Job Discussion Forums

[kimiki]

[kimiki]

bump to this! : ) and same q's again, please. if anyone can answer. i would really like to know if the weather is atrociously cold there and if i could expect a comfortable (ie, properly heated) apt.

the contact for the school sounds really nice and i'm dying to go to china. but all the teacher's addresses he's given me are dead ends.

thanks very much.

[mister_kot]

The weather is super cold in the winter, but your apartment should be more than warm enough.

I live here in Harbin. I've never had a problem with a cold apartment. I knew one girl who had a cold apartment, but she lived in an old crappy apartment in an old crappy part of town.

I know telling you to go on faith is silly, but if it's not warm enough you can do things like seal the windows and wear long underwear inside.

[teachaus]

I have been working in Harbin for the last 2 years and will be staying here for at least 1 more year. To answer your question about the weather.... Yes, it is to use your words atrociously cold. Winter is long and it does get very very cold.... It is after all the coldest "big city" in the world (of cities over 3 million people ) but for me that is one of the charms of living here. I am Australian so the weather here was nothing like my previous experience. As for keeping warm during winter it is actually not too hard to do and inside buildings is almost universally warm to hot - unlike many areas of China South of the river. It is just a question of recognising that it is so cold that getting dressed properly before you do go out is not optional but essential. We have 4-5 months where the temperature does not get about 0C or 32F but at the same time have what is for me good summer weather - not super hot all the time like much of the South (or even Beijing). Spring and Autumn tend to be short and a transition between winter and summer (very changeable) (around 1 month long) the rest of the year is Winter or Summer.