Job Discussion Forums

[wiz07]

Hello, i am graduating next year and starting early and preparing early is a wise thing to do so i don't run into any calamity , in that being said i was researching into which city/province to live in that suits my needs and trying to pick 1 city out of 600 is not an easy feat to do.

I have concluded and picked out 2 cities , one is a 3rd tier and other is a 2nd tier , i live in London so i could do with a coastline lifestyle and less cancerous pollution.

What i wanted to know is which place is better Qingdao or Yantai. In terms of (allocation/housing will be covered)

- Weather / i like hot weathers i don't mind the humidity
- Social lifestyle / i am in my early 20s
- amount of expats/FT teachers/ I would like some English speaking people about in my first couple months as i learn mandarin

- Security / Which place is safer and more welcoming,friendly ?

- Living costs / Humans needs such as milk,bread,eggs and the odd restaurants and bar/clubbing / utilities and phone bills? / any surprises from landlord such as an upfront 6mnths - 1yr payment?

- Adventure / i am not much of an adventurous guy it is very limited in where i live but I DO like to try new things!

- Teaching / My job comes first and i will show professionalism , however which city gives you the more freedom/training/less strict/students willing to learn.

* Your feedback is much appreciated with utmost gratitude

[water rat]

You say you live in London, but give your location as Kyoto under your username. So which is it?

[w68ill@yahoo]

Hello wiz. I have lived in Yantai for three years and visited Qingdao onece. I still live in Yantai. To me they are much of a muchness. In Yantai there are a couple of decent beaches. It's lively in the Summer , a bit dead in Winter. There is a lively bar street with say 10 bars.
China is extremely safe. There is nearly no crime really. You can live well on a normal teacher wage of say 7,000 including free accomodation. Reasonable studio appartment will cost you about 50 quid a week i.e 2,000 yuan a month. There will be more foreigners in Qingdao I suppose and it is a bigger city. There are large modern shopping centers available in Yantai and it will be the same in Qingdao, I have heard though that accomodation in Qingdao is much more expensive, i don't know the cost though. The climate is similar the two cities are close. Hot in Summer, and the summers seem long and probably hotter than the uk but not much, and quite cold in winter similar to England, you'll get some snow on the ground. Basically there is no difference except that Yantai is a little quieter, and a little cheaper. Prices Western beer is expensive about 5 pounds to 6 pound a pint. Chinese beer for a bottle about 1 pound 50 for a pint. Eating is as cheap or expensive as you like. I get a meal daily for about 1pound 50 for say beef and potatoes from a small restaurant. That's it really. bye!

[Non Sequitur]

I did a year in Qingdao and found it on a par with Dalian where I had taught previously.
My school was a bit inland and if I went back I'd try for something closer to coast.
There is a welcome sea breeze in the afternoons in summer but it really is coastal.
The city downtown is on the coast and if you are looking for privates ie language schools living there would cut commute time and cost.
There's a big Carrefours which stocks most things you will need.
QD is a byword for beer.
Some FTs say the schools hold down salaries because it is an attractive location.
Active expat assn.
Never been to Yantai but there are direct flights from BJ. It can't be too backwoodsy and I'm picking that the differences between a 2 and 3 tier town are small but noticeable after a while.

[hdeth]

It depends where in the cities you are. Some parts of Yantai you're kind of out in the sticks. Some parts of Qingdao are much more urban than anything in Yantai. Qingdao is significantly more cosmopolitan than Yantai.

Qingdao has quite a bit of pollution certain times of the year. Seemed especially in the summer and early fall. Don't know about Yantai.

The waterfront and natural scenery is very similar between the cities. Both have some decent parks. Qingdao is a much more populated city. Pay is low in Qingdao for unis but fairly high for high school. Yantai the pay overall is a bit low.