I've been in Nanning about three weeks now, taught my first full week, and am getting used to life here.
So far it hasn't been a huge change from Daegu. Things such as communication and last minute organisation are as common here as they were in Korea. However, there are a few things I have liked and noticed about the change from Korea to China, and I thought I'd put them down for myself (to see if I still think this way in six months) and friends who are looking to transition west (from Korea).
Anyway, a few things.
English-
Daegu wins this one. It could also be that because I can read Korean well and speak it enough to get by I didn't notice as much, but I do think that people here simply speak way less English than they do in Korea. Even supposedly universal words like smartphone and email are lost here. They also don't seem to understand body language the way Koreans do. You are at a restaurant. You point to two empty beer bottles and put two fingers up in a pace sign, with a smile. Nothing. Add a drinking motion. Nothing. Repeat with waving gesture towards table. Nothing. Get up and walk towards fridge to show them. Starts to clue in. Take beer from fridge and gesture to bill. Possibility of comprehension is at about 50%. Also, don't expect menu's in anything but Chinese, despite the huge Vietnamese population here, and the few thousand westerners.
Job-
Nanning. My job is more work in some ways (I am putting together a class on a Sunday afternoon), but it is way more rewarding. As to professional development, I've learned more in a month here than I did in my last two years in Daegu. Not that Moonkkang was anything but a great place to work, but they had a strict idea of what they wanted from us. Moonkkang was the greatest backpacker job ever, but for someone trying to build a career it was dead end. Guangxi Uni was a great move in that respect.
Food and Drink-
Sorry Nanning, Daegu wins this one handily. The food here is actually a lot like what westerners call Chinese food, as most "Chinese" food in the west is actually Hong Kong food. Hong Kong is in East Guang, I am in west Guang. The problem with Woon Lee Inn Chinese takeout is you can't eat it every day. There are a few other options (an amazing Korean place among them), but they are limited. There is a BBQ street near the university which I do really enjoy, but it is no Anjirang. I do find myself cooking more at home. I will say too that options for fruit are amazing here. A benefit of living in the tropics. Alcohol is limited to Chinese beer, a new fruity wines, and baiju, which redefines rotgut. 50% and tastes like paint thinner. I miss soju........ Coffee culture in both countries sucked, but there is always Starbucks ........
Climate-
I'll give this to Nanning. Daegu, much though I loved it, was either too hot or too cold. May and October were usually nice, but besides those you either bundled up like an eskimo or else wore as little a was socially acceptable. Nanning is tropical, with a mild winter (say 8-16 degrees). But for nine months it is low 30's and moderately humid. Some people might hate that, but I find consistent warmth easy to adjust to, rather than Daegu which lurched from -5 and howling wind from Siberia to plus 40 and humidity in the 70's.
Cost of Living and Salary-
Nanning with caveats. I make less here, but my cost of living is also way less. I can live comfortably here, going out one night a week, and spend maybe $450 USD/$600CAD (say 500,000 won). In Daegu I managed to live one month on 600,000 won (say $550 USD/$720CAD) during my grad school days, but I ate many an instant noodle dinner and didn't go out once. Wouldn't do it again. I'd budget $900-1000/m for Daegu (1-1.2 mil KRW), and that assumes that you don't hop on a train that month. Because I had a great salary at Moonkkang I was probably able to save more than I would here (I used all my saving to pay for my MA and CELTA, but I was able to do it up front on my MK salary, not sure about doing that here). However, a starting hagwon salary in Daegu would have me further behind than my salary here does by a fair margin. Then I add how the experience here massively increases my earnings potential down the line and Nanning wins.
The People-
Not picking a winner here, but a few things I've noticed. The expat scene here is decidedly limited compared to Daegu. There is basically one western run bar/restaurant. It is cool, but god help me if I end up there every weekend. I have also been less than successful in finding where the Vietnamese, Filipino, and Korean communities that are here. That means most of what I do here is Chinese. Not that that is bad at all, but it is more limited. There are also less expats, though no US Army, which is a definite plus. That being said, I've met a much larger percentage of expats here that I really like, so perhaps this is a case of quality over quantity? I do like the Nanning locals I have met so far as well. I also had (have) many Korean friends in Daegu, and I certainly liked the vast majority of Koreans who I got to know. However. Daegu (well Korea really) had the bbali bbali (fast fast) culture. It made for amazing customer service, but having everything turned up to 11 all the time gets exhausting. Nanning people are much more relaxed. As I said elsewhere, it is more southeast Asia than China in some ways.
Transportation-
For now Daegu wins easily, though there are two subway lines that are set to be completed before the new year here in Nanning, so perhaps that will change once the subway is built.
Apartments-
Sorry Daegu shoeboxes, Nanning wins. In Daegu if you have two rooms you are basically living it up. Both of my MK apartments were very nice, and certainly newer than the one in Nanning, but they were both small. My new apartment has four rooms, including an office that could double as a guest room very easily. Downside is that it is older, and in this climate mold is an issue. But I do like my patio and view of the lotus pond and palm trees I get from it.
