China Romance
All About China => Your trip to China => Topic started by: steveo_evil on November 20, 2011, 09:05:51 pm
-
Hey guys,
So I thought I would write about my upcoming trip to wuzhou in early 2012, This will include preparation I have taken etc and will eventually include insight into this trip what I enjoyed what I disliked and the general mumbo jumbo.
First off I would like to say that I am 25 and the woman I am planning on seeing is 24, she is more of a traditional chinese lady and loves to care for her family and friends but also likes to be fashionable as it comes to clothing on a smaller type budget. I have been speaking to her for several months live chat,emfs also on qq got to know her quite well in my own sense will she be as described in chatting probably not but we all know life is a journey. I have been invited to stay with her at her mothers house and also with her sister and her husband in fact my girl keeps insisting on this (will also have hotel reservation if things don't workout.)
As for preparation getting a passport was a bit more difficult for me as I wasn't aware of needing a guarantor to sign a picture to say it is me etc. so I have my passport and have sent away to chinese embassy for a visa should receive that in a week or so. I have 1 medium sized suitcase on the way along with a carry on bag and clothes also waiting for my besta translator to arrive. I have been practicing mandarin for a little while now and can virtually say hi how are you and answer good or not good but will be studying that very hard in the next 7 weeks.
For those of you who have went with little chinese or those who want to learn a little I thought I would share this. http://www.youtube.com/user/PeggyTeachesChinese (http://www.youtube.com/user/PeggyTeachesChinese) it is a basic start and will help with a few basic words and if you want she will teach you over skype (for a cost) very easy to understand and useful to have saved on your iphone in case you forget some words on your trip.
Will keep you guys updated on progress and wish me luck
steveo
-
Nice one Steveo,
Your a great age and have many years ahead of you. Many on here, especially me, wished we had so many years remaining.
Your lady is a great age. The fact that you have been invited to stay at a relatives house means that they have really taken you to heart already.
It normally takes a visit to get that honour and honour it is.
Remember when you visit a person's home for the first time then do not forget the gift.
Willy
-
Nice one Steveo,
Your a great age and have many years ahead of you. Many on here, especially me, wished we had so many years remaining.
Your lady is a great age. The fact that you have been invited to stay at a relatives house means that they have really taken you to heart already.
It normally takes a visit to get that honour and honour it is.
Remember when you visit a person's home for the first time then do not forget the gift.
Willy
You are right about one thing there mate, either way life is a journey and if you keep to the chinese simplistic life style and take care of yourself you will have plenty of years ahead of you main thing is in the end you got the girl!
It does seem that she is very happy about it and optimistic about things in the end I just hope it goes well :)
steveo
-
Steveo
Without wishing to offend the "Thought Police"...I can recommend that you take a couple of cartons of good Aus cigarettes (duty free at the airport, of course)
Being as 99.99999999999% of Chinese men smoke (everywhere !!!!), the super quality and exclusivity of foreign fags (not readily available in China) will make you a hero.
And for the Ladies, I got millions of Brownie points for taking jars of genuine Aus Lanolin skin cream....$3.25 at Woolies !!)...it is highly prized by all Chinese Ladies ;D ;D ;D
-
Steveo
Without wishing to offend the "Thought Police"...I can recommend that you take a couple of cartons of good Aus cigarettes (duty free at the airport, of course)
Being as 99.99999999999% of Chinese men smoke (everywhere !!!!), the super quality and exclusivity of foreign fags (not readily available in China) will make you a hero.
And for the Ladies, I got millions of Brownie points for taking jars of genuine Aus Lanolin skin cream....$3.25 at Woolies !!)...it is highly prized by all Chinese Ladies ;D ;D ;D
That is a pretty good idea Dave, the ciggies I dunno about obviously I don't want to offend my lady I am a non smoker and so is she but it is something that I might do. That skin cream is a pretty sweet idea and I know it will win me over with my lady her mother and sister :)
-
Before my last trip to Wuzhou Yan asked me to bring something for her and her friends ",Sheep oil" It took me a few moments to work out what she was talking about haha.
I gota say it was a big hit though.
Cheers
Leeroy
-
",Sheep oil" It took me a few moments to work out what she was talking about haha.
Could Ewe be more specific? ???
-
Before my last trip to Wuzhou Yan asked me to bring something for her and her friends ",Sheep oil" It took me a few moments to work out what she was talking about haha.
I gota say it was a big hit though.
Cheers
Leeroy
I looked it up some time ago might bring a few tubs for the lady and her family. thought I would pop a little update, my besta 737 translator arrived a few hours ago been testing it out and it seems the eng>chinese speaking is pretty good the writing pen is working great also
steveo
-
Yes Steve , a lot of the guys and their ladies have used the Besta and found it to be the best ay , regards Sujuan and Robert .
-
",Sheep oil" It took me a few moments to work out what she was talking about haha.
Could Ewe be more specific? ???
Lanolin cream, basically moisturiser with vitamin e
-
Hehe sounds a little like me.
You will get to know her better when you meet her. Of course we can't know each others truly before meeting face to face and spending months or years together.
But what is good, that you can live in her home. You will get to see her daily routines, daily life etc. And she can also know you better. By being together most of the time.
Practicing Chinese. Oh I wish I knew a lot more on my first trip. The family I stayed with, well the father at least was a little offended for me not being able to communicate with him.
Same with her friends. Almost nobody knew proper English. But sign language... Will get you understood at least.
This time, soon my 2nd trip. I've studied 4 months rather hard and sometimes not so hard mandarin Chinese. Its amazing, after you learn "enough". As to understand basics. After that it gets so much easier I think. The "middle part" of learning Chinese feels easy. Start and the end are really hard...
But I wish you a good trip! Hope everything goes well! You must be excited hehe. And I think her family will like you no matter what, as long as you are not a bad guy which you clearly are not.
Have you practiced using chopsticks? And mentally prepared to eat literally all kinds of foods. Be noted. Its best if you don't ask what the food is as long as it does not taste bad... Once you learn what it is. Oh my god, you never want to eat it again haha...
Of course when staying at her home. If somebody comes or leaves. Try to say something even something little like "ni zou le, zai jian" you're leaving, goodbye. Or if somebody comes back "ni hui lai le" you're back.
Hmm and keep asking her all the time. If what you are doing is right/polite in Chinese culture and customs... I did all the time. But for some crazy reason, they wanted to be polite to me. And always said "it is ok"... And afterwards I found out I had not been that polite, helpfull etc... The total opposite what I was told there haha... But it was more important for them to make me feel comfortable and happy etc. Than telling the truth and teaching me what would be the proper way of doing/saying something...
If you like card games. You could ask them to teach you. It is a really good way to spend time together with her friends and family.
Oh I think you will go/be taken to KTV as well. Hehe. They want you to sing a lot.. Because they want you to feel comfortable... But if you really don't want to sing and can't sing like me haha... It is ok to say no politely. Or something like you sing... I don't know any of these songs... Even though there is a million of English songs there too... I ended up singing Eminem, Linkin Park, U2, Westlife and god knows what else just because I was a little familiar (not too much) with those songs. And they kept demanding I sing...
What else hehe. It is ok to say if the food is tasteless at the start... They think foreigners can't take _ANY_ spices at all... I thought that this is what the food should be like at the start. But later found out they just had assumptions and the food was tasteless to them as well because they wanted to be polite... After that they added more and more until it was even too much for most of them too... But I was fine...
Drinking. The men there will definately make you do this. Most likely related to KTV visit or just some random bar... They drink low alcohol % beer and whiskey mixed with sugar tea... So make your choice. They tend to get drunk rather easily as well. So you might be made to drink double than rest of them hehe...
Take pictures! Pictures of you two together. And make the police registration asap as well (save it and copy of it). If later on she wants to visit you, marry etc. Those will help a lot proving that you are for real.
Presents. I am always told. Not to bring anything... But they actually want something. But are being too modest to ask for anything even if they really want something. So I never had any clue what to give... But something foreign and preferably from your country or home town. That has some kind of story or meaning.
I wonder if any of this will help. Have an open and happy mind. And everything will go really nice I believe. But you have an open mind I think, because you are already this far as going there in person hehe.
-
Quick Update!
The upcoming trip has been cancelled for now with views to try again in march roughly, Long story short I went out fishing with some friends before christmas and as we were taking the boat back we were hit by some drunken idiot in a bigger boat,
Hope this year is going better for all you guys :(
-
sorry to hear that steveo, hope you were not hurt too bad :(
-
taking the boat back we were hit by some drunken idiot in a bigger boat
Here in the states piloting a boat drunk is a big offense. More then driving autos.
-
Here in Canada, seems like piloting a boat drunk is part of the requirements. There's more drunk idiots on the lakes than the bars.
-
haha that's probably right neil brains tend to be in peoples scrotum these days. as for the incident he swerved right into us and we didn't have time to move. I was sitting right at the back and got thrown into one of those guard rails they have on the boat. some bruises and some other wounds. should be better in 6 weeks or so.
-
Update:
Spent 10 days in Wuzhou with my lovely lady it was a very "Unique experience". From my lady not being at the airport, To finally setting my eyes on her, Almost being mugged on the street, the groups of young chinese wanting to know where I was from and spending time with her family.
After 10 days with her I realised that it wasn't going to work and decided to not waste any more of our time. We just didn't really match each other like I had thought. To put things into perspective she was a very jealous and controlling woman who didn't like for me to talk to people or be walking around town by myself, Most of all she was expecting to be married and pregnant within 2 months which was way to much of a push in the wrong direction.
I really had an awesome time in china, It was great spending time with the people I met. certainly will go there again soon enough.
A really special thanks to everyone who helped with information.
peace out
-
To put things into perspective she was a very jealous and controlling woman who didn't like for me to talk to people or be walking around town by myself, Most of all she was expecting to be married and pregnant within 2 months which was way to much of a push in the wrong direction.
I really had an awesome time in china, It was great spending time with the people I met. certainly will go there again soon enough.
Jealous and Controlling right from the start = NOT good!
Marry me and get me Pregnant all in two months = NOT good!
That you like it in China anyway and planning to go back = Great!
Better luck next time = :)
-
Sorry that it did not work out for you this time , do not know how far out of Brisbane you are , but go a hunting around for some Mandarin lessons as there are probably 1000 plus young ladies of your age group going to uni's up there down here we have about 20= working for us part time and 9 out of 10 are very , very lovely young ladies , and as a swap you can teach them English .
If you are not on QQ already register there , noting where you are and that you are looking to learn Chinese and in turn teach english , and vett any person looking at you , you can then get to know a person on your turf and maybe if you click go to China with them at a time to suit , it has worked down here for a few couples although we gave a helping push ha ha , regards Sujuan and Robert .
-
Sorry that it did not work out for you this time , do not know how far out of Brisbane you are , but go a hunting around for some Mandarin lessons as there are probably 1000 plus young ladies of your age group going to uni's up there down here we have about 20= working for us part time and 9 out of 10 are very , very lovely young ladies , and as a swap you can teach them English .
If you are not on QQ already register there , noting where you are and that you are looking to learn Chinese and in turn teach english , and vett any person looking at you , you can then get to know a person on your turf and maybe if you click go to China with them at a time to suit , it has worked down here for a few couples although we gave a helping push ha ha , regards Sujuan and Robert .
Hi Robert, I am actually 10 minutes away from brisbane city by train so quite close in fact (Live near chermside) :). I have used qq for about 5 months now and have some very active friends. usually I will get them to teach me 3 words at a time and in return give them english lessons via webcam or mic chat. next time I will probably go and meet them as most are studying I can do a city tour of temples during early hours and can meet them later on. I am not in a big rush but rest assured I will find someone