Mark Howard
@markhoward
English expat in China
Forum posts
23
Contacts
16
About me
English
Lives in Xiamen
Speaks English, some Chinese
Registration: 16 April 2011
Driving in China by Maximilien
Hi, What do you think of the way people drive in China? How different is it from your home country? Respecting the road safety rules, driving etiquette such as general courtesy, speed excess聟 what are the characteristics of the driving style ...
Notwithstanding the above comments and replies, I would stick by my earlier post, and driving in China is do-able, as long as one drives defensively, as freeglobetrekker has mentioned, and doesn't let up on concentration for a second, as for ... Read More
Driving in China by Maximilien
Hi, What do you think of the way people drive in China? How different is it from your home country? Respecting the road safety rules, driving etiquette such as general courtesy, speed excess聟 what are the characteristics of the driving style ...
Agreed, the standard of driving in China is not good, but it is getting better. Over the last few years, the introduction of a more rigorous driving test (where a driving license can (usually) no longer be obtained by just paying black money), and ... Read More
Recommended real estate agents by xarthurkriegerx
Hey y'all! My girlfriend and I will be on the market for an apartment on the east side of Siming, Xiamen, by Fujian East Gate and Xiamen City Vocational College. I've read that one pretty much needs an agent to find a place (unless one has ...
Quite straightforward finding a property agent in Xiamen, and outside most apartment areas there will be property agent offices. The usual arrangement is that the property agent will charge one month's rent as their commission, which is split ... Read More
The other side of the Chinese postcard by Julien
Hi, As a tourist in a foreign country, very often, we are enchanted with what we discover. Living abroad is different. It's a rich experience but there are also some difficulties to face. When people ask me for advice on living abroad, I ...
Can't help thinking I'm getting very tolerant in my old age, but have to say that while Xiamen is hardly perfect, I'm rarely offended living there. I don't live or work in the an ex-pat area, but it's not that bad. There's too much litter in a ... Read More
Any other expats, people living un Yiwu by Carlos.GTR
Hello all! Is there any other people like me living in Yiwu around here? ;-)
Not sure whereabouts in Shangdong province you are, but having visited Yiwu often, and it is certainly pretty boring. Yiwu has one purpose only, business and making as much money as quickly as possible, at the expense of any quality of life. Read More
The other side of the Chinese postcard by Julien
Hi, As a tourist in a foreign country, very often, we are enchanted with what we discover. Living abroad is different. It's a rich experience but there are also some difficulties to face. When people ask me for advice on living abroad, I ...
Hailey pretty well sums up China, but I'd also add that it is probably the most regulated, bureaucratic place on the face of the planet, on one side of the card, and at the same time that runs hand in hand with a totally unregulated "black" economy, ... Read More
Living in Xiamen
Hi, There are about 3,000 ex-pats in Xiamen, although not sure how many are European, but would guess it is the larger part of that total that are from Europe. I'm not aware of any ex-pat clubs as such, but there are a few bars where ex-pats will ... Read More
Does anyone has latest version of the Chinese driving license exam? by GuanfromTM
Hi everyone, I have to retake the Chinese driving test and unfortunately, I have asked so many times from the licensing officer for the questions bank (normally chinese version have around 1500 questions) but to no avails. The officer only ...
Hi, a bit of a late reply, but if you are you still waiting for the latest version of the 1,500 questions and answers for the Chinese driving test, I'll email it to you. Let me know if you still need it. Read More
Places to visit in Xiamen by Julie
Hi, For the ones living in Xiamen, what would you suggest to discover the region? When you have friends or family visiting you, where do you go with them? What are the must-see places in Xiamen, the tourist sites? How to visit the region in ...
The "standard" must do sights on Xiamen Island are: Gulang Yu - needs a day to get around Gulang Yu Island, as there are many sites on the island. 10 minutes by ferry from Xiamen, cost RMB 8 return. Nanputao Temple - another major sight in ... Read More
Triathlon / bicycle training ?
I'm not so familiar with cycling myself, but I do often see some fairly seriously looking cyclists in Xiamen Island when I'm out walking. Most of the road in Xiamen are fairy busy, but those outside the built up areas, offer scope for reasonably ... Read More
Job offer - Xiamen by Sonisska
Hey guys, I have got an offer from a language school to teach English in Xiamen and I am wondering about the city a bit. Actually, I think the offer is disputable - salary 7500rmb with 1000rmb allowance for accommodation which I have to arrange ...
Totally agree your comments, Missincognito.... RMB 7,000 is enough to live reasonably well in Xiamen, and as you say, many locals can manage fine on RMB 4,000, which is about the average wage in Xiamen. It's also a good place to live, not too ... Read More
How to get to Hong Kong from Guangzhou?
You can buy the train ticket at the railways station (Guangzhou East Station). There's no need to buy in advance, but for peace of mind, it may be better to buy the ticket the day before you travel to HK. From memory, the train ticket is about ... Read More
Job offer - Xiamen by Sonisska
Hey guys, I have got an offer from a language school to teach English in Xiamen and I am wondering about the city a bit. Actually, I think the offer is disputable - salary 7500rmb with 1000rmb allowance for accommodation which I have to arrange ...
Really depends on what sort of lifestyle you want to enjoy. Basically though, a reasonable two bedroom apartment in a good area is around RMB 4,000, and basic living cost (eating at local restaurants, traveling by mostly BRT or bus and taxi ... Read More
Setting up an Export Trading Company by Dubai28
Hi guys, Ive heard so much about Guangzhou from freinds and family and you gorgeous bloggers, but i would like to know if it would be a good idea to set up an export company in Guangzhou. Is it the right time to set up a Trading Company? I speak ...
The below is a PM I recently sent to somebody regarding setting up trading companies, so have copies it here in case it is useful: To be honest, setting up a WFOC in mainland China, and a HK company for tax minimisation purposes is not the easiest ... Read More
Medical Examination in India for Z Visa is a Challenge by indians
Hi, I will like to put my experience in front of you. I got an offer letter and with that, i was asked to get all the formalities done. All the documents were done on time with one major hiccup - Medical Certification. 1. I got myself checked from ...
Hi, Not sure if local hospitals can provide the necessary medical certificate, but at least in Xiamen, it is the Medical Department of the Exit and Entry Bureau that provides it. From the Xiamen experience (having now had it done twice), just turn ... Read More
Public transportation in Xiamen by Armand
Hi all, What do you think about the means of transportation in Xiamen ? Is the network of means of transportation well developed? What modes of transport are available? Do you use them? How much is a fare? Are they relatively ...
BRT is great, efficient and cheap means of transportation in Xiamen (although a tad crowded at times), but sadly the network is limited. if you are at the Jimei Bridge end of Jimei, the BRT is an option from the Gymnasium stop, but if you are at ... Read More
Setting up an Export Trading Company by Dubai28
Hi guys, Ive heard so much about Guangzhou from freinds and family and you gorgeous bloggers, but i would like to know if it would be a good idea to set up an export company in Guangzhou. Is it the right time to set up a Trading Company? I speak ...
Hi, I own and operate an export sales trading company in Xiamen, handling ceramic products, and there is a lot of information I could give you generally about setting up a trading company in China. Part of it depends on what sort of products you ... Read More
Xiamen Expat Get-together by cchili
Is there any gathering for expats in Xiamen where we can go out for some out-door activities?
Hello, Xiamen is a relatively "small" city, and although it's a pleasant place to live, perhaps doesn't have the same expat infrastructure as some of the larger cities, such as Shanghai, Guangzhou, etc. Anyway, I operate a trading company from ... Read More
chinese driving licence by nicucheng
hi, i.m interested to get the chinese driving licence here in shenzhen, does anyone have any suggestions about how to handle this, i already have 1 year long stay chinese visa and driving licence from my country, thanx!
Hi, It's not the easiest thing, but do-able, and I manged to get my Chinese license last week. Basically you need to go tot he Traffic Police Department of the Public Security Bureau, and submit take a medical test (basically a very simple eye ... Read More
"Chinese or off-shore bank account?" by SkydivingGirl
I will be moving to Beijing for 3 months, starting in September and was wondering if I should set up a chinese bank account or keep using my american one? What are the advantages/issues with each method? How hard is it as a foreigner to get a ...
Hi, Really very easy to open a Chinese bank account (at least, in Xaimen it is, and presume Beijing is the same). Just go along with your passport to the branch of any major bank, such as Bank of China, Agricultural Bank of China, etc, etc, and a ... Read More