Winston's first impressions of China from the airport. Wow!

[zboy1]

I'm hopefully about to get a teaching job in Wenzhou, China. (Zhejiang province). Does anyone have any info about the place? And what are some things you should bring with you to China? Thanks...

Post responses on my thread: viewtopic.php?t=18513&highlight=
Anyone know anything about Wenzhou, China?

[Winston]

I have a question. When I arrived in Shanghai at the airport, I was given an immigration form that said on it that when you arrive in China, within 24 hours you have to register at a hotel so that the government knows where you are. Wtf? Does that mean everyday you are in China, you have to register your location so that the government can track you? How does that work exactly? How strict is this?

[Winston]

Xiongmao, Jacare,
Can you meet girls like this in China? Or approach them? Do they attend the speed dating events?

http://women.happierabroad.com/women/info137728.htm

[xiongmao]

Plenty of girls like that here. But it's very rare to see 23yo girls with older guys. If you love much younger girls, go to Thailand or the Philippines. If not, then you'd better have plenty of money!

Also those AFA photos are always airbrushed so the real woman will look nothing like that.

I'm 41 now and I've been dating 28-33yo women. It's harder work wooing 28yo's unless they have body issues (i.e. they're a little chubby). 33yo's are very easy to woo as Chinese men show little interest in them.

If you want to date hotter women, go for other women with baggage, i.e. divorced ladies or those with kids.

Everyone in China needs to register their address. Hotels do it for you when you check in. Foreigners just need to show their passport and visa. If you live in an apartment (like I do) then you need to go to a police station and register.

It's nothing to worry about really. Foreigners only get in trouble here if they're caught working, get involved with drugs or stir up political trouble. And with political stuff they're really only concerned with Chinese language stuff - I've rarely seen English language stuff censored online even if it's really critical of China.

There's less freedom of movement here. Chinese people can't live where they choose, otherwise the entire population of Hunan and Sichuan provinces would move to Guangzhou and the city would implode.

[momopi]

I have a question. When I arrived in Shanghai at the airport, I was given an immigration form that said on it that when you arrive in China, within 24 hours you have to register at a hotel so that the government knows where you are. Wtf? Does that mean everyday you are in China, you have to register your location so that the government can track you? How does that work exactly? How strict is this?

http://www.shanghai-extendedstay.com/?p=2269
http://www.at0086.com/at_News%5C270%5C6 ... 40277.html


In East Asian countries, they used a household registration system (Hukou) that restricted movement and defined social-economic classes. As a visitor, you're required to register your place of residence as well. Household registration is important in Asian family law as it clearly lists family relations and paternity. Illegitimate children born outside of wedlock would have much weaker claim on the father's inheritance. If a couple married and were childless, upon death of the husband, his male relatives may make a claim on his assets because the wife had failed to bear children.

In Japan (Koseki) and Korea (Hojeok) the household register were also used to research match making & marriage prospects, to make sure that they were not illegitimate or from "untouchable" lower classes such as Burakumen & Baekjeong. After WW2 it was also used to discriminate survivors of atomic bombing attacks. If a man wanted to marry, his family might hire a professional background investigator to make sure that the girlfriend/fiance's family is not from Hiroshima, because of potential radiation poisoning and child birth defect issues.

Another interesting aspect of household registration is that it permits adult adoptions (mukoyōshi). That is, you could adopt your daughter's husband into your family name, or even another who is not married into your family. So if your family only had daughters, or had no capable sons, you can adopt an adult son who is more capable of running the family business. Well known Japanese family businesses such as Suzuki, Kikkoman, and Toyota have all done this in the past. By adopting someone into the family registry, that person becomes a legitimate heir.

During the Japanese colonial period, in Taiwan every household was required to update their household registry and register any visitors. If the police came to your house and find someone who is not registered, that person can be arrested, jailed, or even shot as a suspected spy. Today the household registration system has become less relevant in democratic states, but still implemented to restrict movement in communist states.

[Winston]

Xiongmao,
What about 30 year old Chinese women who look like this? Are they attainable?

http://women.happierabroad.com/women/info137870.htm

[momopi]

Ask yourself if you'd be happier in China, or in Las Vegas (Henderson).

That's a dumb question. Why are you asking it? Obviously they are good for different things. They are totally different.

Because you can only physically live in one location at a time.