[kunoman1]

Originally Posted by Mr.HappySilp

Food! Eat lots! Is cheap and tasty (as long as you think too much about it lol). Buy online (their version of ebay) is really cheap.

I only been to Beijing but is pretty fun. Lot's to see and lot's to do. I was dress up like a bum (went during winter so I had my Northface jacket and a pair of jaens) basically everyone else dress very fashionable (you could tell they were cold and I was super warm). So yea if you want to impress girls, got to dress up and brave the cold.

They don't really drink coffee (well some do) becasue places like Starbucks are super expensive when you get a bottle of water/pop for like $1 to 2 RMB. I speak enough Mandarin to get by.

Food so far has been unbelievable (if I choose to eat cheap). My house (shared with two other coaches) has 1 pot (for boiling water), 1 pan, 2 pairs of chopsticks, one plate and one bowl. I can get some chow mein outside my house for 7rmb ($1.25CAD). My breakfast everyday costs between $0.50 --> $1 and it fills me up really well. Western food is obviously quite expensive, but all you can eat pizza and all you can drink Asahi for 96RMB isn't too bad at all. It's probably for the best we don't cook at the house. Less cleanup, and we're also fighting a long term war with cockroaches - the less food scrap the better.

I was in Calgary the past couple years, I think I can handle wearing "nice" clothes in the "cold" haha.

Coffee is quite expensive, I think a grande at Starbucks for a plain cofee is 37 RMB, close to $8CAD, just crazy.

I speak no Mandarin or "Shanginese". Most people look at me as if I am retarted for not speaking Chinese. My students say "you no speak Chinese. But you are Chinese". I can say "No I'm from Canada" and they always say "No you are Chinese". Either that or "Oh, Korea". Today, I had a new group of students - they called me farmer Uncle because of my dark skin LOL..