Comments on: Expat China http://www.expatintelligence.com/expat-china.shtml Expat Guide Tue, 10 Jan 2012 13:14:48 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Ric http://www.expatintelligence.com/expat-china.shtml/comment-page-1#comment-6257 Ric Tue, 01 Mar 2011 17:51:10 +0000 http://www.thetopics.net/?page_id=112#comment-6257 I am an Enrolled Agent in California and I specialize in preparing taxes for my clients who work overseas. Can anyone tell me how most Expats file their U.S. tax returns? Do they use software and where do they buy this software? Or do they use local (in Beijing) tax preparers? Or do they utilize tax preparers in the U.S.? Thanks, Ric I am an Enrolled Agent in California and I specialize in preparing taxes for my clients who work overseas.

Can anyone tell me how most Expats file their U.S. tax returns? Do they use software and where do they buy this software? Or do they use local (in Beijing) tax preparers? Or do they utilize tax preparers in the U.S.?

Thanks,
Ric

]]> By: sweety12345 http://www.expatintelligence.com/expat-china.shtml/comment-page-1#comment-6079 sweety12345 Wed, 09 Feb 2011 05:02:35 +0000 http://www.thetopics.net/?page_id=112#comment-6079 China is good if you will come just sightseeing and stay for few days ,but i think its not a nice idea to live in china for long term because you will see the real face of what china is and their people. China is good if you will come just sightseeing and stay for few days ,but i think its not a nice idea to live in china for long term because you will see the real face of what china is and their people.

]]> By: Dave http://www.expatintelligence.com/expat-china.shtml/comment-page-1#comment-2373 Dave Tue, 14 Sep 2010 01:34:47 +0000 http://www.thetopics.net/?page_id=112#comment-2373 The best things there are the weather and the people. Both are very nice. Been there quite a few times. If you see soldiers posted anywhere, just don't go past any yellow lines and you'll be fine. (Not too many such places, so don't sweat it) They have Walmart, McDonald's, and some other familiar sights and a whole lot of great stuff you've never thought you'd see. It's the home of the Flying Tigers back in WW2 and there is a pretty big expat contingent down on XiChang street. The best things there are the weather and the people. Both are very nice. Been there quite a few times. If you see soldiers posted anywhere, just don’t go past any yellow lines and you’ll be fine. (Not too many such places, so don’t sweat it) They have Walmart, McDonald’s, and some other familiar sights and a whole lot of great stuff you’ve never thought you’d see. It’s the home of the Flying Tigers back in WW2 and there is a pretty big expat contingent down on XiChang street.

]]> By: admin http://www.expatintelligence.com/expat-china.shtml/comment-page-1#comment-1427 admin Sat, 05 Jun 2010 15:33:17 +0000 http://www.thetopics.net/?page_id=112#comment-1427 It shouldn't be hard to find a yoga studio in Kunming. YogaFinder lists four of them. Of course, the issue will probably be how far from your apartment the nearest one is. I wouldn't worry about online banking and bill paying, it's political sites that the Chinese government is mostly worried about. If you're from Chicago, you should be used to noise, pollution, and traffic over long distances. From Chicago, almost every place seems like an improvement. (Sorry :D) It shouldn’t be hard to find a yoga studio in Kunming. YogaFinder lists four of them. Of course, the issue will probably be how far from your apartment the nearest one is.

I wouldn’t worry about online banking and bill paying, it’s political sites that the Chinese government is mostly worried about.

If you’re from Chicago, you should be used to noise, pollution, and traffic over long distances. From Chicago, almost every place seems like an improvement. (Sorry :D )

]]> By: ginger http://www.expatintelligence.com/expat-china.shtml/comment-page-1#comment-1425 ginger Sat, 05 Jun 2010 13:27:26 +0000 http://www.thetopics.net/?page_id=112#comment-1425 Thanks for the info. My hub and I are from CHicago and will be teaching in Kunming for two years. My background is a mix of being a writer/creative director and working with the urban poor. I am used to gross inequality but have found that the less money someone has the more happiness they can find. We were supposed to be teacing in Bangkok but the political situation there really unnerved us. I am wondering what sites will be blocked on the web. I can live without tweets and FB updates, but life without online banking and bill paying might cause a bit of havoc. I am searching for a yoga studio. That is my life line. Thanks for the info. My hub and I are from CHicago and will be teaching in Kunming for two years. My background is a mix of being a writer/creative director and working with the urban poor. I am used to gross inequality but have found that the less money someone has the more happiness they can find. We were supposed to be teacing in Bangkok but the political situation there really unnerved us.
I am wondering what sites will be blocked on the web. I can live without tweets and FB updates, but life without online banking and bill paying might cause a bit of havoc.
I am searching for a yoga studio. That is my life line.

]]> By: admin http://www.expatintelligence.com/expat-china.shtml/comment-page-1#comment-1416 admin Fri, 04 Jun 2010 19:59:26 +0000 http://www.thetopics.net/?page_id=112#comment-1416 A lot of this depends on what kind of person you are and were you currently live in the United States. Kunming has a population of almost seven million. Are you used to living in a city of that size? Are you comfortable with the traffic, noise, and pollution that accompany high population densities? Being a large and fairly modern city, Kunming has supermarkets and malls which will be able to fulfill most of your shopping needs. You may need to adjust to local shopping customs, which largely involve tough and sometimes dishonest negotiation tactics. Get ready to pay "foreigner prices" and deal with hard-sell sales techniques. You will have to adjust to being behind China's Internet firewall. You may not be able to access many of your favorite web sites after your move. You must also be careful not to say or write anything critical of the government, even in private correspondence. Telephone calls and emails are routinely intercepted by the Chinese government. One of the hardest things for me to adjust to is the large divide between the rich and the poor. American standards for equality are not accepted in China. As an American you will be granted almost instant membership in the upper social classes of Kunming. Watching how your local peers treat poor people can be very uncomfortable for an American. China's Per Capita GDP is $6,600/yr, but this is distributed far less evenly than it is in the United States. Be prepared to deal with extremes of wealth and poverty which may make you uncomfortable. A lot of this depends on what kind of person you are and were you currently live in the United States.

Kunming has a population of almost seven million. Are you used to living in a city of that size? Are you comfortable with the traffic, noise, and pollution that accompany high population densities?

Being a large and fairly modern city, Kunming has supermarkets and malls which will be able to fulfill most of your shopping needs. You may need to adjust to local shopping customs, which largely involve tough and sometimes dishonest negotiation tactics. Get ready to pay “foreigner prices” and deal with hard-sell sales techniques.

You will have to adjust to being behind China’s Internet firewall. You may not be able to access many of your favorite web sites after your move. You must also be careful not to say or write anything critical of the government, even in private correspondence. Telephone calls and emails are routinely intercepted by the Chinese government.

One of the hardest things for me to adjust to is the large divide between the rich and the poor. American standards for equality are not accepted in China. As an American you will be granted almost instant membership in the upper social classes of Kunming. Watching how your local peers treat poor people can be very uncomfortable for an American. China’s Per Capita GDP is $6,600/yr, but this is distributed far less evenly than it is in the United States. Be prepared to deal with extremes of wealth and poverty which may make you uncomfortable.

]]> By: ginger http://www.expatintelligence.com/expat-china.shtml/comment-page-1#comment-1412 ginger Fri, 04 Jun 2010 00:42:25 +0000 http://www.thetopics.net/?page_id=112#comment-1412 We are moving to Kunming from Chicago. We keep hearing how it's a hard adjustment from the states, but are not given any concrete answers. What are the major differences? We are moving to Kunming from Chicago. We keep hearing how it’s a hard adjustment from the states, but are not given any concrete answers. What are the major differences?

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