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Suwoner10
Joined: 10 Dec 2007
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 Posted: Thu Apr 24, 2008 8:55 pm Post subject: China or Korea? |
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Alright, how far does 10,000RMB go in Beijing? I have a good gig here, plus some nice Privates, making close to 4.0 here without working a whole lot. However, I'm getting sick of Korea and Koreans. Will 10k make for a decent life in China? Can you do extra teaching there for extra cash? Are Beijingers more or less insufferable than Koreans? How's the expat community there?
Did I mention that I am really really sick of Koreans? |
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jou ma se poes
Joined: 13 Apr 2008
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| Posted: Thu Apr 24, 2008 9:04 pm Post subject: |
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China is better than Korea I think. 10 000 for Beijing is okay, but why Beijing? Beijing has absolutely awful weather, insanely crowded - screw that noise.
Look at cities in Jiangsu and Zhejiang provinces close to Shanghai - cheaper than Beijing, has all you'll need, and not hard to make 10 000RMB a month here teaching adults. Check out Suzhou, Yangzhou, Nanjing, Hangzhou to get an idea.
Chinese people are very different to Koreans - they are more like the Japanese. |
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bogey666
Joined: 17 Mar 2008
Location: Korea, the ass free zone
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| Posted: Thu Apr 24, 2008 9:12 pm Post subject: Re: China or Korea? |
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| Suwoner10 wrote: |
Alright, how far does 10,000RMB go in Beijing? I have a good gig here, plus some nice Privates, making close to 4.0 here without working a whole lot. However, I'm getting sick of Korea and Koreans. Will 10k make for a decent life in China? Can you do extra teaching there for extra cash? Are Beijingers more or less insufferable than Koreans? How's the expat community there?
Did I mention that I am really really sick of Koreans? |
mind you I've never been to China, but have heard some accounts of life there.
first of all, you say you're making basically 4 grand (USD) in Korea without working a whole lot..
10,000 remnimbi is basically 1400 USD.
I assume you're ready to accept such a dropoff in earnings?
there a lot of foreigners and expats in Beijing and cost of life is quite high (though this also depends on how you want to live)
if you think you're going to be able to compete with corporate expats in Beijing on the company dole, you'll be in for a rude shock.
traffic in beijing is horrid - I assume by doing privates you'll have to run around town to do them? consider that.
I'll be curious what people that have experience in China say, but until I put away a BUNCH of money in the bank, I'd stay in Korea.
on the positive side, you will probably be treated far better in China than you perceive to be treated by Koreans (though personally I happen to believe it's also how you interact with people that determines how one is treated) |
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lowpo
Joined: 01 Mar 2007
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| Posted: Thu Apr 24, 2008 9:20 pm Post subject: Re: China or Korea? |
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| bogey666 wrote: |
| Suwoner10 wrote: |
Alright, how far does 10,000RMB go in Beijing? I have a good gig here, plus some nice Privates, making close to 4.0 here without working a whole lot. However, I'm getting sick of Korea and Koreans. Will 10k make for a decent life in China? Can you do extra teaching there for extra cash? Are Beijingers more or less insufferable than Koreans? How's the expat community there?
Did I mention that I am really really sick of Koreans? |
mind you I've never been to China, but have heard some accounts of life there.
first of all, you say you're making basically 4 grand (USD) in Korea without working a whole lot..
10,000 remnimbi is basically 1400 USD.
I assume you're ready to accept such a dropoff in earnings?
there a lot of foreigners and expats in Beijing and cost of life is quite high (though this also depends on how you want to live)
if you think you're going to be able to compete with corporate expats in Beijing on the company dole, you'll be in for a rude shock.
traffic in beijing is horrid - I assume by doing privates you'll have to run around town to do them? consider that.
I'll be curious what people that have experience in China say, but until I put away a BUNCH of money in the bank, I'd stay in Korea.
on the positive side, you will probably be treated far better in China than you perceive to be treated by Koreans (though personally I happen to believe it's also how you interact with people that determines how one is treated) |
PM me and I can tell you more about China. I worked there for 2 years and I have a small business goin in China.
You can also make good money by doing something else other than teaching. If you are willing to take a risk on starting a business. |
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bogey666
Joined: 17 Mar 2008
Location: Korea, the ass free zone
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| Posted: Thu Apr 24, 2008 9:25 pm Post subject: Re: China or Korea? |
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| lowpo wrote: |
| bogey666 wrote: |
| Suwoner10 wrote: |
Alright, how far does 10,000RMB go in Beijing? I have a good gig here, plus some nice Privates, making close to 4.0 here without working a whole lot. However, I'm getting sick of Korea and Koreans. Will 10k make for a decent life in China? Can you do extra teaching there for extra cash? Are Beijingers more or less insufferable than Koreans? How's the expat community there?
Did I mention that I am really really sick of Koreans? |
mind you I've never been to China, but have heard some accounts of life there.
first of all, you say you're making basically 4 grand (USD) in Korea without working a whole lot..
10,000 remnimbi is basically 1400 USD.
I assume you're ready to accept such a dropoff in earnings?
there a lot of foreigners and expats in Beijing and cost of life is quite high (though this also depends on how you want to live)
if you think you're going to be able to compete with corporate expats in Beijing on the company dole, you'll be in for a rude shock.
traffic in beijing is horrid - I assume by doing privates you'll have to run around town to do them? consider that.
I'll be curious what people that have experience in China say, but until I put away a BUNCH of money in the bank, I'd stay in Korea.
on the positive side, you will probably be treated far better in China than you perceive to be treated by Koreans (though personally I happen to believe it's also how you interact with people that determines how one is treated) |
PM me and I can tell you more about China. I worked there for 2 years and I have a small business goin in China.
You can also make good money by doing something else other than teaching. If you are willing to take a risk on starting a business. |
the problem with starting a business in a foreign country (well many of them) is you have almost zero legal protection - and especially so in an authoritarian country like China.
Of course, it could also be very profitable but it's definitely a roll of the dice. |
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jou ma se poes
Joined: 13 Apr 2008
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| Posted: Thu Apr 24, 2008 9:29 pm Post subject: |
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Yeah, no idea why you would want to live in Beijing.
Remember though that the cost of living is cheap in China, a lot cheaper than in Korea, so one's cash goes a lot further. |
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sargx
Joined: 29 Nov 2007
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| Posted: Thu Apr 24, 2008 10:21 pm Post subject: |
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I like Beijing. I studied there for 5 months, let me illustrate an example budget.
2000 RMB for a pretty nice apartment. (with utilities, dependent on area)
about 200-300rmb a month for a cellphone
100rmb a day is pretty 'extravagant' for food.
Beijing is a city where you can spend as much as you want or as little as you want.
I went to a massage parlor every day for 2-3 hours a day, went to starbucks everyday, and went to a restaurant 1-2x a day. I still spent less than 150rmb most days. |
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Suwoner10
Joined: 10 Dec 2007
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| Posted: Thu Apr 24, 2008 10:35 pm Post subject: |
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| sargx wrote: |
I like Beijing. I studied there for 5 months, let me illustrate an example budget.
2000 RMB for a pretty nice apartment. (with utilities, dependent on area)
about 200-300rmb a month for a cellphone
100rmb a day is pretty 'extravagant' for food.
Beijing is a city where you can spend as much as you want or as little as you want.
I went to a massage parlor every day for 2-3 hours a day, went to starbucks everyday, and went to a restaurant 1-2x a day. I still spent less than 150rmb most days. |
I'll have a free apartment included. Were those Special massages? I have heard Beijing babes are way uglier than Shanghai girls, but heck, there are half a billion Chinese ladies, just by accident there has to be at least a few million hotties, eh? |
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lowpo
Joined: 01 Mar 2007
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| Posted: Thu Apr 24, 2008 11:08 pm Post subject: |
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| sargx wrote: |
I like Beijing. I studied there for 5 months, let me illustrate an example budget.
2000 RMB for a pretty nice apartment. (with utilities, dependent on area)
about 200-300rmb a month for a cellphone
100rmb a day is pretty 'extravagant' for food.
Beijing is a city where you can spend as much as you want or as little as you want.
I went to a massage parlor every day for 2-3 hours a day, went to starbucks everyday, and went to a restaurant 1-2x a day. I still spent less than 150rmb most days. |
Make sure the school will provide for an apartment. Becuase the rent is
going up for apartments in China. The price for rent has gone up 50% in the last year.
I miss thoughs special massages in China. I use to stay about 2 hours at a time and only spend 9 dollars.
I was told that the cost of living is going way in China.
Last edited by lowpo on Thu Apr 24, 2008 11:12 pm; edited 1 time in total |
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lowpo
Joined: 01 Mar 2007
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| Posted: Thu Apr 24, 2008 11:11 pm Post subject: |
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| Suwoner10 wrote: |
| sargx wrote: |
I like Beijing. I studied there for 5 months, let me illustrate an example budget.
2000 RMB for a pretty nice apartment. (with utilities, dependent on area)
about 200-300rmb a month for a cellphone
100rmb a day is pretty 'extravagant' for food.
Beijing is a city where you can spend as much as you want or as little as you want.
I went to a massage parlor every day for 2-3 hours a day, went to starbucks everyday, and went to a restaurant 1-2x a day. I still spent less than 150rmb most days. |
I'll have a free apartment included. Were those Special massages? I have heard Beijing babes are way uglier than Shanghai girls, but heck, there are half a billion Chinese ladies, just by accident there has to be at least a few million hotties, eh? |
Just look for the barber shop poles and girls wearing silk shorts and tops inside. Some foot massage places will give you a little special massage. |
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bogey666
Joined: 17 Mar 2008
Location: Korea, the ass free zone
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| Posted: Thu Apr 24, 2008 11:50 pm Post subject: |
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| jou ma se poes wrote: |
Yeah, no idea why you would want to live in Beijing.
Remember though that the cost of living is cheap in China, a lot cheaper than in Korea, so one's cash goes a lot further. |
very few people would dispute that, especially outside of places like Shanghai, Gangzhou (is that the city by Hong Kong?) and Beijing.
BUT.
I don't care how "cheap" the cost of living is, you're talking about a difference of 4 grand vs 1400 USD a month. (without having to work very hard, according to OP)
ergo.
the choice becomes - am I still in this for the money, and want to save some, say a minimum of 1grand a month USD (though the OP should be saving a hell of a lot more, on his salaries)
OR
do I want to experience a new place, a new culture, a new experience, and simply be content with living very well for local conditions without socking anything substantial away in my bank.
there is no right or wrong answer. It depends on the person, and their circumstances.
personally, I'd prefer to be in China.. since I'd like to learn Mandarin.. but I also need to sock away some money in the bank. |
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laogaiguk
Joined: 06 Dec 2005
Location: somewhere in Korea
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| Posted: Fri Apr 25, 2008 3:01 am Post subject: |
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| jou ma se poes wrote: |
China is better than Korea I think. 10 000 for Beijing is okay, but why Beijing? Beijing has absolutely awful weather, insanely crowded - screw that noise.
Look at cities in Jiangsu and Zhejiang provinces close to Shanghai - cheaper than Beijing, has all you'll need, and not hard to make 10 000RMB a month here teaching adults. Check out Suzhou, Yangzhou, Nanjing, Hangzhou to get an idea.
Chinese people are very different to Koreans - they are more like the Japanese. |
They are more like the Japanese  Do not listen to this guy at all, he very, very obviously is missing a screw or is talking out of his ass. Holy crap, the Chinese being like the Japanese...
10000 is not bad, especially if the apartment is included. You should be able to save half of that with fun, a quarter with a lot of fun.
The special massage parlours are everywhere, even after a year there it was sometimes hard to tell which were and weren't. If they ain't blind, they are brothels  |
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bish
Joined: 09 Jun 2007
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| Posted: Fri Apr 25, 2008 3:25 am Post subject: |
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I had a really shit job in Beijing and it's not the nicest place but it's more interesting than Korea.
I'm thinking of going back and living with my Chinese friend. I reckon it quite possible to be earning 15000 RMB with Privates, if you save 10,000 of that then I think that's pretty good. It's just finding the way to get that much.
I might not try to find a job until I've got there. The Chinese are nothing like the Japanese and they're not averse to bullshitting but I had more good Chinese friends than I do Koreans.
Whichever way you look at it, their outlook is forwards and Korea's is backwards. However, it's easy to save money here and I've been lucky to get a nice school so I could be staying longer... |
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htrain
Joined: 24 May 2007
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| Posted: Fri Apr 25, 2008 7:38 am Post subject: |
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I lived in Guangzhou (the city by HK) for almost 2 years and I was constantly sick. Southern China is a cespool and makes Korea really seem sparkling by comparison. I was making 20k rmb with privates and other side work.. I was doing translation, but I could have made just as much by substituting more tutoring. Tutoring gets you about 150rmb/hour... The RMB is non-convertible and it is a wicked pain in the ass getting your money out of the country.
I speak Chinese fluently yet I'm in Korea. I would much rather be in Shenzhen right now, but not for a crap wage when I can stack 4 mil here and get a pension and severance each year. I'm a sellout, but I'm ok with that for now. |
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scytale
Joined: 26 Apr 2008
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| Posted: Mon Apr 28, 2008 7:38 am Post subject: Come to Chengdu |
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First off, I work in western China now and I'm moving to Korea in two months, but that shouldn't really put you off of China as a whole. It's true, you're not going to make any cash here (I have to move to a first-world economy to pay off some debts) but you do make a great deal of money relative to the Chinese economy. As for the oppressive government thing, yes it does sometimes suck to have youtube and wikipedia go down for months at a time, but keep in mind that being a foreigner out here is like being famous (I've signed autographs a number of times). As a laowai, you have a lot more privileges than the average Chinese or western citizen.
So yeah, forget Beijing and come out to Chengdu. This town is the real wild west, everything is under the table but that just means that everything is possible. The food is awesome, and the girls are some of the hottest in China. Wages are lower than the east coast, but things are cheaper accordingly. |
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