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Dragnic_Daelin · Joined: 03 Dec 2010 Posts: 10 Location: South Africa

Howzit guys,

I'm busy getting started to head over to China later this year and need advice as to the area to teach.

I don't mind a small city, be it hot or cold. I do however want a place where I can spend a reasonable amount of time outdoors in nature over the weekends. Thus anything majorly industrial would be a huge no for me.

An added bonus would be where I could also learn some Russian (want to head over there at some stage too)

Any ideas?

seamallowance · Posted: Sat Dec 18, 2010 6:22 am Post subject:

I don't have an answer for you.

But for what it's worth, I have been having a hell of a time getting out of town to see anything on my days off. I have traveled by myself through a lot of countries before, and never had this problem. I suppose that it's a combination of not being able to read Chinese and speak Chinese, but I never had this problem in Cambodia, Greece or Laos (other places where they don't use our alphabet) for example.

Obviously, I could learn the word for bus station and then figure out where I wanted to go, but I can't read the maps and I am truly puzzled. I would love to walk around and see some trees or something.

Let me save you the trouble: I confess to being an ignoramus.

Trifaro · Joined: 10 Nov 2010 Posts: 152

Seam,

You might consider buying an electronic translator. The one I have allows me to type English and then it translates it into Chinese. I then show someone what I typed and can even push a button and the machine will "say" the words in Chinese.

My translator also allows someone to write Chinese characters and then translates it into English.

It also has a bunch of other stuff.

seamallowance · Posted: Sun Dec 19, 2010 1:13 am Post subject:

(cue sound of seamallowance slapping forehead with open palm for being unaware of the obvious)

hoshi · Joined: 16 Apr 2007 Posts: 17 Location: Minnesota, USA

My question is pretty similar to Dragnic's, so I think I'll risk high-jacking this thread Wink

. I came back to the US after teaching in Mexico for a year and now I'd really like to give China a try. I also really enjoy my time hiking/camping/skiing(depending on the weather) and would like to stay away from the smog as much as is possible.

Of course, I'd also like to live somewhere with a nice climate where the people are friendly. I'd have to say that in the US the one place I lived with the best weather for my tastes was Colorado. Any thoughts would be appreciated. Thanks in advance!

Trifaro · Joined: 10 Nov 2010 Posts: 152

Seam,

Believe me - if you have some sort of electronic translator/dictionary and pull it out in order to communicate with the people, you'll have a bunch of folk standing around gawking ready to help bring you to the mountain or whatever destination you have in mind.

You could buy one online at Amazon or at any large store, such as Carrefour or GOME. 500 rmb will get you a basic model that enables the locals to type pinyin, as well as you typing English.

After showing the people the translation just say - "Bang Bang War". The pronunciation is a bit different than you may think - Baaaang .....

Better yet - "Qing won, Baaaang Baaang War." after they say Ok, say - "Xie Xie, war I knee." = "Please, may I ask? Help me." & "Thanks, I love you."

Just sound pompous. You'll be fine.

Good Luck.

MisterButtkins · Joined: 03 Oct 2009 Posts: 1221

sharpe88 · Joined: 21 Oct 2008 Posts: 226

some of the worst advice I've ever heard on this forum...

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

nickpellatt · Joined: 08 Dec 2006 Posts: 1522

It wont tick all the boxes, but Yangshuo might be worth looking at. Its very small in that you can walk from one end to the other in about 30 minutes, and its situated in a very rural area. Most of the tourism involves hiring bikes and cycling in the countryside,rock climbing and there are a number of hikes from one town to another.

Its very easy to live there, because its big on the tourist trail so everywhere is geared up for English speakers. Theres also a big expat community with lots of teachers, and also quite a few people who live and work there in the rock climbing tourist trade.

Not much option for learning russian tho! Google the place though, it might suit?

Trifaro · Joined: 10 Nov 2010 Posts: 152

"some of the worst advice I've ever heard on this forum"

Why's that? At least it is a suggestion. What have you contributed?

I'm sure someone will retort - learn the language. I'm sure that more than a few of your students don't speak English well, even though they've been studying it for awhile. So, why should all of the Foreign "Teachers" speak Chinese well, especially those who recently arrived.

Quite frankly, I think what I wrote is the best advice ever given on Dave's, especially for a newcomer. Besides helping them get by, they should learn some Chinese in the process.

As for learning Chinese, I admit, I am one of those folk who wasn't born with the knack for learning another language. Is that a crime? I know enough to get by and am happy with that. I didn't come to China to learn Mandarin, I came to share my culture and help the people improve their English.

The worst "teacher" I can think of is one who uses their classes to practice their Chinese.

Idea

Sit on it and rotate.

Non Sequitur · Joined: 23 May 2010 Posts: 4724 Location: China

Getting the thread back on the OP's request, I would keep an eye on the current thread on Qingdao.
The industry doesn't seem to be of the 'heavy' type. The main Haier plant is there and that is light manufacturing.
Tourism is big and there are US back office service providers setting up.
There is a thriving expat group with a sailing club also.
Interesting old German buildings and the Laoshan Mountain Park is close - the beer made from Laoshan spring water (Tsingtao) is even closer.
Lots of Russians around Qingdao and that sure beats going up near the Russian border in the Dongbei (North East) provinces ie Harbin Shenyang Anshan etc where it can get very cold and polluted.