Anyone on this forum currently in Nanjing?

[Huina]

I'll be there at the end of the month and I was wondering if anyone had any tips for getting started in the city!

[eshton]

I am, anything specific you wanted to know or just general tips?

[Huina]

Hi Eshton thank you so much! I would love some general tips about getting around, a good place to pick up basic goods (equivalent of target) and also where to buy a Sim card. Are you from the US?

[Huina]

Oops, double posted by accident!

[eshton]

Well there's the metro, bus lines and cabs of course. Depending on what part of the city you are the metro might not be available, but buses are always availabe(except that riding the bus requires some competency in Chinese). I can't really think of a replacement for target but walmart and carrefour are here. Sim cards are easily found but I suggest that you go to an official provider or store to get one. There are three providers here China Mobile, China Unicom and China Telecom.

 

I'm not the US, I'm from Belize (in central america near mexico)

[Huina]

Ok thank you! I'm gonna be studying at NNU with the CIS, so hopefully my Chinese is good enough to ride the bus.

The reason I was asking if you are from the US is because I want to have a backup bank and I don't know which ones are good for travel. It's so cool that you're from Belize. It's a really far trip from Central America to China! :0 how long is the trip from home to Nanjing??

Do you know anything about the dorm situation at Nanjing Normal University?(long shot, I know)

of course, is there any restaurant you recommend?

[eshton]

I don't really know much about the banking situation at all, I just have 2 chinese accounts and a credit card from home.

 

It's basically a 2-3 day trip depending on flight and train times but in terms actually flying time maybe 15-17 hours. It could be less but unfortunately I don't have a US visa so I usually travel through Mexico.

 

I have a couple friends who studied chinese at NNU, they say it's decent but I don't really know any specific details. NNU is almost an hour away from where I am (NJUST) and I've only been there twice.

 

In terms of western cuisine, there's only one restaurant I go to, it's called Saizeria on Shanghai road near downtown, but you''ll find KFC and McD are also popular here

[Huina]

Thanks for the tips! I love to eat Chinese food too, but my family only cooks Cantonese food this should be an adventure! My Confucius institute is affiliated with NNU, so that's what I chose.

Anything else I should know about the city? What do you think of the area overall? How bad has the pollution been in your experience?

[eshton]

I can't think of anything else right now. Overall Nanjing is the type of city that does not force any particular lifestyle. It's not like Shanghai that's up-tempo and fast paced but at the same time not slow and dull. Basically Nanjing is what you make it. The pollution is horrible in winter (old coal heaters and such) but is decent enough during the rest of the year.

[Huina]

How is the climate in the winter/fall in your experience? For example, do I need a heavy coat? 

[eshton]

Winter here is not very cold, the lowest temperature is about -8C but a good coat does help, normal winter gear should be enough.

[Jay Sin]

Hello eshton,what a coincidence,Im studying in NJUST too. You look familiar, do you play basketball? I think I have see you many times on the basketball court.

[ithelps]

Cool! I am also from NYC, also got a scholarship from the CIS, and also went to NNU for 1 year. I was the year before you, I lived in 8408 in Dinglou lol. I know everything and everyone in Nanjing.

 

Are you from Pace?

[Huina]

Hey! Ithelps! That's so cool. Yes I am from Pace. I am in Nanshan

 

Do you know any cool places for live music? Are there any nice bars, not too expensive, that are good to hang out in and talk with friends? 

[eshton]

there's ellens, aineng and scarlet all three are foreigner friendly and you're likely to meet me at one of those bars

[Huina]

omg eshton haha, but they're all so loud! Do you think aineng is weird? cause it gives off such a strange vibe to me. Let's meet up sometime! It would be a shame not to see a fellow Chinese-Forums'er. 

[eshton]

Well I discovered Blue Sky this friday, it's near aineng but smaller and less known. Not every ellens is loud, there one near my campus that's almost always empty. Aineng does have a strange vibe to it but I mostly go for the free drinks.

[Huina]

Yeah the free drinks are really not bad. The Ellen's on guangzhou lu is always crowded and really loud. I swear the chuan guy seems extremely sketchy as well...

[eshton]

I don't go to that Ellens at all (ugh). There's one that's like 5 mins walk from scarlet that's always great. Of course we all just pop over to scarlet afterward a few drinks anyway.

[ithelps]

I have been everywhere, but I can't recall most of the names. If you mention them to me, i might remember.

I don't really like to go to clubs and bars too much in China, mainly because everyone smokes inside them. I can't stand the smell of a cigarette.

A lot of Ellens are loud. Blue sky is nice, but i only go there to play pool for free lol. Their burgers are good. If you want to meet people, go to language exchanges. I find that to be the best way to meet people and to improve your Chinese.