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.
The Secret of Monkey Island boy did I play that a lot back in the Amiga days. Jebus I am getting old :(
On an unrelated note I think China should send their warships to deal with Mr. Morgan-Sweet first before they try do deal with Somalian swashbucklers. The experience and training would be invaluable.
"Hello Walmart service desk. How can I help you? ... A bomb you say? And you want money? You know what? I make 1500 a month sitting here, I am not even allowed to go to the bathroom without telling my superior and you want me to give you x amount of cash? Here is what's going to happen. We'll clear the store and sweep for bombs. The smart money is on that there is no bomb at all. If we pay you we still have to clear the place and sweep for bombs anyway. Oh my,, you didn't really think this through did you? Say hello to the police when they knock on your door. I hear they play a funny game of duo mao mao down at the police station. Is there anything else I can do for you today? ok bye bye schmuck"
"Candidates should be under the age of 40". How typical Chinese,, looking for people with a PhD and lots of experience in the fields mentioned. I think most people get their PhDs in their thirties,, not much time left to build up field experience. It reminds me of how the Chinese employers on job application forms want to know skin colour and demands a picture. At my workplace a woman recently didn't get hired "because she was too tall". Priceless.
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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Report: No cocaine in Kunming Red Bull
发布者WHAT?? Tell me what the hell I am to do now with the 2000 cans I have been stockpiling since yesterday?? Jesus Christ!!
2009 Kunming Sex Expo to open Saturday
发布者"remote-controlled electric water balls",, I'm intrigued. I think Fried has a pair of those.
Interview: A rum-slinging pirate in southwest China
发布者The Secret of Monkey Island boy did I play that a lot back in the Amiga days. Jebus I am getting old :(
On an unrelated note I think China should send their warships to deal with Mr. Morgan-Sweet first before they try do deal with Somalian swashbucklers. The experience and training would be invaluable.
Bomb threat targets Kunming Wal-Mart
发布者"Hello Walmart service desk. How can I help you? ... A bomb you say? And you want money? You know what? I make 1500 a month sitting here, I am not even allowed to go to the bathroom without telling my superior and you want me to give you x amount of cash? Here is what's going to happen. We'll clear the store and sweep for bombs. The smart money is on that there is no bomb at all. If we pay you we still have to clear the place and sweep for bombs anyway. Oh my,, you didn't really think this through did you? Say hello to the police when they knock on your door. I hear they play a funny game of duo mao mao down at the police station. Is there anything else I can do for you today? ok bye bye schmuck"
Kunming government on global headhunting mission
发布者"Candidates should be under the age of 40". How typical Chinese,, looking for people with a PhD and lots of experience in the fields mentioned. I think most people get their PhDs in their thirties,, not much time left to build up field experience. It reminds me of how the Chinese employers on job application forms want to know skin colour and demands a picture. At my workplace a woman recently didn't get hired "because she was too tall". Priceless.