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Post by MK on Jul 15, 2005 0:01:03 GMT 7
The other day I headed out with the intention of posting some of my stuff (three boxes, each maybe 60cm by 20cm) from Beijing to Ningbo. I will summarize my experiences: - Cardboard boxes of several sizes can be purchased cheaply from the post office (China Post).
- The boxes don't 'lock' like at home, you just use tape - but don't seal the boxes completely at home - they want to check them at the post office.
- Taxis, in Beijing at least, will not carry cardboard boxes. My friend speculated that this may have been because my boxes were marked with the 'China Post' logo. Could be. I didn't have that much stuff, but I could not get a taxi to take me and these boxes. (Yes, it may just have been me they were objecting to.)
- My Post Office insisted on the 'to' address being written in Chinese characters (not 'Pinyin').
- You have to write the address and other details on a special address label, also bought from the post office. My own pre-prepared bi-lingual (including 'han-zi') address labels were not acceptable.
- You may also need a name (Chinese characters again) and contact number for someone at the other end. (I had the address and phone number of my new school, but only the English and Chinese pinyin name of the FAO - not good enough, apparently.)
It is not my intent to China-bash, but all this took about three trips to the post office to get right. It was 37 C, and I was about ready to kill someone by the end of that afternoon. Somebody may learn from my mistakes. Peace oot! |
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gengrant
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Post by gengrant on Jul 15, 2005 2:10:08 GMT 7
sorry to hear about your experience, MK... when I shipped boxes home (China to USAnia) 3 years ago, I sealed the boxes with tape, and only had to write on the customs declaration form "old clothes" (some of the stuff was, but it was only to pack around the trinkets and nuclear secrets I was smuggling out)...never had the postal worker question me or want to open my boxes. Of course since mine was going overseas, I didn't have to have a Chinese character name or address on it...just plain Engrish.  it did take my boxes approximately 6 weeks to arrive at my door...a little banged up but still intact...I had arrived 5 weeks prior...at about the 5 1/2 week point I had pretty much written off ever receiving my 'stuff.'  While I think the Chinese post office is slow, I have not had any problems to speak of.  |
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Post by George61 on Jul 15, 2005 2:13:59 GMT 7
I recieved a parcel of books today. From my Mum...in Australia...delivered to the school, delivered to my door by the FAO. Posted....JULY 10th!
Who said China Post is slow?
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gengrant
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Post by gengrant on Jul 15, 2005 2:15:52 GMT 7
uh, George...I think I did...  |
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Post by George61 on Jul 15, 2005 2:51:34 GMT 7
You silly boy!!  |
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Post by MK on Jul 15, 2005 7:51:55 GMT 7
Yeah, sending stuff within China seems to be more hassle than sending it overseas.
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Post by con's fly is open on Jul 15, 2005 10:59:22 GMT 7
I had a box sent after me when I went home. Still hasn't arrived.
maybe it's a freak occurence, but my faith in china Post is... shaky.
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Post by Raoul Duke on Jul 15, 2005 11:45:26 GMT 7
Yup. Mine too.
Bear in mind that George's saintly Mom in Australia didn't use China Post to send the package. She used a real company, who probably got it to Jinan by the 11th. It then took China Post 4 days to deliver it within the same town...
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Post by Dr. Gonzo on Jul 16, 2005 5:04:12 GMT 7
China Post tries everyone, laowai and local alike. You can't send parcels from just ANY post office. Some parcels have to be collected, some they'll bring to your door..
When I wanted to send money to a uni. on the other side of town [to pay for a visiting friend's language course] the form was, naturally, in Hanzi. I threw my hands up, with a "zenme ban?' [what's to be done? If this phrase doesn't get you help in China, only money will].
The lass behind the counter spent several minutes listening to my torturous Chinese, filled the thing in and was cheerful and friendly. I've come across lots of nice people behind those counters. It's the system that stinks.
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Post by Shane on Jul 16, 2005 13:35:01 GMT 7
MK, I don't think the taxis were ignoring you because of the boxes; Viv and I wer in Beijing the other day, and each time we wanted a taxi, it took around 40 minutes to get one to stop. No idea why BJ taxi drivers don't seem to want the fare!
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Newbs
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Post by Newbs on Jul 16, 2005 14:07:51 GMT 7
Maybe they're just practising for when the Olympics come, and they can be arrogant, unfriendly, unhelpful b@stards to a whole lot more of laowai.
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Post by Canuck on Jul 16, 2005 18:21:47 GMT 7
Beijing taxis.. depends on where you are standing.. on some streets taxis are not allowed to pick up fares.. on other streets taxis are only allowed on the street if they already have a fare.. most drivers drive the car home, shopping, etc., after work. The only problem I've ever had getting a taxi is due to the fact that there is always someone in front of you and someone behind you in this great country.. and they want the taxi as much as you do.
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Post by Lotus Eater on Jul 17, 2005 8:01:48 GMT 7
Took over an hour to get a taxi at BJ train station a couple of months ago. They take one look at piles of luggage and just keep on driving! There were 4 of us - 3 Chinese and me, and no way did they want to take us anywhere.
In Xi'an they race each other to reach you first - doing u-turns in the middle of traffic etc. Much better!!
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Post by MK on Jul 17, 2005 11:29:05 GMT 7
About the taxis: This was on a busy street out side my school, where I have caught taxis countless times before, including with piles of luggage. Thats why I specultated about the boxes being the problem...
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gengrant
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Post by gengrant on Jul 18, 2005 20:41:53 GMT 7
glad it wasn't just me then back in '02 when the taxis wouldn't touch me and my 4 large bags, 2 carryons, laptop, duffle and backpack. Wife and I ended up taking two separate taxis to the airport...2 hours away...  btw, 'received' is the word that knocked me out of the jr. high spelling bee competition two years in a row...i of course tried to spell it like George! |
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Post by George61 on Jul 18, 2005 20:54:06 GMT 7
What sharp little eyes you have GG. I thought someone would pick up that typo, but I never thought it would be you.  |
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gengrant
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Post by gengrant on Jul 18, 2005 21:55:14 GMT 7
What sharp little eyes you have GG. I thought someone would pick up that typo, but I never thought it would be you.  only because, like I said, I was knocked out of the spelling bee two years in a row with that stinkin' word!  |
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Post by con's fly is open on Jul 19, 2005 18:56:31 GMT 7
I got knocked out by "brawn". The spelling bee, which would ultimately make its way to the nationals, was run in keystone cop fashion: they decided to begin with the Easy category of words- I'd studied the hard ones.  Now, I blew through two levels, and got to the school final. I got Brawn. I thought back: I knew the word... then I remembered the spelling from a comic book. "Brawn!" I proclaimed, triumphantly, "B-R-A-U-N. Brawn!"  "Sorry..." Some stupid motherm'kayer inked the word in wrong, and it cost me power and glory. The worst part is that the particular comic book is one I'd never seen before, or seen since. I can remember the artwork (like the Flintstones), the premise (high school, a al Archie), the plotline (A young braniac who skipped grades to end up in the gang's class gets picked on by the stupid class bully), and even the dialogue. So I can't find the comic, check the name of the writer and letterman, then track him down, slay his children, and make him my bitch.  |
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Post by MK on Jul 19, 2005 19:14:40 GMT 7
Phew, talk about childhood trauma! But Con, are you sure it's not time to just let this one go and get on with your life?
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Post by George61 on Jul 19, 2005 19:15:39 GMT 7
I am fascinated by the whole concept of "The USAnian Spelling Bee" What a ludicrous waste of time and effort! I learnt to spell in Primary School. We had word lists and a certain amount of words to learn each day. Friday was "The Big Day"...first thing in the morning was the weekly test of all the words for that week. At the end of the month, 100 word test. No stupid words that were out of our league, just good, solid, everyday words that we needed to know. Ahem....I was always 1th or 2th every month! |
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gengrant
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Post by gengrant on Jul 19, 2005 20:27:27 GMT 7
homeschooled were ya, George?  The National Spelling Bee in USAnia is now Big Business... www.spellingbee.com/05winner.shtmlI don't know what that word is, let alone would I probably ever use it in my everyday conversation. Now, I heard that Mozart used appoggiatura quite a bit in his later work. |
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Post by George61 on Jul 19, 2005 20:34:25 GMT 7
Everything is USAnia is big business!
If they really set out to do it, there would be Professional Spelling Leagues...right down to PeeWee Spelling Leagues.
I'm waiting for the first Aussie kid to go over there and spell your arses off!!
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gengrant
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Post by gengrant on Jul 19, 2005 20:36:30 GMT 7
too bad he's too busy getting his ears torn off in a rugby match somewhere...or his gonads kicked in playing that Hogan rules football you guys play dan unda...  |
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Post by George61 on Jul 19, 2005 20:56:16 GMT 7
Hokay! You asked for this!  The bloke with the ball can really spell "professionalism", unlike your USAnian gorillas. He was the spelling champ in Grade 6 at his Primary School. Unfortunately, he plays with a club that cannot afford a really good graphic designer! |
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gengrant
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Post by gengrant on Jul 20, 2005 1:21:43 GMT 7
yeah, but can any of them spell "painkillers?" That's why USAnian footballers wear padding and helmets... |
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