Job Discussion Forums

platinum peyote · Posted: Sun Oct 18, 2009 2:12 pm Post subject: EF Taiyuan?

A buddy of mine wants to work at EF in Taiyuan, so, is it good? Is there a Wendy's in Taiyuan, or at the very least, an In 'n Out Burger? Is it easy to buy Tabasco Sauce there? Tortilla shells? Hooters? Quiznos? Newfoundland delicacies such as salt and raw potatoes? Peanut oil?

Thanks one and all for answering, in advance - hail Taiyuan!

Dan The Chainsawman · Joined: 04 May 2005 Posts: 302 Location: Yinchuan

The request for a Wendy's makes me think it is in fact you who wants the EF gig.

Taiyun itself isn't so much of a town as it is a really polluted spot on the map that has some buildings randomly thrown up.

A'Moo · Posted: Sun Oct 18, 2009 10:31 pm Post subject: Re: EF Taiyuan?

TexasHighway · Joined: 03 Dec 2005 Posts: 779

platinum peyote wrote:

jibbs · Joined: 02 Feb 2003 Posts: 452

I met some guys who work at the EF in Taiyuan, and they seemed content.

Yep, KFC, McD and Pizza Hut are here. No Starbucks or other. I reckon Starbucks would do just fine here though. Tabasco sauce is widely available, so tell your buddy to get here posthaste!

mike w · Posted: Mon Oct 19, 2009 3:26 am Post subject:

englishgibson · Joined: 09 Mar 2005 Posts: 4345

yes, we're movin'out..although hard to sell our own properties in a hurry now..peoples people're holdin'onto their cash as the economy slowdown, shaky real estate sector, or the flu outbreak creates an unhealthy market for home buyers.."rumors" of poor development projects do not sure add any optimism in

ChairmanMeow · Joined: 03 Oct 2009 Posts: 8

Seriously people, is Taiyuan an OK place to live? How big is the expat population? I heard that while it gets very cold in winter, most apartment buildings do not have heating - how is this possible if the average low temp for January is below 0 C?

I've heard that Linfen is the worst polluted city in the world, is Taiyuan as unbearable? I can't find much about this place online, considering a private school.

jibbs · Joined: 02 Feb 2003 Posts: 452

For me, Taiyuan is a crappy place to live. For some foreigners it may be just fine. I don't know how many foreigners live here. Very few apparently. I'm the only one at my job, and it's easy to go a month or more without seeing another one in public. I don't know any bars where they go. I tried one once. It was crowded and overpriced. I think there was one white girl with a Chinese guy in there. The bartender chick did not understand my order for a gin and tonic, and a small Heineken cost 38 RMB.

It's crowded. There are too many people and cars for the relatively small size of the city. The traffic can be sick. The car honking is relentless. The pollution is bad. Sometimes you can smell it. I visited Linfen once for my working visa (our headquarters are with the university there). It didn't seem any more polluted than here or many other cities in China I'd say. That has been overblown. That is a small city, slower paced, not so bad really.

I'm concerned about the heating too. I got a big apartment with school-type floors. It's getting a bit chilly now. I don't see how it can be warm. Might need to buy some heaters.