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GoGuizhou.com is inspired by the amazing people we have met and places we have been since coming here and we wish to pass on that gift so you can get the most out of your visit in Guizhou.

Questions? Comments? Want to help make the site? EMAIL US! : emyxter@gmail.com
(from googuizhou.weebly.com/index.html )

Guiyang History

The region making up modern day Guiyang has an ancient history spanning thousands of years. During the Epoch of the Warring states the region was the middle zone between the Chu Qian, and it was subordinate to the mysterious Yelang Kingdom, a society which was established by local ethnic groups and was believed to be a wealthy and prosperous kingdom ecomomically and culturally until it suddenly disappeared in 26 BC. After the disappearence of the Yelang Kingdom, the area became subordinate to the Zangke Prefucture during the Han Dynasties, and in the periods of the Tang Dynasties the area was under the control of the Ju Autonomus Prefuncture. During the Song Dynasty the area including and encomapassing modern day Guiyang was named Guizhou.

The old city of Guiyang was constructed during the Yuan Dynasty (which was founded by Kublai Khan and the Mongols) in 1283 AD, and was originally named Shunyuan, meaning “obeying the Yuan.” The Mongols made Guiyang the seat of an army and a “pacification zone”. Around this period local Chinese began to settle the area.

During the Qing and Ming dynasties the city was established as an administrative center and renamed Guiyang. It became the capital of Guizhou province in 1913. Locally Guiyang beacme an important economic center, with two merhant communitied inhabiting the city. These were the Sichuanese people who primarily lived in the northern section of the city, and the peoples of Guangdong, Hunan, and Guangxi, who dominated the southern part of Guiyang. Despite Guiyang’s economic importance to Guizhou province, the predominate perception of the city was that it was merely the capital city of one of China’s poorest and least developed provinces.

During the Chinese war between the Communist forces and the Kuo Ming Tang, the leader of the Kuo MangTing forces, Chinag Kai Shek, flew to Guiyang and made it his base of operations agaist Mao Zedong, in an effort to prevent comunist forces from capturing the city. Mao and his Red forces fled East and the city was left undistrubed until 1939 when it was bombed by Japanese forces. As a result of these attacks approximately a third of “old” Guiyang was destroyed.

During World War II Guiyang became the center of Nationalist Activities against invading Japanese forces and many refugees from the eastern part of China sought refuge. As a result, bustling economic and social activity emerged and Guiyang’s rapid development was underway. During the war roads and other vital infrastructure was built which linked Guiyang to Yunan and Chongqing. Furthermore, construction began on a railway between Guiyang and Liuzhou, Guangxi, and this construction was accelerated in 1949. This railway was completed in 1959, and subsequently connected Guiyang to Chongqing in the north, Kunming in the west, and Changsha in the east. In the decades following the completein of this ambitious project Guiyang has continued to develop at a rapid pace, and today the city is an economic hub of Guizhou province.
(from googuizhou.weebly.com/history1.html )

Guiyang Government Services
Guiyang has more experience than anywhere else in Guizhou dealing with foreigners, but like all places in the world, it can sometimes be a headache to work with these bureaucratic institutions. But when you must, here is the information you need.
Visa Office
Guiyang Gong’anJu ChuRu JingJieDail Da Ting
贵阳公安局出入境接大厅
Address: DaYing Lu 5 hao 大营路 5 号 Phone: 679-7907
Bus Stop: Guiyang RiBaoShe 贵阳日报社

Come prepared with photos, passport, and the necessary school or business papers for your particular visa. You may also need to bring the original lodging registration form from the police station. Allow five days for them to process your visa. Most of the time the officers can speak English, but it is also most helpful to go with a business or educational associate. Fesco Foreign Enterprise Service
GuiyangShi WaiGuo QiYe FuWu Zong GongSi
贵阳市外国企业服务总公司
Address: ShenQi Lu 8 Hao JingXie Da sha 20 Lou 2006 Shi
神奇路8号经协大厦 20 楼 2006 室
Phone: 580-6749 Web: www.gyfesco.com
Bus Stop: ShenQiLu 神奇路

This office can help you get the paperwork done to validate a foreign business. The price isn’t cheap but they deal with most of the paperwork and run around so you don’t have to. A new business is over 8,000 yuan and 3,000 for a representative office.
Health Certificate Office
GuiZhouSheng ChuRu Jing JianYanJian YiJu
贵州省出入境检验检疫局
Address: Beijing Lu 2 Hao 北京路 2 号 Phone: 678-1936
Bus Stop: GuiYangRiBaoShe or GuiYi 贵阳日报社 or 贵医

In order to get a visa anywhere in china one must pass the arcane health examination. The test will cost over 300 yuan. The tests are said not to be terrible, but are only offered in the mornings (they prefer that you not eat breakfast before you come). Plan for about four days before you will get all the paperwork back. Bring your passport and two large size visa photos. Labor Department
ZhongHua RenMin ZongHeGuo LaoDong HeSheHui
中华人民共和国劳动和社会

Address: BaoZheng Zhang Bu, HuaGuoYuan GuiZhuDaSha 15 Lou 1506 Shi, 保证障部花果园贵祝大厦 15楼 1506室 Phone: 536-5641
Bus Stop: HuaGuoYuan 花果园

Once the government has approved your business, the labor department will validate your business, give you a work ID and issue the papers you need for your work visa.
(from googuizhou.weebly.com/visa–govt-services.html )

Shopping
If there is one thing you can do well in Guiyang it is shop. Every street, alleyway, sidewalk and crossing-way has something to buy. From high-end fashion to knock-off Cell Phones this is your one stop guide for shopping in Guiyang.
Supermarkets

Guiyang has a wide array of supermarkets from international chains to local Chinese markets.

Best Supermarkets in Guiyang
1. Carefore
2. Beijing Hualian
3. Xingli Department Stores supermarket
4. WalMart

Best Mall/Department Stores

1. Floral Plaza
2. Hunter Plaza
3. Hongsomething chang
4. xingli
5.

Best Street Markets in Guiyang
1. Bird and Flower Market
2. Flower Market
(from googuizhou.weebly.com/shopping.html )

Guiyang Markets
Guiyang has an incredible amount of Markets in which you can find almost anything you want. Here is your guide to find the best ones.
Bird and Flower Market 花鸟市场

The Bird and Flower market is the best market in town if you want some Chinese crafts, tea, arts, antiques as well as if you want to find a cute new pet for your home here. Although every large city in China has a Bird and Flower Market, Guiyang’s is much different as the low volume of foreign tourists who come every year means the market has retained the local feel that it should have. Aside from the shops the Bird and Flower Market also has some of the best local food in town. Any visit to Guiyang would not be complete without a visit to he Bird and Flower Market. For more information click “Bird and Flower Market”

Cheese Street

Located in-between ZhuCheng Square and the train station, in a seemingly hidden street “Cheese Street” is a gold mine for local foreigners. The area is a Chinese wholesale market for the city, but past all the Chinese goods is a large area of foreign spices, ingredients and cheeses that are difficult to find in the rest of the city.

Shi Xi Lu 市西路

Shi Xi Lu is Guiyang’s largest and busiest wholesale market. The market goes from Daxi Men all the way to the old bus station. The place is almost always full, making it an exciting trip for a first timer but could be a little bit of a headache going through all the traffic all the time. Inside you will find everything from fake clothing, household items, rugs, shoes, art, junk, strange things, and just about anything else under the sun. The place is very crowded so watch out for your belongings, but if you want an truly Chinese shopping experience (Remember when bargaining start low! they are going to start really high), or if you need to find something that’s hard to get, go to ShiXiLu.
(from googuizhou.weebly.com/chinese-markets.html)

Getting Money in Guiyang

ATM’s are incredibly widespread in China. Almost every bank has an ATM with English language screen and accepts international debit cards. The Chinese bank will deduct a small service fee from it and your bank at home will also charge an international exchange rate fee, depending on the bank this fee is between 2-4%.

China Construction bank has a partnership with Bank of America. If your debit card is through bank of America, you can use this bank without a fee.

Creating a Chinese Bank Account

If you come to Guizhou for work or long term studying it is possible for you to open a Chinese bank account. Most often the institution who hires you can help you do the paper work. Guiyang has no English speaking bank tellers, so bring a Chinese friend and your passport with a long-term visa and you can create an account in one day. If you have a Chinese debit card, using another bank’s ATM has only a 2 yuan sir charge.
(from googuizhou.weebly.com/services.html )

Longdongbao airport (贵阳龙洞堡国际机场)

Guiyang’s airport (KWE) was refurbished a few years ago and is one of the most convenient airports in China. Because of its small size lines are usually short, security is fast and the restaurants and food stands are inexpensive. Everyday there are over 100 domestic arrivals and departures to main cities in China such as Chengdu, Kunming, Guangzhou, Shanghai and Beijing. (full departure/arrival list) (Full list of airlines) There are a few once a week trips to popular international locations such as Hong Kong, Macao and Bangkok but they are not cheap.

International flights – If you wish to go to SE Asia your best bet from Guizhou is to use Air Asia out of Chengdu or China Southern out of Kunming. If you want to go international to the West or the Philippines you are best to fly from Guiyang to Guangzhou, Shanghai or Beijing. One can usually get a one way ticket to Guangzhou for under 500 yuan ($80) on China Southern and once in Guangzhou, the Guangzhou airport typically has cheaper flights to America than Beijing or Shanghai.

Getting to City Center – To enter the city from the airport one can either take a taxi or the airport shuttle bus. Taxis can be found outside of the front door in the taxi line, during the day you can usually get a metered taxi but at night one must negoitate. You should not have to pay more than 30-50 yuan to get into the city center. The shuttle bus (10 yuan) runs from the morning to the night and leaves whenever it is full (every 15-30 minutes). The last stop for the shuttle bus is the train station near the city center.

Getting to the Airport – To get to the airport one can find the shuttle bus outside the train station that leaves about every 15 minutes or take a taxi (tell the driver ji chang 飞机场).
( from googuizhou.weebly.com/plane.html )

Guiyang Train Station (贵阳火车站)

Guiyang’s train station is located near the heart of the city. As the station is SW China’s main hub, everyday there are about 100 trains that go to hundreds of cities in the area and all around China. (full list of Guiyang departures) Guiyang is a major stop that connects the east to Kunming (12 hours, about 130 yuan hard sleeper), the west to Guangzhou (30 hours, about 350 yuan hard sleeper) and the North to Chengdu (16 hours 170 yuan hard sleeper) and Chongqing (8 hours 100 yuan hard sleeper). There are no direct trains from Guiyang to Guilin but you can get to Hunan through Kaili. There is even a direct train from Guiyang to the island Hainan that transports you by boat (sleeper 300 yuan).

Buying a Ticket

To buy a ticket one must be able to speak basic Chinese, come pre-prepaired with your written itinerary or use one of the ticket machines at the train station. You can buy a ticket at the train station starting 10 days prior to your departure.

Throughout the city there are also small ticket booths where you can buy tickets for an extra 5 yuan. The most prominent one is located inside the Postal Savings bank across the street from Pizza Hut in Peng Shui Che.
Getting into Town
Bus – Upon entering the city you can either take a public bus or a taxi. Across the street from the train station you will see many buses lined up. Bus 1 and 2 will take you to the center of the city.

Taxi – After the buses near the train station hotel there is a line for metered taxis. This line will work for you during the day but at night taxis can be more difficult.

That being said taxis can be difficult to get, especially if you want a meter at night. Beware if you are foreign taxi drivers will try to overcharge you. A metered taxi in Guiyang starts at 8 yuan and goes up after you reach 2 km. If you can get a taxi to go to where you need to go for 10-15 yuan take it. ( from googuizhou.weebly.com/train.html )

Guiyang Buses

Public Buses in Guiyang are cheap and extensive allow you to get to any part of the city all day long. But with larges amounts of people using them and Guiyang’s infamous traffic, they can sometimes be a pain to use, especially if you cannot get a seat. The most promient routes are the 1 and 2. They use double decker buses and run from the Train station to city center. The 1 via ZunYi RD (Faster) and the 2 via HeBin Park (longer but goes to other major locations)

Below is a list of all the bus routes and bus stops. You may click on the number to see where the bus goes, for how long and what to do/see at each stop. NOTE: AS WITH GUIZHOU, BUS ROUTES CHANGE RAPIDLY!!! THIS IS A GOOD GUIDE, BUT FOR PRACTICAL REASONS WILL NOT ALWAYS BE CORRECT

Bus Routes
1 Double-Decker – 2 Double-Decker – 3 – 7 – 8 – 9 – 11 – 17 – 19 – 20 – 24 – 26 – 28 – 29 – 30 – 31 – 36 – 39 – 43 – 45 – 48 – 54 – 55 – 56 – 58 – 60 – 61 – 63 – 65 – 67 – 68 – 73 -74 – 203 – 241 – 242 – 253 – k29

Bus Stops
喷水池 – PenShuiChi – Is the city center has: Pizza Hut, Createa,Grandma’s Kitchen, Parkson, Flower Plaza, Japanese Ramen, Sunning,KFC, Dicos and more.
1. 次南门 – CiNan Men – Provincial Science an Technology Museum
2. 大十字 – DaShiZi – Spaceship intersection, KFC, Parkson, Top-Spinning Park, Wholesale Snack and Liquor Market
3. 大西门 – DaXiMen – Computer City, ShiXiLu Market, KFC
4. 大营坡 – DaYingPo –
5. 东门 – DongMen
6. 贵大 – GuiDa – Guizhou University, Huaxi
7. 贵医 – GuiYi – Medical College Hospital, Ramada Plaza, Visa Office, Health Certificate Office
8. 贵州日报社 – Guizhou RiBaoShe – Visa Office, Health Certificate, Ramada Plaza
9. 河滨公园 – Hebin GongYuan – Hebin Park, Hebin Park Bus Station, Dicos
10. 和平路 – HePing Lu – North Catholic Church
11. 花果园 – HuaGuo Yuan – Work Permit Office
12. 火车站 – HuoCheZhan – Train Station, Gym, Spa, Forest City Inn, Train Station Muslim, Wall Mart
13. 花溪 – HuaXi – Huaxi Park, Guizhou University,
15. 甲秀楼 – JiaXiaLou – Jiaxiu Lou Tower, Xingli Department Store / Supermarket, Toys R’ Us, KFC, Japanese Ramin,
16. 机场路口 – JiChang LuKou – Airport, KFC
17. 纪念塔 – JiNian Ta – Guiyang Grand Theatre
18. 黔灵公园 – QianLing GongYuan – QianLing Park, Howard Johnson Hotel and Buffet
19. 黔灵西路口 – QianLing Xi LuKou – Beijing JiaoZi, Protestant Church,
20. 沙冲路口 – ShaChong LuKou – Train Station WalMart
21. 陕西路 – XiaXiLu –
六广门 – LiuGuangMen – Leather and Pottery Story, Gym,
22. 省府路口 – ShengFu LuKou – Alcohol Market, Beijing Hualian, XiaoShi Zi Movie Theatre
23. 省医 – ShengYi – Provincial Hosp
24. 神奇路 – ShenQi Lu
25. 师大 – ShiDa
26. 天河潭 – TianHe Tan
27. 金阳客车站 – JinYang KeCheZhan
28. 体育馆 – TiYu Guan
29. 下合群路 – XiaheQun Lu
30. 小十字 – Xiao ShiZi
31. 油炸街 – YouZhaJie
32. 新路口 – Xinlu Kou
33. 阳明祠 – YangMing Ci
34. 优点大楼 – YouDian Da Lou
35. 云岩广场 – YunYan GuangChang
36. 紫林庵 – Zi Lin’An
( from googuizhou.weebly.com/transit-bus.html)

Taxi

Taxi- Taxis in Guiyang during the day start at 8 yuan and at night start at 10 yuan for the first 2 km and increase by 2 yuan for every 1km after that. Taxis can be hard to find during rush hour especially on main roads, if you are having problems finding a taxi, try a smaller road. If you have any problem with a taxi in Guiyang please contact the following:
•Guiyang Taxi Complaining No.: 0851-5285496

Taxi at the Train Station –
Across the street from the train station, past the prominent public bus area there is a taxi line, where metered taxis can be picked up anytime of the day. Sometimes the line can be a little long, or taxis very few, but one should not have to wait more than 5-10 minutes to get a taxi. A taxi to city center should be about 10-12 yuan.

Taxi at the Airport –
Right outside the exit of the airport there is a taxi line, these taxis are metered during the day, but late night sometimes one must barter. Taxis into city center should be about 40-60 yuan.
Black Taxis – Guiyang has many black taxis. Most of the time these taxis work perfectly, but there have been a few cases of black taxi drivers either trying to rip-off foreigners or trying to commit even worse crimes, use them at your own risk. Prices in black taxis must be negotiated and the driver usually starts high, very rarely will you ever get a black taxi for less than what a metered taxi would cost, their existence stems from the difficultly to get a taxi a certain hours of the day in Guiyang.
( from googuizhou.weebly.com/taxi.html )

Five-Star Hotels
Although Guiyang is a poor city, in the poorest province in China, it still boasts an incredibly wealthy class of individuals, businessmen and travelers who stay at Five-Star hotels. These hotels are cheaper than Five-Star hotels in other countries or even in other cities in China. They are also the best places to get western food if you have the money.
Kempinski

Sheraton

Pullman

This French 5-star hotel is foreign operated with a Chinese staff. Done to true 5-star quality the Pullman is a great choice for one who wants luxury on their vacation. The Pullman also has the best western buffet in town but is a little steep at 200 yuan / person.

Empark Grand Hotel
( from googuizhou.weebly.com/5-star.html )

Four-Star Hotels

Four-Star hotels are the best bet for Guiyang travelers who want a western standard to their rooms but do not want to pay the price

Ramada

The Ramada Grand Hotel is located 7kms to the railway station and 12kms to the airport. It is near Qianling Park and features a western buffet, swimming pool, gym, 100mbs/internet and more. Click on “Ramada” for more details

Howard Johnson

One of the first international hotels in Guiyang, the Howard Johnson still keeps up with the new hotels in town. It offers a cheaper, but still great western buffet that includes sushi. It along with the Ramada is also the only hotels with an indoor swimming pool. Being near Qianling Park, the Howard Johnson is probably your best bet for all around value.

Novotel Downtown

The Novotel Downtown just opened last year and is a quality 4-star hotel. The best part about it is its location. Right off of ZhongHua Road very near PenShuiChi, the Novotel allows for the easiest access to everything in the city.

Trade Point
( from googuizhou.weebly.com/4-star.html )

Budget Hotels
Guiyang is full of cheap hotels. They are all Chinese owned and range widely in quality, price and appearance. Sadly Guiyang does not have an international youth hostel, but one can get a nicer and cheaper room at one of these places. Warning: these hotels will not have any English speaking staff and some of them will not allow you to stay if you are a foreigner. Also many of these hotels you cannot book on an English website, so one must book it in person or on a Chinese website like qunar.com
( from googuizhou.weebly.com/budget.html )

Local Food

SiWaWa – 丝娃娃 Local fresh vegetables inside a wrapped rice tortilla

A local favorite right out of Guiyang, Siwawa is not only delicious, it is also vegetarian, and unlike a lot of other Chinese food contains very little oil. There are two types of Siwawa, one that is eaten at street stands and one that is eaten at a nicer restaurant. Eating Siwawa is simple, you choose the vegetables you and your eating partners wish to eat, you pick up a rice tortilla, then using Chopsticks take the vegetables you want, put it in, wrap it up and enjoy.

Top 5 Siwawa Restaurants in Guiyang
1. Mr. Miaos siwawa- best in town balhbalhbalh address: link:

Bean Hot Pot – DouMi HuoGuo – 豆米火锅

Tourists and locals alike can fulfill their gustatory pleasures by indulging in another Guiyang favorite, bean hot pot, in which a smorgasbord of meats and vegetables are cooked in a boiling bean soup. Unlike famous hot pots in Chongqing and Sichuan, bean hot pot pot is devoid of the peppers and spices that typically set unsuspecting foreigners’ mouths ablaze. However, bean hot pot provides the opportunity to season various combinations of meats and vegetables in its delicious and hearty bean broth. At their table patrons are provided with a large pot containing a bean soup which is placed over a hot plate (or fire, depending on the restaurant you choose to patronize). Customers are then given the option to select numerous types of meats and vegetables to place in the piping hot soup.

Best Bean Hot Pot Restaurants
1. Tu Feng Bean Hot Pot 土风豆米火锅

Miao Sour Soup Fish Hot Pot – Miao SuanTang Yu HuoGuo – 苗酸汤鱼火锅

A specialty coming out of Southeast Guizhou, Sour Fish Hot Pot is often regarded as a food foreigners will miss most once they leave Guizhou. The thick, sour broth is made from tomatoes and it permeates into whatever you put in the pot. Typically inside is a large river fish that soaks up the flavor and your selection of other ingredients, typically potatoes, tofu and cabbage. The hot pot can be eaten alone or with side dishes. Most locals will dip the food that comes out of the hotpot into a small bowl of liquid hot peppers.

Best Sour Fish Soup Hot Pot
1. Old Kaili Sour Fish Soup – Top ranked by locals with a nice atmosphere, this restaurant gives you exactly what you need.
2. Miao Village Restaurant – Great flavored Sour Hot Pot in a little bit more modest of a setting than Old Kaili

Local Snacks

1. Smelly Tofu – Chou DouFu – 臭豆腐
– Sounds gross, but add some spicy pepper and it is a great snack

Best Local Lunch

1. Local Guiyang Intestine Noodle Soup 贵阳肠旺面 changwang mian
– This restaurant only runs during lunch hours and is ALWAYS packed. Loved by locals, and light on the wallet, this local special is a must have.Best Local Dinner
1. Sour Soup Hotpot by the Stick restaurant
– Well off the beaten path, this secret local hideout is not only ridiculously delicious but is also incredibly cheap and different.
( from googuizhou.weebly.com/local-food.html )

Foreign Food

Guiyang has few foreigners but over the past five years this has started to change. New western restaurants and more imported goods are coming everyday
Fast Food
1. KFC – Although lacking amazing western menu items such as the double down, KFC is a good break from Chinese food at decent prices. Breakfast sandwiches are highly recommended
2. Dicos – A Chinese knockoff of KFC that some say tastes better than KFC and is usually a few yuan cheaper. They also deliver.
3. CSC – A Chinese fast food restaurant with mostly rice dishes, a little more expensive than the local food, but cheaper than Dicos / KFC.
4. Master Kongs – Almost what one would expect a Chinese fast food restaurant to be in America.

Pizza

1. Pizza Fun – A Chinese owned pizza buffet that takes one out of Guiyang and into America. Currently open in two locations
2. Pizza Hut – The only international pizza chain in Guizhou. Although a little expensive it is your best bet for pizza in town.
3. Jazzy Pizza –
4. Beibado

Western Restaurants

1. Grandmas – Highly noted as the best western restaurant in town. Grandmas is the home of Guiyang’s only real beef hamburger.
2. LA Grill – Formerly owned by an American, now locally owned, LA Grill offers great tasting tex-mex but at a steep price and small portions
3. Highlands – Although mostly a coffee shop, highlands is owned and operated by foreigners and has a few western food items. Panini is highly recommended
4. Brazilian BBQ
Western Buffets
– Kempinski – not open yet, but will feature a German brew-house and the best food in town. Currently has three shefs hired.
– Sheraton – A great assortment of cheeses and other western cuisines
– Pullman – Rated the best buffet in town, the Pullman has everything you could want at a steep price (200 yuan/person)
– Howard Johnson – Not the best western buffet in town, but it tastes good, has great western selection and is comparatively cheap! (90 yuan / person)
– Ramada – Like the Howard Johnson the Ramada is good, western and cheaper than the 5-stars in town.
Korean / Thai / Japanese

Thai
– Bangkok Lotus
– Banana Leaf – Amazing Thai food, with a foreign chef and musical entertainment, but very expensive! Expect to pay at least 70 yuan a dish

Japanese

Korean

Imported Food Supermarkets

1. Carefore – The best imported food / alcohol section in town
2. Cheese Street – A Chinese market which sells bulk cheese and other imported goods. Hard to find, but is a real Guiyang Treasure.
2. Wal-Mart – American company, decent imported food section with three locations.
3. Xingli Department store Supermarkets – Nice Chinese supermarket in the bottom of the Xingli malls. Imported food is mostly Japanese and Korean but it has the largest imported wine and beer selections in town.
4. Imported Alcohol Store – A Chinese owned store with all the foreign liquor one would want, at standard imported prices.
( from googuizhou.weebly.com/foreign-food.html )

Chinese Food
Chinese food is as diverse as the people and its land. There are eight famous types of Chinese food and thousands of local specialities in this vast country. If you are looking for local food, click here. This page shows where to find the best of the rest in Chinese cuisine, in Guiyang.
Sichuan / Chongqing Food

The most famous style of food in China, Sichuan / Chongqing food is known for itsmala (spicy and numbing) flavor. Sichuan food is what is found in most small family restaurants. (Click here for a full menu of Sichuan food) But Sichuan and Chongqing are most well known for its hotpots. The hotpots are often incredibly spicy, oily and delicious.

Best Sichuan / Chongqing Dishes restaurants

Best Sichuan / Chongqing Hotpot restaurants

Muslim Food

A favorite of foreigners in China, Muslim food comes from the Hui and UyghurMuslim populations located in North and Northwest China. The Hui and Uyghurpeople have different cuisines but they taste similar. The Hui people’s most famous food is LanZhou La Mian (Lanzhou Pulled noodles) where the Uyghurs most famous food is Xinjiang DaPan Ji (Xinjiang big plate of Chicken).
The pulled noodles are made by hand, topped with your choice of meat, potato and vegetables with a slightly spicy sauce covering all of it. The noodles are best ordered fried, but can also come in a soup.
Da Pan Ji is a massive plate of chicken, potatoes, vegetables and sometimes tofu that is smothered in a delicious spicy sauce. One must eat this with the Xinjiang nan bread for the full flavor effect. The cuisine is much more vast than this so pick anything on the menu and you are bound to have a delightful meal!

Best Muslim Restaurants in Guiyang

1. Train Station Xinjiang Uyghur Restaurant
2. Muslim Street Xinjiang Uyghur Restaurant
3. Guizhou Normal College LaMian muslim

Beijing Food

1. Beijing Jiaozi – delicious Chinese dumplings with a friendly staff and good prices

Other

Best Vegetarian Food

1. Buddhist Temple Vegetarian Restaurant – An amazing experience in the middle of downtown, the Buddhist Temple Restaurant serves hundreds of dishes of Chinese cuisine but only use meat substitutes. These substitutes often taste better than the real thing. The end result is a meal that is delicious and healthy. Also inside is a small Buddhist temple.
( from googuizhou.weebly.com/chinese-food.html )

Menu

In Guizhou and all over China there are too many restaurants to even count. Most of these are called 家常菜 (family style) restaurants. These often have the same types of dishes. Here is a list of some of the most famous items on these menus.

Appetizers 开胃品

1. 炸花生 – Zha HuaSheng
– Deep-Fried Peanuts
2. 凉拌黄瓜 – LiangBan HuangGua
– Cold cumcumber with spice
3. 豆米 – Dou Mi
– Glutinous rice with spicePork 猪肉
1. 糖醋里脊 – TangCu LiJi
– Sweet and Sour Pork
2. 鱼香肉丝 – YuXiang RouSi
– Sour and Spicy Pork Strip
3. 京酱肉丝 – JingJiang RouSi
– Saucy meat with plum sauce and mini tortillas
4. 排骨 – Pai Gu
– Ribs
5. 水煮肉片 – ShuiZhu RouPian
– Pork Slices with a spicy soup base
6. 蒜苗炒肉 – SuanMiao ChaoRou
– Garlic Shoots with Pork

Chicken – 鸡肉

1. 工包鸡丁 – GongBao JiDing
– Chicken with Peanuts
2. 铁板鸡片 – TieBan Ji Pian
– Sizzling Chicken with Onions
3. 腰果鸡丁 – YaoGuo Ji Ding
– Chicken and Cashews

Beef – 牛肉

1. 铁板牛肉 – TieBan Niu Rou
– Sizzling beef and onions
2. 孜然牛肉 – ZiRan Niu Rou
– Deep fried beef and cumin
3. 红烧牛肉 – HongShao Niu Rou
– Beef in brown sauce
4. 牛肉炒大葱 – NiuRou Chao Da Cong
– Beef and onions

Vegetables – 蔬菜

1. 干煸土豆丝 – GanBian TuDouSi
– Deep Friend Shredding Potatoes
2. 炸薯条 – Zha ShuTiao
– Chinese French Fries
3. 土豆泥 – TuDou Ni
– Mashed Potatoes
4. 西红柿炒鸡蛋 – XiHongSe ChaoJiDan
– Fried Egg and Tomato
5. 干煸棒豆 – GanBian BangDou
– Crispy fried green beans
6. 干煸四季豆 – GanBian SiJiDou
– Crisy fried beans
7. 西兰花 – XiLanHua
– Broccoli

Vegetables – 蔬菜

1. 花菜 – Hua Cai
– Cauliflower
2. 菠菜 – Bo Cai
– Spinach
3. 空心菜 – Kong Xin Cai
– Chinese Water Spinach
4. 白菜 – BaiCai
– Chinese Cabbage
5. 玉米 – YuMi
– Corn
6. 茄炸 – QieZha
– Breaded Eggplant with meat filling
7. 生菜 – Sheng Cai
– Lettuce

Tofu – 豆腐

1. 麻婆豆腐 – MaPo DouFu
– Tofu chunks in spicy sauce
2. 家常豆腐
– Homestyle tofu
3. 青椒豆腐干
– Smoke tofu strips and green peppers
4. 日本豆腐
– Japanese tou fu

Staples

1. 米饭 – Mi fan
– rice
2.蛋炒饭 – Dan ChaoFan
– Egg fried rice
3. 饺子 – jiaozi
– Chinese dumplings
4. 面条 – mian tiao
– Noodles
5. 包子 – BaoZi
– Steamed Bun with various fillings
6. 馒头 – ManTou
– Chinese steamed bread
7. 馄饨 – HunTun
– Wonton

Soup – 汤

1. 酸辣汤 – SuanLa Tang
– Hot and Sour Soup
2. 西红柿鸡蛋汤 – HongXiShi JiDanTang
– Tomato and Egg soup
3. 白菜豆腐汤
– Tofu and Cabbage soup
4. 三鲜汤 – SanXianTang
– Meatball, Veggie soup

Hot Pot – 火锅

1. 清汤 – QingTang
– Clear (light, no/little spice) hotpot
2. 酸汤
– Sour Hot Pot
3. 麻辣汤
– Hot and Spicy Hot Pot
4. 豆米火锅
– Brown Bean Hot Pot
5. 豆花火锅
– Special Tofu Hot pot
6. 干锅鸡
– Dry Chicken Hotpot

Drinks – 饮料

1. 可口可乐 – kekou kele – Coke
2. 百事可乐 – baishi kele – Pepsi
3. 雪碧 – XueBi – Sprite
4. 茶水 – ChaShui – Tea
5. 矿泉水 – KuangQuan Shui Spring Water
6. 开水 – kai shui – hot water
7. 啤酒 – Pi Jiu – Beer
8. 葡萄酒 – PuTao Jiu – Red Wine
9. 咖啡 – KaFei – Coffee

Desserts – 甜点

1. 拔丝苹果 – BaSi Ping Guo
– Caramelized apple chunks
2. 菠萝飞饼 – BoLuo FeiBing
– Pineapple Pastry
3. 南瓜饼 – NanGuo Bing
– Chinese pumpkin bread

Recipes

Although Guizhou does not have many foreign restaurants, it does not mean you cannot get foreign food out of your Kitchen. This section will help you make delicious western food out of items you can find from most Chinese Supermarkets

– Basic Pasta Noodles – Wal-Mart and Carefore both have Italian pasta but it can be expensive, make it yourself for 2 yuan!
– Basic White Sauce – The closest thing you can get to Alfredo
– Beer Bread – A good western style bread.
( from googuizhou.weebly.com/menu–recipes.html)

Guiyang Bars / Clubs

China is known for its heavy drinking culture. And in China, Guizhou is famous for its heavier drinking culture. It makes sense as Guizhou is the home of the “National Liquor” Moutai. This gives Guiyang a slew of bars and KTV’s but because of its small, young/middle class and foreign population there are very few international type places and no western style bars.

Bars

The Guiyang Bar scene is much different than other cities in China. Most bars consist of dimly lit areas with giant puffy couches to sit on and drink cheap beer. These are great for being with your friends but it can make it difficult to find new friends. Also there are no western style bars in town.

Top Bars in Guiyang
1.
2.

Clubs

Guiyang has a few clubs in town. They are all Chinese owned and operated, but from time to time will have a foreign DJ playing. A good time for those who love them and a strange cultural experience for those who have not been to one yet. Going to a club in China is a must at least once, but terrible if you go too often.

Top Clubs in Guiyang
1.
2.

KTV

KTV is something everyone must do at least once in China. Round up your friends, rent a room, get some beers and have the time of your life.

Top KTV in Guiyang
1.
2..

Other

( from googuizhou.weebly.com/bars-clubs-and-ktv.html )

Coffee and Tea

Guiyang is a city full of Coffee and Tea shops. It seems that along every street coffee and tea shops are every other shop. The best part is that in Guiyang all coffee houses are locally owned, not one Starbucks can be found! The following are a few of the best local coffee shops in town.
Createa (宜北町 – Yi Bei Ding)

The Starbucks of Guiyang, Createa is a local Chain with over 8 locations that gives you fast service, cheap prices and a busy atmosphere with generic jazz music playing in the background. The drinks are good, but the teas are better than the coffees. Createa also offers desserts such as cheesecake for the lowest prices in town. The menu is in English but the staff does not speak English but one can easily point at the menu to place your order. Free wi-fi is available, but you must ask the counter for the password. Here is a map of all the Createas in Guiyang.
Soil Cafe (土壤咖啡)

The high end coffee shop of Guiyang, Soil cafe has emerged out of nowhere a year ago to now having over five locations. The atmosphere is really nice, albeit a little confusing. The drinks are expensive and the service can be a bit slow, especially at the main store near Guizhou Normal University. The place is not meant to be a Starbucks but more of a place to meet with friends and spend an entire afternoon chatting or doing work. It really works well with Guiyang’s relaxed pace of life, but if you are want a quick cup of coffee head to Createa instead. Free Wi-Fi available, just ask a server for the password. Here is a map of all the Soil Cafe’s in town.

Highlands

Highlands was started by an American five years ago but this year the ownership was handed over to a Singaporean and a Korean. Highlands offers an English speaking staff, a comfortable atmosphere and a great foreign food menu including paninis. The prices are in-between Createa and Soil Cafe and the drinks and food are great. The only problem with Highlands is the overly strict rule enforcement that levees a sitting tax if you do not order, even if a friend did, a no outside drinks of food policy (unlike every other coffee shop in Guizhou, not even a bottle of water is not allowed from the outside even if you ordered a coffee) and an even stranger no pictures policy. That being said, the new management will hopefully change this practice. Free wifi is available.

Wings of Tea

Other Local Coffee / Tea Shops

Guiyang has so many coffee/tea shops that it is impossible to list them all. But here is a list of GoGuizhou.com’s other favorites.

1. Zero Cafe
2.
3.

( from googuizhou.weebly.com/coffee–tea.html )

Hot Springs and Spas
Guiyang is known for its laid back atmosphere and who would not want to relax here when there is an abundance of hot springs, natural and man-made in such a small area. Here is some of the best around.

Poly Hot Springs

Tianyi Forest Hot Springs

Xifeng Hot Springs

Wudang Hot Springs

( from googuizhou.weebly.com/hot-springs-and-spas.html)

TongRen Living

Living as a Laowai
There are not many foreigners in Tongren. In fact, according to the police bureau, there are exactly 7 laowai in Tongren right now, all of whom are teachers. Life in Tongren is pretty relaxed. The tough part about living in a small rural community is that very few people have ever met, let alone seen, a laowai before. Therefore when you are walking down the street, riding the bus, or having dinner in any given restaurant, you can expect consistent stares and an occasional “hullo” from a brave passer by. There is one known blog about life in Tongren. Tongren blog

How to Arrive / Leave

Tongren does have an airport, but you can only arrive from Guiyang and Shanghai. The train station in town was built in 2006 and is very small, however, there are daily trains to Shanghai to the east and Chengdu to the west. To go south by train, you have to travel by bus to the town of Yuping or take the train one stop east and transfer in Huaihua.

Where to work: Really the only jobs for foreigners in Tongren are teaching jobs. There are two universities in the town, but the salary at both is small, especially when compared to schools in more affluent provinces or autonomous regions. There are several private English training schools who offer competitive salaries that include housing, water, and electricity.
( from googuizhou.weebly.com/living1.html)

Wumeng Mountain

The Wumeng Mountain national geopark is on the eastern slope of the qinhai tibet plateu and in the transition region from the yunnan-guzhou plateau to the hills in guangxi. Wumeng mountain si mainly composed of the karst geological remains and landscapes, plains in the mountaihns, valleys, paleeontological fossils and anthropoligical sites. The national geopark consists of two gardens and five scenic zones.

Beipan River Grand Canyon

YuShe National Forest Park

The Wumeng Mountain national geopark is on the eastern slope of the Qinghai Tibetan plateu and in the transition region from the Yunnan-Guizhou plateau to the hills in Guangxi. Wumeng mountain si mainly composed of the karst geological remains and landscapes, plains in the mountaihns, valleys, paleeontological fossils and anthropoligical sites. The national geopark consists of two gardens and five scenic zones.

Liuzhi Suoga

( from googuizhou.weebly.com/traveling.html )

Liupanshui 六盘水 – The Cool Capital

Liupanshui is both a name for a city and prefecture in western Guizhou. Liupanshui is also the second largest and most developed city in Guizhou. The city itself has about 300,000 residents while the prefecture has close to 3,000,000. Liupanshui gets its name from the three main cities that combined to create the prefecture Liuzhi, Panxian and Shui Cheng. The city is known as the “cool city” or the “cool capital” because of its cool summer temperatures.

The city is divided into three main areas huang tu po, The New Development Are (开发区kai fa qu) and the dragon mountain area. Huang tu po is the oldest part of the city and because of this it is the most pedestrian friendly area. There are many great shops, restaurants and supermarkets in this area. it is also home to the LPS city government.

The new development zone has all been built in the last 10 years. It is the most developed area of the city which holds the people’s square, two large parks, coffee shops, nice Chinese hotels, some department stores, the PSB office and a Wal Mart.

The Dragon Mountain area is the newest addition to LPS city. It is up on a hill that makes a pretty picturesque scenery during a sunny day. Most of the buildings in this area have been built in the last few years and much of the area is still under construction. This area is home to the LPS provincial government offices, the number three (best) middle school and is also the future home of the LPS foreign language center.

Living as a Foreigner

Although the city is the second largest in Guizhou and is also one of the main hubs of the provinces’ economic development, the expat population constantly fluctuates between 5-10. Most of them work as teachers but there are a few who are studying Chinese. The city is much more of a traditional Chinese place with little exposure to foreigners. Most of the time you will be greeted on the streets with stares (of curiosity not contempt), the oft-stated “hello!”or “OOO laowai!” and great smiles from the local people. That being said the city itself boasts a small Chinese middle/upper class who have had previous experience with foreigners and some nice Chinese accommodations to take you out of the sometimes harsh conditions.

The level of English speaking in the community is very low. Liupanshui is a great place to live but if a laowai is not accustom to Chinese culture or know some basic Chinese (or is not willing to learn these things) it can be very difficult to live in this city. That being said if you do have a basic understanding of Chinese and its culture the city can be a really fulfilling place to experience.

Laowais who have lived in LIupanshui typically say the food, people and the surrounding scenery are the best aspects of the city. While the worst part of living in Liupanshui is the constant cold and wet weather during the winter, think Seattle with the lack of central heat.

Getting in / Out
Train
Liupanshui’s train station is one of the main train hubs in Guizhou. Liupanshui has trains that go all the way to Kunming in the west, Guiyang to the east, and Chengdu to the north. To buy train tickets you must buy them in person at the train station or in one of the small ticket booths located around the city within 10 days prior to your departure.

Liupanshui to Guiyang / Guiyang to Liupanshui
Guiyang is the closest large city with a size-able foreign population and some international goods. At all times there is the ability to catch a train to Guiyang or Liupanshui as there are 30 trains that travel to Guiyang and about the same that come back to Liupanshui daily. There are three different types of trains that travel between the cities. All of the trains have AC. Two types of the trains take 3 hours and 45 minutes (any train with a K) and then there are three trains that take 2 hours and 45 minutes (any train with a T)

The two types of K trains are priced at 23 yuan ($4) and 43 yuan ($8) oneway. If on a budget I recommend the 23 yuan train because the 43 yuan trains don’t arrive any faster nor do they provide any extra comfort. Both of these trains have hard seats (benches) that face each other. If you happen to go on a weekend or holiday these will be very full with a strong likelihood that you will be crammed or standing the entire train ride. If this happens try to find the dining room car which usually resides in the middle of the train between the sleeper section and the hard seats. While there order one dish and enjoy the comfort while you eat your meal over 4 hours. Also if you have the cash sleepers are available on these trains.

The T trains were just added in October of 2010. They are second hand fast trains taken from the east of China and are quite nice. Most seats are bucket type, have ample leg room and face forward like a standard western train. These trains also usually are less full, quieter and they are smoke free. The tickets cost 64 yuan ($11) for a regular seat and 77 yuan ($13) for a “VIP” seat. The VIP seats aren’t worth the extra money.

Full Schedule of trains from LPS to Guiyang
Full Schedule of trains from Guiyang to LPS

Liupanshui to Kunming / Kunming to Liupanshui
Kunming is the closest city with a McDonalds. It is also a foreign backpacker mecca, a hub for many national natural wonders and just a wonderful city all the way around. It takes between 6 hours and 30 minutes to 9 hours to arrive in Kunming. If you wish to get to Kunming I recommend the T60 overnight train with a top sleeper bed.

Liupanshui to Kunming Schedule
Kunming to Liupanshui Schedule
Liupanshui to Chengdu / Chengdu to Liupanshui
Chengdu is metropolitan city of 10,000,000 people 12-15 hours north of Liupanshui. It is home of the American consulate for Southwest China. There are 7 trains daily to Chengdu.
Liupanshui to Chengdu Schedule
Chengdu to Liupanshui Schedule

Liupanshui is also the best place to stay overnight on your way to CaoHai lake in WeiNing. There are a few trains a day that go to Weining, with a ticket only costing 10 yuan and a total travel time of 1 and a half hours.

Bus station 客车站
The Liupanshui bus station is a 10 minute walk from the train station has buses running all day to many different cities in Guizhou and beyond. Most often the buses will be more expensive than the train but the station is also less crowded, and easier to get a ticket. Because of Guizhou’s rough terrian bus rides are quite the adventure and they also take close to as long or longer than taking a train. That being said buses serve many smaller communities that train stations don’t go to such as Bijie and Xingyi.

Getting Around

The city of Liupanshui lies in a valley which makes it very narrow, this makes getting lost in Liupanshui very difficult. The main road that goes throughout the city and were most of the important businesses, residential areas and places to see reside is Zhong Shan Da Dao (钟山大道). Zhong Shan da dao is a long, wide two way road,

Public Transportation

The only method of public transportation is bus. There are about 10 bus lines that go throughout the city. Buses start running at 7am and close at 9pm (although some of the smaller lines open later and close earlier). Every bus is 1 yuan/person.

The 1 line is the most important bus route as it goes the entire length of Zhong Shan in both directions. The city is currently revamping their bus fleet and stops, more detailed information about buses will come soon.

Taxis

Taxis are ubquitious throughout the city. Most of the time they are very easy to hail and very cheap to use. The meter starts at 5 yuan (about $.75) for the first two km. Make sure to tell the taxi driver that you want a metered taxi (da biao!) and you should rarely ever have a ride that is more than 15 yuan ($2.50).

Taxis can be difficult to get during rush hour and at the train station. Especially at midnight at the trainstation it is almost impossible to get a taxi by yourself and metered. If this is the case you should never pay over 15 yuan to get to your destination and 10 yuan is a good price. Also, especially late at night it is common for taxi drivers to pick up other passengers, this is ok, you will not be charged more for this.

Although rare, if you get in a situation where the taxi driver wants to overcharge you, ask him for a receipt (Da piao), if he won’t give it to you tell him you will call the police as it is in their licence agreement that they must be able to give you a recepit for the taxi ride.

There are also three wheel taxis that can slowly take you anywhere. Only take these if you are having trouble finding a regular taxi. These vehicals have no meter but you should never pay over 10 yuan for a ride. They are also very small and dangerious so take them at your peril

“Black Taxis”
are unmarked and illegal taxis. Sometimes they can work out fine sometimes not. Take them at your own risk.
Shopping

Liupanshui has many supermarkets as well as outdoor markets. The big two supermarket chains in Liupanshui are WalMart (1 location) and Jiahui (3 locations). Both of these supermarkets have about the same amount of goods at close to the same prices (although I have found things to be a little cheaper at Jiahui). Other small supermarkets also exist.

WalMart is located in Kai Fa Qu right across the street from Ren Min Guang Chang on the third floor of the Sun Center building. WalMart has the largest selection of International goods in Liupanshui but that is not saying much. Currently it has two small shelves full of mostly Japanese and Korean snacks. But some western food is also available such as pasta, pasta sauce, some cereals and other random western sauces. The international goods that come in are not always in stock and what WalMart carries fluctuates in random ways.

WalMart is also your best bet to find foreign alcohols. They have a decent selection of International Vodka, whiskey and red wine. Other locations have it but they are most likely counterfeit.

If you want good bread go to the yi xing long da chao shi (一兴隆大超市) in Hong tu po. The supermarket is across the street from Dicos and has a large blue sign at its entrance. At the bottom floor the bread section has the normal strange looking sweet breads but on the top shelf they have buns. Yi xing supermarket produced these buns for the Dicos across the street and they taste just like a bun one would find in America.
Clothes
Like most Chinese cities along the streets of LPS is one clothing store after another. On Zhong Shan road in the new development zone there are a few Nike, Addidas stores as well as some higher end clothing shops. The Huang tu po area has two main locations where you can buy very cheap knock off goods. One is located on the corner across the street from the KFC, the other is situated under the sports stadium.
MedicalLiupanshui city is the major medical care center for the region. The best hospital is Liupanshui People’s Hospital (六盘水人民医院). The hospital is old and does not meet the standards set by the American consulate to have any work done other than the most basic services. There are no English speaking doctors. That being said in June 2011 the new hospital will open with much better facilities.

The closest English speaking doctors are in Guiyang at the Guiyang Medical School hospital. The closest hospital recommended by the American consulate is in Kunming.

Information for English Speaking Doctors in Guiyang
Where to Work
Liupanshui currently has three schools with foreign teachers.

The current job openings include:
www.esljobs.com/china/esl-teachers-needed-in-liupanshui-c…
Teach young learners or adults in LPS
Where to Study – There is an intensive Chinese language program at Liupanshui Normal University. The program offers one on one instruction with great mandarin speakers in a classroom setting. Currently there are two students enrolled.

Coffee/Tea

Over the past two years Liupanshui has had a renaissance of coffee and tea shops. Growing seemingly as fast as its middle class every new area has many coffee and tea houses. Once nice thing about Liupanshui coffee bars is that there are no chain coffee places, all of the shops are locally owned, which brings friendly service and a relaxing atmosphere. The only down side to that is especially for coffee some shops have very inexperienced with the drink making process itself. The following are the four best coffee/tea shops in town.

Wayne (Wizard of Oz) and Tims (TT) – Although not the official names, the local laowai know the first two coffee shops by the first name of the owners. Wayne and Tim are cousins, they are incredibly friendly and both speak English well. The coffee shops are located right next to each other, on the small street next to the Dico’s fast food restaurant near the People’s Square. They both offer a relaxing homey atmosphere and have wonderful drinks. The main difference between the two shops are although they both serve alcohol, Wayne’s only serves cocktails and wine as Tims offers a selection of beers to go along with your coffee.

Cool Choose – Despite the funny name, Cool Choose is the closest thing Liupanshui has to a Starbucks / American coffee house feel. Cool Choose is north of the people’s square, across the street from the Vito Hotel / China Telecom building. Not only does Cool Choose have great coffee and tea but it is also home to the only Cheese Cake in town.

Detail Coffee – Located on the second floor of the cool city palace, Detail coffee has a very friendly staff, an elegant, urban atmosphere and a great view of the people’s square.

Bars

Clubs – Liupanshui is home to two night clubs jiahui and guohui. They are both located near the People’s Square. Both offer dancing to blaringly loud, techo remixes of old American pop/hip-hop songs. The nightlife also ends early. Most nights the club will be cleared by midnight – one o’clock. That does not mean they are not fun but one must arrive early.
( from googuizhou.weebly.com/liupanshui.html )

Huangguoshu Waterfall 黄果树瀑布
( from googuizhou.weebly.com/huangguoshu-waterfall.html)

Historical Sites
From the ancient to modern history, temples to the political meeting sites, Guizhou has many great, off-the-path historical areas to see!
Zunyi Meeting Site

Qingyan Ancient Town

( from googuizhou.weebly.com/historical-sites.html)

English Tour Guides

English tours in Guizhou are few and far between, but that makes them much more exciting. Lost is the massive buses going to tourist attractions with expensive ticket prices and long waits and found is very personal tours, from excellent, knowledgeable and local guides. Here are a few companies with listed tours and also a list of companies that do individual tours.

Top Guizhou Tours

1. ToGuizhou , www.toguizhou.com/, – A wonderful local who started his own tour company. He does the best tours of minority festivals in Guizhou.
2. Absolute China Tours , www.absolutechinatours.com/Guiyang-tours/
3. China Tour Guides , www.chinatourguide.com/guizhou/- Wonderful Minority tours for an affordable price

( from googuizhou.weebly.com/english-tours.html)

Guizhou Normal University

Guizhou Normal University is located in Guiyang, China, which is the capital of China’s Guizhou province. The university’s main campus is located close to the center of the city, and its campus is encompassed by the often bustling and lively atmosphere of downtown Guiyang. GNU is in close proximity to Pen Shui chi, which is a center for food, shopping and night life in Guiyang. GNU currently comprises two campuses, Baoshan (main campus) and Baiyun, and the construction of a third campus is currently underway in Huaxi district.

Originally named National Guiyang Teachers College, the University was founded in 1941, and renamed Guiyang Teachers College after the creation of the People’s Republic of China in 1950. In 1985 it was officially named Guizhou Normal University (GNU). In 1996 GNU was officially designated as one of the “Key Universities” of Guizhou Province. GNU was honored as an “Outstanding University” in the Undergraduate Teaching Assessment conducted by the Ministry of education in 2008, and in February of 2010 GNU was authorized to grant PhD’s by the State Council Academic Degrees Committee.

Teaching English
Teaching English – Guizhou Normal University is always looking for foreign teachers. Teacher usually have 16 hours of classes a week and an English Corner. Pay is around 6000 yuan / month and a free apartment. Apartments are old but nice. Click here and go to Contact US to apply

International Scope
GNU is a participant in the Ministry of Education’s “Program of Partner Assistance with Western Universities,” and currently engages in an exchange program with Ohio State University. GNU has also established exchange programs with schools in Korea, Japan, and Thailand. Since 2006 GNU has also cooperated with Xiamen University, a nationally prestigious university within China, to forge a “partner assistance” relationship.
GNU currently has a student body numbering more than 25,000 undergraduate and graduate students, most of whom hail from Guizhou Province. The university has approximately 1,400 full time teachers, some of whom’s work has been honored by the Guizhou Provincial Government as well as the government of China. According to GNU’s website “In the past five years, the university has undertaken 79 national research projects and 430 provincial and ministerial research projects. The university has received 67 provincial awards for its achievements.”

GNU consists of 22 schools, including an independent college named Qiushi college. Other schools include the School of Chinese Language and Literature, the School of Law, The School of Foreign Languages, and the School of Fine Arts. There are a variety of academic programs available for students to pursue, including 52 degree programs for undergraduate students, and 42 programs available to post graduate students.

Library

The libraries on GNU’s campuses collectively hold more than 2 million printed books, 540,000 e-books, 100,000 e-books in foreign languages, and 2,544 foreign and domestic newspapers. The library on GNU’s Baoshan campus is also the location of a Provincial Information Center, the National Protection Unit of Ancient Books, and the center of “Document Sharing Technology of Guizhou Province.” Other key facilities include the University hospital and a newly constructed health center at Baoshan campus.

External Links
Official website : www.gznu.edu.cn/
Official website (English) : 210.40.64.7/english/index.htm Studying Chinese
Studying Chinese Chinese Language Program
Guizhou NormalUniversity recruits students from various countries to study Chinese language and culture courses. The students may study 15 language courses and about 15 Chinese culture courses for at least half a year. If students achieve a qualified score, they can get a Chinese Language Culture Study certificate.Instruction will be given in speaking, listening comprehension, reading, newspaper reading, writing and ancient Chinese. Special courses can be arranged to meet the students’needs. The teaching-hour will be at least 20 hours.
Long-term Programs Required CoursesLong term programs are available
Short-term Programs Guizhou NormalUniversity recruits students and teachers from various countries to study Chinese language and culture. The available short-term Chinese language and culture programs are offered as following all year round. 1. Chinese Language Learning Program (Half a year or one year)
2. Guizhou Minority Culture Study Program during winter holiday
3. Guizhou Minority Culture Study Program during summer holiday
4. Cultural Field Trip to Sister Festival of Miao people and Drum-tower Festival of Dong People
5. Seeking Cooperative Research Fellows

Application ProcedureThe period of study ranges from one and half year to one year. The spring semester begins on March 1, and the autumn semester begins on September 1. Applicants need to apply 2 months ahead of time. They need to present their resume, application form, health certification, 6 photos, letter of recommendation, an education certificate, and a photocopy of their passport at one time to the Department of International Relations of GNU. Students are expected to arrive at least a week before the new semester begins. Tuition cannot be refunded when a student discontinues studying for any reason.Application form:http://www.gznu.edu.cn/survey/org/wsb/extra_bits/app/student_appl ication.pdf Tuition:6000 yuan / term for a general visiting student; 8000-11000 yuan / term for a visiting scholarRegistration Fee: 500 yuan Contacts:The Department of International Relations, Guizhou Normal UniversityNo. 116 BaoshanBeiLu
Guiyang, Guizhou, 550001
P. R. ChinaTel: +86-851- 6701140 / 6742053Fax: +86-851-6766891E-mail: wsc@gznu.edu.cn

( from googuizhou.weebly.com/guizhou-normal-university.html )

Who we are

Ni hao! Welcome to GoGuizhou.com, we are two American volunteer teachers who love living in Guizhou. Our lives have been significantly changed and touched since moving here and we both consider Guizhou “home”. Our travels throughout Guizhou have taken us from small minority villages in the northeast to stunning hikes in the mountains of the southwest and everything in between. Our purpose is not to make money, but to have others share in the joy we have been given from this land. Take a look at the site, hopefully gain some new perspectives on Guizhou and contact us if you want to add your own touch to the site!

Questions? Comments? Want to help make the site? EMAIL US! : emyxter@gmail.com

( from googuizhou.weebly.com/contact-us.html)

Peace Corps 和平队 & VSO in Guizhou

 Peace Corps Volunteers in China – Stories

from china.drupalgardens.com/content/background  , uploaded at: http://www.flickr.com/photos/98531730@N02/9556483068/

Address:
Peace Corps China
C/O Sichuan Unversity
Mailbox 278
No. 29 Wangjiang Road
Chengdu, Sichuan 610064 PRC.
Email:  PcInfoChina@cn.peacecorps.gov ; Phone: Tel:86-28-8608-1871 ; Fax:86-28-8541-7152

The longer I am in China the more I realize I am not some “other” person, now a PCV in China, but very much myself. At home my family is the most important thing to me and in China my greatest challenge is to be away from them. I am lucky, however, that I have been accepted into a wonderful family that I now consider to be very much my own.

My host family and I have dinner together almost twice a week, every week. I have a Didi (little brother) and a Meimei (little sister), two relationships I never had in the U.S. as the baby of my family. When I first arrived I could see they were interested in getting to know me, but were very quiet and reluctant to talk with me. They were both also incredibly insecure. The more I got to know them, however, the more I saw how excellent their English was (or could be) and how wonderful they were at so many things. When I arrived my Meimei was preparing to enter her freshman year of college and my Didi, his last year of middle school. Though they both have families that love them deeply, they were living unhealthy lifestyles that left them constantly exhausted, and were so focused on school that they didn’t have time to enjoy it. My Didi felt the growing pressure of studying for the Zhong Kao (the high school entrance exam) and my Meimei was extraordinarily stressed about her physical image before entering her first year of college.

Before our classes began we climbed the mountain in town several times and practiced our English almost nightly. After Meimei went to school and we lacked her translation abilities my Didi and I grew close while attempting to converse in broken English and Chinese. I helped him with his English homework, talked to him about American culture as we watched American movies, and taught him ‘cool’ English songs to sing at KTV (karaoke). Over the winter months my Meimei returned from school and I could see she was exhausted and not giving her body the nutrients it needed. I encouraged our Mama to teach us how to cook more vegetable dishes so that we could reduce some of the fatty meats and excessive oil. We played badminton and ping pong together and talked about being healthy at school and how much happier we were when we were active. Every night we would have time that was “only English” (per their request) and “only Chinese” to improve both of our language abilities. Every night we also made time for my Meimei and I to study the erhu (Chinese two-stringed fiddle).

Since our time together I know that my Chinese has improved (as well as my erhu) and am sure their English has as well. My Didi is now at an excellent high school in another province, I hope still practicing his oral English, and my Meimei is following me in my English classes as a semester internship from school. They are the closest relationships I have made in China and as we learn from one another I feel very much a part of their family, both adored and loved.

Natalie Thomure, Guizhou, 2011-2013
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My students, colleagues, and host family have all been so kind and welcoming to me. Additionally, through the community-based English-Corner, my site-mate and I have made other friends in the community. One of my closest friends now is my friend Leo, who invited me to join he and his friends on a 5 day camping trip over the Mid-Autumn Festival and National Holiday. These gentlemen, though they hardly knew me, welcomed me to join their epic journey. On it, I was able to experience the warmth of the Chinese countryside.

Everywhere we went, there were people who were eager to help us, simply out of the kindness of their hearts. I was deeply affected by this unassuming generosity, and moved by the journey I was able to experience with the help of my new friends. On the last leg of the trip, we planned to camp at the bottom of a pit in a small village. The route down was steep, and the rainfall was persistent. Our guide informed us that it would not cease, so we turned back. His family was very poor. We gave them all of our food, so they cooked a meal that we shared together. That night, the family put us up in their home and kept us warm in the cool autumn evening. The following day, they slaughtered an old hen and made us a delicious soup from their farm and their livestock. They accepted nothing but our words to express our gratitude, and let us depart with a promise that we would return. I was changed by this experience, as the kindness I experienced my whole life paled in comparison to the way this family treated us.

Amanda LeClere, Guizhou, 2012-present

(both from china.drupalgardens.com/content/pcvs-stories# )
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Background

From its inception in 1993, Peace Corps China, known as the US-China Friendship Volunteers, has concentrated on teaching English. China has set as a major goal, nine years of free primary and middle school education for children in rural areas by 2010, and in the entire country by 2015. To meet economic development goals, China requires primary and middle school students to study English beginning in fourth grade in urban areas, and seventh grade in rural areas. Currently, there is a country-wide shortage of over 500,000 English teachers.

The major challenges that China faces are associated with a large population: education, housing, and medical care. In the field of education, China set goals in the Chinese Education Development and Reform Program. The success of education in China rests on the success in the rural areas where the majority of the population resides. This part of China has made a great deal of progress in institutionalizing 6-year compulsory elementary education. However, it has a long way to go in institutionalizing 9-year compulsory education. This task is chiefly the responsibility of the teachers colleges and universities. According to the China Education Association for International Exchange (Peace Corps’ host agency), these tertiary education programs are seen as efficient in providing the education needed to address the social and economic needs of China. Accordingly, the colleges have been directed to increase their enrollment and improve their programs, with the result that almost every such institution now has, or is building, a new campus to supplement the old one.

With increased school enrollments to meet the nine-year compulsory education goal, comes the problem of shortages of qualified English teachers. In addition, English teachers in rural areas have been very isolated and have had little opportunity to speak English with native speakers. Because they have studied English in school for six years, their reading and translation skills are good, but they may be self-conscious about their speaking skills. Many textbooks are also outdated. While some new texts are being introduced, there is little opportunity for current secondary English teachers in rural schools to be trained in their use. The need for English language listening and speaking skills has only recently been addressed by China.

In response to this need, China asked the Peace Corps to assist in training English teachers and other professionals. Of the approximately 100 to 120 Peace Corps Volunteers, 80% teach conversational English, written English, English literature, and Western Civilization at the Teacher Training College and University level. The remaining 20% teach English in technical schools to help prepare students to work in areas like tourism, medicine, and joint ventures with international companies. Most Volunteers teach 14 to 16 classroom hours per week. As requested by the Chinese government, Peace Corps concentrates its efforts in the provinces that come under the Western China Development Project, which includes Sichuan, Gansu, Guizhou and Chongqing Municipality.

Peace Corps addresses the needs of future and current teachers in rural areas, as well as other professionals by offering them opportunities to improve their oral and written English skills. The Chinese have traditionally followed the grammar-translation approach to English in which students master the grammatical system of the language. Peace Corps Volunteers focus, for the most part, on the communicative skills to help Chinese use English in social, academic, and business settings. Through a summer outreach strategy, this opportunity is extended to middle school teachers in schools where Volunteers are not assigned. With content-based teaching, Peace Corps volunteers have also integrated environmental, HIV/AIDS, gender equality, and diversity awareness, as well as critical thinking and problem solving skills, into their teaching and extra-curricular activities.

NOT ONLY DO I COMMUNICATE WITH FRIENDS IN MANDARIN, BUT I ALSO DEVELOP NEW SKILLS THROUGH UNFORGETTABLE EXPERIENCES.

Former Volunteer in Gansu, China

(from china.drupalgardens.com/content/background )

VSA (Voluntary Service Overseas, UK) & Peace Corps (US) cooperation with Guizhou University 贵州大学

In 1989, Guizhou Agricultural College, then a separate university, began hosting VSO teachers in the Foreign Language Department. The following year, Guizhou University began hosting foreign teachers from the AISH programme in Australia and visiting teacher programmes in both New Zealand and the University of Alabama. Simultaneously, VSO teachers from both the UK and the Netherlands were recruited to work in other Guiyang institutes of higher education including the school of fashion and the catering college, both experiencing booms concurrent with Guiyang’s emergence from relative obscurity. These teachers taught in both the undergraduate and post-graduate programmes at each institution. In 2005, eight years after GuiNong (Guizhou Agricultural College) was merged with GuiDa (Guizhou University), Guizhou University began hosting United States Peace Corps Volunteers (PCV’s). The PCVs teach at both the undergraduate and graduate level in the School of Foreign Languages.

(from en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Guizhou_University#VSO_and_Peace_Co…

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VSO purpose is to bring people together to share skills, build capabilities, promote international understanding and action, and change lives to make the world a fairer place for all.
VSO is an international development charity that works through volunteers living and working as equals alongside local partners. VSO has offices in the UK, Ireland, the Netherlands, Cambodia, Kenya, the Philippines, India and China. VSO was founded in 1958 and since then over 50,000 volunteers have worked in over 140 developing countries in Africa, Asia, the Pacific, the Caribbean, Eastern Europe and Latin America.
(from en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Voluntary_Service_Overseas )

VSO website: www.vso.org.uk/about/what-we-do
Email: info@vso.ie

What we do:
Climate change
Education
Participation and governance
Health, HIV and AIDS
Secure livelihoods

VSO’s work revolves around four development areas, linked to the priorities of our partners, international development targets and our areas of expertise. These are health, participation and governance, secure livelihoods and education. We’re committed to gender equality in all our work so that men and women have equal opportunities to realise their potential.

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The Peace Corps is a volunteer program run by the United States government. The stated mission of the Peace Corps includes three goals: providing technical assistance; helping people outside the United States to understand American culture; and helping Americans to understand the cultures of other countries. The work is generally related to social and economic development. Each program participant, a Peace Corps Volunteer, is an American citizen, typically with a college degree, who works abroad for a period of 24 months after three months of training. Volunteers work with governments, schools, non-profit organizations, non-government organizations, and entrepreneurs in education, hunger, business, information technology, agriculture, and the environment. After 24 months of service, volunteers can request an extension of service.[2]
The program was established by Executive Order 10924, issued by President John F. Kennedy on March 1, 1961, announced by televised broadcast March 2, 1961, and authorized by Congress on September 22, 1961, with passage of the Peace Corps Act (Public Law 87-293). The act declares the program’s purpose as follows:
To promote world peace and friendship through a Peace Corps, which shall make available to interested countries and areas men and women of the United States qualified for service abroad and willing to serve, under conditions of hardship if necessary, to help the peoples of such countries and areas in meeting their needs for trained manpower.
Between 1961 and 2013, over 210,000 Americans joined the Peace Corps and served in 139 countries.[1]
(from en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peace_Corps )

More than 830 Peace Corps volunteers have served in China since the program was established in 1993. Currently, 146 volunteers serve in China. Volunteers work in the area of education. Volunteers are trained and work in Mandarin Chinese.
(from www.peacecorps.gov/learn/wherepc/asia/china/ )

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The value of the Peace Corps’ China program

By Peter Hessler
POSTED: 09/17/2011 01:00:00 AM MDT WWW.DENVERPOST.COM/CI_1891223318

Rep. Mike Coffman recently called for the Obama administration to end the Peace Corps program in China, describing it as “an insult to the taxpayers of the United States.”
As a former China volunteer who now lives in Colorado, I have several criticisms of Coffman’s stance. The first is basic: Coffman did not meet with any Peace Corps staff or volunteers during his spring trip to China, despite the fact that he visited Sichuan University, where the program is headquartered. Other American lawmakers have made the effort to learn firsthand about what their constituents do as volunteers. On April 24, no fewer than ten senators, including Colorado Senator Michael Bennet, attended a briefing by Peace Corps staff and volunteers in Chengdu.
Legislators are busy; I appreciate that. But a little time makes a big difference – ask anybody who has spent two years of his or her life teaching in a remote part of China. Like many of the five hundred Americans who have served in Peace Corps China, I arrived in 1996 with no background in Chinese language, history, or culture.
Two years later, I left as a fluent speaker of Mandarin, an achievement that is common in the Peace Corps, where volunteers enjoy remarkably close contact with local communities. Most importantly, I taught English in a college that had no other foreign teachers besides the Peace Corps volunteers. My students came from the countryside, and many were the first members of their families to go beyond middle school. Often their fathers were illiterate; their grandmothers had bound feet. And yet these young people were studying English, part of China’s effort to engage with the outside world after decades of Maoist isolation.
Fifteen years later, I’m still in touch with nearly one hundred former students. Most of them teach English in rural middle schools – teacher-training has always been the main priority of the Peace Corps in China. And one of the primary goals of the Peace Corps worldwide is to promote a better understanding of Americans.
I taught my students about American culture, literature, and politics, and now they pass these lessons on to their own students. They regularly send emails with classroom questions: What’s the Tea Party? How do Americans respond to the economic downturn? How does the electoral college work? (Some questions are easier to answer than others.) And while anti-U.S. propaganda can be a problem in China, I guarantee you that things are different in classrooms that have been touched by the Peace Corps. The Chinese have a deep respect for teachers, and they appreciate what it means for a foreigner to dedicate two years to working far from home.
Another primary goal of the Peace Corps is to help Americans understand the outside world. Since the China program began in 1993, former volunteers have gone on to work for the State Department, and they’ve become foreign service officers in China and other countries.
Many work for American businesses, where their language skills are invaluable in negotiating the Chinese market. Large numbers are teachers who give their American classrooms an unusually accurate picture of China. The impact of the Peace Corps in my field, journalism, has been remarkable.
Former volunteers have become China correspondents for The New York Times, National Public Radio, Newsweek, and the New Yorker. Alumni from the program have already published six books about China, with three more coming soon. (To put this in perspective, during the same period the combined bureaus of The New York Times, The Washington Post, and The Los Angeles Times produced three books.) The last time a Pulitzer Prize was awarded for China coverage, the recipient was Jake Hooker, a former Peace Corps volunteer whose exposé of counterfeit Chinese drugs resulted in significant changes in the pharmaceutical industry – changes that help protect American consumers.
So where’s the insult to the taxpayer? I’d say it comes from a legislator who wants to cut a remarkably successful program without doing even the most basic research into its value.
Peter Hessler was a Peace Corps China volunteer from 1996 to 1998. He lives in Ridgway.

 

Tongren University: Love Has No Boundaries (about Zimmer Foundation for China, for Tongren, Guizhou), & interview with Sky Lantz-Wagner, Peace Corps teacher,  from Tongren University newspaper “T.R.U.E. – Tongren English News, vol 2, (2012),  issuu.com/tongrennews/docs/truenews2 uploaded at:  http://www.flickr.com/photos/98531730@N02/9509507136/ (Preview)
Peace Corps volunteer Sky Lantz-Wagner, in Tongren, Guizhou province, uploaded at: http://www.flickr.com/photos/98531730@N02/9497071423/in/photostream/ (Preview)
photo and text from Sky Lantz-Wagner’s blog: skylantzwagner.blog.com/
Peace Corps China
My Life as a Complex Adaptive System
Welcome to Peace Corps China
The journey NEARS ITS END!
At peace
2012 July 4, Posted by sky
I am sitting in the Peace Corps headquarters in Chengdu feeling a little different than I did a day ago. I find myself at a major crossroads looking back at the unforgettable experiences of the past two years and at the same time looking forward to all the exciting and unknown things that lie ahead.
Although my service has finished, I will consider this my last blog post as a Peace Corps volunteer. So many exciting things have happened the past week that it would require hours to get caught up, so I’ll tell the completion of service (COS) story and wrap up with my travel itinerary and then sign off!
I arrived in Chengdu in the evening of July 2nd and went straight to the hotel where I connected with the other volunteers who were COSing yesterday. Between birthday celebrations and farewell dinners and parties, I hadn’t slept much in the previous 3 nights so we chatted for a bit and were in bed my midnight. The next morning we ate breakfast and went to the office to begin the check out process. We had to bring back all of the Peace Corps property from our sites including the water purifies, smoke detector, unused antibiotics, books, etc. We then had to meet with our program manager, the clerk, and the country director. It was a lot of running around and collecting signatures for various forms, but went by quickly and was very exciting.
The interview with the country director was the highlight of the day. It was one-on-one and very casual, but also very thought provoking. She said that everyone is going to want to know about our experiences when we come hone and asked me to think about a 60-second public service announcement for our time in China. I said I would start my PSA with “It was worth it” and then started to summarize some of the insights into Chinese culture that I gained. She encouraged me to think of some more specific stories about students, colleagues, or community members that could represent my service. It was good advice and I plan to spend lots of my travel time reflecting. The goal will be a unique story for every person who asks 🙂
When all the Peace Corps work was finished I felt elated, not because Peace Corps was heavy, but because I felt satisfied. I hugged everyone I could and made promises to come back to visit when I return to China.
In the evening, the U.S. consulate hosted a 4th of July party that all of the COSing volunteers were invited to. The consulate general made a nice speech and then there was a reception with some of the best food and drinks I remember having in China. I ate asparagus wrapped in bacon, burger sliders, 4 different kinds of salad, lox, roasted potates, and meat pie. Holy lord it was good. With my meal I opted for a nice pinot noir, but after switched to a mild stout beer which went well with the mini pecan and lemon merengue pies which I had for dessert. What a way to spend my last day as a volunteer! We were some of the last few people at the party and met the consulate general and his family. We had a nice chat and strolled, strutted, maybe even floated a little, back to the hotel.
So that’s it. As of midnight last night I am a free man. Tomorrow I leave for Beijing and then Friday I’m off to Prague to start my Eastern European adventure that will include Budapes, Croatia and Slovenia. I’ll finish my vacation in Italy and fly home from Milan around the 25th.
Before leaving I just want to say thank you China. I have learned more about myself and the world than I ever thought I would. I hope that my work here has made a positive impact on you and that you will not forget me. Until we meet again… be at peace.
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KFC
2012 June 17, Posted by sky
Tongren has officially made it. We now have a Kentucky Fried Chicken fast-food restaurant in our town. It opened about a week and each of the 3 or 4 times I have walked past it, it has been packed. Across the street from said KFC is another of China’s large fast-food chicken chains called Dico’s. Dico’s is not serving many customers these days. If I were them, I would have put together a great marketing campaign to draw crowds away from the new joint. I was thinking 2-for-1 sandwiches, free soft drinks, free ice cream for kids. I mentioned this to a friend of mine as we were walking past both stores. She said that Dico’s and KFC are owned by the same parent corporation in China. Oh.
I was craving a fried snack and so I ventured in to Kentucky. It was clean, cool, new ,and very efficient – all things that Chinese people love. I get the feeling that KFC is going to do well in our town. I doubt I’ll make it back there, but it was worth a quick visit, even though we couldn’t find seats and had to take our food to go.
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Pass the torch
2012 May 25, Posted by sky
It has been quite a while since my last post and I suppose it is because I am suffering from the pre-leaving China blues. I’m trying not to think about all the big transitions ahead and live in the now, but it has been raining constantly for 5 days and I have let the soggy weather affect my mood.
On a more positive note, I wrote a song called Pass the Torch which is about keeping the Peace Corps tradition alive in China. A friend of mine who happens to be from Marietta, Georgia where I grew up helped me arrange the song and backed me up with harmonies and a beat box. We recorded the song a few weeks ago and put it online. Check it out when you have a minute 🙂
Pass the Torch video
I have a couple of other stories to tell and I’ll try to spend a little time getting caught up this weekend.
Hugs
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Tongren orphanage update
2012 April 1, Posted by sky
The highlight of my week continues to be the visits to the orphanage. Over a year and a half has passed since my first visit to the old, drafty, run-down building. A lot has changed since then: a new facility, new faces, and growth spurts. The weather in Tongren has been great the past few days, which means that we study English a little less and play outside a little more when we go to visit the kids. It was while playing outside that I noticed how much the kids have grown since I first met them. It was quite a perspective check for me and made me think about all the growth–physical, mental, and emotional–for the kids and me that has gone on between and during visits to the orphanage. I will miss these kids the most when I leave.
This week, we got into some fun stuff at the orphanage including aquatic animal growth capsules, ocarina on the iPhone, and the play area in the infant ward. See photos below.
In other news, the high stakes test that I have been helping my students prepare for is coming up in 3 weeks! We just took a practice test this week to get the feel for the procedure. I have graded a few of the papers and it seems like my original goal of having 25% of the sophomores pass is a little high. I’m keeping my fingers crossed that the test will cover things we have already discussed, making it a little easier, but for now we will just keep working until test time.
That’s all for now. Be back soon with more news 🙂
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T.R.U.E. News vol. 2
2012 February 28, Posted by sky
Hi everyone. The latest edition of Tongren University English News (T.R.U.E. News) is online! Follow the link below to read all the excellent work that my students produced. We will get one more edition published this semester and then hopefully the next volunteers will take over where I left off.
Other Peace Corps:
Peace Corps in China: A conversation with Eric Doise & Saara Raappana
Aimee Groom, on 04-November-2011 04:15
travel in China_life in China_china blogs_china travel
Guizhou
Eric and Saara: There’s nothing “mamahuhu” about this pair of Peace Corp workers in Guizhou
Earlier this year, Eric Doise and Saara Raappana embarked on an adventure that would take them deep into the heart of Guizhou, one of China’s poorest provinces. Just a few months into their two year Peace Corp placement in Anshun and they’re already neck deep in cultural curiosity—and adjusting to becoming cultural curiosities themselves. While they are busy disseminating the English language and sharing some American culture, their blog “Horse Horse Tiger Tiger” shares what China is teaching them, with the folks back home. Here, they let us in on a little of what they’ve seen, heard and learned so far.>>>
ChinaTravel.net: First up, tell us a bit about yourselves and what brought you to China?
Eric & Saara: We came to China through the Peace Corps. Saara earned her MFA in Poetry at the University of Florida and had been a university-level teacher in the United States, as was Eric, who earned his PhD in the English Department at the University of Florida. We like traveling, teaching, and learning from and about other cultures, so the Peace Corps seemed like a perfect fit. While we didn’t pick China—where you serve is ultimately the Peace Corps’ decision, we’re excited to be in such a fast-growing, vibrant country as China.
CT.net: What was the inspiration for creating your blog?
Eric & Saara: One of the goals of the Peace Corps is to inform Americans about the culture, customs and people of the country where you serve, and our blog is just one of the ways that we’ll be able to fulfill that goal. The name came from a Chinese phrase that means “not too good, not too bad”: ma ma hoo hoo (mǎmǎhǔhǔ, 马马虎虎), which translates literally as “horse horse tiger tiger.”
CT.net: What were some of your first impressions on arriving in China? Tell us about your best experience so far.
Eric & Saara: Our first impression of China was how crowded it was, which is probably a fairly typical response. However, soon after our arrival, we moved in with a host family in Chengdu that we lived with for two months, and quickly came to appreciate Chinese hospitality. We also were, and continue to be, amazed at how rare foreigners are in most of China. Coming from America, we take for granted that seeing people of different ethnicities and races is common; but in China (especially in the smaller towns and cities), it’s rare to see a non-Chinese face. Stares from unsuspecting, well-meaning Chinese people have become the norm.
Huangguo shu waterfalls, Guizhou
Huangguoshu Falls, Anshun
CT.net: What was your best experience?
Eric & Saara: Our best experience outside of living with our host family was seeing Huangguoshuo Falls, the country’s largest waterfall. They are actually a series of falls, but due to time constraints, we were only able to see the major one. Once we entered the gate for the falls, we walked through a beautifully landscaped garden populated by stones, worn by the enormous pressure of the falls. The water at the bottom of the falls is a pristine blue. Perhaps our favorite feature of the site is that you can walk behind the fall, providing some amazing sights of the falls and lush surrounding areas
CT.net: You’re currently based in Anshun. Any tips for visitors to the city on what to see, where to go or what to eat?
Eric & Saara: Huangguoshu Falls and the Dragon Palace, which we have yet to visit, are nearby. Dog meat is not uncommon. Most restaurants that serve it have pictures of dogs on their storefront, but it’s probably a good idea to learn the Chinese characters or hànzì ( 汉字) for “dog” (gǒu, 狗) if you’re averse. If you’re looking for a nice meal, the Triumphal Hotel near the Beijing Hua Lian Square (Běijīng Huá Lián Guǎngchǎng, 北京华联广场; also home to some large dinosaur statues) has good food (the 11 and 14 buses go here). If you enjoy eating dumplings (jiǎozi, 饺子), try out Běijīng Jiǎozi Guǎn (北京饺子馆; the 11 also goes here, but I believe the sign is in hanzi only, which will make reading it difficult for most foreigners).
Anshun is also a great jumping off place for many minority towns. The surrounding area has Miao, Buyi, and Gelao minority villages that you can visit. Travel to and from Anshun is convenient as you can catch trains to Chongqing, Chengdu, Guiyang, and Kunming, among other large cities.
One note on the buses: unless there are police around, you don’t need to actually be at a bus stop to catch a bus. If you see one approaching that you wish to board, simply flag the bus down with your hand, and they will usually stop for you. However, be prepared to get on quickly as they will take off while you’re still boarding if you’re not fast enough. Taxis are also fairly inexpensive; RMB 5 will get you most places in the city, although you should make sure you’re not getting the foreigner price. If the driver uses the meter, you should get a fair price.
CT.net: What is the one thing you wish you’d known about China before arriving?
Eric & Saara: Just how different the various areas of China are from each other. This might seem obvious, but because it is still a developing country, the discrepancies between the major cities and the smaller cities can make it seem like you’re in two different countries. For instance, without a cell phone that makes international phone calls, it is all but impossible for travelers to call other countries from Anshun. In the major cities, however, international phone cards are fairly easy to come by. In other words, prepare to be flexible if you are planning on traveling across the country.
CT.net: What do you miss most from home?
Eric & Saara: Definitely the food. We like Chinese food, but I’m certain we’d pay way too much for pizza, American French fries, a hamburger, pie, etc. if we could locate it right now. Anshun has no Western food.
CT.net: What would you miss most if you were to leave tomorrow?
Eric & Saara: Our colleagues and students have been wonderful hosts, helping us get settled in and showing us around Anshun, and because we still keep in touch with our original host family in Chengdu, we’d certainly miss them. We’ve also enjoyed learning and speaking Mandarin. The Peace Corps provided us with some wonderful teachers during our training, and one of our colleagues has continued to fill that role admirably.
CT.net: What three words sum up your China experience?
Eric & Saara: Unpredictable, enjoyable, loud.
If you’ve enjoyed meeting Eric and Saara then drop by and say hi over at Horse Horse Tiger Tiger and see what’s going down in Anshun.
(from blog.chinatravel.net/living-working-studying-in-china/pea… )
See Horse Horse Tiger Tiger video about learning Chinese (?), and blog: horsehorsetigertiger.net/about/
from Peace Corps’ Flickr site—check for other good photos: http://www.flickr.com/photos/93681231@N08/favorites/with/5426293828/#photo_5426293828</a>

Huaxi 花溪area of Guiyang, southwestern sububrb, has Guizhou University 贵州大学, other schools incl. Minorities U 贵州民族大学, & branch of Guizhou Normal University, “College Town”

Huaxi District (Chinese: 花溪区; pinyinHuāxī Qū) is a district in Guiyang, the capital city of Guizhou Province, China. It is a scenic resort and a national minority cultural center.

Huaxi has an area of 957.6 square km and a population of 328,700. Its GDP was 4.35 billion RMB in 2006.

It is named after the Huaxi River (the “Flower Brook”) that meanders through the town and is featured by genuine hills and waters, pastoral beauty and national minority custom. The North Campus and South Campus of Guizhou University and Guizhou University for Nationalities are located in town. The educational facilities and natural beauty make it a renowned educational and cultural center as well as an important tourist destination of Guizhou and southwest China.

(from Wikipedia, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Huaxi_District )

map uploaded at: http://www.flickr.com/photos/98531730@N02/9506077315/in/set-72157634956626472/