User Comments - chanelle77

Posted on: Studying Japanese

Hello,

In about 2 weeks I will be going to Japan and I would like to know some survival Japanese. This might be a risky question here on Cpod but: does any poddy out there have a good (online) suggestion for some Japanese basics? I looked online but it is all quite confusing :-).

Thx!

Posted on: Outrageous Power Bill

Sorry! Yes insulated, in Dutch it is "isoleren" and has 2 meanings: isolate and insulate. The more languages you learn the more confused you get hahaha...

I think the utilities are quarterly or bi-yearly where I live, but I am not sure. Now the landlady takes care of all the billing ;-)

Posted on: Outrageous Power Bill

When we arrived in China about year ago we thought our landlord would pay the electricity and other utilities. After a few months I found a public note glued to my front door that the electricity would be cut off if we did not pay within 3 days. Normally you can go to a local supermarket to pay, but if you are late, there is a completely different process. My Ayi had a hard time explaining it to me and taking care of it all. Although, I thought it was pretty funny to glue unpaid bills to ones front door :-).

My powerbill is also really high. Houses are not isolated (like in Holland) and have large illogic open spaces which are impossible to heat with reversed AC. Nanjing was unlucky I guess when they draw the district heating border in China. I put a big curtain between my livingroom and kitchen to keep the heat inside the living room. I try not to think too much about environmental consequences, but it really worries me when I see all these AC's.

Posted on: Taxi Culture in China

Someone told me the "cage" was to protect the driver from spitting customers. Is this an urban legend?

Compared to Beijing, Shanghai (and Nanjing) taxi drivers are so much better and more friendly I think. Personally, I only had bad experiences there. I find the taxi drivers in Sh and Nj very friendly, polite and they do not try to rip you off as there Beijing colleagues do. I find them arrogant and for instance do not even bother to give you back your change and assume you tip them.

When taking a taxi, I also try to practice my Chinese. One day a Nj. driver appreciated this so much he insisted on goving me a discount: unbelievable! That was touching. Yesterday in Sh I had a singing taxi driver, also nice for a change! ;-)

Posted on: Surviving Winter and Singles Scene for Expat Girls

neither one of them: I live in Nanjing but often visit Shanghai and Beijing ;-)

Posted on: The Person Component

I still think this show was nice and could even be great with a little work. The topic is fascinating! Please do not abandon this idea. Moving to writing / understanding characters is a good thing :-). Maybe a merge is possible between vocab tour and the radical show?

Posted on: Surviving Winter and Singles Scene for Expat Girls

In Shanghai some Chinese girls seem really desperate to get an expat guy. I was once in club with a few single male friends and was blocked by 6 Shanghainese "ladies" circling their “prey “ like a pack of hyenas. I just smiled and flashed my wedding ring hahaha. As for Chinese men, I only got approached once by 4 business men in a nice car who offered me a "ride". Refused that one politely :-)

Posted on: The Person Component

My “favorite radicals” are 龠 and 犭 but I think it would be very interesting and useful to do them all!

Off topic: this morning I was in the waiting room of a Chinese dentist (first time and really nervous) and was reading a random magazine and there was an article about John’s (work) day. That was a pleasant distraction! CPod is everywhere ;-). Btw, nice show!

Posted on: I want coffee!

Ok Pete! You (and any other poddies) are also very welcome to try out our Senseo ;-).

Posted on: I want coffee!

Hi Pete, was talking about "你好！意大利餐厅" (Ciao Italia) at 石鼓路.