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Post by Edges on Oct 9, 2005 11:17:32 GMT 7
Well I decided I'm going to try to find work in Shandong, particularly near Weifang. Yes you guessed it, for a woman. Surprisingly enough she's not Chinese but an Ukrainian foreign teacher. Not making any commitments etc but I want to be able to date her, so being within a few hours by bus or train would be preferable.
Anyhow, the whole point of this post is to find out more about Shandong from you great travelers ;D Any experience either working or visiting this province?
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Post by George61 on Oct 9, 2005 12:19:13 GMT 7
Shandong is a pretty good Province. I've been here for almost 4 years, in various places.
WeiFeng is Kite City. They have a big International Kite Festival every year. I haven't been there.
Climate is OK. No severe poo like Typhoons. Mainly pretty calm and peaceful. Gets to around -10 in Winter, but m'kaying hot in Summer. Plenty of work around, but salaries tend to be on the lower side of the scale. They can be talked up, tho.
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Crippler
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Post by Crippler on Oct 9, 2005 12:33:35 GMT 7
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Post by Raoul Duke on Oct 9, 2005 13:15:28 GMT 7
You could definitely do a lot worse in terms of provinces to live in. You could do slightly better. Shandong, outside of its major cities, is pretty agricultural. Not very sophisticated but the fruit is good. I am not a fan of Shandong cities other than Qingdao, which is truly a delight. The others seem pretty dirty and depressing to me. I have a special vendetta against Yantai, which is a massive nest of pirates and thieves. Jinan is nothing to shout about and has George in it.  Still, though, it's a pretty prosperous and progressive province compared to the horrors of some places like Anhui or Shanxi. You could do worse. Watch out for them Yo'krainians.  |
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Post by Lotus Eater on Oct 9, 2005 13:16:39 GMT 7
And my Chinese girl mates tell me the men from Shandong are "real men". This is said with lifted eyebrows and sly smiles. Better get moving fast.   |
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Post by Raoul Duke on Oct 9, 2005 14:03:52 GMT 7
Yes, oddly enough my wife, Typhoon Susan, who despises anything and anyone not from either Shanghai or her hometown, looked in over my shoulder here and spoke surprisingly well of Shandong men. Handsome and knowledgeable...the Chinese version of the "Gentleman Farmer".
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Post by con's fly is open on Oct 10, 2005 17:31:15 GMT 7
Nothing ventured, nothing gained. Want to surefire way to never have your heart broken? Live alone forever.
Good luck to ya, Edges.
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Post by Edges on Oct 12, 2005 8:38:22 GMT 7
Thanks for the advice and concerns. But believe me, I'm no love-sick puppy, this is more of a "why not Shandong, I didn't know where to go anyhow" thing than anything. I have very realistic expectations and have no problem moving on to other "pastures" if needed  As for avoiding Beijing and Shanghai on my first China teaching gig, it's mostly the same reason I prefer to camp in a tent in the woods than a RV campground. Camping with a tv and microwave isn't truly camping ;D I realize I'm probably talking out of my arse and that I'll miss the modern commodities I'd have access to in Beijing/Shanghai, but in the end I would feel like a spectator when what I truly want is to jump into the arena. So anyone in Shandong? I also plan to travel extensively, so I'm looking forward to meeting all of you. |
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Post by George61 on Oct 12, 2005 9:23:54 GMT 7
I'm in Jinan. Let me know when you hit town.
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Ruth
SuperDuperMegaBarfly 
God's provisions are strategically placed along the path of your obedience.
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Post by Ruth on Oct 12, 2005 11:12:15 GMT 7
Hey Edges, make sure you take George up on his offer. He knows where to buy cold beer and killer barbeque and Babe makes a great hot pot.
I only spent one day in Jinan but I liked it. Lovely gardens and settings at Baotu Springs, huge public square with kites flying, outdoor cafe by the canal that has kahlua (and other great drinks) on the menu.
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Post by Mr Nobody on Oct 12, 2005 12:29:30 GMT 7
JQuestion for all you Wolf types, and other interested parties: Just out of interest, where is the province of the "real women"?
I don't want to ask the wife for the obvious reason that being hit upside my head isn't nice. I am not that curious.
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Ruth
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God's provisions are strategically placed along the path of your obedience.
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Post by Ruth on Oct 12, 2005 16:15:59 GMT 7
where is the province of the "real women"? I don't want to ask the wife for the obvious reason that being hit upside my head isn't nice. Sounds like you already have a real woman, so wherever you are is the answer to your question. |
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Post by Lotus Eater on Oct 12, 2005 16:35:56 GMT 7
Chongqing. Pollution is so bad that the girls skins are white - major sign of beauty here.
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Crippler
Barfly
Beware the conspiracy!
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Post by Crippler on Oct 12, 2005 16:41:07 GMT 7
I only spent one day in Jinan but I liked it. Lovely gardens and settings at Baotu Springs, huge public square with kites flying, outdoor cafe by the canal that has kahlua (and other great drinks) on the menu. That's her public statement. However, I think she was enamoured by George's charm or maybe it was his hair!  |
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Post by Mr Nobody on Oct 12, 2005 18:56:55 GMT 7
True, I have a real woman. I have no desire for other women. I love her greatly and .......
Phew, she let go of my ear.
However, the preceding is still true.
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Post by George61 on Oct 12, 2005 20:44:37 GMT 7
Definitely, it's my charming hair!!
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Ruth
SuperDuperMegaBarfly
God's provisions are strategically placed along the path of your obedience.
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Post by Ruth on Oct 12, 2005 22:35:33 GMT 7
No more so than Lei Shan was by Babe's charm.
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Post by Edges on Oct 13, 2005 11:34:16 GMT 7
I'm in Jinan. Let me know when you hit town. Thanks George I'll definitely take you up on your offer! ;D If you had to choose, would it be Jinan or Qindao? (assuming I can find acceptable work there) I'll try for Weifang first but want a backup plan. |
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Post by Mr Nobody on Oct 13, 2005 12:43:41 GMT 7
Qingdao seems to be legendary. If the things people say about Qingdao are all true, then it must appear for only one day every year in the mists of dawn at the conjunction of the planets of fortune, and only the very good get to go there.
But that may just be the beer talking.
No-one ever leaves, though, so maybe it is some kind of a trick. Or it really is that good. Or the beer .....
Heck, you get the idea.
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Post by George61 on Oct 13, 2005 13:02:10 GMT 7
QingDao, definitely, Edges. Jinan is way too bloody hot in Summer. Zibo could be a good alternative for you. Between Jinan and WeiFeng.
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Post by Arlis on Oct 13, 2005 17:22:39 GMT 7
Qingdao is great. The Tsingtao beer factory is right here so there is cheap, fresh, amazingly good beer in many of the small restaurants here. (half a litre? a big glass of beer for 1.5 yuan)  One of the bigger and more relaxed cities in Shandong (hint: all that beer ). Although the prices here do have a nasty habit of being a lot higher than other 'better' places in China. Drop me a PM if you're passing through and I'll try and show you the city for a bit. Offer stands for anyone up here too. Just gimme some notice as my weekends get tied up sometimes ... |
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Post by Edges on Oct 14, 2005 23:01:01 GMT 7
Well, woke up 2hrs ago with a job offer in my email, easier to explain by pasting it:
<<<Hi honey,
just got back from the wedding party, it was held at the Grand Shouguang Hotel.
The bride was charming in a traditional red dress, the groom was wearing a Western style suit. They looked great together,a good example to follow. I tried lots of new dishes,all in all it was good.
I had a really nice time, but what really made me happy is the news ......
YOU GOT A JOB AT MY UNIVERSITY!!!!!!
At the party I sat right next to THE BIG WHEELS,they were absolutely charmed by me (joke) and insisted on any request of mine that they could help me with and make my life in China happy ......I was thinking about you...and......I mentioned that my boyfriend,you,is coming to China to work and who would really like to be closer to me......
So we have a deal, that you can come,work and live here as long as you(and me) wish, they will assist in everything they can. Your salary will be quite high(comparing to others)4000RMB for 20 classes a week(not too many) or more if you take more classes.
You can work for 6 months February-July and see if you like it here.In this case only a half of your ticket cost will be reimbursed, if you stay another 6 months after holiday ,September-January,another half of the cost will be paid.
I talked to the English man,my colleage,it's his second year here,he says that this is the best variant you can only dream of: you earn same money as anywhere else but you spend nothing(the life is really cheap here). His sweetheart is from Dalian and they usually go there and to some other places on holidays, but come back to live here,it really makes sense.
They really want to keep me and will do everything to make you happy too,as my second half.
This University is very huge and is well known,so you won't have any problems with your working visa.You need to make a quick desicion now whether you are coming or not as it also needs approval from The President who is not easy to catch(just a formality) and they have to plan the university budget as well.
You should send me/them your scanned passport and CV. Then they will send you the Visa Notice to get a working visa (please decide how long would you like to work). Let me know about your decision as I have to give an answer to my bosses as well.
Remember,it's just an option for you, but.... also a chance for us.
P.S. Just wanted to make clear about your salary:
it's 4000RMB per month (20 hours a week) and more if you take more classes.
I get 2000RMB (also 20 hours).
February ,Early July and August are holidays.>>>
To clarify things, she lives on campus in a 2 bedroom apartment with computer and internet access. She likes it there, but it's her first job abroad so nothing to compare it with. I think it's crappy she only gets paid 2000 RMB, I'll push for her to ask for more in her next contract now that she has experience in China.
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Post by Edges on Oct 15, 2005 3:25:19 GMT 7
I'm making a compilation of questions to ask her. What do you think of 4000 RMB for 20hrs? Please feel free to comment, I need to decide fairly quickly.
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Post by George61 on Oct 15, 2005 5:48:19 GMT 7
On the one hand, the salary is a bit too low. On the other, you will be together in a city where living is cheap. One year later you can find a better paying job. Her salary is a joke, reserved for Nigerians and Cameroonians. On the other hand , as I said, it's a foothold. I told you salaries in Shandong were low. Shandong people are very nice, but they do think a lot about their own money.
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Ruth
SuperDuperMegaBarfly
God's provisions are strategically placed along the path of your obedience.
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Post by Ruth on Oct 15, 2005 16:20:16 GMT 7
This is not my business, and I don't expect an answer. I only want to give you something to think about and question if you feel the need. You need to know more than salary, airplane ticket reimbursements and teaching hours. There is the matter of where you will be living and who pays for that. If their expectation is that you will be rooming with her (your friend) and that is okay with both of you, fine. Although if that were the case I'd suggest either you or she could use the 'saved rent' argument for a bonus payment. After all, if you share living space, the uni is saving money. If you want your own apartment, make sure that is clear with the uni before you commit to anything.
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