Job Discussion Forums

yvechina · Joined: 06 Mar 2003 Posts: 20

Shenzhen is great. It is close to Hong Kong and is madly trying to model itself on HK. Avoid PB5 who are totally disorganised. Also make sure your school is actually in Shenzhen and not some outpost miles away clinging on to the name, Shenzhen.

garbotara · Joined: 15 Sep 2003 Posts: 529 Location: China

I agree about making sure the school is in Shenzhen proper.I would be very careful ,though.People in Shenzhen are very shady.My school has not even paid us yet.The head of the IBO department disappeared for a few days and "forgot " to get the paper signed for the teachers to get paid.We are now 5 days overdue.The teachers that are getting tickets have not even gotten them yet.The same buffoon was supposed to get them.

garbotara · Joined: 15 Sep 2003 Posts: 529 Location: China

Kurochan · Joined: 01 Mar 2003 Posts: 944 Location: China

It depends --

SZ is boiling hot like six months out of the year, so there's that to consider. There isn't a lot of cultural stuff to do either. But on the other hand, it's pretty modern. You won't have to dodge yak patties or anything. Plus the health care standard is pretty good. On the down side, almost no English novels are available. So, it's up to you.

Roger · Joined: 19 Jan 2003 Posts: 9138

I spent three years there, never liked it. I still visit it from time to time, enjoying outings in the Donghu Park or Xianhu Park; also the city library next to lytchee park is a good place if you are into literature and newsmagazines.
But living in SZ is nothing to write home about. It's a concrete jungle with no mitigating factors. High-rises built in the 1980s are very grotty by now. In Luohu and Futian population density is oppressive. Elsewhere, you are too far off the action. Shekou is nice, really, but fast becoming a dormitory town.
What's more, there isn't a lot going on in spite of the sheer size of this monster place. Cinemas? Forget them. Theater? SOme nice ones, yes, but for whom? Bars? The good ones were scattered far and wide in between - the gymnasium, Shekou, and the Manhattan in downtown. What else? Shopping, shopping and more shopping - please, that's not my cup of tea!
What's more, maybe half of the residents are not permanent ones; they are migrants who move house every 3 to 6 months. The permanent residents had - and probably still have - to pay a fortune to obtain a Shenzhen hukou! In my time, it cost themn 20'000 Chinese yuan, plus they had to pass an "English" test... where are all those English speakers, please??? Shangda English CLub? Hahaha!
It's a boring place full of boring people. And boring people tend to be unhappy; as a result crime is seldom far from you! Yes, the PSB are undermanned and had to call in the PLA for reinforcement because crime has gone over the top recently!
And the city has grown too fast too! In the past, your eyes beheld a green belt along Shennan avenue as you travelled west; now, it's walled in on both sides by towers. There is, I hear, an acute water shortage, and power cuts are also a distinct possiblility!
Personally, I like CHinese towns with a little history. History that goes back to BEFORE 1979. They have character. Not Shenzhen!

Ludwig · Posted: Fri Jul 09, 2004 4:31 am Post subject:

Shenzhen arguably epitomises Chinese cities (and indeed, China in general): viz., an instance of an economic miracle but also an example of an irreversible social disaster.

Shenzhen's one redeeming feature (aside from the quite open street-level availability of 大麻, etc.) is, of course, its sheer proximity to Hong Kong.

Roger · Joined: 19 Jan 2003 Posts: 9138

Oh, Ludwig; how about Chek Lap Kok?
Without an airport who would want to come to HK?
The best thing HK has to offer is its relatively open border to the rest of the world!

For the rest - HK is an unmitigated disaster zone!