Ian McCartney
Canadian expat in China
Forum posts
27
Contacts
5
About me
Canadian, Married
Speaks English, learning Mandarin
Registration: 06 October 2016
Chinese Wines under 200 kuai (RMB)
Being in China I determined to drink mostly Chinese wines until I know their basics. There are none available in my home country. Much more expensive European wines are coming into vogue at Chinese dinner parties, mostly basic Bordeaux AOC, and I ... Read More
pollution
http://waqi.info/ Suggest you monitor your detailed location here for awhile. This will give you an idea of the are quality (AQI) situation over time. Its the 2.5 micron reading that is most harmful, small enough to enter bloodstream. The website ... Read More
Speaking Mandarin in China by Priscilla
Hi everyone, It is widely agreed that speaking Mandarin is essential for a successful integration in China. Do you agree? Share your experience! Do you speak Mandarin? If so, where did you learn this language? Where can one attend a language ...
The "Foreign Service Institute (FSI) Mandarin Course" is available free on line. If you want to look it over, make sure you select the FREE one from your search results, as there are some re-packager links that ask for $. Its very American ... Read More
Speaking Mandarin in China by Priscilla
Hi everyone, It is widely agreed that speaking Mandarin is essential for a successful integration in China. Do you agree? Share your experience! Do you speak Mandarin? If so, where did you learn this language? Where can one attend a language ...
David's (Fdawei's) post resonated with me. The debate about where enlightenment exists has taken place since ancient times in China. Nichiren, a Japanese sage who advanced a school of Buddhism inherited from much earlier teachings of ... Read More
VPN, overcome the firewall by Don_121
Dear all, hope all is well with you. I am heading to china for a year, I heard that some of the internet sits are not accessible. I was wondering if you have any experience with free VPN and which one works in china best? all the best thanks ...
Forgot to mention, all my Canadian e-banking, stock trading, and investment on-line services work fine in China. Probably you should use a security software package with a secured login option to access such websites. My Bit-defender package has a ... Read More
VPN, overcome the firewall by Don_121
Dear all, hope all is well with you. I am heading to china for a year, I heard that some of the internet sits are not accessible. I was wondering if you have any experience with free VPN and which one works in china best? all the best thanks ...
Expats with Corporate offices tend to go for $$$ full service VPN, I think regulation matters might be more strict for an individual than for users belonging to a registered foreign corporation or business. It's recommended to get WeChat set ... Read More
VPN, overcome the firewall by Don_121
Dear all, hope all is well with you. I am heading to china for a year, I heard that some of the internet sits are not accessible. I was wondering if you have any experience with free VPN and which one works in china best? all the best thanks ...
The official blocking includes (but might not be limited to) all things Google, FB, YT, related Cloud services and email, non-Chinese Window's updates. My security software updates went wonky at first but later they re-stabilized. LinkedIn and ... Read More
Speaking Mandarin in China by Priscilla
Hi everyone, It is widely agreed that speaking Mandarin is essential for a successful integration in China. Do you agree? Share your experience! Do you speak Mandarin? If so, where did you learn this language? Where can one attend a language ...
I also agree on the importance of advancing one's Mandarin, at least speaking skill, and then hearing skill, as fast and far as possible, no matter what reason you are in China. This is difficult for many westerners, and is very daunting for me. ... Read More
Best time to visit ? Is it legal to look for jobs with tourist visa? by Ray_hana
Hello There :) Am Rayhana Sudanese born & living in Egypt. Am new here Planing to visit China and look for job there.. I wonder what's the best time to visit during winter plus is it legal to look for jobs with tourist visa? Thanks in ...
When in China or anywhere it would be natural to seek you bright future, develop contacts, make real future plans. It could be disappointing not to encounter the expected opportunities and talk about beginning a process leading to a future ... Read More
Best time to visit ? Is it legal to look for jobs with tourist visa? by Ray_hana
Hello There :) Am Rayhana Sudanese born & living in Egypt. Am new here Planing to visit China and look for job there.. I wonder what's the best time to visit during winter plus is it legal to look for jobs with tourist visa? Thanks in ...
I think the key would be making up-front and full disclosure about your current status to the hiring or interviewing party, so they are under no misconceptions. That should greatly reduce and risk and enable correct actions going forwards on both ... Read More
An active Expat, wintering in the Dalian area by Ian McCartney
I began my travels in China as an International exploration geologist in 1993, when the gold sector briefly opened to foreign investment. The experiences in the Southwest and at an operating gold mine in Shandong at that time remain unforgettable, ...
Harbinger Asia must be exciting and challenging. There is some overlap with my interest in mineral exploration and development, its financing, promotion, and the applicable international regulations and their application. I expect that not so much ... Read More
An active Expat, wintering in the Dalian area by Ian McCartney
I began my travels in China as an International exploration geologist in 1993, when the gold sector briefly opened to foreign investment. The experiences in the Southwest and at an operating gold mine in Shandong at that time remain unforgettable, ...
Today, with good Chinese friends, we saw "The Great Wall" at Wanda Plaza (fantasy action, quite captivating and entertaining), and gorged at the 68 RMB steak buffet at second floor. I have a card on the Green Way bike rentals, which I use ... Read More
Best time to visit ? Is it legal to look for jobs with tourist visa? by Ray_hana
Hello There :) Am Rayhana Sudanese born & living in Egypt. Am new here Planing to visit China and look for job there.. I wonder what's the best time to visit during winter plus is it legal to look for jobs with tourist visa? Thanks in ...
Every season is unique and beautiful in its own way. The mood and activities change, the ratio of indoor vs. outdoor changes, people are often easier to meet and connect with when battling the elements together. Here in Dalian we have a ... Read More
Best time to visit ? Is it legal to look for jobs with tourist visa? by Ray_hana
Hello There :) Am Rayhana Sudanese born & living in Egypt. Am new here Planing to visit China and look for job there.. I wonder what's the best time to visit during winter plus is it legal to look for jobs with tourist visa? Thanks in ...
This is an interesting topic. My past work experience in China is really out-of-date; we always had business relationships with state agencies who looked after our status when in country, and we were employed and paid by corporate entities outside ... Read More
GPS track sharing in China (Wikiloc, etc) by Ian McCartney
Recording and making publicly available my hiking, walking, and bicycle tracks with referenced photos and way-points is an important activity for me. Normally I use Wikiloc (ID: "mclivancouver"), but this fails to load on local ISP's ...
Well, I couldn't get Hupu, the problem might be that my Canadian LG Nexus Smartphone is pre-loaded with hard locked Google software? I can't run some apps, or they don't install, or they are only partly functional with Chinese ISP's ... Read More
GPS track sharing in China (Wikiloc, etc) by Ian McCartney
Recording and making publicly available my hiking, walking, and bicycle tracks with referenced photos and way-points is an important activity for me. Normally I use Wikiloc (ID: "mclivancouver"), but this fails to load on local ISP's ...
Thanks for the tip, I'll find that app and share my experience with it later. Read More
Learn to ski China. Looking for travel friend/s or advice :) by Kleer01
Hey people, I love winter and thought it would be cool to try to learn to ski, sometime during the upcoming winter vacation - Jan to Feb '17. I will visit Tokyo for a week to see some friends but after that I thought it would be cheaper and ...
There are several opportunities to ski in Liaoning, a popular hill in the the Qianshan area (about a 50 rmb taxi east of Anshan Railway Station). It might be a good stop on the way to the Harbin ice festival. On our recent hike up Qianshan we found ... Read More
GPS track sharing in China (Wikiloc, etc)
Recording and making publicly available my hiking, walking, and bicycle tracks with referenced photos and way-points is an important activity for me. Normally I use Wikiloc (ID: "mclivancouver"), but this fails to load on local ISP's ... Read More
Pets in China by Priscilla
Hello everyone, Many of us in China have four-legged friends. What about you? Do you have one or more pets? Share your experience with us! What are the formalities to import pets in China? What about pet adoption procedures in the country? Did ...
Too bad we cant link pics like on WeChat, that would be good for this topic. Some dogs in China, most often "xiao bai gou", but all types, start with under 20's in a family but quickly end up with retired parents. I'm not sure if ... Read More
Common misconceptions and clich茅s about life in China by Priscilla
Hello everyone, Old clich茅s die hard, as the saying goes... and living in China can generate lots of misconceptions in the eyes of the people. What are the most common misconceptions about the expat lifestyle in China? What are the most ...
There is a cliche, with many variations, more often heard in far provinces and counties when trying to do business. Once, in Guizhou, I heard it translated as "the dragon in the sky can't see the snake on the ground". I think ... Read More
Are you happy in China? by Priscilla
Hello everyone! According to the 2016 UN World Happiness Survey, Denmark, Switzerland and Iceland are the happiest countries on earth. How about you? Are you happy in China? Do you feel happier today in your host country than before in your ...
Hi XiamenYu, I share much of your experience, finding similar or greater satisfaction in my life in Dalian area compared to Vancouver, Canada. Now I live in a local way surrounded by Chinese family, not rich or poor, no expat privileged life, no ... Read More
Are you happy in China? by Priscilla
Hello everyone! According to the 2016 UN World Happiness Survey, Denmark, Switzerland and Iceland are the happiest countries on earth. How about you? Are you happy in China? Do you feel happier today in your host country than before in your ...
Kenjee, Oh I see, thanks for explaining how this thread started. I don't really understand the rank or score systems for "happiness" in a society or country. My way of seeing the world, as a Buddhist practitioner, makes it difficult ... Read More
Are you happy in China? by Priscilla
Hello everyone! According to the 2016 UN World Happiness Survey, Denmark, Switzerland and Iceland are the happiest countries on earth. How about you? Are you happy in China? Do you feel happier today in your host country than before in your ...
Hi Priscilla, How is your experience? In your starting post you seemed curious, did you try living or travelling in China yet? Do you have a favorite living place? Read More
Are you happy in China? by Priscilla
Hello everyone! According to the 2016 UN World Happiness Survey, Denmark, Switzerland and Iceland are the happiest countries on earth. How about you? Are you happy in China? Do you feel happier today in your host country than before in your ...
I try to see it as a "oneness of the self and its environment". This works both ways, for example under the usual range of conditions a strong self can overcome negatives in its external environment; transmitting courage, wisdom, ... Read More
Are you happy in China? by Priscilla
Hello everyone! According to the 2016 UN World Happiness Survey, Denmark, Switzerland and Iceland are the happiest countries on earth. How about you? Are you happy in China? Do you feel happier today in your host country than before in your ...
It's probably hard to really judge happiness as an outsider to that society. I heard that everyone has an inherent capability to manifest true happiness no matter what external conditions. It is found by treasuring the person right in front of ... Read More
An active Expat, wintering in the Dalian area
I began my travels in China as an International exploration geologist in 1993, when the gold sector briefly opened to foreign investment. The experiences in the Southwest and at an operating gold mine in Shandong at that time remain unforgettable, ... Read More