imron Posted September 11, 2014 at 11:54 PM Report Share Posted September 11, 2014 at 11:54 PM A small town or village would be my choice Not meaning to continually be on about this, but as someone who lived in a small town for ~3 years, most architecture in small towns and villages is modern too - well, some of the older stuff might date to the 60's or 70's, but there's very little older architecture left and most of the 'traditional architecture' has been modernly built (see for example 前门 in Beijing). 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Basil Posted September 12, 2014 at 12:51 AM Report Share Posted September 12, 2014 at 12:51 AM The more you live in China, the more you realize that it is a dangerous place to live. Most of the time everything is ok and people are nice, but in case you need help you might not get it. You never know when somebody might cheat you, or when the law or some police officer wants to run over you. I completely agree with this and I wish I didn't, but unless you are an untouchable, sometimes a person really needs to watch their back. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shelley Posted September 12, 2014 at 10:58 AM Report Share Posted September 12, 2014 at 10:58 AM @imron I take your point, but I did finish my post with : Oh to dream, the impossible dream There must be some somewhere because I see them on CCTV documentary. I would happily live here: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
liuzhou Posted September 12, 2014 at 12:45 PM Report Share Posted September 12, 2014 at 12:45 PM The more you live in China, the more you realize that it is a dangerous place to live. Drivel. I've lived here 18 years and have never felt any danger. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Basil Posted September 12, 2014 at 12:54 PM Report Share Posted September 12, 2014 at 12:54 PM Are you so sure that your china experience is fully representative of everyone else's? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
liuzhou Posted September 12, 2014 at 01:06 PM Report Share Posted September 12, 2014 at 01:06 PM Are you so sure that your china experience is fully representative of everyone else's? Are you? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Basil Posted September 12, 2014 at 02:29 PM Report Share Posted September 12, 2014 at 02:29 PM Of course not. That would be ridiculous. There are some people that actually enjoy karaoke, for starters... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Silent Posted September 12, 2014 at 08:19 PM Report Share Posted September 12, 2014 at 08:19 PM I've lived here 18 years and have never felt any danger. Feeling safe and being safe are two very different issue's. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shelley Posted September 12, 2014 at 08:38 PM Report Share Posted September 12, 2014 at 08:38 PM If you feel safe then you are most probably safe. If you don't feel safe you probably have good reason. I never worry about walking through the park at night and probably give off an air of confidence which may put off trouble, and have never had any. My friend however is frightened to walk through the park and scurries through with head down and looking frightened, no harm has come to them but they do attract the loud, drunk, trouble makers who poke fun and laugh and jeer, adding to the reasons for fear. A bit of a vicious circle. It may be you get what expect. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Silent Posted September 12, 2014 at 09:25 PM Report Share Posted September 12, 2014 at 09:25 PM If you feel safe then you are most probably safe. If you don't feel safe you probably have good reason. This is absolutely not true. At least not for me and not for most people. Sense of safety is largely based on biased media input, you experience(incidents) and familiarity. Many people are scared for terrorism while reality is that only a very miniscule number of people die due to terrorism. Few people are scared of traffic while the number of traffic deaths is a large multiple of the people that die due to terrorism. From personal experience: The first time I went to sub sahara Africa I went there with a bit of fear due to all the biased media reports and remarks from (ignorant) people. It took a few days to shed this fear and the sense I had to be on guard. After that Cameroon appeared to be extremely friendly and easy going and never had felt so safe. What the real safety statistics were, I don't know but at least one of these perceptions was wrong. Many white tourists are scared to go alone into an African market while reality is that it's a pretty safe place. Specially away from the touristy markets where pickpockets are few and everybody is watching you. I often meet tourists that don't dare to do all kinds of things just because it's different from what they're used, due to warnings or advice they received (roadside food is a very common one) or because of the looks of it without even considering statistics or rational. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shelley Posted September 12, 2014 at 10:03 PM Report Share Posted September 12, 2014 at 10:03 PM I agree Silent, it is down to personal perception, that was what I was trying to say, probably clumsily, that it depends on how you see things. How you feel may have nothing to do with how things actually are. A sense of safety, as you put it, may have nothing to do with reality. But I feel the way you behave may change the behavior of those around you. If you behave vulnerably you will be perceived as vulnerable and this will attract trouble. The classic tourist with cameras swinging round their neck and map in hand is going to stand out as a target. If you live in place you know when and where to avoid. You may have friends you can walk home with, safety in numbers, or you may own a car and be able to drive safely home. A lot of things go to make up how safe anyone person feels in any one place at any given time. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Johnny20270 Posted September 12, 2014 at 10:24 PM Author Report Share Posted September 12, 2014 at 10:24 PM Also, one thing I have noticed especially for woman, is that if you are the quite sensitive type you will become more of a target from idiot blokes towards sexual harassment, and general annoyance. My Korean and other Asian female flatmate had a lot of issues in London from d#ckead guys hassling them. They were naturally reserved and dread making a scene so seemed to have more problems that other UK females. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Basil Posted September 15, 2014 at 04:40 AM Report Share Posted September 15, 2014 at 04:40 AM Interesting that most people in this thread focus on physical safety. Consider whether the following activities necessitate bodily harm: kidnapping extortion embezzlement defamation I'm sure there are more of this ilk. But these are ones that I have been either personally involved in or aware of in the past several months. Unrelated people. Unrelated cases. All life destroying or at least emotionally crippling. I am nobody special, so I am fairly sure that what I know about is really just trivial, just the smallest drop in the ocean. The legal procedures in big cities are pretty sound these days, but if your case is getting pulled to a small city in the same province, prepare to get severely screwed. And this is what I mean in my down voted untouchable post. When you are exposed to a certain kind of risk, you find that only guanxi can solve the problem... and sometimes when the scent of money is alluring enough, you'll find it very hard to get the guanxi you need. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Simon_CH Posted September 15, 2014 at 06:47 AM Report Share Posted September 15, 2014 at 06:47 AM I think if you define dangerous as a lack of safety in all regards then China is pretty dangerous: a) road safety - no need to explain b) laws / legal situation of working here - how safe is your existance, your work, your business, your Visa situation here? c) food safety - see above d) financial safety - how safe is your money, your profits? how sure are you to be able to expatriate your hard earned savings? I agree however that violent crime seems relatively low, I am not generally afraid to go out at night, though the risk of getting into a fight, and that fight to escalate into a mass brawl including broken glasses and sticks seems considerable larger here than my home country. But I suppose that's limited to the nightlife here in some areas, Sanlitun in particular comes to mind. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MPhillips Posted September 15, 2014 at 07:39 AM Report Share Posted September 15, 2014 at 07:39 AM If the choice is between Switzerland & China, I think I'd prefer to live in China. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Basil Posted September 15, 2014 at 08:53 AM Report Share Posted September 15, 2014 at 08:53 AM I cycle quite a bit, between a hundred and two hundred km a week. I'd say that road awareness is improving, though drivers talking on their mobiles whilst negotiating taxing corners does lead to quite a few accidents. I did see a guy on a moped going down a hill whilst reading (a book?) on his mobile phone this morning! Pollution is a big concern of mine. Polluted food, polluted water, polluted air, and of course China is full of relationships polluted by money... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Johnny20270 Posted September 16, 2014 at 09:09 AM Author Report Share Posted September 16, 2014 at 09:09 AM If the choice is between Switzerland & China, I think I'd prefer to live in China. Very different places indeed! I do like Switzerland a lot Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Simon_CH Posted September 16, 2014 at 09:22 AM Report Share Posted September 16, 2014 at 09:22 AM If the choice is between Switzerland & China, I think I'd prefer to live in China. That's fair enough I supppose, I am here in China too and quite like it. But that's hardly the point now is it? If you had the choice between being poor or lower middle class in either China or Switzerland you might decide differently... and that's where quality of life really points at, the metrics and factors beyond personal circumstances and preferences, cheese or rice. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Basil Posted September 16, 2014 at 09:41 AM Report Share Posted September 16, 2014 at 09:41 AM Alpine cycling in the summer, Alpine skiing in the winter. Why would anyone choose China? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Johnny20270 Posted September 16, 2014 at 10:11 AM Author Report Share Posted September 16, 2014 at 10:11 AM Alpine cycling in the summer, If you are a motorbike, a tour around the alps is fantastic. Hard to beat that in china, not necessarily for the scenery, but for the road safety and ease of travel Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and select your username and password later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.