but I was downwind and he was clumsy).

Won't be going back anytime soon and to the OP you really could do a whole lot better.

Jizzo T. Clown · Posted: Tue Jan 17, 2006 7:45 pm Post subject:

Look here:

http://www.eslcafe.com/forums/job/viewtopic.php?t=28946&highlight=shijiazhuang

I lived there for a year. It really made me appreciate clean air and blue skies. It's *real* China, a bit westernized, and you can get almost anything you need (for a price). The expat community there is very incestual, so you may find yourself in a clique. Out of four million people, there are only about 200 foreigners in the city, so expect to be stared at everywhere you go, and lots of "hello!s" Ditto on the pollution. I had black boogers the whole time I was there.

vikdk · Joined: 25 Jun 2003 Posts: 1676

a roger quote

frank d · Joined: 07 Dec 2005 Posts: 155

Thanks for the laughs, vikdk!

Can everyone see what I mean about Roger!?!?!? The poor poster seeks some friendly advice about Shijiazhuang, and his first response is a typical berating comment from warm and fuzzy Roger! Ugh!

I don't know why Roger wastes his time teaching. I'm sure the Chinese government could put his talents to more beneficial use!

Louras · Joined: 24 Nov 2004 Posts: 288

I have to agree with Roger. Stop whining and get on with it. Life is too short to complain about being treated unfairly. You would accept this crap in your own country, why not accept it in an unfriendly, foreign environment, you ungrateful incompetents??

Roger · Joined: 19 Jan 2003 Posts: 9138

vikdk · Joined: 25 Jun 2003 Posts: 1676

frank d · Joined: 07 Dec 2005 Posts: 155

I agree, "growling Roger" would be a much better user name for you. I love the way you refer to my nightmare experience in Panzhihua as if you have the slightest understanding of the situation!

Your first mistake is (for whatever twisted reason) is obviously believing the "accounts" of my former "colleague," "Voldermort," who is the biggest Western liar I have encounted to date, in mainland China.

I dare anyone to endure the three weeks of hell I did in Panzhihua and not react in a similar way to me.

By the way, if you reach back and find one of "Voldermort"'s laughable crocodile-tear accounts of the attrition rate at the No. 3 School in Panzhihua, you will find that I was only the most recent in a parade of fleeing teachers. Only our methods of flight differed.

No one has ever been able to explain to me how an FT who is seriously unhappy in a work situation is supposed to give their best to their classes and students when they so deceived, threatened, and maligned? What's the point?

People keep saying to some of us, "Stop whining!," "Get on with your life!" That's exactly what I did. I freed myself of a situation that I found unreasonable and unbearable.