I'm going to China !

Could i just say that it is nice to hear from another person's adventures of life, highly refreshing, and really sums up what the forums about.

good one, Rocklee, happy holidays!!

They stick so much to traditions and of what I saw in Beijing it's by FAR not ready to host the olympics in 2008...I still don't get why it is chosen as the next host

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I would say its politics they chose Beijing over Paris which is a much more qualify city.

So many beggars and poor people searching for garbage as garbage is money! People are rude, the traffic is most likely the worst on earth, busses and taxi's are a disaster on wheels, but the worst are the people driving !! Toilets are old style, and to most public or restaurant toilets you need to take your own toiletpaper.Most toilets are squattoilets (I developed a great hate for those bloody things as my body is not made to squat down to do my thing )

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Hey that's pretty much what my husband said.

got back from a trip to China a month ago, and I totally understand what you mean. I got ripped off by Beijing taxi drivers every day.

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I hate taxi drivers everywhere, most of them try to rip you off, but I heard its far worse in China, my husband is especially annoyed with the lay out of the taxis there, "It's like you are sitting in a cage!" he said.

Funny you mention the bus spitting problem. It's become such a problem in the past that on the Kunming (capital of Yunnan) public buses they even have audio-recorded messages that prohibit people from spitting. I didn't see much spitting, so it seems to have worked. Traffic in Kunming is a whole lot worse than Beijing or Shanghai. It was crazy, and to add on there was alot of flooding going on

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I think I saw a report the Chinese official is funding a campaign to get people not to spit because they realised what poor impression that have on foreigners.:bluush:

Here it is:http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/4762436.stm

Truthfully, I don't want to get used to it. By that I mean I don't want to live in China. People are much too calculating. Or rather, people need to be calculating. Everyone needs to be street-smart to survive. Having grown up in North America, I feel very naive. But I'd rather be naive and fair than conniving. There's a Chinese term called "sa da fang". Basically describes me.

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I don't think I will go live in China too, I don't even want to live in Taiwan or Malaysia due to political reasons, but going for vacation is not so bad with families, but the cab drivers are lousy also, except they don't have the stupid cage things my husband said.:buuh:

Don't mention it ! I felt uncomfortable every second, in fear of shitting my pants ! T_T

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My husband went to some very nicely decorated antique shop in China and he needed to pee, and he asked to go to the toilet, and the Chinese guy was embarrassed and told him it's a hole, but he had to go so he did, it's this very dirty room with a hole and just a blanket to separate it from the main shop and it's very dirty.

michi said:

Yep.
Truthfully, I don't want to get used to it. By that I mean I don't want to live in China. People are much too calculating. Or rather, people need to be calculating. Everyone needs to be street-smart to survive. Having grown up in North America, I feel very naive. But I'd rather be naive and fair than conniving. There's a Chinese term called "sa da fang". Basically describes me.

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I know what you mean. Chinese People from wealthy districts like HK are also calculating...? Why are the Chinese so calculating?? Looks like it has nothing to do with the standard of living.

Rocklee, it seems like you had a pretty interesting time in my homeland. Yes, it is very chaotic and noisy and crowded, and the people are more calculating, but then you went to the huge cities on the eastern seaboard. Nothing wrong with that, its just that people in big cities in China tend to have a keen eye for money.

I try not to take taxis in China, I take the buses. Yes, they;re old iron cranks on wheels but at least the price is guranteed each time. I am ok with taking taxis for familiar destinations though. Say where it is you want to go and give them directions (like you know the place) and then hey don't dare to rip you off. Helps to speak Chinese however...

China is crowded, but I don't think that's a big problem if you come from a place like Japan.

As for the toilets, yes, they are nasty. I take all my dumps in my own bathroom, and I time my meals carefully. (LOL) SLOOOWLY getting better.

Food: How was the food on your trip? FOod is pretty good, there's plenty to eat, its just that they could probably use less oil to cook. Other than that food is pretty good and cheap.

BTW How do I know all this? I'm living in Chengdu, CHina as I type this up!

I need to do the opposite of this thread, and get to Japan for myself and then compare it with China. I'll bet its cleaner, quieter but also more expensive! I'm betting the similarities will be the crowdedness and the relative lack of privacy by western standards.

@CBC Guy : Yes yes, I indeed had I guess because I'm used to a lot of luxury and had to go to a lot less luxury it kinda kicked me in the face in the beginning. But China is a nice country and has its own charm.

I think the last part of your post is quite accurate indeed

Oh and another similarity will be the fact that we both use chopsticks! Yeah its different kind of chopsticks but whatever.

So if I go to Japan and sit there eating something with chopsticks and not say anything will people think I'm a local? Lol

Yep A friend of mine had that too when she went to Japan

Although I went to china before but next month I am going there again for a business meeting. This time I would like to spend my most of time in Beijing and explore its major attractions like Summer Palace. I hope this time I will enjoy my tour more than my pervious tour.