Introductions

Hihi

I go by Canadapanda.  I am a Chinese-Canadian currently living in Chongqing, teaching chemistry in English.  My fluency in Mandarin is seriously lacking (I can speak passable cantonese).  I can read better than I can speak.

Hardest part about living in China is that people expect me to speak Chinese more than a "typical foreigner".  I can say wo bu ming bai until the cows come home and they will still fire away at me in lightspeed dialect.

Oh well.  Someday, perhaps.

  Hey, roomie! welcome to the salooooooooooooooooon! 

Hello, Canadapanda Nice ta see ya here

Welcome to the forum Canadapanda
 

G'day Canadapanda and welcome to the saloon. I must admit that I am always surprised to hear an Asian looking person speaking like an Aussie; I am always expecting an accent. I expect that a lot of us, at least initially, judge a book by its cover. I look forward to hearing about your experiences, especially the funny ones.

Hello all. I hail from the USA, although I've spent the last 4 years in Taiwan and Korea. The plan right now is to move to Hainan in March  2013 and study Chinese until the colleges and public schools start hiring for the fall term. I've never been to China before, but as long as there are places to cycle and dive, I'll be happy.   

Welcome, Kardisa!

G'day and welcome Kardisa! There are probably several people here who can help you.

Evening all,

Not long arrived in Suzhou and hoping to link up with people and places in this here saloooon. 

I'm a brit working as an engineer - so may be in the minority amongst the teachers.  I have spent a bit of time in Xuzhou previously but I'm hoping the bright lights of Suzhou will be more exciting.

I have found a few places for a beer on Li Gong Di and Rainbow Walk, but hoping to find something a little less commercial.....  any pointers from the others in this establishment would be super. 

Cheers n the beers on me!!

Welcome northernmonkey! You should find some nice people to link up with in the Saloon. As a matter of interest, my Grandson hopes to go on to Uni to study to become an Engineer. He knows how much money can be made in the mines here in Australia if you have the right qualifications. I think I'll be dead though before he gets to the stage where he can look after Granny.

welcome,kardisa,canadapanda,northernmonkey one and all! great to see new people on here all the time! Your fun is just beginning!
And Zak,as to the best place in China,as previously noted,it depends what you are after. I thought last year I was in the best place in China but now this year I am in the best place in China again! coool right! 

Evening all,

Not long arrived in Suzhou and hoping to link up with people and places in this here saloooon. 

I'm a brit working as an engineer - so may be in the minority amongst the teachers.  I have spent a bit of time in Xuzhou previously but I'm hoping the bright lights of Suzhou will be more exciting.

I have found a few places for a beer on Li Gong Di and Rainbow Walk, but hoping to find something a little less commercial.....  any pointers from the others in this establishment would be super. 

Cheers n the beers on me!!

Hi guy,
I'm also in Suzhou.  I found a nice pub near where I work, #10 High School called Judy's Bar.  It is a nice pub with good food and draft beer. Give me a PM and I'll give you my number so we can hook up.

Hi everyone!

my name is Sarah; I'm another Aussie from Brisbane and I can't seem to stop spending time in China!!

I first went to China in 2008 to do some research in Beijing, and my interest in Chinese language and culture has just grown from there. 

I'm planning my fourth trip to the country in 2014 (I know it's a loooong way away but it doesn't hurt to start planning early!), and this time; hopefully for quite a long time. 

I'm currently completing my Master's degree in TESOL and hope to find a good English teaching gig in a nice corner of the country when I graduate.

I'm hoping to chat and get to know many of you and learn about your experiences in the middle kingdom, and in turn, hopefully share some of my current knowledge of my experiences there :-)

Also I really like the smiley's in this forum; nice selection!     

hehe 

Welcome to the Saloon 

Hello and welcome, Sarah...so you, like so many of us here, have fallen in love with the Orient...Indeed, it does not hurt to plan ahead, best thing to do before embarking on a long China adventure. You will find the Saloon an excellent place to get advice...except for when the members get drunk/forget to take their pills/escape from custody and feed their minders to the Thing in the basement...I hope you will enjoy it here...unlike Hotel California, we can sign out and leave but why would we 
By the way, new members have to buy drinks...a pint of absinthe, extra wormwood and a double dose of laudanum on the sugarcubes, please...