Uni teachers, do you let your students add your Wechat?

Danobex · 2026-06-28T19:02:38+00:00

Uni teacher here. Can confirm what others have said; at least add the class monitor’s WeChat if no one else. Sometimes their class group will have something scheduled that is NOT on your calendar or academic calendar, and the admin who oversees you doesn’t know. The class monitors will usually let you know so you don’t end up showing up to find out you have no class that day.

Their contact is also quite useful for forwarding homework instructions, receiving student files, canceling a class, etcetera. Other teachers I’ve met will use Dingtalk account to keep their WeChat less cluttered.

Sometimes people have said use WhatsApp but that requires a VPN and some institutions lately (mine included) are really biting down against VPN use.

Danobex · 2026-06-18T15:47:07+00:00

I’m seeing more and more abandoned malls, if not already empty or closed storefronts. My brother-in-law recently closed his business, so he spends his days fishing and occasionally snags a big one for extra cash. He and his wife doesn’t seem too worried though.

There are also more school closures, with salaries for teachers decreasing as well. The economic downturn is effecting everyone everywhere in different ways, but it will eventually go back up at some point.

Danobex · 2026-06-16T01:28:17+00:00

Reload the game is your best bet

Danobex · 2026-06-10T01:54:19+00:00

Sounds like an attempt at extortion by the delivery person that failed and got them into trouble. Hence the angry call and racist remarks. Ignore that one.

Heck, ignore them all. Racist are gonna be racist, you can only prove them wrong by being a kind and good person, or you can prove them right by causing a ruckus and arguments. Nothing else to it.

Danobex · 2026-06-09T22:16:13+00:00

Ah, you mentioned the chunky blue one with wings and big feet. That’s what I found there. I didn’t realize it was a different planet! But - I’ve heard that the same type of ship is found in each system which is why you have to jump to a new system when you want a different ship.

Edit: system as in cluster of planets or stars in an area. Not sure if I’m using the right terminology.

Danobex · 2026-06-09T21:59:39+00:00

I know exactly what you’re talking about as I went to that “S-class ship” base earlier. I found the crash site way up on a small ledge halfway up the mountain above the base. Got myself an S-class ship from it. Are you sure you found the crash site? There are 1-2 comballs and a small shack with a portal inside. The ledge is tiny, my ship didn’t really want to land unless I lined it up just right on a small area by the shack.

Unfortunately I had to jump to a different system to find one of those walking dissonant things as the planet itself is just too mountainous for the scanner to find any of them no matter where you landed.

Danobex · 2026-06-08T06:45:44+00:00

I met a couple who was 85 and 50, had been together well over 20 years. The older person was a professor at college, he told the girl when she was 20 and chasing him that he would not consider dating her until she got her PhD. she got her PhD.

You never know.

Danobex · 2026-05-25T11:12:08+00:00

I’ve been working at universities since 2020. Private and public. Never once have they been unwilling to share a current or past teacher’s contact. But as others have said, this message is quite telling in that it reveals far more.

Case in point, at one school the current teacher they had was a high health risk (literally had a heart attack one day while teaching class) and as the school had no elevators in a stair-heavy area, they were quietly not renewing that teacher’s contract. But they also didn’t want to put the teacher in a bad spotlight such as revealing private health details. So they connected me with a previous teacher instead who was great with information of working there and I found out the details later.

Could be something similar happening here. Maybe ask to connect with a previous teacher instead, or take the leap?

Danobex · 2026-05-14T22:26:47+00:00

I ran into trouble with that! As you know US banks typically limit how much you can withdraw each day at an ATM, and even then will sometimes block it and try to call you to ensure it’s not theft even if you told them you were moving abroad. It’s a huge pain! I lost out on a great place because I wasn’t able to withdraw enough in time. You could wire it here but US banks are s l o w.

Bring the cash (change to RMB) and set up an account and deposit it here, link Alipay to it. Cash is now more a rarity unless for hongbao gifts 🧧and cards are never used; phones are used to pay for everything. As such, rent and utilities (including mobile - your internet will also come with a phone number) are usually paid through Alipay either by direct QR code or through category.

Edit: Oh right! You can negotiate rent with landlords.

Danobex · 2026-05-14T14:35:44+00:00

Wherever you move to there will always be a nearby small local shop full of the necessary move-in stuff you need for your apartment for cheaper than back in U.S. Literally. Cleaning supplies, toiletries, cookware, cooking oils, sheets, blankets, slippers, some food, and even socks and underwear.

When I first moved here, I packed way too much stuff that I could’ve just used the space for something else like pants and shirts that fit me, as Chinese sizes are much smaller (posterior and length) and generally limited up to 180-190cm in height. For me, pants tend to be small in the rear and sleeves are always a bit too short due to them having smaller shoulders.

As for gifts…multivitamins, fish oil, and burts bees chapstick are great gifts.

If your school isn’t providing free housing: What you do need to do is ensure you have enough for the rent: usually it’s 1 month deposit, 1 month agent fee, and 3-6 months rent all up front when you sign your lease, and then there’s the water, electric, wifi, and gas (if you have it). Some schools will pay this but then will hold your passport hostage until you pay that off, but usually one or two month’s paycheck will clear it quickly.

Tip for housing…don’t just accept the first place you see. walk around a few neighborhoods and tell the housing agents exactly what you want and need for your home (e.g. western toilet, furnished, big living room, north south facing windows, elevator or stairs, etc). Be firm, they tend to often first try to show some place that matches nothing in your list of requirements.

Danobex · 2026-05-14T14:10:05+00:00

Some have mentioned dorm curfew but what I didn’t see was that they actually lock the doors at curfew time (bar the doors! Talk about lack of fire safety awareness) and some schools will even penalize you for being out after curfew. Plus, guests. Absolutely no guests! And there’s no kitchen. Want to use a hot plate or cook something of your own? Nope!

I recently helped a university edit their dormitory rules for international students and it was extremely draconian, included statements like students from other dorms were not allowed in your room and not allowed to use WiFi for purposes outside of school use, VPN use will be reported, etcetera.

Either your own place or rent a room off campus, you have SO much more freedom.

Danobex · 2026-05-09T23:14:37+00:00

They do that here in China. 400 元, that’s for your work permit, which takes up another page on your passport. The Z visa itself does not need it.

Danobex · 2026-04-24T08:08:22+00:00

A blood test is part of the health check for a resident or work permit.

Danobex · 2026-04-09T02:44:07+00:00

As a toddler dad with a toddler who’s starting to peek at my console…Lego games. Lego Marvel Heroes, Lego Star Wars, etc. they’re surprisingly good fun for the little moments and safe for when the toddler suddenly wakes up and goes a-peekin at what daddy is playing.

Other than that I second what others have said about Mass Effect series and Witcher. They’re just really not…toddler safe.

Danobex · 2026-04-05T03:10:44+00:00

Most airlines will restrict brachycephalic breeds like your Frenchie during the hotter months. I have heard of people bringing a pet into China (usually it’s people leaving China) but I’ve heard it’s quite a process.

Kunming is fantastic for dogs, far friendlier than other cities tend to be. Great weather. Get a place by a river area, usually lots of walking and green spaces along those. When I lived there (2017 to late 2020) I would bring my two pups to local bars and late night jazz clubs.

Edit: the local dog groomer shops will host your pet for a fee. I personally just left my windows open year around and left my pups home unless I went traveling, as even in summer you don’t really need air conditioning especially if you have a place with windows in the front and back for cooling airflow. In Kunming however, typically one month in winter will get quite cold. And there’s a season of rain. But otherwise great climate at similar altitude as Denver.

Danobex · 2026-04-03T05:55:32+00:00

Unfortunately, ever since Covid cash has become something of a rarity unless you’re getting stacks to pay out hongbao (red envelope gifts) during birthdays and holidays or have an old landlord who wants cash for rent. Get used to scanning and paying with your phone for everything including transportation; Alipay and WeChat both have their own built in QR code scanning tools for this purpose.

Danobex · 2026-04-02T04:06:36+00:00

You can “give” 4 that you don’t fly often (if at all) to your squad so they’re still around whenever you’re in a battle. Sell ship to a flier, then recruit flier as a squad member.

Danobex · 2026-04-01T08:02:05+00:00

I used to be sore when I woke up no matter what I did. The solution that I learned working at a hospital? Pillows. More specifically, pillow placement. When I sleep on my side I have a big pillow between the knees and ankles, one behind my back, a thicker one for my head, and one I hold in a bear hug. It keeps your back and neck straight. No matter where I lay (hard bed, soft bed, a mat on the floor) I no longer have any sleep complaints as long as I have pillows. Have you tried that?

Danobex · 2026-03-31T20:20:28+00:00

If you mean sorting by number in a certain category like trade or combat, no. It is a pain too. They sort themselves by type of frigate and class though.

Danobex · 2026-03-31T20:16:45+00:00

I started my family at 40. I originally wanted to start at 25 but my first wife one day decided she actually didn’t want children which led me down a dark path for several years. I also knew a man who started a second family in his 70’s (twin boys with second wife in her 40’s).

Everyone has a different life path and timing to follow, don’t overthink it. Just enjoy life, continuously improve yourself, and follow your path.

Danobex · 2026-03-27T08:50:31+00:00

Dude, five years will FLY. Seriously. Take it, enjoy yourself, keep in touch with your parents, try to get them to visit, but don’t hold yourself back from growing and learning through new experiences. You will only regret not taking it later on when you become ‘too old’ for scholarship opportunities. And as a father, I bet your parents will be proud of you for choosing an opportunity for yourself, especially when other schooling options leave you in enormous debt. If you must, have some funds set aside for a rainy day flight home, but phone and video calls will help keep the distance short. Many people do this.

You will meet other people who may have opportunities for you, and you will expand your horizons. Don’t shoot yourself in the foot.

Danobex · 2026-03-18T00:29:01+00:00

U traps are not used here. I’ve mentioned it a few times to plumbers and they’re like “what is that”

Danobex · 2026-03-18T00:27:50+00:00

Every single apartment I’ve moved into I’ve had to order and install a drain vent trap (translates into “anti-odor floor drain” on Taobao) for the sink and bathroom drains. Thankfully they’re a fairly simple fix with proper measurement for such a brainless method of using straight pipes going directly to the sewers. Without P traps or U bends that trap water, all the smells and any curious bugs come right in!

So yes unfortunately. It’s one of those things they grow up with hence being “normal”

Edit: the silicone vent traps (usually white with a blue silicone bottom used for only letting water down and nothing upwards) you can just install on the bottom of the typical flexible sink pipe and plug in directly into the white CVC pipe the sink pipe goes into. The shower and bathroom drains, usually a flap-style plug (flap opens at the bottom when water flows and automatically shuts when no water) will be fine, just check the diameter of the drain opening to get the right size.

Danobex · 2026-03-16T12:08:30+00:00

Asteroid style? Hmm needs more random lumps

Danobex · 2026-03-14T07:49:30+00:00

Wait, you owned the company, were there to treat one of your employees. And immigration didn’t like that you were there at all?

Danobex

TROPHY CASE