woza17
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Post by woza17 on Mar 14, 2006 18:11:59 GMT 7
SZ guys I have Friday off due to the kids having exams Would it be possible to meet? I will shout you lunch at a reasonably priced restaurant if we can meet and pay your metro fares. If you take me to the land of big shoes.
If you can take on this mission I will also photocopy some great teaching books that I have . Which I can't name cause I have a class in 20 minutes with 3 and 4 years olds and I still have to finish making the play dough.
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Post by Norbert Radd on Mar 14, 2006 18:33:48 GMT 7
Shoot me a PM. However, The place isn't that hard to find solo. Get out of Huaqiangbei subway station exit A and walk straight. Go left at the pedestrian overpass and walk until you find Starbucks. The place is the building behind the building starbucks is in. If you speak Mandarin, ask Chinese where Starbucks is.
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woza17
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Posts: 2,203
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Post by woza17 on Mar 14, 2006 18:49:08 GMT 7
I can find it on my own Norad it's OK but I will PM you.
The kids haven't turned up. I am so organised the classroom, the whiteboard, the little chairs, the play dough, my lesson plan. I would make Ruth look disorganised. So how long do I have to wait and say bugger it, they are not coming and crack a beer . Twenty minutes, times up.
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gengrant
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Post by gengrant on Mar 14, 2006 21:28:06 GMT 7
I'd say let's meet, 'cept I'm on extended vacation in USAnia until at least the middle of summer...comin' back to Party Central for the fall...getting a SWEET teaching gig at the International School there... Hopefully Norad can show you a good time and not screw things up too horribly (j/k N.)...
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woza17
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Post by woza17 on Mar 15, 2006 16:39:37 GMT 7
GG, an international school job, good on you. On those wages you can take me out to dinner.
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gengrant
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Post by gengrant on Mar 15, 2006 19:21:43 GMT 7
On those wages, I can upgrade the paint job here at the Saloon! or at least buy everyone a round...
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gengrant
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Post by gengrant on Apr 7, 2006 0:37:02 GMT 7
modified/updated again. enjoy.
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Post by DollyODear on Apr 7, 2006 1:04:58 GMT 7
gg the blue is too m'kaying dark. hurts my eyes to look at it against the black. have mercy on the middle-aged, you goat.
er, and thanks for the information.
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gengrant
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Post by gengrant on Apr 7, 2006 2:22:15 GMT 7
noted and changed, Dolly...thanks!
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gengrant
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Post by gengrant on Apr 18, 2006 22:41:54 GMT 7
'nother update.
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gengrant
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Post by gengrant on Jul 7, 2006 20:16:59 GMT 7
yet 'nother update...
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Post by ObertonGluek on Jul 28, 2006 23:57:14 GMT 7
Just to let you know, all this info isn't going unnoticed. Very helpful indeed, thanks.
I'm having trouble finding the Xixiang subdistrict of Bao'an though. I'm try to work out just how far it is from the city, which will then enable me to go to Hong Kong etc.
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Post by icebear on Jul 29, 2006 2:15:30 GMT 7
I also would be interested in more detailed maps of the city and its districts. The best I've been able to find via Google, etc have been, well, the exact same one posted here. And at a smaller resolution. I guess over there they generall throw caution to the wind and just start wandering every morning until they reach a job, right?
And I will second Ob, good info here, hopefully he and I can contribute a bit over this next year.
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Post by icebear on Jul 29, 2006 2:21:21 GMT 7
Also GG, any comment on how us young whippersnappers get around town at night when we're causing havoc? As you know Ob and I are a bit out of the center, apparently 30-45 mins depending on traffic, etc. Any idea how easy it will be for me to get falling down drunk in Shenzhen's 'center' (not sure where this is for expats, but you know what I mean) and then navigate home at 3 am? Or am I better off finding a nice Chinese girl to host me for the evening? Hmmm, I guess thats a no brainer.
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Post by ObertonGluek on Jul 29, 2006 2:58:42 GMT 7
I was thinking that last night, IB. I think the best thing to do, if planning to go out into the city, would be to get a room for the night or, if it's cheaper and we're with anyone else from the school, simply get a taxi back and share costs.
Or, alternatively, simply party 'til 9am and head back then. I'm sure there are many Chinese people willing to invite us laowai back to their house/apartment to continue drinking and sit around and/or roam the streets of Shenzhen being a drunken nuisance.
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Post by ObertonGluek on Jul 29, 2006 3:02:34 GMT 7
Oh, and also, our wage is 5000RMB for the first 3 months and 5500RMB thereafter. I'm not particularly bothered about the money but it does put a little squeeze on the amount of fun you can have during your time off. The average for a native is 4500RMB so it's not that much more. How easy would it be to find some students willing to pay for private tuition, and for what costs? If I could gather an extra 1500RMB a month, I'd be happy as a Playboy sex toy.
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Post by ObertonGluek on Jul 29, 2006 7:34:36 GMT 7
Ok, it started to really annoy me, so I did a little research, found some program and here are the results! Here is Xixiang Town (circled), on the original map that Gengrant posted. I don't know how far the school is from the town, but it can't be too far. Then, with the software I found, here are some of the main routes to the town. Zoomed in more, for more local road names: Then I have this map from the official site which, unfortunately, only has the names of the roads in Chinese. Otherwise, the previous screenshots to this could've been more relevant. As you can see, it's quite close to Nanshan District and a railway line. I'd say it would take about 20 minutes to get there, then it's just a matter of jumping on a train to all the popular destinations of Shenzhen. Awesome. If I could get those road names translated into Pinyin, I could narrow it down a lot more.
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Post by icebear on Jul 29, 2006 11:50:03 GMT 7
Am I correct in thinking Shekou is that penisula looking thing? If so its not that geographically distant from the place, about 10k or so? I think I drive about 16 miles to work every morning. Not that any of that has to do with how long it takes to actually get there, but the map is a bit assuring. Now lets hope that rail is running.
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Post by ObertonGluek on Jul 29, 2006 18:25:37 GMT 7
I think that's Shekou, yes. The whole place is called Nanshang district, whilst the part at the bottom, with the tag "Nangang Lu" is actually Shekou. Here is Shekou Railway Station: And this is a route from Xixiang Bus Station, to Shekou Bus Station. Total distance of 9.3 Miles (15Km)
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Post by ObertonGluek on Jul 29, 2006 20:51:05 GMT 7
Finally got a Chinese person on MSN to translate the characters for me. The school is situated just off of Xixiang Avenue and Guangshen Highway. That's an extra 2km from my initial estimates, but I wasn't too far off. Here are the translations, which allowed me to search the map more: Here are those roads, with the nearest bus station highlighted. I've circled where I think the school is. ... and, finally... AT LAST. Here is a route from the nearest bus station, to Shekou Bus Station. 15km in all. Bus station is only about 1000m away. Now that's done. I can relax! ;D
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Post by icebear on Jul 30, 2006 4:35:43 GMT 7
Good to see your working so diligently while I'm in a stupor, Ob. It'll make the culture shock that much easier for me (since I'll be in the stupor). Somebody buy this man a shirley temple, he's my designated navigator!
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Post by ObertonGluek on Jul 30, 2006 5:52:05 GMT 7
I'm a perfectionist (unfortunately), I can't help but make sure everything is clear and easy!
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gengrant
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Post by gengrant on Jul 31, 2006 0:38:06 GMT 7
sorry, guys...been away for a few days. to answer some questions:
1. Bao'an is considered "outside" of Shenzhen...it is a district that is literally away from the city...you're going to be better off finding bars/nightlife around you if you plan to get home in the evening. You'll probably do your "partying" around the Shekou expat bars...
2. 15km by Shenzhen standards is a long way...much longer than the 20 minutes you think it will be...I'd plan at least an hour...and adjust it once you get there.
3. I will be living/working in Shekou. At least from there you'll be able to get a main bus to take you into the city (and to the Metro line at Window of the World).
4. Your best bet for getting around is going to be taxi, and it won't be cheap...flag drops are 12.5 RMB.
5. The map I posted was the best one I could find on the internet...once you get there you'll be able to find city maps (but they're all in Chinese or Pinyin)...actually the work OG did is a big improvement.
6. Keep in mind Shennan Avenue (Road) is the main drag of Shenzhen...from that you can get to just about anywhere in the city...
7. You'll easily find enough private students (if you want)...the going rate starts at 150/hour and can go higher...most people do this at the person's home, but you can have them come to you (will be cheaper on transportation)
8. One other thing to consider is that from Shekou to Luohu (Lo Wu) takes more than an hour by bus...and that's on the main road.
hope this covered most of your questions. the main reason Bao'an isn't in my review is because it's location is outside of the main city...and it really is as remote as I claim...you'll soon find out...
let me know what else I can do for ya...remember, I'll be back on August 13. feel free to PM me too.
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Post by ObertonGluek on Jul 31, 2006 0:44:41 GMT 7
Thanks for all that extra information, although it's not exactly what I wanted to hear. I just hope Bao'an has some kind of decent-ish nightlife. Not that it really bothers me, but I don't want to be stuck in my apartment everyday.
If I understand correctly, there are 25 other foreign teachers at our school and all through the week they get together and take trips into the city via taxi and share the costs. So it's basically the same cost as going to the city by yourself, via public transport.
I don't think it'll be too difficult to reach a main train/bus route via local transport and, from there, it'll be much easier and cheaper to navigate around the "real" Shenzhen.
All that is assuming they have some decent bus routes out of Bao'an, and I don't see any reason for that not to be the case. But I guess this IS China.
As you said, I guess I'll see when I get there.
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gengrant
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Post by gengrant on Jul 31, 2006 0:50:52 GMT 7
OG, from what I remember about the Bao'an area, there is ONE bus that you can take to the city...it may have changed, but I do believe you'll be taking more taxi's than buses.
but if you can find a bus to the Shekou bus terminal, there are two main buses (113 and 328) and several other buses that go shorter routes...IMHO just hop one to the Metro at Shi Jie Zhi Chuang and take the Metro around town. much easier and faster than buses and cheaper than taxi.
Just my 2 fen worth.
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