Even though we got a birth certificate with both Chinese and English, my embassy still wants it 'verified' because they don't trust any Chinese official papers unless they've been signed by comrade Xi himself (experience I guess, can't say I blame them).
Finding an official who actually knows how this is done has of course been an absolute nightmare but we've ended up with this: First, translate the certificate at an official translator. Then get a public notary to stamp it. Then we have to find the ministry of foreign affairs to stamp it as well. Since I'm assuming this is going to take about a month or longer in this extremely streamlined and efficient country, I feel like asking other expats here who've been through this: Is this the correct way to go around it?
Oh btw. We've spent days calling the offices of that particular ministry in Kunming and still haven't found anyone who knows anything about this. Is it time to be kicking in doors and calling for superiors?
I'm guessing you need a firmware update, although, you're saying it doesn't play your old games either? Worrying, firmware usually allows new cracks to be played, old ones should work fine without. Anway, as far as I know, you can't Xbox Live from China so might as well go with the flow and get it fully chipped/modded so you can play all the 5 yuan copies. Remember to tell the guys that's it's a real Xbox, 99 percent of the boxes here are fakes -but work perfectly well.
Saw some pictures on CCTV Whatever from Kunming. Looked pretty bad. Could only see the roof of some cars. This month we had 10 days of consecutive rain here in western Yunnan and I can't even remember just a few hours of respite during that. Luckily our river seems really good at soaking everything up.
I no longer live in KM but occasionally return to this site for a bit of updating. Yesterday and today I noticed teaching jobs paying as little as 70-80 yuan an hour and after a more thorough look-see it seems like the average salary is around 100-110. How can that be right? When I arrived 5 years ago I got 110 from my school and 200 for private lessons on the side. Considering the inflation in China that in reality is close to 10 percent and the growth of Kunming, schools really ought to be paying at least 150 by now, and probably closer to 200. Are there really that many foreigners in KM these days, that the competition alone can explain this?
Unfortunately you can't always trust the reviews. My wife says that if you go in and rate someone, you often get store credit, like 10-15 yuan but the store of course isn't going along if you tear them down. My wife always goes to rate and I think always picks the highest one, as I suspect many other Chinese do.
Arun was the nicest guy. His often weird sense of humour made me laugh many a times down at the Hump. Last time I saw the lad must have been several months back doing his horrible but funny Charlie Chaplin impersonation. I can't believe he is dead tbh. A reminder to us all that life can be taken away so swiftly and unfairly.
I'll miss you Arun as I suspect all people who knew you will.
Tear those billboards down asap. Almost everything in this city is plastered with adds and commercials to a point where I can't understand why the Chinese don't complain about it more. Eyesores.
Although Woo certainly has the capacity to fxck a movie up Tom Cruise is actually a fairly competent actor (when he is allowed to). Think Magnolia, Collateral and Tropic Thunder. 100 million and the guy who wrote The Usual Suspects ought to get you at least some part of the way to a succes. As long as China's Michael Bay doesn't get to run everything that is.
UFOs are kept secret because they threaten corporate profits? And you take offense if people refer to you as a conspiracy theorist?? They only come out at night (to watch UFOs apparantly).
By most calculations life in the universe can be estimated in tens of thousands of planets but the thing is that the distances we are talking about are so staggering that it's impossible for our civilization to ever be able to reach "them". And the argument can be turned around so that "they" are never able to reach us. Sure there may be technology to be figured which would enable us or "them" to come over for tea and cookies and I am more than willing to believe it if it happens and there is proof of it. See,, that's the difference between junk science and real science,, proof. Anyway, good luck at the convention. I might stop by myself.
Went there yesterday and it totally made my week. Nice decor and friendly staff and a real salad bar. Sadly we both wanted mexican food so I can't really say much about their other courses. The food was great but just a tad spicier would have improved the dish. The best thing was that we almost had the place to ourselves and we could have a quiet conversation without shouting, spitting Chinese people in the background. I realised how much I had missed that since coming here.
We went to Chicago Coffee a couple of days ago and it was a nice experience. The place is cozy with soft comfy chairs (I realized how much I have missed one since coming here) and they have a nice little collection of English language books in the corner consisting mainly of classics and travel litterature. I was looking forward to trying their advertized tortilla bar but it wasn't up and running that evening.
Instead we went for 2 12 inch pizzas -roast chicken and pepperoni- but we quickly realized that 1 would have been enough. Those things are heavy. I am mainly into Italian style pizza but Chicago's double layered pizzas are well worth a try. Their coffee seems to be a bit on the expensive side but people say good things about it and they have got a nice selection. I wouldn't mind dropping by again some day,, hopefully when they've got the tortilla thing going. English speaking staff btw.
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China blogs: Blood donor scandal, China stereotypes, pollution
发布者Those maps remind me of The Onion's atlas.
www.theonion.com/content/international/atlas
Obituary: Arun Veembur
发布者Arun was the nicest guy. His often weird sense of humour made me laugh many a times down at the Hump. Last time I saw the lad must have been several months back doing his horrible but funny Charlie Chaplin impersonation. I can't believe he is dead tbh. A reminder to us all that life can be taken away so swiftly and unfairly.
I'll miss you Arun as I suspect all people who knew you will.
Government, ad agencies clash over billboard demolitions
发布者Tear those billboards down asap. Almost everything in this city is plastered with adds and commercials to a point where I can't understand why the Chinese don't complain about it more. Eyesores.
Tom Cruise to star in John Woo Flying Tigers film
发布者Although Woo certainly has the capacity to fxck a movie up Tom Cruise is actually a fairly competent actor (when he is allowed to). Think Magnolia, Collateral and Tropic Thunder. 100 million and the guy who wrote The Usual Suspects ought to get you at least some part of the way to a succes. As long as China's Michael Bay doesn't get to run everything that is.
Kunming to hold UFO forum this month
发布者UFOs are kept secret because they threaten corporate profits? And you take offense if people refer to you as a conspiracy theorist?? They only come out at night (to watch UFOs apparantly).
By most calculations life in the universe can be estimated in tens of thousands of planets but the thing is that the distances we are talking about are so staggering that it's impossible for our civilization to ever be able to reach "them". And the argument can be turned around so that "they" are never able to reach us. Sure there may be technology to be figured which would enable us or "them" to come over for tea and cookies and I am more than willing to believe it if it happens and there is proof of it. See,, that's the difference between junk science and real science,, proof. Anyway, good luck at the convention. I might stop by myself.