Job Discussion Forums

[smokingzen]

Can anybody direct me to a good web site which can tell me about the various regions, cities and towns of China? Alternatively, where is your favourite place in China and why? I am hoping to come and work their soon and i really want to make sure the area i pick is right.

[tw]

[Roger]

I give you an alternative opinion on how to pick a place for work:

Empty your bank account of several mille U.S. yuan and visit this country for six months, preferably during the winter season.
Tour it at low cost - on average RMB 200 to 250 would do great but you can save and pay far less if you so prefer!

Only this way promises to be a good way of finding your future job.

You will be able to see the places, get a feel for them, and also experience first-hand your marketability. This will prove to you that China's "best" places have the fewest employment opportunities, while the worst ones have the most vacancies.

Just what is "bad" and "good" is up to you. In any case, try to get your ideal to coincide with reality - again, the reality AS YOU PERCEIVE IT.

[no_exit]

Second what Roger said. Nothing beats travelling around and getting a feel for the place.

Just do some research -- google is your friend. What are your options? No one on here can tell you what place is best, we're all scattered all over the country for all sorts of different reasons.

Although I will put in a good word for Yunnan, lovely place that it is.

[smokingzen]

TW - thanks for listing those very obvious search engines, having already spent several hours searching such places without any great results i was hoping someone might actually know a specific site that was good for my purposes. As for being more specific, well the later part of my question was asking for places that other people like and why they like them. I wasn't asking someone to pick a place for my specific, and as yet undefined, needs.

Roger - i would certainly love to be able to travel China for 6 months and then choose a place to work, unfortunately funds don't allow that liberty. As said above, i know that 'good' and 'bad' etc., are subjective and relative terms (i'm a philosophy master), i was asking for places that others like and why. From that info i can have a good guess at what places i might like and read up further.

No - exit - Where are you all scattered and for what reasons? This was kind of my question. I will definately read up on Yunnan.

If any one else has any "informative" information i would be most grateful. Even if its just where you are and why you like it.

One other question - does being in China do something funny to the western mind? I can't help notice a certain bitter and twisted flavour to some of the posts in the China forum.

[Henry_Cowell]

[isanity]

Nice places to live:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hangzhou

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yunnan

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Xi'an

But there are obvious attractions to being within travelling range of this:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Huangshan_Mountains

And the place I really love, though not to everyone's taste:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gansu

[no_exit]

I like Yunnan because it has a certain flavor to it that you won't find in many places here. Not only is the weather pretty awesome, it is also surrounded by gorgeous scenery -- mountains, lakes, rivers, the works. It is also home to some 26 minority groups, so you'll come up against some non-Han culture here, and diversity is always nice. You're on the border with Laos, Burma, Vietnam, and Tibet, so as you can imagine it is quite a mix.

If you want more info about working here, just PM me. Your comment about bitter and twisted Westerners made me laugh. Maybe we are.

[smokingzen]

Isanity- thanks for the links, most useful. I never thought of looking on wikipedia for info. Good choices as well from what i read.

No_exit - Yunan looks and sounds beautiful, i will definately read up some more on this area.

Henery Cowell - My specific needs? Well as said, they are as yet undefined, i.e., meaning even i am not sure what i want, but when i see what i like i'll know.

Hows this for a stab at a list: Not too polluted, not too isolated, i am not really after a crazy nightlife, but a little bit would be nice. Western food available, but good chinese or other minority foods. Girls, why of course! Yes i would like to learn Chinese. Climate, well nothing too extreme, but then again if i have air-con or good heating i wouldnt be too bothered, i think i would prefer hot to cold and wet though. I don't want to be walking around in a replica western city, but a little bit of western influence would be nice. Errm, well as you see, i want a bit of everything really.

[ttrtaft]

Hi
Look into Xiamen in the Fujian province.

[no_exit]

Due give Yunnan a good look, from what you posted it sounds like it would be right up your alley.

[mjlpsu]

This guy has all the info... http://www.travel-the-real-china.com/
Of course, I just use the site for travel info, but it's really good for general info.
As for Shenzhen, it's good to be close to Hong Kong and Macau. And you get to meet lots of people from all over China. Downside: a little too much of modern China for my liking. But that's just my opinion.

[ColinA]

[cj750]

smokingzen your not talking bout cigs..are you?...

In the case it isnt..then the southern area may be the best location although Beijng has it's supply..but farther away you will be exposed to the XinJing stuff which isnt so good...

The North East is a great place and the rent's cheap but the weather is fu*kin cold...Harbin and area are best seen in the winter when you possess a hotel downtown...Changchun is a city on the rise but again cold..
The island in the south...Hainan..cool for the beaches and the inner island roads if you have a bike, but the cost can be high if IDd as a tourist and there are darn good foreigners for the most part..beijing not a good town but the best advantage in china..if you need to travel by plane out of the country..the money you save by being near an airport is quite a lot...Western goods are everywhere...and work is plentiful..but the emperor is close (and you have to obey the laws)where as in cities farther away..the foreigner is special..may or may not help with the ladies..depends on your game...but it does get you into the first place in line at crowded restaurants...
Dalian..pretty but boring..and without a vehicle..the good spots are unreachable...out west is well like the old west..only with oil rigs..

As to choosing a place to work I had a simple rule for years..follow the money..now with my motorcycle parts business, I have decided to stay in Beijin..not because I like it..it is a terrible city..but the advantages are good..and that is the trick in looking for a location....check what advantages you need and look for the area that will povide those...

[7969]

my english lit professor from years ago told me "you cant decide which poem is the best unless you've read all of them."

same applies to everything else in life i suppose.