Laowai Answers: The Latest Answers
shu said: Thank you for the answers. Both all are good answers.
As for 忐忑 that super crazy song, there is a seven year old girl who sang it, pretty cute video, must see.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xfmkesbfMN0&feature=related
Jared@Trekiz said: Tan Te (忐忑) by Robert Zollitsch (sung by Gong Linna) is pretty great.
It's already become somewhat of an internet meme, but as with most songs that becomes internet memes, there's usually something oddly catchy about them. I actually heard a Beijing cabbie listening to it, so it's not just something to be laughed at.
Find some more info about the song (plus "translated lyrics") here.
JJs said: Hello!
We are a Canadian couple moving to Luzhou interested in meeting up with some people to share some laughs with.
Saw your posting and figured we'd say hi!
We are working on the outskirts - Luxian.
Hopefully hear back.
Cheers.
TL1138 said: First, I don't think coming in on an L-visa hoping to convert it to a Z-visa is a good idea. Why not just come in on a Z-visa if you're going to be working?
I don't see how oral herpes will cause you any trouble. As long as you're not bleeding from your ears, you'll be fine.
SnowGuzheng said: In my opinion, 黄晓明 （Huang Xiaoming), is awesome for translating. You can go here http://www.downloadchinese.com/artists/huang-xiao-ming.html
for lyrics in pinyin and Chinese and also to download some songs. Hope this helps.
Ryan said: Hi TK, hopefully a single woman will drop in and post an answer (as I'm a married guy, so terribly under-qualified in both departments).
I did want to chime in with my two-cents and say that (as an ex-Suzhou resident, for about half a decade), there are certainly no shortage of things to get out and do for singles in the city. Plenty of bars, coffee shops, etc.
I've known quite a few Suzhou international school teachers, but oddly, most of the ones that arrived single didn't stay so for very long. That said, there is a huge expat population, so surely a variety of marital (or non-marital) statuses -- even if the international school community isn't full of singles.
One issue you may have is the location of the school. Most (all?) of the international schools are a bit of a ways from downtown, and so if you're looking to have a social life outside of the school, you'll want to make sure your accommodation isn't physically isolating. If you're not downtown (which you likely wont be, and that's not a bad thing), then you'll probably want to be as close to Jinji Lake as you can get, as there is loads of stuff to do/eat/shop around the area.
Feel free to contact me directly (just use the contact link at the top of the page -- I run the site), I can try to get you in touch with some other international school teachers in Suzhou, who while coupled, might be able to get you connected to other singles and you can speak to them directly.
-R
shu said: You can also go to Chinese-tools.com. They have something there you might find it interesting. But, be careful though.
http://www.chinese-tools.com/club
Good luck with your language learning.
shu said: Hi Jono,
Nice to see you here:) One little suggestion for you:
Go on my website to check tips on learning Chinese:)
http://www.chinesetolearn.com/
How's your New Year resolution? Hope all is going well.
Have fun learning Chinese and happy new year to where you are.
shu said: You need to provide a picture
szspot said: why not try to watch some chinese movies ?
Ryan said: I would definitely check out resources like ChinesePod.com and language learning communities like iTalki.com and LiveMocha.com. The first will give you listening practice, and the second two provide opportunities for language exchanges with native speakers.
Guest said: Ask your question in askchinatour.com and get some advice for it.
Guest said: Ask the question in askchinatour.com or go to a foreign company to have a try
DustinM said: I've used Seven Seas Worldwide to ship stuff to the US. They were reliable, friendly and most of all, affordable! There's a booking engine online so you can find out how much your trip will cost.
Ryan said: We cook hotpot at home all the time, and I barely miss eating at a restaurant. The good news is that every Chinese supermarket is fully stocked with hotpot gear.
The things to get are:
A hotpot. There are different styles. I think we paid about 150RMB for a shallow-ish pot that sits on an electric hotplate. I've used the hotplate for other things, but it is specifically marketed as a hotpot hotplate.
Hotpot Seasoning. This is the seasoning/sauce that is put in the boiling water and helps season whatever you put in the pot. There are a rainbow of flavours to choose from -- spicy, salty, seafood flavour, especially for lamb, etc. It comes in a package that looks like this. You usually wont need more than 1/3 to 1/2 of a package per hotpot.
Dipping Sauce. This is called 火锅蘸料 and will be sold right beside the seasoning sauce. They are generally in little plastic containers that are joined together in sets of 2 or 4. They look like this.
Then all that's left is grabbing a variety of thinly sliced meats (usually sold in the freezer section of any large supermarket -- sometimes seasonal though), a bunch of wanzi (meat/seafood balls) and pretty much anything else you want to stick in it.
I realize that's probably a bit more info than you were looking for, but wanted to be thorough for anyone else that might stop by this question.
I also realize that I didn't technically answer you original question. If you wanted to make the sauce from scratch, it's somewhat tricky, as every hotpot restaurant has its own secret recipe (sometimes heavily guarded and coveted by competitors) for their sauces. Your base would most likely be sesame paste, then a variety of spicy chili, chili oil, garlic, a dash of cumin, some MSG/thick stock to loosen it up, salt, etc.
Hope it helps! Good eating!
masterchinese said: Can you discrible its shape or upload images?
Ryan said: Definitely check out http://middlekingdomlife.com/guide/ for lots of information about teaching ESL in China and the http://www.chengduliving.com/forum/forum/jobs-rentals for jobs in Chengdu.
techiemeka said: One other thing ... if you are planning on flying with your pet during the summer, many airlines have restrictions on pets flying during the summer ... Air Canada for instance will not fly pets (in cargo) between June 30 (?) and end September due to heat issues for the pets sitting on the tarmac waiting to be loaded.
Also, Chinese airlines can refuse to load your pet at the last minute, for no reason.
We took our pet to BJ (our departure point) by car but she came in the cabin with us as carryon so we were assured she'd make it home with us.
techiemeka said: Biggest problem is that the health exam & certificate needs to be issued from the city from which you depart ... we were living in Qingdao but were leaving from Beijing (we moved back to Canada with our dog) ... got all our info from the following people:
www.icvsasia.com
Step 1: Rabies Vaccinations and the Official Vaccination Immunity Certificate
Check vaccination requirements for the country to which you are relocating. Requirements on vaccinations may vary country-by-country. Owners must check with the embassy or Department of Agriculture or Centers for Disease Control (CDC) of the country to which the pets are relocating for accurate guidelines on vaccination requirements. Generally, vaccination dates should be over one month but less than one year before departure. Owners relocating to the United States must have their pets vaccinated at least one-month before but no more than 12-months prior to entering the USA. Owners should also check to make sure that pets receive required distemper vaccinations prior to departure.
To exit from China, the Entry/Exit Quarantine Bureau of the PRC requires that all animals must have been rabies vaccinated at an official animal vaccination hospital in the PRC and have the official Vaccination Immunity Certificate (e.g., in Beijing, it is the “vaccination red book”). The rabies vaccination must have been administered at least 30-days before departure date but no more than 12-months before the departure date.
For any pet owners who may be leaving China within the next 6-months or more and have not yet had their pets vaccinated for rabies or canine/feline distemper, the International Center for Veterinary Services (ICVS) is a legally authorized Rabies Vaccination Animal Hospital in Beijing that can provide official rabies, distemper and other vaccinations for your pets. ICVS can issue an official vaccination immunity certificate or “vaccination red book” for each pet. This “vaccination red book” will be needed as official proof that pets have been rabies vaccinated and will also be required to obtain the official “Animal Health Certificate” needed for exit.
ICVS strongly recommends owners to have their pets undergo a complete health exam at the time of vaccinations or before departure to ensure that pets are fit for travel. The stresses of travel and potential exposure to transmissible diseases from other animals during transit pose very real health risks for pets. ICVS veterinarians and medical staff can to assist pets and their owners to help minimize travel related health risks.
Please call ICVS reception to schedule an appointment for your pet’s vaccinations and to receive your official “vaccination red books.”
ICVS Reception: (8610) 8456-1939/1940/1941. E-mail: [email protected] This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
Step 2: Health examination for exit
After your pets have received their vaccinations and the official “vaccination red books” at ICVS, pet owners will need to schedule an appointment for an exit health examination for their pets at the designated government quarantine bureau animal hospital, Guan Shang. Owners can schedule the exit health examination 7-days prior to the date of the animal’s departure from China. Your pets will undergo a brief examination that may include blood tests, urine and stool checks. Once completed, you will be issued a “Beijing International Companion Animal Health Inspection Form,” which is required to obtain the official “Animal Health Certificate” from the Entry-Exit Inspection and Quarantine Bureau. Fees will be charged for the examination and the tests. Owners are advised to bring cash (e.g., RMB 800.00+ per pet) at the time of the visit.
NOTE: The quarantine bureau animal hospital may refuse appointments for the health exam that are scheduled earlier than 7-days before departure.
Step 3: “Animal Health Certificate” (e.g., exit permit)
Guan Shang Animal Hospital will inform you of the location of the main office of the Entry-Exit Inspection and Quarantine Bureau where you will need to go within 7-days prior to departure from China with your pet. You will be issued the official “Animal Health Certificate” (e.g., exit permit) for your pet at this government office. Bring your “vaccination red book” from ICVS, the “Beijing International Companion Animal Health Inspection Form,” and any other official documents to the Entry-Exit Inspection and Quarantine Bureau. Please note that the “Animal Health Certificate” is good for 14 days once issued. Please check with Guan Shang Animal Hospital and the Entry-Exit Inspection and Quarantine Bureau for the latest updates on how long the health certificate is valid once issued. It is not uncommon for these government agencies to revise their policies without prior notice.
Ryan said: We recently moved across the country (by plane) with our golden retriever. I'm pretty sure the Chinese regulations for shipping pets by plane are the same whether it's domestic or international, but I would maybe check with Globy.
We were going to go through the process ourselves, and get all the appropriate paperwork done, but it was looking like much the headache you described above.
In the end we went with a small company out of Shanghai that arranged everything for us. We sent a deposit, all the details about the dog, a photo (I think) and they took care of everything for us.
They made sure we were on the same flight as our dog (not always guaranteed -- at least domestically). The day of travel they picked us all up in Suzhou, dropped us at the airport and then took our dog back to their offices to build a wooden outer crate for her travel cage and take her to the airport.
On the other end we found out (unexpectedly) that she was shipped as "live cargo" and so we had to pick her up not at the over-sized luggage area, but at a facility a couple kilometres away.
The whole ordeal was painful and expensive. Again it was domestic, but shipping her was twice our plane ticket costs (about 1800-2000RMB when all was said and done). She's a pretty big dog though, and a lot of that cost was just the weight-based costs of shipping her (and the crate). If you have a smaller dog, it would be cheaper than a big dog (but internationally, it's all sure to be much more than the price above).
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