louis
Junior Member
Posts: 6
|
Post by louis on Feb 5, 2007 16:06:10 GMT 7
Are the taxi drivers there decent..reliable in terms of trustworthiness of fare charges??
|
|
|
Post by Esteban on Feb 6, 2007 19:46:29 GMT 7
You just have to ask for "Da Biao" or how ever it's written, I mean the counter. Just ask for the counter to be turn on and no worries. You only have to be careful with the airport taxis really, these are the only ones to try to get "deals" off of foreigners.
|
|
|
Post by Craig on Feb 6, 2007 21:59:30 GMT 7
Airport taxis are the only bad ones. I've seen regular taxi drivers return mobile phones, backpacks, wallets, and so on more than once.
|
|
|
Post by molly on Feb 9, 2007 14:06:14 GMT 7
Hi all! I'll be a newbie too very soon, i'll be teaching English in Ningbo and my job starts March 5th. The company said they would help me find an apartment, but I haven't been able to get out of them what kind of rent I can expect. I'm hoping to save money, so I'm wondering if anyone has any idea what sort of range I'm looking at, or how easy/difficult it may be to find someone looking for a roommate. Thanks! I look forward to meeting you all! -Molly
|
|
val
New Member
Posts: 3
|
Post by val on Feb 12, 2007 11:36:52 GMT 7
Hello all!
I just came back from 3 days business trip in ningbo. i haven't got time to look around, just the city center, lan waitan and the moon lake. Ningbo seems to be a nice city. Through i need your feeling about living there... I need your help in making a decision whether or not to be relocated in ningbo. Sample of questions I am wondering: is it easy to make your way in ningbo? is it easy to talk with ppl if your level of mandarin is low? do you get yourself well integrated? etc..
Thank you Val.
|
|
|
Post by pregnantbob on Feb 13, 2007 20:39:23 GMT 7
Dear Val, Ultimately the decision is yours But when you say relocate... where from? Travelling within Ningbo is relatively easy, especially if you have your own vehicle. If not, taxis and buses are a plenty... although it can be a REAL PAIN in the arse when it's peak hour. Chinese people also tend to lack tack alot and WILL attack the nearest available taxi even if you right next to it. So in that respect be that Alpha and go for it first. Politeness rarely gets you anywhere in everyday circumstances. But i think the best thing to do is honestly get a Bicycle. What amazes me about ningbo is that for a relatively small city, the traffic is horrible. to get from Lao Waitan to say TianYi takes much much longer than necessary, in bad traffic it's sometimes faster to walk... So getting a bicycle does circumvent alot of that problem. But for whatever reason, that may not be feasible. Having low level Mandarin... well you probably may need a guide or interpreter every now and again, most places like big department stores will have some staff who are capable of basic converstional English. As far as integration is concerned... i think that's up to an individual, but i suppose there will be limits if there's a language barrier... of course yu can just always hang with the expats
|
|
|
Post by zach on Feb 14, 2007 8:37:20 GMT 7
Hey Val, I'll just add my thoughts to pregnantbob's, I like Ningbo because basically everything in town is within walking distance. LIke he said, if you need to get around in a hurry, traffic can be pretty bad though. I think the city is small enough that you can get a feel for it and become comfortable in the city very quickly. As for integrating with people, that will depend mostly on having some courage to takl to people, also the expat community here is very welcoming
|
|
val
New Member
Posts: 3
|
Post by val on Feb 14, 2007 11:05:43 GMT 7
Thank you, pregnantbob and zach. You both sounds very positive about Ningbo!
Pregnantbob: well for now I am in Hong kong, i've already spent a year here. I am french born chinese but unfortunately i don't speak fluent madarin. For the integration part, I was comparing with HK, where I find it very difficult to know locals.
Zach: is the expat community big?
Do you both speak fluent mandarin? did you feel "at home" right on your first day? what are you doing during week end? etc...
Cheers! Val
|
|
|
Post by zach on Feb 14, 2007 11:31:23 GMT 7
hey val, well, i've heard Craig and others mention a figure in the low thousands for the expat community here. 4,000? really though, i would have guessed much fewer. I really see the same hundred or so faces in all the expat haunts. i think that's partly why the community here feels pretty intimate. there aren't that many places to go, so you see familiar faces often. So people notice you. You could be a fly on the wall if you want, but it's pretty easy to mix into the community if you like. i don't speak mandarin well at all. as i put it, i speak just enough to get me into trouble. I speak simple phrases well enough that Chinese think i understand much more than I do, and I end up getting everyone really confused. I didn't find it so difficult to get to know some local people. especially since i was a teacher my first year, i found it easy to mix with local Chinese teachers and students. if/when you come, i'd be happy to introduce you to some people and help you integrate as much as you like
|
|
|
Post by Craig on Feb 14, 2007 15:12:38 GMT 7
Well, the secret is that a lot of the foreigners here are married. So, they never, ever socialize with other foreigners. The only ones you see in the pubs are the single ones.
|
|
|
Post by zach on Feb 14, 2007 15:47:41 GMT 7
yes, i don't doubt those figures are accurate. many of the foreigners here are married and don't get out....or they work in their factories and go straight home. I know a number of German/Italian engineers who work all day and then head straight to bed. so the number of foreigners who live here and the number who are actively part of the expat community are very different.
totally off subject, but I'm watching a fantastic fireworks show over Wanda's World. Can only sit and imagine how cool it would look at night instead of at 4:30 in the afternoon.
|
|
|
Post by Esteban on Feb 15, 2007 11:19:00 GMT 7
Craig, I am married and you still see me arround...;D
Zach, have you been here during Chinese holidays before? Just wait, you will wish you never said that, because YOU WILL get them at night... ALL NIGHT LONG, FOR 2 WEEKS!!!! (nuts!)
Val, yes, if you come and wanna socialize you will, it is a matter of personal decision. You can find excuses to not socialize or you can just make it a point to get out at least once a week to meet with friends and/or make new ones.
|
|
val
New Member
Posts: 3
|
Post by val on Feb 16, 2007 11:55:16 GMT 7
Thanks guys!
4000? waouh! I really throught the expat community won't be that much...
Yes I know it is all part of a personal decision 9making ppl, etc..).. i am quite easy going so I think i won't have doubt trying to meet ppl. But I am wondering if i could live in Ningbo.. I haven't been hesitating that much in a decision making of all my life before.. Well, CNY will be a thinking period for me.
cheers for all your comments!
|
|
|
Post by Esteban on Feb 17, 2007 19:09:34 GMT 7
LOL, if you can think throught the firework noise ;D
|
|
|
Post by American Guest on Feb 18, 2007 6:06:30 GMT 7
Hello, I maybe moving to Ningbo too, and a little depressed. Could anyone comment on whether a service apartment such as the Portman Apartment or a Villa be better for a non-Chinese? Do most of the expacts work in Ningbo live in Ningbo or they commute from Shanghai? I met a few folks on the plane once and they told me they commute from Shanghai to Ningbo. Thanks Hi ,I'm new expat living in Ningbo and the company I work for has arranged for me to live in the service apartment at the Portman. I enjoy and suggest you check out what they have to offer. I can't imagine commute from Shanghai to Ningbo.That's a 4 hour drive by car one way....
|
|