The ChinesePod Shanghai Meet-Up (4th November)

Hoping there will be more Shanghai meet-ups in the near future.  I just moved to Shanghai so hope in seeing all of you at ChinesePod more!

@suxiaoya

Thanks for this information; sorry I am slack in responding.  I kind of dread this whole process but I will do something about it in the next week or two.  Looking at both free and not-free options.

If I allow myself to think about it, the whole firewall is curiouser and curiouser (as they say in the classics.)  Pretty much all mainstream media is available, with let's call it 'serious' comment and analysis.  It is only the flummery and frippery that is blocked.  It's like blocking the MiX (a 'newspaper' in Australia that carries lame updates on celebrities, 'news' from other sources, and advertising.)  You might say that it is protecting young impressionable minds, but Chinese websites are full of flummery and frippery.  Surely they don't block these sites to annoy foreigners?  And yet.. none of my Chinese friends are seriously into the Facebooks and Twitters of this world.  What gives?    

@bodawei 

I don't pay for the VPN I use on my computer in the office; it's still possible to access for free! You just have to put up with all the adverts and it's rather temperamental.We do also have a paid-for wireless VPN, but I've not needed to draw on it yet.

Feel free to PM me if you want the name.

Sadly, though, I'm coming to accept the permanency of this great firewall that's closing in on us; I'm not sure this free version has much time left :-(

@tal,suxiaoya,pretzel

Yikes - I am often reminded that I am out of date.  My get-around that I won't name is free - my problem is that since 1 Oct it doesn't seem to work.  What is this about paying for one?  Why?  This is China.  I know my rights. :-)  And advertising surely pays for it.  

What's the story Pretzel - what is the world coming to?  I have seen the ads for vpn saying super-fast Internet, but really I don't need anything faster than what I have.   I can get an even faster service from China Telecom - why do we need to subscribe to private services?  Would you mind PM-ing me on your experience? 

Although - come to think of it, Tal, a PM does not prevent the guys upstairs (or is it in the van outside) seeing what we write does it?  

$13/month for a vpn connection isn't that much in the grand scheme of things, especially when we're paying hundreds for the cpod subscription, monthly fees for an ISP and so on.  But somehow, hearing that cpod is going to augment lots of content on a page that China-based poddies can only access through paying more fees, is somewhat off-putting. I guess our subscription price isn't enough. 

@bodawei

As tal_ says, a VPN is our only option here. It's not ideal (lots of advertising etc.), but it's access of sorts.

We're planning some fun stuff for our Facebook page in the coming weeks, so I hope you find your way in!

I think I can answer that one bodawei. You have to use a VPN. There's only one reliable one still working that I know of, and I don't want to openly mention it here, so I'll PM you later.

@suxiaoya

Can you tell me how you get on to Facebook in China?  

Thanks to all those who made it to the meet-up last night. We were so pleased to see everyone, both familiar faces and new!

Photos of the evening will be posted up on our facebook page in the next day or two:
http://www.facebook.com/ChinesePod

We'll be organising another meet-up for the first week of December, so put it in your calendars if you'll be in Shanghai! Details to follow...

so happy can meet the poddies!!~~~:)

@ouisjia - cool, looking forward to it. 

@thecomakid,

Great to hear you are coming, will see you there!

I RSVP'd by email. Normally I would give Malone's a very wide berth but in this case I'll definitely make an exception to meet up with fellow Shanghai-based poddies. Looking forward to it.

@ luobinzhenmei,

真巧！It would be so great to see you again!

Hi, luobinzhenmei -

I received your RSVP email, thank you. We look forward to seeing you both next week, however briefly!

We're arriving in Shanghai on Nov. 4th and have to see a friend off at the train station that night.  We want to make in even though we are not Newbies, but only lazy students and big enthusiasts for Chinesepod.  Maybe we can drag our Chinese friend with us before his train.

Now I wish we had booked the plane a day earlier.

Good.Learn chinese online anytime,anywhere

Re: ShanghaiExpat, Oops, I didn't read closely enough!

See you next week.

We look forward to seeing you there. The more the merrier.

@azerdocmom,

How have you been? We missed you!

Hey coljac -

That's right, we're partnering up with ShanghaiExpat for this first event.

If Poddies take over the place, though, we'll have to look for other options in the future...!!

I gather the ShanghaiExpat meetup is at the same time, on the 3rd floor every Wednesday. Malone's is popular - good thing it's walking distance from my place.

I totally want in...but I'm here in Arizona! Round trip to Shanghai for a meet-up just isn't in my budget! Boohoo : (

Brilliant, - we're looking forward to meeting you, kashkj!

Great idea I've recently signed up - looking forward to it!