From Nanning

[Dennis143]

What hotel are you at?

Uh, now Pete, why would you want to know that?

 

Xiangyun Hotel. It's across the street from the Ming Yuan.

 

http://www.nnxyhotel.com

[Dennis143]

and your choice of jiu is?

Moatai, of course. But, you know that. Dern expensive here too. Had some jiu last night at dinner that was supposed to give the man strength. Tasted like the root in root beer without the sugar. Must admit that it was affective.

[david_dawei]

and your choice of jiu is?

Moatai, of course. But, you know that. Dern expensive here too. Had some jiu last night at dinner that was supposed to give the man strength. Tasted like the root in root beer without the sugar. Must admit that it was affective.

was it brown?

[Dennis143]

and your choice of jiu is?

Moatai, of course. But, you know that. Dern expensive here too. Had some jiu last night at dinner that was supposed to give the man strength. Tasted like the root in root beer without the sugar. Must admit that it was affective.

was it brown?

yep

[david_dawei]

and your choice of jiu is?

Moatai, of course. But, you know that. Dern expensive here too. Had some jiu last night at dinner that was supposed to give the man strength. Tasted like the root in root beer without the sugar. Must admit that it was affective.

was it brown?

yep

And fits in the palm of your hand?

 

never seen it before

 

Medicine jiu... Only the chinese could come up with an oxymoron jiu B)

 

After a night of drinking, I'm stumbling around asking who wants to play nurse

[rogerluli]

and your choice of jiu is?

Moatai, of course. But, you know that. Dern expensive here too. Had some jiu last night at dinner that was supposed to give the man strength. Tasted like the root in root beer without the sugar. Must admit that it was affective.

 

I cannot keep up with you guys drinking wise but I did check out moutai for a friend once and in a big department store they had a huge range of prices up to 8000 RMB... One drop of that stuff must make you see god... or at least the walls melting...

[pkfops]

What hotel are you at?

Uh, now Pete, why would you want to know that?

 

Xiangyun Hotel. It's across the street from the Ming Yuan.

 

http://www.nnxyhotel.com

 

When we toured Nanning, we stayed at The Mingyuan Hotel (Mingyuan fandian). It's behind the Mingyuan Xindu Hotel.

 

A nice and quiet setting. We had a big room with a balcony overlooking the tennis courts.

[Reddragon75]

THANKS FOR THE ACCOUNT OF NANNING! IT TOOK ME BACK TO WHEN I WAS THERE WITH MY SO. I WISH I WAS THERE NOW WITH HER.

 

I REALLY LIKED IT THERE IN NANNING. I CAN'T WAIT TO GO BACK.

[Dennis143]

THANKS FOR THE ACCOUNT OF NANNING! IT TOOK ME BACK TO WHEN I WAS THERE WITH MY SO. I WISH I WAS THERE NOW WITH HER.

 

I REALLY LIKED IT THERE IN NANNING. I CAN'T WAIT TO GO BACK.

Yeah, we have one more day here and I have mixed feelings about leaving (I have difficulty saying; going back home).

 

This visit has truly been my first real introduction to Nanning. The fantasy trip isolated my experience. I suppose each visit will become even more of an awakening for me.

 

A side note: At dinner last night there became much discussion on the great need for English schools in Nanning and it was unanimous that I (or anyone) could become "very wealthy" teaching English here. Maybe it would be something for me to consider after retirement...

 

While visiting a book store in the city this week, we were in the Learning English book section where there was a DVD display video of an English tutorial playing loudly on a monitor. Crowded around it were at least a dozen or more persons of all ages trying to use this free tutorial to learn English.

 

The train from Guilin to Nanning that we traveled was packed with university students going home for summer break. When they saw me and heard me speaking English, we ended with 4 young ladies crowding into the seat across from us and many others standing, leaning in to practice their English and to ask questions about America (pictures to follow)...

[IllinoisDave]

When they saw me and heard me speaking English, we ended with 4 young ladies crowding into the seat across from us and many others standing, leaning in to practice their English and to ask questions about America (pictures to follow)...

I'll bet they really had to bend your arm to get you to sit still for that eh Dennis?

[Corbin]

When they saw me and heard me speaking English, we ended with 4 young ladies crowding into the seat across from us and many others standing, leaning in to practice their English and to ask questions about America (pictures to follow)...

I'll bet they really had to bend your arm to get you to sit still for that eh Dennis?

So what would it take to setup an English school there?

[Dennis143]

When they saw me and heard me speaking English, we ended with 4 young ladies crowding into the seat across from us and many others standing, leaning in to practice their English and to ask questions about America (pictures to follow)...

I'll bet they really had to bend your arm to get you to sit still for that eh Dennis?

Got to love it when crusty old coots like us get treated like "star movies".

[homersimpsons]

According to this Brit, Nanning is better than the UK!

 

 

 

"China Scene: South

 

Updated: 2008-03-28 07:20

 

Elderly Briton finds life of comfort in Nanning

 

Ken Miller, a 70-year-old British man, has decided to settle down in Nanning, the Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region, since the British immigration department has refused to grant his Chinese wife Lei Genxiu a visa.

 

Miller who met Lei, 46, 18 months ago through an international agency visited Nanning three times before they married six months ago.

 

The Briton said Nanning had made an impression on him and that the quality of life in the southern Chinese metropolis is better than what he was used to in Britain.

 

The immigration department declined to grant his Chinese wife a visa because the pair was suspected of having impure motives due to age gap.

 

(Nanguo Morning Post)"

 

http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/cndy/2008-03/...ent_6571887.htm

[Dennis143]

When they saw me and heard me speaking English, we ended with 4 young ladies crowding into the seat across from us and many others standing, leaning in to practice their English and to ask questions about America (pictures to follow)...

I'll bet they really had to bend your arm to get you to sit still for that eh Dennis?

So what would it take to setup an English school there?

My first thought was that if I were to start any business in China I would want to be sure to partner with a trusted Chinese family member. Other than that, I suppose one would have to have a classroom with students.

[tsap seui]

When they saw me and heard me speaking English, we ended with 4 young ladies crowding into the seat across from us and many others standing, leaning in to practice their English and to ask questions about America (pictures to follow)...

I'll bet they really had to bend your arm to get you to sit still for that eh Dennis?

So what would it take to setup an English school there?

My first thought was that if I were to start any business in China I would want to be sure to partner with a trusted Chinese family member. Other than that, I suppose one would have to have a classroom with students.

 

Ya know it's funny...Dennis is the second person, of late, to mention "getting wealthy" (I think the girls told Toppy the same thing) teaching english in China.

 

I've met, by PM, and e-mails, guys that were making from $3,500rmb to $12,000rmb a month teaching english, and I think Cuz' Chawles knows a guy that is making $16,000rmb a month from teaching english. And what I've seen is their classloads are generally around 28 hours a week.

 

Most of the schools published criteria states they are looking for native english speakers between the ages of, something like (25) to a definite 60. Of course, it's China...a lil' greased palm, a nite on the town with some food, drink, and karioke and if'n yer over 60 it's soon forgotten. As well, the webites for these schools also state you need a 2 or 4 year degree (can be bought online) and/or a TEFL course under your belt. You generally have to sign a 6 to 12 month contract with the school.

 

I also have heard of teachers in China that are working and have NONE of the above under their belts. So, what the heck...it's China.

 

And the highest paying jobs are down south of course.

 

And, if you read the websites from expats teaching in China (or talk with guys from Candle that are teaching in China) you will quickly see that you may well go a month or so without getting paid, and jump through some hoops the ads don't tell you about.

 

Later next year I'm gonna be living up north in a city of 1.4 million that isn't on any tourist's maps and my wee rabbit is getting calls from a private school there about my coming to teach for them for $5,50000rmb a month....another school wants me to teach for $4,000rmb. There probably aren't 10 white boys in the whole city at any one time. I'm gonna live there as our 12 year old son attends the best private school in the city, he is aceing his courses, and his father and grandmother pay the freight, so I'm not about to upset that apple cart and uproot him just because I could make more money down south. Plus, and again it's China, my lil' rabbit already knows what officials to take care of things if need be, and she would have to start over in a new city with no relatives or friends if we moved, just so I could have some job, where I may not get paid for a month or so if the school administrator decided she needed the money more than me.

 

My four trips to her city were very comical as I was asked to pose for photos with parent's children, I got young adults wanting to practice their english on me, walk in the park and I've got people running up with cameras and phone cameras taking photos of me, seen people walk into each other, into the side of a building, and one extraordinary good looking young lady walk headfirst into a telephone pole on the sidewalk as they stared at me. We have to get a private room when eating out, otherwise my every bite gets stared at, intensely.

 

It's gonna be a hoot to live in China. Next month I'll sign up for an online TEFL class, and the lawyers and I are working on my VA service connected PTSD disability claim. It's more paperwork than a hundred K-1 applications, but, in the end Uncle Sam may be paying very lucratively. Teaching may just be a sideline for travel or play money. Tomorrow, at 4:00pm I close on my last investment house and the money starts heading it's way west to China.

 

This DOS denial has turned me around 180 degrees and opened up some areas of my life that I was too damn proud to ask for with any real regard in the past.

 

You see...I have documents that prove I am affected with PTSD that reach back to 1980 and once spent a month in 1981 in a locked down VA Psych ward with a bunch of other combat survivors.

 

My Vet Center counselor back then literally pushed me kicking and screaming that I didn't want the VA's money and he actually filled out the paperwork for my claim hisowndamnself. I went to the interview with a VA shrink and after listening to my story the shrink sat there and told me, "Well...YOU voluntereed to join the Army, YOU voluntereed to go to helicopter flight school ,one of the most dangerous jobs in Vietnam, and YOU voluntereed to go to Vietnam....DON'T YOU, think you got what you were looking for?"

 

Instead of pulling this guy apart in his seat, as he sat there pointing his finger at me, I just got up and walked out of his office, swore I'd never deal with the VA ever again, and walked out of his office, and in silence suffered the nightmare of PTSD. Yes, my claim was denied in 1984.

 

Now, my soldiers rights activists lawyers almost slap high fives in glee when I walk into their offices. Turns out, there is a lot of months in between NOW and 1984 with a wrongful denial of benefits. Yes, it's a long shot, no, it's not gonna be easy and it will most likely take appeals and I will be forced to stay in the states...but...there are a lot of tax free months between NOW and 1984, and I have got a TON of documented evidence, and a shattered life behind me.

 

Sometimes you will see me write that I look at our denial as a gift. The government, in the form of the DOS, has give my woman and I the chance to get to know each other infinitely better with the extreme stress of what they put two honest people through. And, the DOS re-opened some very OLD wounds within me about the government. They just couldn't let sleeping tigers sleep and they found it in themselves to kick this sleeping tiger awake...awake with a vengence!!

 

That old bastard back in 1984 and the DOS this year may will have given me a true gift. If nothing else ever comes out of it, they sure made my woman and I get to know each other in much better and closer terms than we may have ever known each other...and they sure gave me plenty of material, along with the farce of Vietnam, for a book.

 

Another interesting way of making money that I have seen two expats speak of is starting their own "agency" to help Chinese women meet american men. Interesting concept at the least. Maybe doable, maybe not. I'll see how they work it out.

 

Good luck to anyone moving over to that thar Middle Kingdom. Life and happiness is all what one makes of it. Lemonaide is much better than straight lemon.

 

tsap seui

 

Gotta run to that 11:00am appointment with one of the VA shrinks. Shore nice of the DOS to give me 10 months after the interview to think about things!!

Edited July 10, 2008 by tsap seui (see edit history)