Well it's been about a week since my last post, life has been busy. We have 31 days until we leave and the clock is ticking on all the things we need to do to wrap up our life here. Work of course is still going on, getting everything together to move out in 3 weeks, trying to sell our car, not to mention the weather has been lousy and I'm feeling pretty ill.
The last piece of our China plans I haven't finished yet is our visas, filling out the paper work Ive done, I just need to get some passport photos taken and send everything in. Hopefully I'll get that done by Saturday.
We move out of our apartment 2-18-13 and don't fly out until the 24th so we are gonna be homeless for 6 days, we have a couple options of places to stay but need to nail that down still. I really would rather not be camping for a week in below freezing temperatures.
Our work gave us our W-2 forms so we can start our taxes, hopefully we can get our refund before we leave. But I guess we can't Efile until the 31st which is frustrating.
All in all I'm really excited but I wish I could just get on the plane and go. Wrapping everything up and organizing things , makes me tired and stressed out. One day ill just go to the airport and take the next available flight wherever it's going, but for right now I can't be quite that spontaneous.
Thursday, January 24, 2013
Thursday, January 17, 2013
Things I will miss about the U.S.
No doubt, I am very excited to go to China next month. I've been planning it and saving for it for what seems like forever. But I'd be lying if I said I wouldn't miss things about America.
Of course the biggest thing will be my family. My parents and my sister are all back on Oahu, I've been in Utah for a year now and it's been hard being that far away from people I care about so much. Another year away from them is going to be hard. Tay's family is all here in Utah and we usually see them at least 2-3 times per month. I'm going to miss them, especially Tay's younger brothers who are a ton of fun.
Another thing I'm going to miss even if my health won't is western food. In n Out burgers and Cheesy Gordita crunches from Taco Bell are sadly unavailable in Asia. The weirdest thing, in my opinion, that I missed last time was americanized Chinese food, there is no such thing as orange chicken in China.
Netflix, because of copyright laws Netflix isnt available outside of the US and Canada. China makes up for it (almost) by its cheap selection of bootleg DVDs but its a pale comparison.
I'm going to miss how easy it is to communicate at places like the grocery store, things like "where can I find the salt?" And "can you tell me where the bathroom is?" Are incredibly difficult when your mandarin is about as good as an 18month old baby.
In general I couldn't be more excited, but its human nature to miss what you can't have. I'm sure I'm going to have a great time, but I'm holding my breath and crossing my fingers until they build a Taco Bell in Beijing.
Questions? Comments? minksblog@gmail.com
Of course the biggest thing will be my family. My parents and my sister are all back on Oahu, I've been in Utah for a year now and it's been hard being that far away from people I care about so much. Another year away from them is going to be hard. Tay's family is all here in Utah and we usually see them at least 2-3 times per month. I'm going to miss them, especially Tay's younger brothers who are a ton of fun.
Another thing I'm going to miss even if my health won't is western food. In n Out burgers and Cheesy Gordita crunches from Taco Bell are sadly unavailable in Asia. The weirdest thing, in my opinion, that I missed last time was americanized Chinese food, there is no such thing as orange chicken in China.
Netflix, because of copyright laws Netflix isnt available outside of the US and Canada. China makes up for it (almost) by its cheap selection of bootleg DVDs but its a pale comparison.
I'm going to miss how easy it is to communicate at places like the grocery store, things like "where can I find the salt?" And "can you tell me where the bathroom is?" Are incredibly difficult when your mandarin is about as good as an 18month old baby.
In general I couldn't be more excited, but its human nature to miss what you can't have. I'm sure I'm going to have a great time, but I'm holding my breath and crossing my fingers until they build a Taco Bell in Beijing.
Questions? Comments? minksblog@gmail.com
Wednesday, January 16, 2013
Product Profile, Pacsafe Anti-theft bags
Last time I was in China I had both my wallet and my phone pick pocketed. Both of these could have been avoided by me being careful and less naive, keeping things in my front pockets not the back and leaving expensive electronics at my apartment not out in plain sight in a busy market. Anyway, that experience has made me just a little bit paranoid about getting my stuff lifted.
Introducing, Pacsafe!
Pacsafe makes bags specifically for travelers and Tay and I have each purchased one. They makes a bunch of different models for all kinds of occasions, Im using this back pack the Venturesafe 25l as my carry on, on the plane. Here is a list of the safety features that sold me on this bag.
1. Slash proof material.
Every Pacsafe bag is made out of material that is laced with a metal mesh, this stops people from being able to cut into your bag and grab your stuff! How cool is that? its like chain mail for your valuables. I've also been assured by different reviews online that the mesh does not stop this bag from being able to be a carry on, it goes through security just fine.
2. Locking Zippers
If a sneaky pickpocket tries to carefully unzip this bag without you noticing they will be in for a surprise. Thats right, zippers that lock once they've been zipped. Such a good idea, I would have been sold on the bag even if this was the only safety feature they included.
3. Detachable locking straps.
you can unhook the strap from the backpack, wrap it around a pole or something, and then lock it back on to the backpack. This means you can prevent someone from grabbing your bag and running if you are sitting down somewhere.
4. RFID pocket
Your passport and your credit cards contain something called an RFID chip, that identity thieves can scan and then steal your personal info. Pacsafe bags contain a special pocket for your sensitive information that keeps it from being read electronically.
Now the bag Tay is getting is a little different style but still has the same safety features,
This is the Slingsafe 150 Gll, its a smaller bag but still made out of the cool "stuff armor material", and with the same locking zippers, this is going to be our Ipad / Camera bag.It is also nice because its small size lets it be worn under a jacket to really deter opportunists looking to steal our electronics.
For more info on these great travel items check out, http://www.pacsafe.com
Questions and comments, blogminks@gmail.com
Tuesday, January 15, 2013
Packing list
To help anyone out there who may be planning a trip to China, here is my packing list and the reasons behind it.
1. A warm coat.
China is cold, colder than the US, also indoors in China is very often cinderblock with no heating to speak of, pack a good coat
2. A weeks worth of Tshirts.
In America I am an XL, the most common size in men's shirts. Conversely in China I'm a 6-7XL. Unless you have your shirts made for you it is impossible to find larger American sizes in China.
3. Hiking boots, walking shoes, sandals, casual sneakers.
I'm a US 13 in shoes, that's a Chinese 46. They stop selling shoes at a 36. Bring shoes from home or go barefoot.
4. 2-3 good pairs of jeans.
I like Levi's 511 commuter jeans, they are water proof, double stitched, and last forever.
5. 2-3 pairs of cargo shorts.
Just like China is colder than the US, China is also hotter than the US. With 80% of the population on the coast, chances are if you are in China, it's going to be humid. Pack accordingly.
6. A 1 year supply of the following items which are either, hard to find, not available, or really expensive.
Deodorant
-China is smelly
Tylenol
-China is loud
Imodium, Tums, Pepto
-Chinese food is spicy
Hand sanitizer
-China is dirty
Birth control/ contraception
-idk about you, but I'd rather not have a baby in a Chinese hospital
Tampons
-do not exist, if you are a girl, or traveling with your wife like I am plan accordingly.
7. Socks, underwear, under shirts.
Again Chinese sizes are small
8. MacBook
Chinese Internet can be touch and go and the Great Firewall of China makes things like Facebook and Google difficult, but any amount of time without Internet access is a pain and buying a computer in China is going to be expensive, and also in Chinese.
9. iPhone
I'm going to be taking the SIM card out and just using Wifi, international roaming charges are insane. Plus my phone is my camera. WATCH OUT FOR PICK POCKETS.
10. A good backpack.
I recommend a bag made by pacsafe, they are anti theft travel bags with locking zippers and slash proof material to keep thieves out of your stuff. (More on this in a later post)
11. Lonely Plant phrase book/travel guides.
Get the general China travel guide from lonely planet and then which ever big city you plan on exploring ( Beijing, Shanghai, and Hong Kong are available at Barnes and Nobel). Having a little book that lets you ask where the bathroom is, can save you the embarrassment of miming that out in bad sign language.
12.Kindle.
I don't know about everyone, but for me books are essential, and I don't want to spend long flights, and long train rides bored. The selection of English language books is so limited it may as well be non-existent in China so my Kindle is coming with me.
13. Ukulele
Last time I brought a guitar and it was to big and heavy and just generally inconvenient. I grew up in Hawai'i and my Uke is a good, travel sized alternative.
14. Rolls of pennies
I'm bringing a few rolls of pennies to give to my classes, Chinese kids will think they are cool I promise.
15.photojojo lenses
Attachments for my phone's camera.
16. Taco seasoning.
Western food is hard to come by, but Mexican food is impossible, unless you make your own.
17. Herbal Tea
Everyone drinks tea, but with the diet restrictions that go along with being Mormon carrying your own tea is safer.
18. Business Clothes
A least one set of nice clothes may come in handy, plus it's better to pack it and not need it then need it and not have it.
19. Sunblock
Hard to find, and essential.
20.Business Cards
A card with your name, address and where you are from in English and in Chinese will save you, especially useful for taxi drivers.
Questions or comments? Did i miss anything? Blogminks@gmail.com
1. A warm coat.
China is cold, colder than the US, also indoors in China is very often cinderblock with no heating to speak of, pack a good coat
2. A weeks worth of Tshirts.
In America I am an XL, the most common size in men's shirts. Conversely in China I'm a 6-7XL. Unless you have your shirts made for you it is impossible to find larger American sizes in China.
3. Hiking boots, walking shoes, sandals, casual sneakers.
I'm a US 13 in shoes, that's a Chinese 46. They stop selling shoes at a 36. Bring shoes from home or go barefoot.
4. 2-3 good pairs of jeans.
I like Levi's 511 commuter jeans, they are water proof, double stitched, and last forever.
5. 2-3 pairs of cargo shorts.
Just like China is colder than the US, China is also hotter than the US. With 80% of the population on the coast, chances are if you are in China, it's going to be humid. Pack accordingly.
6. A 1 year supply of the following items which are either, hard to find, not available, or really expensive.
Deodorant
-China is smelly
Tylenol
-China is loud
Imodium, Tums, Pepto
-Chinese food is spicy
Hand sanitizer
-China is dirty
Birth control/ contraception
-idk about you, but I'd rather not have a baby in a Chinese hospital
Tampons
-do not exist, if you are a girl, or traveling with your wife like I am plan accordingly.
7. Socks, underwear, under shirts.
Again Chinese sizes are small
8. MacBook
Chinese Internet can be touch and go and the Great Firewall of China makes things like Facebook and Google difficult, but any amount of time without Internet access is a pain and buying a computer in China is going to be expensive, and also in Chinese.
9. iPhone
I'm going to be taking the SIM card out and just using Wifi, international roaming charges are insane. Plus my phone is my camera. WATCH OUT FOR PICK POCKETS.
10. A good backpack.
I recommend a bag made by pacsafe, they are anti theft travel bags with locking zippers and slash proof material to keep thieves out of your stuff. (More on this in a later post)
11. Lonely Plant phrase book/travel guides.
Get the general China travel guide from lonely planet and then which ever big city you plan on exploring ( Beijing, Shanghai, and Hong Kong are available at Barnes and Nobel). Having a little book that lets you ask where the bathroom is, can save you the embarrassment of miming that out in bad sign language.
12.Kindle.
I don't know about everyone, but for me books are essential, and I don't want to spend long flights, and long train rides bored. The selection of English language books is so limited it may as well be non-existent in China so my Kindle is coming with me.
13. Ukulele
Last time I brought a guitar and it was to big and heavy and just generally inconvenient. I grew up in Hawai'i and my Uke is a good, travel sized alternative.
14. Rolls of pennies
I'm bringing a few rolls of pennies to give to my classes, Chinese kids will think they are cool I promise.
15.photojojo lenses
Attachments for my phone's camera.
16. Taco seasoning.
Western food is hard to come by, but Mexican food is impossible, unless you make your own.
17. Herbal Tea
Everyone drinks tea, but with the diet restrictions that go along with being Mormon carrying your own tea is safer.
18. Business Clothes
A least one set of nice clothes may come in handy, plus it's better to pack it and not need it then need it and not have it.
19. Sunblock
Hard to find, and essential.
20.Business Cards
A card with your name, address and where you are from in English and in Chinese will save you, especially useful for taxi drivers.
Questions or comments? Did i miss anything? Blogminks@gmail.com
Monday, January 14, 2013
Getting ready
After we got married in July 2012, we knew for sure our next goal was to go to China. But figuring out how and where to start took a lot of planning.
The first thing we had to do was decide where we wanted to go specifically. Taylor and I are Mormon and decided we would only look at cities with a Mormon congregation. This limited us to, Beijing, Shanghai, Hong Kong, Suzhou, Xian, Tianjin, Shenzhen, Dalian,Hangzhou, or, Guangzhou.
We didn't want to go anywhere in Guangdong province because they speak Cantonese and we wanted to be immersed in Mandarin, that ruled out Hong Kong, Shenzhen, and Guangzhou.
The last time I was in China I had already seen the Shanghai and Nanjing area and we wanted to see something new. That ruled out, Shanghai, Nanjing, Suzhou, and Hangzhou.
I then started doing research online looking for schools in Northern China, Beijing, Tianjin, and Xian mostly. After emailing back in forth with a few companies we finally decided on a school called "China immersion" www.chinaimmersion.org. The school is run by Americans and really focuses on teaching English and Learning Chinese. The school give us a place to live, a 20hr per week job, and 20hrs per week of 1 on 1 Mandarin lessons. It was exactly what we were looking for and we found it in Tianjin China, a huge city of 5,800,000 people an hour and a half from Beijing.
Once we had the school figured out,had gone through the interview process and,been accepted there were a few things we needed to do before we could actually get on the plane.
1. $100 commitment fee per person.
Most schools charge a commitment fee, it's to be sure the applicant is serious and to cover the companies expenses in applying for your entrance letter.
2. Plane tickets
We opted to just get 1 way tickets, for a couple of reasons. First they were cheaper and we are on a budget, and second we didn't want to be locked in to a return flight when we aren't sure how long we are going to stay. Plus at the end of our 1 year contract our flights are reimbursed so we will have the money for a one way flight home.
3. Visas.
This is where things start getting sticky, the closest Chinese consulate to us is in California. That means we need to use a visa service. Some of the visa companies are crazy expensive like $400 a person. I shopped around and found a company that charges $186 total per person thank heavens! Www.notary.pacificlightinginc.com
Questions?comments? Blogminks@gmail.com
The first thing we had to do was decide where we wanted to go specifically. Taylor and I are Mormon and decided we would only look at cities with a Mormon congregation. This limited us to, Beijing, Shanghai, Hong Kong, Suzhou, Xian, Tianjin, Shenzhen, Dalian,Hangzhou, or, Guangzhou.
We didn't want to go anywhere in Guangdong province because they speak Cantonese and we wanted to be immersed in Mandarin, that ruled out Hong Kong, Shenzhen, and Guangzhou.
The last time I was in China I had already seen the Shanghai and Nanjing area and we wanted to see something new. That ruled out, Shanghai, Nanjing, Suzhou, and Hangzhou.
I then started doing research online looking for schools in Northern China, Beijing, Tianjin, and Xian mostly. After emailing back in forth with a few companies we finally decided on a school called "China immersion" www.chinaimmersion.org. The school is run by Americans and really focuses on teaching English and Learning Chinese. The school give us a place to live, a 20hr per week job, and 20hrs per week of 1 on 1 Mandarin lessons. It was exactly what we were looking for and we found it in Tianjin China, a huge city of 5,800,000 people an hour and a half from Beijing.
Once we had the school figured out,had gone through the interview process and,been accepted there were a few things we needed to do before we could actually get on the plane.
1. $100 commitment fee per person.
Most schools charge a commitment fee, it's to be sure the applicant is serious and to cover the companies expenses in applying for your entrance letter.
2. Plane tickets
We opted to just get 1 way tickets, for a couple of reasons. First they were cheaper and we are on a budget, and second we didn't want to be locked in to a return flight when we aren't sure how long we are going to stay. Plus at the end of our 1 year contract our flights are reimbursed so we will have the money for a one way flight home.
3. Visas.
This is where things start getting sticky, the closest Chinese consulate to us is in California. That means we need to use a visa service. Some of the visa companies are crazy expensive like $400 a person. I shopped around and found a company that charges $186 total per person thank heavens! Www.notary.pacificlightinginc.com
Questions?comments? Blogminks@gmail.com
Sunday, January 13, 2013
Why China?
In a little over a month Tay and I will be flying to China. The city of Tianjin specifically. We have been preparing for this for the last year or so, really I think I've been preparing to go back ever since I was in China the first time back in 2011. So over this last year whenever people find out what we are doing they almost always ask us, "Why China?" I've got a few reasons.
1. China is a big place with 1.4 billion people, and with thousands of years of history there is so much to do, see, and learn.
2.China is cheap. The school we are working for gives us a place to live, with no bills and no payments to make we can live like kings and really have a great time on our 5,000 RMB a month salary. Plus the 6:1 exchange rate means our American money goes a long way. The last time I was in China I stayed at a hotel in Shanghai for $9.00 and the average box of street food noodles or rice will cost you around 60¢.
3. Travel is easy. China has a great train system, great public transportation, and taxis are everywhere and affordable. No need for a car ( and more importantly no car payment). Seeing something new every day is practically guaranteed.
4. Learning Chinese is almost impossible outside of China ( or Taiwan). It's a major goal of mine to be fluent in Mandarin and being In China is the best and easiest way to make sure I accomplish it.
5. Real Chinese food. Trust me on this one, cheap, plentiful, and delicious. Plus who knows, snake, turtle, or scorpions might be your new favorite food.
6. A change of scenery. Right now we are in Utah, I can't really think of another place that's as dull or boring, I also can't think of a place more different from Utah than China.
7. There are expats form all over the world in China, it's a good place to meet people from the rest of the world, and to escape the bubble of the US for a while.
8. Everything is made in China. I am very interested in the business side of importing and exporting product from China. With Tianjin being China's third largest port it is the perfect place to learn more about, and get connected to that business. Plus a year abroad will look pretty good on a resume.
9. its the perfect place to get closer as a couple. Without all the stress of working full time and trying to make ends meet we can really focus on each other. Especially since where ever we go we are sure to be surrounded by people who don't speak our language, giving us quality alone time practically everywhere.
10.Why not? What does somewhere else have that China doesn't? It's a huge country with a rising economy and plenty of new experiences. Without the expense of Europe, and without the danger of South America or Africa. China is a great choice to travel to, move to, or spend a year abroad at.
Questions or comments, blogminks@gmail.com
1. China is a big place with 1.4 billion people, and with thousands of years of history there is so much to do, see, and learn.
2.China is cheap. The school we are working for gives us a place to live, with no bills and no payments to make we can live like kings and really have a great time on our 5,000 RMB a month salary. Plus the 6:1 exchange rate means our American money goes a long way. The last time I was in China I stayed at a hotel in Shanghai for $9.00 and the average box of street food noodles or rice will cost you around 60¢.
3. Travel is easy. China has a great train system, great public transportation, and taxis are everywhere and affordable. No need for a car ( and more importantly no car payment). Seeing something new every day is practically guaranteed.
4. Learning Chinese is almost impossible outside of China ( or Taiwan). It's a major goal of mine to be fluent in Mandarin and being In China is the best and easiest way to make sure I accomplish it.
5. Real Chinese food. Trust me on this one, cheap, plentiful, and delicious. Plus who knows, snake, turtle, or scorpions might be your new favorite food.
6. A change of scenery. Right now we are in Utah, I can't really think of another place that's as dull or boring, I also can't think of a place more different from Utah than China.
7. There are expats form all over the world in China, it's a good place to meet people from the rest of the world, and to escape the bubble of the US for a while.
8. Everything is made in China. I am very interested in the business side of importing and exporting product from China. With Tianjin being China's third largest port it is the perfect place to learn more about, and get connected to that business. Plus a year abroad will look pretty good on a resume.
9. its the perfect place to get closer as a couple. Without all the stress of working full time and trying to make ends meet we can really focus on each other. Especially since where ever we go we are sure to be surrounded by people who don't speak our language, giving us quality alone time practically everywhere.
10.Why not? What does somewhere else have that China doesn't? It's a huge country with a rising economy and plenty of new experiences. Without the expense of Europe, and without the danger of South America or Africa. China is a great choice to travel to, move to, or spend a year abroad at.
Questions or comments, blogminks@gmail.com
Saturday, January 12, 2013
Introduction
My name is Ryker. My wife Taylor and I are moving to China soon to teach English. We have a 1-year contract with a school but, we only bought one way tickets, so we will see how long we stay. I'm not coming back until I'm fluent in Mandarin!
The purpose of this blog is to,
A. Document our travels
B. Discuss Chinese culture and learning Mandarin
C. Assist other people who are thinking about teaching in, or moving to China, with what to bring and how to actually do it
D. Keep in contact with family and friends back home and let everyone know what we are doing
I hope to be publishing a new post at least a few times per week but we will see. My wife Taylor will also be using this blog from time to time as well.
Let us know what you think, or ask any questions via email, blogminks@gmail.com
The purpose of this blog is to,
A. Document our travels
B. Discuss Chinese culture and learning Mandarin
C. Assist other people who are thinking about teaching in, or moving to China, with what to bring and how to actually do it
D. Keep in contact with family and friends back home and let everyone know what we are doing
I hope to be publishing a new post at least a few times per week but we will see. My wife Taylor will also be using this blog from time to time as well.
Let us know what you think, or ask any questions via email, blogminks@gmail.com
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