Yangchun, Guangdong Province
Written: Jan 07 '08
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Product Rating:
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Pros: Cheap food, generous people, laided back lifestyle
Cons: trust no one, theft is huge
The Bottom Line: Off the beaten path and a slice of old China, Yangchun offers the traveler a unique experience for very little money. A good place to relax and kick back.
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| LRai's Full Review: China |
I like many other people have always wanted to go to China. I don't know exactly why, but I have always like Chinese food and culture. Also like many people I found a way to go on someone else's dime, I'm here teaching English. Okay so like many others who come to China to teach English culture shock is a must. Unlike many others however I am the only English teacher in my town.
Welcome to Yangchun, a small city of 1 million people in Guangdong Province in the south of China. The summers here are very hot and the winters are quite cold. I arrived from Hong Kong in September 2007 to spend nearly one year teaching. I have a small apartment that comes with my position and it's comfortable but sparce.
First adjustment, learn to shower and you wash the floor at the same time. Here you don't have "western" showers that catch the water and empty it into a drain, the concept is you wash and at the same time the floor gets washed too. It's annoying actually for me as I hate to wash floors but after a few months you get use to it.
Next there is no gas cooking, all cooking is done with propane. That's an adjustment for me but worse is my propane doesn't work so I have resorted to cooking on an electric burner. Let's just say that cooking here is a challenge. I love to bake but here you don't find ovens, it took me over a week to find a small contraption that works like an oven. Let's just say that it has challenged my cooking abilities to the max to be in China.
Yangchun is located about 3 hours south of Guangzhou. There are no city buses and the only way to get around is either by "tuk-tuk" a motorcycle rickshaw like thing, bicycle, or motorbike if you can get a license. Cars are not common and they are very expensive. The town has a small river that bisects it so there are three main bridges that allow you to go from west to east. However, one bridge has been closed for several months making the main bridge into town very crowded.
The town itself isn't very large and you could see the whole town in about 30 minutes, more or less. However it has a quaint quality really. Many old shops and crowded streets make this place really feel like what old China must have been like. It isn't like the big cities where they have become very "western" in feel this place is still very rural China. It's crowded and dirty and smoggy, not exactly the high points for a town but it is also welcoming and friendly in a strange way.
You have to remember I am one in a million here, literally. I am the only America who has ever come to live in this place, or so I'm told. It makes for a unique experience since whenever I go anywhere I cause a scene. I can't hide the fact I am a foreigner and people here are so transfixed by seeing me that they usually stare, point or even try to speak to me. Mostly it is "hello" and then I hear, "where are you from?" I have attempted to learn a little Chinese but let's say it isn't that easy.
Okay, if you come to Yangchun the "must see" are the caves in the area. There are numerous caves here and they call this area a Geological Park. Rocks are the big attraction here and if you're into caves well this is the place. Other than the caves there isn't much to see here. The weather is humid and very hot from May through September and then it gets cooler and cooler until in December it is down right cold. High temps are in the 90's to 100's with 100% humidity, sort of like a sauna. Then in the winter it can drop into the low 50's high 40's. They get a lot of rain I'm told from March through June, I haven't experienced that yet.
Food however is the best part of this place. In Guangdong Province you are in the heart of old Canton. It is mostly Cantonese food that you find here but don't think American Cantonese food. This stuff is way better and everything here is fair game to be eaten. If it walks, crawls, flies or swims it's food. To go to the market here is an experience. You will see all your food mostly alive. The Chinese like to know that what they are eating is fresh. My first experience buying a live chicken was also my last. Needless to say I mostly eat chicken out.
Food is also very cheap here. I can go out to eat and have great dim sum for under $5, now try that in San Francisco. In fact the dim sum here has been some of the best I've ever had. The bao (steamed buns) here is wonderful and so fresh. I love the noodles and dumplings here too. The open air markets are all over town and if you can put up with the smell it's a fun experience to shop for food. The variety of vegetables and fruits are wonderful and I'm learning new ways to cook things as well. I didn't ever think about cooking lettuce before coming here.
One of my favorite dishes is called a hot pot. It's a pot with very very hot soup and you cook everything in the broth. The first time I had one was at the home of one of my fellow teacher's. I saw a heaping plate with raw chicken and this very hot soup, next thing they did was place the raw chicken in the soup and presto cooked chicken in about 8 minutes. Then came the vegetables and shrimp. It was fun to cook at the table and the flavor was out of this world.
Now some last words of advice if you come to this area, or even if you just go to China, watch your stuff. Theft here is a major issue. Nothing is safe. My first week here I had my purse stolen. Thankfully my passport was not in my purse. Watch your documents very carefully as stealing passports is a major occupation. I lost many items when my purse was stolen but thankfully most could be replaced. Credit cards can be used here but it's best to just pay in cash and cheaper too. Since theft is a major issue it isn't wise to use a credit card in China, that's my advice.
Yangchun has nothing from the "western" world really, no Starbucks, McDonald's or other fast food icons. There is one MFC which is sort of like a KFC but that's it. Life here is slow and simple. However there is total internet access which is just too funny. You can be connected throughout most of the city with Wi-Fi even if the people here are still using wood burning stoves to cook. Go figure.
I have been in China now for almost 4 months, and I still have 6 more to go. I can say that it isn't what I expected in many ways and in some ways it has been even more than I imagined. The people have been for the most part very kind and generous. It took me a while to adjust to life here but it took me no time to get use to the food. I don't eat many of the stranger things, and I stick to things that are familiar when it comes to meat here. Let's just say if you are an animal lover China is not the place for you to come. Remember here everything is considered edible.
Finally, if you are coming to China this is the year. Never have the Chinese been so open to the world as they are this year with the Olympics. Olympic fever is running high and will only get worse as they get nearer. Most Olympic stuff is way over priced and you need to be very careful if you buy anything that you think is a collector's item as it could be fake. I plan to be back home for the Olympics as I believe my TV will be a much better place to see the games. If you do plan to come you need to book now!!! And even then you will still be over charged especially if you plan to go to Beijing. My suggestion is come before the Olympics and see some of the other spots in China. I can assure you that where I am will still be a bargain even in August if you can stand the heat. Oh and don't forget the mosquito repellant as they are plentiful here. One of the only things the Chinese don't seem to eat.
Recommended:
Yes
Best Suited For: Couples
Best Time to Travel Here: Dec - Feb
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Epinions.com ID:
LRai
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Member: L Rai
Reviews written: 190
Trusted by: 14 members
About Me:
Business consultant and English teacher abroad.
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