things I like and dislike about USA

[Robert S.]

Right now I am more concerned about getting a decent broadband connection more than western TV. Our broadband company we use here sucks. It's slow, goes down at least twice a day and is just an overall pain.

Believe it or not, BellSouth is an ISP in Shanghai!!! They provide service at Shanghai Center. Would be nice to hook up with them wouldn't it?

[owenkrout]

We'll be looking into the cable systems once we move into our new apartment. Most expat apartment buildings have western programming, but I don't think our new apartment will have this. The other option for us is bootleg satilite which is illegal, but from all the dishes I've seen around Shanghai it isn't enforced.

 

Right now I am more concerned about getting a decent broadband connection more than western TV. Our broadband company we use here sucks. It's slow, goes down at least twice a day and is just an overall pain.

 

I think for now  I can have my friends back home tape football for me and in Shanghai I can buy DVDs of my favorite shows like Sapranos and West Wing.

 

-Tim

Actually, the satellite systems are not illegal for foreigners, only for Chinese. The general rule is that your wife, even though she is Chinese gets the same perks that you do, so it is ok to have a satellite system. Of course that is officially. What really matters is what the local authorities say. Chances are that they will ignore it for a foreigner. I was told by the foreign affairs officer at the last university that I taught at that they didn't care if I got a satellite system or what I looked at on the internet as long as I wasn't sharing it with the Chinese teachers or my neighbors. I had my eye on one of the satellite dishes that all the Koreans had, but never did find out who the supplier was.

[TimD]

THe Shanghai center is where my wife will be working and where I may be working as well, it's pretty close to our new apartment. Bell South was one of the first companies my wife worked for, small world.

 

Thanks for the info Owen, I have heard such things in the past and would bet that it won't be a problem for me in Shanghai. I can get more info from the ex pat community there.

 

We've got the movers here now packing up everything for us. We'll be leaving Nanjing tomorrow morning for Shanghai. We'll stay in a hotel for a few days them move into our temp apartment until the first of the year when our new place is finished. I'm going to miss Nanjing, this place has really grown on me over the past few months.

 

-Tim

[Dave G.]

JM's List to Date:

 

- Loves -- I mean LOVES -- the dogs, despite our mishap last night.

- LOVES Las Vegas; San Fran is "so-so." Translation = newer is better.

- Hates LV arid weather

- I'm surprised no one mentioned this yet....LOVES (!!!) Costco. (Damn)

- Loves my Jeep

- Loves the house (now that's it been cleaned the right way) Really folks -- it was spotless, I thought.

- US Airlines better than China's

- Loves trees, green grass, blue skies, full moon, etc.

- Hates gambling (yet somehow she can justify Mah Jong)

- Loves China Town

- Loves supermarkets

- Loves pinching pennies

- Loves shopping (huh??? -- see previous)

- Loves the 58" TV;

- Hates the multifunction remote

- Loves the appliances;

- Hates all the buttons and choices

- Excited about the Chinese transition school we found for her son;

- LOVES he'll be gone 10 hours a day

- Hates the cost of health care (she's contemplating giving birth in the pool)

- Hates my clutter (guess what I'm doing tomorrow)

- Can't decide between Coke and Diet Coke

- Loves having Chinese TV in the home

- LOVES having 200+ channels to pick from (you should have seen her face when I told her!)

- Loves her new Cleen Sweep mop;

- Loved showing me just how filthy my floors were http://www.click-smilie.de/sammlung0903/traurig/sad-smiley-041.gif

- Loves her new Crock Pot (I vowed NEVER to own one...Costco raises its ugly head again)

- And my personal favorite -- has no problems with me golfing or attending Hooters functions. God she's sweet!

 

http://www.click-smilie.de/sammlung0903/sport/smilie_golf.gif

[chinadave2001]

Great list, dave.

What's wrong with Hooters, anyway? It's a family restaurant...

Chinadave

[Guest blsqueaky]

Here are some things that I am trying to explain to the new wife for when she gets here, and what she can not wait to do when arrive,

 

1) No haggling price at store. It is fixed.

 

2) Flea Market, you can haggle (her ?, what flea market)

 

3) Explain toilets with the automatic flush when stand up. (I can not wait for the first time that she sees this )

 

4) Her finding out that when walk into Truck stop to eat, can order anything from menu, no matter what time of day.

 

5) Can not wait to get in truck and travel all over the country, day and night.

 

6) Go to the local Eagles and VFW, have everyone help explain to her about Football and NASCAR,

 

And finally,

 

7) KNows that when she arrives, I will still have the cleaning lady take care of house when on road, and she will not have to worry about this chore when only home 3 days.

[Mick]

I think it is a great idea to take her on the road with you. It will give her a chance to see a lot of the country as well as give her insight into your work and lifestyle. As for truck stops, most of them are a real slice of Americana. We have one near our home, just off an exit on I-65. Its called the "Shady Lawn" Truck Stop but everyone knows it as the "Big Chicken" because it has a twenty foot concrete chicken out front. The chicken even has an a**hole for realism. Li loved the place though she thought the chicken was a little weird.