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Useful Tips:
Will my mobile phone work in China?
It depends on the type of phone. There are two main carriers in China: China Mobile uses GSM and China Unicom uses CDMA. If you have a dual-band or tri-band unlocked GSM phone, you can use it in China. You can also purchase a SIM card in China for use in compatible phones; this will give you a Chinese number and allow you to purchase minutes in the form of cards that may be purcashed for different values (RMB 50, RMB 100, RMB 500).
You can use your mobile phone with an IP card to make international calls. IP cards can be purchased for around RMB 30-35, though the printed value on the card is usually RMB 100 (be sure to push for a lower price if the vendor asks you for the full value on an IP card).
Bargaining
Bargaining in China can be one of the hardest things but the most interesting experience. Bargaining is an art in China and you're not being singled out as a foreigner; locals do it too. Bargaining greenhorns will benefit from the help of friends or residents who know the market value of things (guide, translator can help, too), but anyone in the right mood can enjoy the sport of haggling and will be pleased with the cheap results. In most touristy places, markets, small shops, vendors make a show of haggling with foreigners, but you should try to avoid being part of such a spectacle. Smile and just keep shaking your head and saying no, then offer your price which usually is 10 to 20% of the original price(you will often be handed a calculator for a silent exchange of offers and counteroffers). Usually walking away or pretending to walk away will result in a concession to your asking price.
How do I deal with street beggars?
This is a tough one. The beggars in China whether it's an old man with a disease or deformity you've never seen before, a small child suffering all the blows of poverty or a sophisticated swindler, you won't always know who's really in need and it's hard not to stare. Know that many beggars in China (especially in the big cities) are part of organized "begging rings" and that the change you put in a child's hand or an old woman's cup will most likely end up in their "pimp's" purse. This is a tough reality, but for many of China's unfortunates, this is the only kind of "work" they can get. The general rule is to listen to your heart and give if you feel compelled (you won't miss that one yuan coin...keep in mind that two of them barely make an American quarter). Otherwise, if you feel threatened or bothered, step around, don't look and keep on walking.
Ancient China daily life
Best of Chinese culture
China News Digest
Chinese history timeline
Cnto.org. an official travel guide to China
Gateway2China
History of China
The Glory of Chinese Printing
www.worldlingo.com
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