Korean Job Discussion Forums

MollyBloom · Joined: 21 Jul 2006 Location: James Joyce's pants

My boyfriend and I want to go to China for the Chinese New Year.

Has anyone done this? If so, any tips you can give me, or let me know anything about it?

The main question I have is: do we need a government escort, translator and sponsor to get there?

My boyfriend is under the impression that because it is s communist country, foreigners can't just buy a ticket over there and hang out.

If anyone knows anything about this, or can verify that this is not true, I would appreciate it. Also some info on how to go about doing it will be greatly appreciated.

Thanks!

Son Deureo! · Joined: 30 Apr 2003

To visit as a tourist visa you won't need a government escort or sponsor, a translator would be helpful but not necessary, but you will need to get a visa ahead of time.

MollyBloom · Joined: 21 Jul 2006 Location: James Joyce's pants

So it will take about the same time, 4-6 weeks, to get this visa and I should do it in advance?

Do I go to the Chinese Consulate in Korea? Or some other place? So I have to pay for it?

Meegook · Joined: 12 Oct 2006

Don't know how to Google yet?

MollyBloom · Joined: 21 Jul 2006 Location: James Joyce's pants

what is, how you say, google?

ttompatz · Joined: 05 Sep 2005 Location: Kwangju, South Korea

RACETRAITOR · Joined: 24 Oct 2005 Location: Seoul, South Korea

I just went there recently. The visa was 35 000 won and I think it took four days. Piece of cake. Travelling Beijing during the holidays is hell. Make sure you book everything in advance, especially plane/train tickets if you're travelling within the country.

MollyBloom · Joined: 21 Jul 2006 Location: James Joyce's pants

race traitor: where else did you go, and where did you prefer?

ttompatz · Joined: 05 Sep 2005 Location: Kwangju, South Korea

Novernae · Joined: 02 Mar 2005

seoulsucker · Posted: Tue Oct 24, 2006 7:28 pm Post subject:

Did it for 120, only because I had to get it in a jiffy.

Still kinda peeved that a single-entry visa took up an entire page in my passport.

Definitely worth it, though.

ajgeddes · Joined: 28 Apr 2004 Location: Yongsan

RACETRAITOR · Joined: 24 Oct 2005 Location: Seoul, South Korea

Yeah, after going there and coming back here, I get the impression China is a much more freedom-loving country than Korea.

So Americans have to pay more?

I went over there the weekend before Chuseok/the big Chinese week-long national holiday. It was pretty good then. I didn't leave Beijing but there was plenty to do. The band I was travelling with, MR27, stuck around for an extra week and toured the country a bit. They got extremely jerked over and couldn't buy ferry tickets during the national holiday week, and almost didn't make it back to Korea. No ticket offices were open during the holiday. When they finally got a plane they said it was mostly empty.

During the week of Chuseok, one of my friends went over there along with the Korean band Suck Stuff. They had everything booked in advance and spent most of their time on trains between cities (20-hour rides).

PS:

MollyBloom · Joined: 21 Jul 2006 Location: James Joyce's pants

I used to work for Equal Vision Records. Do you know of them? I feel like you should...

saybanana · Joined: 28 Mar 2006 Location: LA

Its weird, you hear the word China and Communism, you think you have a certain idea what its like. Last year I lived and worked in China. Its nothing of what I thought it would be. I thought it would be a bit repressive with soliders everywhere watching the foreigners. Its really progressive in many ways. Its not really free with its laws, in media and many other things but every country has some limitations of total freedom. China tends to be more strict. As long as you dont go calling for a Free Tibet, a free Taiwan, and religious and political freedom, then you will be fine. Its not scary at all, except being surrounded by millions of Chinese who dont speak English and trying to get around, trying to say things in English, hoping they would understand but the dont. you get around that by using a translator book. I liked China.

I was in China last year for New Years. Its very difficult to get around China during the New Year Golden Week.
Its difficult to get around, the week before, the week during and the week after. Half of China is going and moving around, either going home or being tourists.
If you do go, fly into the city you have to go to, and stay there. Beijing has lots of things to do and so does Shanghai.
If you decide to visit another city, make reservations (if you can) make it days before and allow yourself time to get back.