Torontonian in Beijing :)

Greetings to all!


Well, I made it! I'm in Beijing 2 days now and OMG its hot lol

Jetlag is crazy, the bed is hard lol I got a real toilet Yahoo!!!
For thos who love to cook like myself a Warnning, NOT STOVES here, no home in China has stoves, the food is so cheap that people just go out and eat or take it home and yes eat :)

Things you should know, bring a fork, paper plates if you can, a cooler bag will come in handy when shopping, bring ur on pain killers til you ge to know things here.
Bring cash if you can if not your bebit card will do :)

I said things are cheap here right? Well, for other Toronto people like myself here is transportation info. A Metro pass costs $121 CAN right? Well in Yuan its 800, in Beijing a bus/subway pass you pay 50 Yuan and its good for about 1 month 50 Yuan = $8 CAN are you in shock yet? lol

WALMART!!!! OMG go see it for ur self but I know that you will not stay long just like me lol its well not like what we know from back home ;) I saw Pizzahut, DQ, Subway as in sandwiches, StarBucks and thats it for now lol

So, for now this is the life update.

School wise I'm in training now for 10 days, but due to the Dragon Boat Race I'm off on Sat/Sun & Wed cool hu? lol
My 'interview' with the School CEO went well, I had to do a demo class 15 min but the CEO stoped me with in 5 min and asked can I start ASAP? lol I said yes so I had to do 2 hrs to start with training jetlaged as hell lol and today Thur is 2pm to 8pm training by the way this will be my work hr's :) + I was offered right away to teach on the side for extra mula cool hu? lol

I'm still tired and hardly eating but I guess I'll be ok, just need Zzzzzzzzzzz ;) and lots a water.

Again I extend the offer to contact me if ur coming here soon or thinking about it :)

Write to Heidy she will put u in contact with me :)

Cheers all and happy Hunting ;)


Linda*

Hi Linda - congrat's - exciting!!! I am looking at positons in China other than Beijing but have no idea if the $$ are fair relative to the cost of living - would you share the salary range expectations in Beijing? .... is it reasonable given your cost of living?

PS - if anyone in western Canada is thinking about this as a career opportunity - have them contact Heidy at Global College in Edmonton, she will get it all done!!!!! Excellent!

Hi Robert,


Thank you very kindly :)

Well, I'd say that the cost of living is very low here in Beijing.
I am moving soon to a very costly area I was told, I will have 2 room mates and we will each pay around 2500 Yuan a month so in CAN its $400 give or take, food you can cover for the week with 100 to 150 Yuan so $20-$25 CAN aprox

Salary is 4000 Yuan to 9000 Yuan a month all depends on your contract and company you go through. So all in all its cheap to live here if you know how to watch your money ;)

Also a bus/metropass/subway is cheap, for 1 month 100 Yuan thats about $10 to $16 CAN un like the Toronto Metropass $121 a month and you cant use it next month, here you just put more funds on the card and go on with your day the same thing with Cell phones, get a cell that is UN-LOCKED or if your cell can be UN-LOCKED do it, I have my Fido phone with me, you buy a Sim card for 50 or 100 Yuan then you just RE-LOAD more funds on it for 20, 50 or 100 Yuan, my cell has 100 Yuan on it and since I do not use it much it will last me up to 2 months :)
To put more funds on ur cell you just buy a RE-LOAD paper card with a code that you enter on ur phone and Ta Da! you are good to go! :)

Please be ready for smog but its not as bad as you think :)
Bring an umbrela the small kind you can keep in ur bag or pocket ;) If ur like me bring a fork and plastic plates, please know that no home has an OVEN! :( so sad I cant make Pizza :((

Any more questions please just ask :)


All the best with the hunt for the best job :)

Oh and get ready for the most crazy traffic lol


xoxo

Linda*

when i took the subway in shanghai it was 4 yuan = .60 cents!! ... theres 1 billion people ahead of you in the queue for a cab so good luck trying! :)

Hey in Beijing all ya gota do is just get on the street there are cabs 247 everywhere!!!! lol on the road, on the side walks and parked on both sides of every street. Put it this way its very hard not to find a cab in Beijing :)

Hi Lina, Congratulations on your arrival!

I am 19 years old and have completed my TESOL certificate and am very very interested in teaching either in Beijing or Shanghai. I have many barriers against me since I am so young and because of my age obviously I do not have a bachelors degree.

If you could please email me at erikdavis91@gmail.com I would greatly appreciate any information/tips you may have. I am currently trying to figure out all my visa requirements/process and would appreciate any helpful input

Regards

Erik

Hey there dear Friends,

Just a note, if ur coming here please know that when you need electricity there is no hydro like in Canada lol you get a card you must charge with money 25 Yuan will last you 48 hrs so dont be in shock when it all goes dark hehe just put enough money to last the month so say about $30-$40 CAN worth.

Bring with you about $500 CAN for ur first month till you get paid, I managed to live on $350CAN so 2500 Yuan for a month and a half not including rent, my agency took care of that, make sure they cover that! The Visa gets extended 15 days b4 expiration and they must do your resident papers at the same time. My Visa will be extended on Aug 20th 2010 it will expire Sep 8th 2010, make sure you ask all the questions before you come and again when you are here!

Keep in mind your work hr's might change from time to time lol its a chinese thing lol



Ok, I'm off now.

Take care all and contact me if you need help :)

corlin75@hotmail.com, just put ESL in the subject line so I know to respond asap!


Cheers

Linda China Girl in Beijing CBD

Hi Linda, you seem to have a great sense of humor, what a plus.
? what about power adaptors (220v to 120v), is it necessary to have one?

sounds like you are enjoying

Robert

Hi Robert,


LOL I must lough if not I will cry lol Just kidding hehe

Yes bring them, I got 2 with me from the Sorce Got them at the Eaton Centre b4 I left you only need 2 if ur like me, one for my laptop and one for my toothbrush & cell they do not fight over it lol

Oh and also my Cell is a Fido cell I had it UN-LOCKED its a Quad Band so if ur cell is a Quad band just unlock it and bring ot with you, my cell works well, I put $200 Yuan almost 2 months ago and still do not need to reload and I'm a texter lol


I am having fun as much as the energy after a week of work leaves me lol if I have any energy left that is lol this weekend I'm on crush mode next 2 days I'm off so its catch up on Zzzzzzzzzz time lol

Any other Q? Just ask

:)


Cheers!

Greetings dear Friends,


So almost 2 months here and Guess what I did this week?
Give up? lol Got a bad Cold yap a Cold in July!!!! OMG!!! and its been so hot and hazy Errrr

Here is what you need to know about China and being sick like a dog:

1) You will get sick!

2)You will get sick at least 2 times a year.

3)Bring meds with you, what ever works for you at home bring it so Advil, Niquil or what ever saves you when having a bad cold.

4)No such thing as a 'free'clinic here or a Doctors office. Its only hospitals for travelers such as we are and you must pay cash just to be seen lol.........I did not go to the hospital and pay only to be told what I know YOU HAVE A COLD lol
So I paid 22Yuan at a pharmacy for a horribly black liquid that made me gag but hey got my voice back in 24hrs! its named: CHUANBEI XUELIGAO its for a flemless bad cough and voice loss. Trust Dr. Linda hehe


See you all with the next exciting update.



:)

Cheers!