Bringing things to China/Do they have mail?

  • 51 replies
  • 13400 views
*

Shroomy

  • *
  • 1068
Bringing things to China/Do they have mail?
« on: September 18, 2007, 01:13:53 PM »
I have never seen anyone ask about how to get a couple year's worth of stuff to China, nor how to get more stuff.  I don't understand why.  Is there a big sign at the airport that explains it all?

Anyway, I'm getting closer to that airport and I wonder . . . how do I get my winter parka, boots, longies, sweaters, 2 years worth of deodorant, 16 pound cat bibibibibi, etc, in my suitcase and keep it under 20 kilos?  (No, I'm not bringing the cat.) I am assuming that employers don't pay for luggage overages.  How do you do it?  What about books?  Is it possible to ship things to yourself and have them actually arrive, with or without them being molested? afafafafaf

I know you can buy everything in China, but if you're built like a stereotypical American, you need clothes and chocolate, minimum.

Suggestions?
Back home and still confused about what the locals are saying.

Re: Bringing things to China/Do they have mail?
« Reply #1 on: September 18, 2007, 01:18:45 PM »
Bring as little as possible and buy stuff here. All your big, bulky cold weather gear can be bought locally really easily.

Pack your boxes of books, deodorant, (probably not a good choice for the cat)all the non-essential stuff, number them and inventory them - and leave them behind. Once you get here and figure out what you need, get a local to write down your address in Chinese and English for you on the computer, send the labels home and have them mail the boxes to you. That way you get what you need (eventually) and it has a fair chance of getting delivered to the right place.
You have to care for it to matter.
http://www.haerbinger.com - All About Harbin

*

Mr Nobody

  • *
  • 1537
  • This isn't Kansas, Toto.
Re: Bringing things to China/Do they have mail?
« Reply #2 on: September 18, 2007, 01:26:57 PM »
I wouldn't recommend bringing the cat. Not if you actually liked it. Besides, it is very hard to get the cat back into your own country after it has been to China.

Mail works fine. Mail happily comes in using pinyin addresses, but they take longer than if written in characters. Mail seems often searched, but gets there eventually, sometimes in a few days (9 days was a minimum from Oz) sometimes very late (over 3 months - this was by air) and once didn't come at all.

Depending on where you are going, nearly everything can be obtained here, see the thread called something like 'what to bring'. Big clothes aren't impossible to find mostly (can be difficult at first, but then, lots of places will make what you want), but big shoes are. Things like that. Chocolate is available but not cocoa where I am but most of the chocolate is pretty ordinary. No chocolate with nuts.

You will find that books are the important item, unless you like reading ebooks from a computer. See the what to bring thread.

Just cross posted with ND. Yeah, what he said.







Just another roadkill on the information superhighway.

Re: Bringing things to China/Do they have mail?
« Reply #3 on: September 18, 2007, 01:43:12 PM »
Yes chocolate with nuts. Cadbury per se. And Dove. You can also find in bigger cities imported chocolate. I even saw tim tams (or whatever ozzies were craving here about).

*

Lotus Eater

  • 7671
  • buk-buk..b'kaaaawww!
Re: Bringing things to China/Do they have mail?
« Reply #4 on: September 18, 2007, 02:31:59 PM »
Shrink wrap the cat.

I posted 2 boxes of books to myself a couple of weeks before I left and they had arrived by the time I did. Aussies are only allowed to bring 20kgs of stuff - half the weight allowance on US planes, so we get to be really careful in figuring out what is important. I get stuff sent from Amazon and home and it arrives pretty OK.  Only ever had one parcel (a book from a friend in the States) go missing. 

Xi'an has plenty of chocolate - including Dove with nuts. So forget the chocolate - and if you are in a biggish city, Metro, Carrefour, Parkson etc have imported foods.

Shoes.

I'll second the info about clothes - tailors here are fabulous. Clothes that fit, in fabrics you like, cheap!

(The TimTams here are made in Indonesia - NOT real!)

*

Shroomy

  • *
  • 1068
Re: Bringing things to China/Do they have mail?
« Reply #5 on: September 18, 2007, 02:39:59 PM »
Ladies, I am a size 24 American, and I think I'm going to Harbin this winter, I really want to be able to buy a big, long, warm coat the second I arrive.  I fear that the land of scrawny women is not the place for this to happen.  I believe you on the everyday wear, but coats and unmentionables?

Others, thanks for the perspective.  It was 20 years ago that I was last in China, things change.

And where is the "what to bring" thread?  I looked before I leaped and didn't see one. mmmmmmmmmm

I am actually hoping to rent out my house with the cat included.  I don't know whether to increase or decrease the rent on account of that. akakakakak
Back home and still confused about what the locals are saying.

*

Mr Nobody

  • *
  • 1537
  • This isn't Kansas, Toto.
Re: Bringing things to China/Do they have mail?
« Reply #6 on: September 18, 2007, 06:17:24 PM »
What Lotus said about the tim tams.

But don't shrink wrap the cat. It annoys them and makes them hard to feed.
Just another roadkill on the information superhighway.

Re: Bringing things to China/Do they have mail?
« Reply #7 on: September 18, 2007, 09:20:05 PM »
I am probably a size 24 or around that anyhow.  I got a down coat custom made for 260 RMB.  It was a long not short coat.  That is about $40.00CDN.  I bought winter boots here and my feet are large - Men's 9-10 Wide.  (I am a female).

I have a tailor make me slacks and blouses.  When have you ever bought a blouse that fits you that has the shoulder seams at the shoulders and not half way down the arm??  You can get slacks and blouse for less than $30.00.

Deodorant.  Bring some and ship the rest.  Stick deodorant is hard to buy here.

Bring bra's and undie's as they are impossible to get.

Be kind to dragons for thou are crunchy when roasted and taste good with brie.

Re: Bringing things to China/Do they have mail?
« Reply #8 on: September 19, 2007, 04:39:05 AM »
Quote
(The TimTams here are made in Indonesia - NOT real!)

LE, it HAS to be real! It is the way Indonesians buy their refugee status in Australia!  ahahahahah

*

Shroomy

  • *
  • 1068
Re: Bringing things to China/Do they have mail?
« Reply #9 on: September 19, 2007, 05:44:07 AM »
Drangonsaver, thanks, that is reassuring. bfbfbfbfbf
Back home and still confused about what the locals are saying.

Re: Bringing things to China/Do they have mail?
« Reply #10 on: September 19, 2007, 07:57:32 PM »
Cut, paste, print and tape Missi's post to your head.  ditto, I'm told, for bras and ladies' ginch.

Even more critical than books: music.  Trust me.

Harbin understand winter clothing.  Unless you have a REALLY cool winter coat that makes you look like a million bucks, leave it at home and buy a cheap yet effective one here, then leave it for your replacement.

Longjohns don't take up much luggage space, but for what it's worth, they're popular and plentiful here, even in places where it never gets below freezing.  The Chinese REALLY hate the cold.

Buying footwear here? oooooooooo
And there is no liar like the indignant man... -Nietszche

Nothing is so fatiguing as the eternal hanging on of an uncompleted task. -William James

englishmoose.com

*

Mimi

  • *
  • 517
Re: Bringing things to China/Do they have mail?
« Reply #11 on: September 20, 2007, 01:47:10 AM »
I ended up bring a LOT of clothes.  But, that was really a personal preference.  I like fashion, and didn't want to be stuck wearing the same things over and over again until I made it out to a tailor. 

About longjohns, even in my city (which doesn't get that cold) they are ready available in a pretty wide range of sizes.

I brought about ten books, but it wasn't nearly enough.  Having said that, I can't think of anything I could've taken out of my luggage to make room for more books!  I just ordered a big shipment from Amazon... but shipping costs 50 US dollars  aoaoaoaoao

I don't think there is any easy way to get a lot of stuff to China, and certainly not enough to last for a few years. 

*

George

  • *
  • 6134
    • My view of China
Re: Bringing things to China/Do they have mail?
« Reply #12 on: September 20, 2007, 02:00:03 AM »
Bring books. Anything else, if you can't find it here, you don't need it!!
The higher they fly, the fewer!    http://neilson.aminus3.com/

*

AMonk

  • *****
  • 7819
Re: Bringing things to China/Do they have mail?
« Reply #13 on: September 20, 2007, 05:26:10 AM »
I just ordered a big shipment from Amazon... but shipping costs 50 US dollars 

Yeah.  Amazon sucks BigTime on overseas shipping rates.  I usually end up paying 50% of the cost of my orders......But they do gots lotsa stuff!




Seriously.  Mail yourself books, using the M-Bag option (up to 45 Lbs weight for about +/-$1.00 per lb).  Check at your Post Office.
Moderation....in most things...

*

Shroomy

  • *
  • 1068
Re: Bringing things to China/Do they have mail?
« Reply #14 on: September 20, 2007, 07:11:04 AM »
Once again, thank you all.  You are already my new best friends.  agagagagag I seem to be arriving October 8th.  aoaoaoaoao I haven't decided which school offer I'm taking, Harbin or Wuxi, but must decide in two days.  Then I have to pack out my house, set up my finances, etc etc.  I know you all know the drill and I thank you for sharing it.  Anyone in Wuxi or Harbin please feel free to PM or email me with specific hints.

So, Regular US mail is the method of choice for mailing the stuff I have to have?
Back home and still confused about what the locals are saying.