In response to "What tips and tricks have you learned that have made it easier to live in China?" recently asked on Quora, long-time China expat and Beijing resident Kaiser Kuo dished out some fantastic advice -- his last one, quite possibly the toughest to follow, is my fav.
Stay tuned after Kaiser's advice for a couple items of my own, but really these pretty much nail it:
Read Quote of Kaiser Kuo's answer to…
Banking in China. Topped only by shopping the week before Spring Festival and pretty much any time spent at a post office; China's convoluted and largely archaic banking system is, at best, a torturous experience.
Long lines of clientele that seem downright surprised (and thus appropriately unprepared) to be banking at all; service with a smile ... and that's about it; a number calling system, if present and worki…
These days all hotels worthy of the name "hotel", and most hotels that aren't, have a network connection and a computer program that allows them to register all guests at the hotel with the provincial Public Security Bureau. For all intents and purposes the system is standardized. I've found some small differences from province to province but having seen it in action in Beijing, Hebei, Shanxi, Shaanxi, Gansu, Sichua…
In my previous two posts I outlined how to get your computer connected to your TV and where to get some good media centre software, as well as the setup I'm using. I continue in this part with where to find things to watch on your newly setup HTPC (or how to justify the purchase of a new 2TB hard drive).
All of this setup was for naught if you don't have decent stuff on your computer to watch. Here are a few s…
In my last post I explained how to get your computer connected to your TV and where to get some good media centre software. Before I share a few resources for getting content for your newly configured media centre, I thought I would talk a bit about my home setup and some of the more "advanced" tweaks you can make to get even more functionality and convenience from your HTPC (or HTMB, if you will).
First thoug…
If you're like me you probably long-ago did away with the bland programming of CCTV9, the endless carousel of period dramas, and ever-more-annoying variety shows that China's cable providers offer up. For some that means getting outside and getting a life. For people like me, that means finding better ways to get the entertainment I want when I want it.
This is part one of a three-part series I've wanted to put to…
I've been enjoying my past few months of being a new Android user; but residing in China entails some frustrations and difficulties in getting the most out of your Google-powered smartphone - especially with regards a lack of paid apps support, and some popular apps missing from the Chinese version of the Android market. Here are a couple of solid - and legitimate - ways to tackle these two annoyances...
Get …
“Sober?” you say. “What in heaven’s name makes you think I want to stay sober in China?” I admit that the following advice doesn’t apply to a large portion of foreigners in China, but hear me out.
Whether you’re someone who never drinks, who only drinks socially, or one whose blood-alcohol level should be renamed their “alcohol-blood level”, I suspect that there always comes a time in China when you’re require…
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