College of Liberal Arts Handbook for International Faculty

By Gaelle Sabban (English Language Center) Edited by Marjorie King (Center for International Studies)

Welcome to Shantou and STU!

Contents

I. II. III. IV. V. VI. VII. VIII. IX. X. XI.

The STU Calendar Before Arrival What to bring? What to buy in Shantou? Money and banking On-campus Restaurants On-campus Entertainment Off-campus Restaurants Off-campus Entertainment Bus Routes Summary A Few Warnings Appendixes: A. Directions in Chinese for a few recommended destinations. B: Apartment Building floor plans C. English-Chinese Cards for Taxi Drivers

Introduction
Terry Bodenhorn Dean, College of Liberal Arts Welcome to the College of Liberal Arts at Shantou University. We recognize that new faculty members, and especially new international faculty, face a variety of challenges when entering a new academic environment. The new linguistic and cultural environment at Shantou University may pose special challenges for international faculty. This Handbook is intended to serve as an introductory resource and general guide to ease your entrance into the new academic and social environs of Shantou University and the local region. It is not a definitive University resource or a policy document. It should be read in conjunction with information provided to incoming international teachers by the International Cooperation Department (ICD). The Handbook was originally drafted by Gaelle Sabban for new faculty in the English Language Center, and subsequently modified by Professor Marjorie King for use by new international faculty in the College of Liberal Arts. Please let us know what information you found useful and what information you would like to see added or updated.

The STU Calendar

The academic year beginning in the Fall semester is announced during the preceding Spring, so detailed planning cannot be made too far in advance. You will receive the academic calendar from your department or program. When planning a holiday away from Shantou, keep in mind that, when the holiday is less than a week long, the school tends to rearrange some

classes in order to allow for a larger block of time. These arrangements are made at the national level only a few weeks before they are applicable. Occasional rearrangements of the schedule also occur for important sporting events or other STU events. Taking time off: STU policy requires all faculty to consult with their department chair or college dean, whenever classes will be missed. Time off for family problems, conferences or other necessary days off can be negotiated with your department head or program director. Rescheduling classes is very difficult since your students will all have different majors and therefore vastly differing schedules. Your department may allow you to arrange substitutes for your classes. You must report also your arrangement to the Teaching Affairs Office.

Before Arrival
Since the academic calendar is publicized during the previous Spring semester, the date by which faculty should arrive on campus will change yearly. Check with your department about your expected arrival date before purchasing your plane ticket. Plane tickets: In late June or early July, contact Mr. Xu at the International Cooperation Department (icd@stu.edu.cn) about getting plane tickets to Shantou. Discuss with Mr. Xu whether to have the ICD book tickets for you or reimburse you for the ticket cost after your arrival. In order to be reimbursed, you must save your boarding pass stub as well as your e-ticket receipt showing payment. Immunizations: Check with your government about recommended immunizations for southern China and anywhere else you plan to visit. Consider including the following: Tetanus/ Diphtheria/Polio. If you are not up-to-date on these, its just one combination shot for Tetanus and Polio. Hepatitis B 3 shots. After the initial shot, boosters are required after one month and 6 months. Get the first 2 done before departure. Hepatitis A 2 shots. One, then a 6 month booster. They can be combined with the Hepatitis B shots. Typhoid. Live oral or injection options are available. Oral works for 5 years, injection covers 3 years. The oral option consists of several pills taken every other day for a few days. The injection is a one-time shot. Yellow Fever. Few teachers get this shot as Yellow Fever is not a risk in our area and the immunization is expensive. Japanese Encephalitis. This is very expensive and only relevant if you plan to go to cattle herding or farming regions. Health Forms: The process of getting your health forms authenticated abroad is complicated and expensive. You need not have any tests done or fill out the forms before you arrive in China. All the foreign teachers are taken to a very clean and professional local clinic for a physical on arrival. The tests include ECG, ultrasound, blood tests and chest X-ray. The cost of the physical is covered by the university. Visa: Apply for a regular single entry or multiple entry visa at your local Chinese Consulate. You will use this to enter China. After the health check, Mr. Xu will apply for a residence permit on your behalf. The cost for this permit will be paid by the school. 2

You may apply in person if you live in or near L.A., Houston, Chicago, New York City or another city where a Chinese Consulate is located. Otherwise, apply through a travel agent, who will obtain the visa on your behalf for a fee. The travel agent recommended by Mr. Xu may be able to help. For the visa application, you will need an invitation letter from STU, which Mr. Xu or the College Deans office will send, a copy of your flight reservations, some color passport pictures, a form to be printed from the Consulate website and the fee.

Money and banking

When you arrive in Shantou, you can receive an advance on your first months salary if you so wish. You can talk to the administrative assistant in your department about this. It will be deducted from your salary, which is deposited into your local account around the 28th of each month. If you would prefer to bring your own money, you can either bring travelers checks (convenient for later when you travel to other countries) and change them downtown or bring cash. Most foreign instructors who do this bring about 2000RMB (or more). Later you can change money at the bank on campus or downtown.

What to bring? What to buy in Shantou?

Clothing: The weather in Shantou is hot in the summer and the temperature usually stays above 20C until late November. The winter is chilly, especially at night, but it gets hotter in April and the heat is only tempered by the rainy season (March/ April). These temperatures will actually feel more extreme (maybe as much as 10C hotter on some days) due to the humidity. In other words, youll need warm weather clothes and optional layers. A rain jacket/ windbreaker is useful during the Spring. A pair of light gloves and a scarf might also make the few cold winter days more bearable. You can buy such things here. It has been a little cooler in the last two years so please pack a coat or heavier jacket. If you wear small sizes, you can purchase coats, jackets, and other clothing here. People wear jeans and other casual Western clothing in China, although revealing styles are inappropriate here. Sweat pants, sweaters, warm socks, and other comfortable clothes are also good for the chilly winters. (Some apartments are heated, but most classrooms and offices are unheated.) Many foreign teachers at STU dress in neat jeans in the classroom. Formal, businessstyle attire is not required for teaching. Aim for business casual and think about what you can wear to teach in the hotter months, keeping in mind that the classrooms are only marginally airconditioned. Strappy shirts, shorts and short skirts are not suitable for teaching and are generally avoided. At least one nicer outfit comes in useful in case of a dinner or for English Festival. Men should bring a tie and some dress shirts. Swimming is possible on campus and in town, so pack a swim suit. Tailors downtown can make most styles of clothes to measure. Fabric stores offer a wide range of materials. You can also hit the shops when visiting Hong Kong. Shoes, like clothing, come only in small sizes. Bring sandals, sneakers, comfortable teaching shoes, and a pair of nicer shoes. Waterproof footwear is advisable during the Spring rainy season. Larger shoes may be purchased in Hong Kong and bigger Chinese cities. Laundry: Apartments have automatic washers, but not dryers. Since the temperature of the laundry machines is difficult to regulate, a box of ColorCatchers can prevent color bleeding. Pack clothes that dry easily on the clothesline. Dry cleaning is also available on the third floor of the 789 Building, Building 8, on campus. 3

Toiletries: Most personal hygiene items can be purchased at Wal-Mart or Lotus. You may want to bring anti-perspirant deodorant for use during the hot, humid weather. The available options in Shantou are not always effective on the skin pH of westerners. A Chinese brand of hand sanitizer is available at Wal-Mart. Some feminine hygiene products can be found locally (such as panty liners), but not applicator tampons. Aftershave doesnt exist here since Chinese men dont shave nearly as often as Westerners, but vaguely similar lotions are sold. Medicines: Vitamins, natural products and herbal remedies are widely available. Most first aid items are easily found in Shantou and are much cheaper than in the West. If you take a specific kind of medicine, bring enough until you can find a perfect replacement in Shantou or until you go to Hong Kong. Even in Hong Kong, there is no guarantee that the same medicine brands are available. It can be difficult to identify meds when their ingredients and instructions are all in Chinese. Note: Some international faculty members bring long term supplies of specific prescription medicines. Seriously consider bringing at least one ten-day supply of an antibiotic, since not all types are available here, and whatever other medication you may need. Although numerous medicines are available locally for food poisoning, you may wish to ask your doctor for a prescription for a particular antibiotic such as ciproflaxin. Bring some good, long-lasting mosquito repellent (with DEET or a newer compound) to protect yourself against the many mosquitoes that take over at night (there is a lot of open water on campus). Repellents are also available here. If you are concerned about such things, bring a needle or two in case you need shots or blood drawn. Some teachers have expressed worry at the level of cleanliness of the hospitals, but the hospitals the foreigners go to seem to have had no problems. Anti-malarials are unnecessary in Shantou (and potentially harmful if taken long-term). They can be purchased in South-East Asia if that is your winter destination. Condoms and birth-control pills are available at Wal-Mart and Lotus, though not necessarily the brands you are used to. Think about packing some if either one is a concern.

Emergency foodstuffs: Most everyday foodstuffs are easily available on or near campus. Slightly less common things can be found at Wal-Mart or Lotus. It is difficult to buy green spices such as basil here, but seeds for planting may be purchased at local supermarkets. Mexican spices are non-existent; cloves and cardamom are scarce but nutmeg may be found at Chinese medicine stores. Artificial sweeteners are unknown. Vanilla extract and cocoa powder are sometimes found in the imports section of the supermarkets. Muesli, granola, tortillas (and other Mexican items), lentils, and cereal bars are among the items regularly brought back from Hong Kong by Shantou food-weary teachers. Coffee drinkers can buy fresh coffee (beans or ground) but the roast might not be what youre used to. Coffee-making paraphernalia is for sale in Shantou. A limited variety of cheese, fresh milk, butter and yogurt are all sold downtown. Yogurt of various kinds and milk are also sold on campus. Cheese tends to be expensive while the other items are fairly reasonable. Imported 2% and skim milk are also available downtown though they are much more expensive than whole milk. All yogurt is sweetened to some degree. Some teachers have started making their own plain yogurt. Miscellaneous: A Chinese-English dictionary comes in handy for the occasional lost in translation moment. A pocket-sized one is good for trips without a Chinese speaker. You can also buy an electronic version when you get to Shantou if you prefer that option. 4

Note cards are not readily available here, so if you like to use them regularly, consider bringing a pack or two. Electrical converters: One thing to note about electrical items is that the voltage in China is 220V. As a result, bringing a hair dryer or anything else from the US without a voltage converter can lead to sparks, smoke, flames and melting! If you are coming from other countries, check outlets and voltages before you leave, but this is mostly an issue for Americans. You can buy converters here, or purchase a travel hair dryer with built-in voltage converter. Computers and camera chargers plug in fine and do not need voltage converters. Outlets in the apartments take American plugs as well as local ones but there are outlets in the classrooms that do not. Bringing a plug adapter can also be helpful in some situations though there are places these can be bought here. Computers: If you plan to bring a computer (very handy) make sure you have good, up-to-date anti-virus software, as virus attacks are very common in China. There are computers in the office but some people prefer having access to the Internet and such at home. If you dont have a computer yet but want to buy one, consider getting a Mac as it is more easily protected from viruses here (fewer viruses are written for Mac platforms as they are less common). Keep in mind, though, that there are some compatibility problems and repair work can be costly and difficult to find. If you prefer a PC, just obtain as much protection software as possible and run those regularly. Computers can also be purchased here online or at the Shantou Computer Centre. They can install English-language software on request, though it may or may not be legitimate. If you are packing all of your belongings into a huge suitcase (or 2) think about bringing, instead, 2 smaller bags (airline restrictions permitting) since when you travel, chances are you will prefer something smaller than the biggest luggage size available. Check airline restrictions about baggage before packing.

Arrival and Set Up

Internet: You will need to use your new Shantou University ID (perhaps your first name and last initial) and password (pw and last 6 digits of your passport number) to access the Internet. When you open your browser, you should be prompted to enter those details. You can buy an Internet cable at a small stand near the front gate of the campus or from the computer store in the 789 Building, 2nd floor, 8 Building. Mobile phone service: Cell phones may be bought at a store in the 789 building on campus, as well as from many other businesses around town. Once you buy service from any phone company, you cannot change companies without changing your phone number. (This may change in the coming year.) Because of the many different plans, rates, and systems of service, take along a native speaker when purchasing your phone and service. Dealing with natural gas: The gas stoves in B2, B4 and B6 are self-igniting- push down the knob and hold it down as you turn to the flame you want. It should click, and then ignite. If it does not ignite, check that the gas bottle under the counter is open and that there is gas in it. It will feel light if it is empty. If there is gas in the bottle and the stove still does not click, the battery for the igniter needs changing. It is under the stove in the cabinet and requires a large battery that is often only available downtown at a supermarket. The showers are also gas-powered (unsure about A and D systems), as far as hot water is concerned. Check that the gas is open and the tank is at least partially full. The water temperature is controlled by a heater in the wall of the showers in B2, B4 and B6. You 5

can adjust the size of the flame in large and smaller increments. You can check with someone in your building for fine-tuning as all buildings seem to have their own peculiarities! Ordering gas can be done easily by calling or texting the gasman whose number will be among those listed on the door of your apartment. If your Chinese is shaky, you can ask a colleague, student or assistant to give you a hand, at least the first time. Gas costs around 90RMB a bottle. You may have to pay a deposit for the gas bottles the first time you call. (Keep the receipt). Water: Most foreign teachers are used to drinking water out of the tap. Unfortunately, in China, as in many parts of Asia, tap water is not an option. You need to either boil your water (killing off bacterial, but not chemical pollutants) or buy purified or distilled water from the water guy. Your apartment may come with a water dispenser. (Request one from the housing department if this dispenser is missing.) You may have to pay a deposit for this and for the water bottles you will buy the first time you call. (Keep this receipt, too.) You can buy the water tanks yourself at the student store or, more conveniently, get them delivered and set up by calling or texting the water delivery man at 137 1585 7376; this number may also be listed on your apartment door. He will bring you water usually within two hours and it costs 10 RMB per 9 gallon bottle. Again, you can ask others for help with this, at least until you get a cell phone or know the Chinese for 2 bottles of water for B2, 501! Getting necessities: You can get some basics on campus either at the 789 building or under the student canteen #2-#3 at the little store. The East Gate stores also stock quite a few useful things such as extension cords, hangers, mats Anything much bigger will require a trip downtown and returning teachers will be happy to show you where you can get what you need. A health check trip will also be scheduled and sometimes includes a run to Wal-Mart. Printing: Each college and department will make its own arrangements for printing course material, so check with your department for information. The main university printing house is located by the ground floor grocery store near canteens 2-3. The library has copy services available with your STU ID card. There are also several private copy shops at East Gate. ID card: Putting money on your ID card can be done by the student store under the canteen during very specific hours. Bring your cash and card and its done in a minute. The card is used in the student store, the canteen, and the library to pay for things and also to gain access to the library, the office, the teachers lounge and to check out books, though that can be done money-free. Computers in classrooms: You can either hook up your own computer (with a VGA cable, which you can buy at Wal-Mart) or use the classroom computer in either English or Chinese. Flash drives may pick up viruses from the computers in the classrooms, which are regularly infected, but otherwise work well. The Internet and ftp are not dependable, so bringing a backup of materials is strongly recommended. There are speakers, DVD-playing possibilities, a projector and a screen as well as a blackboard. External music players can be connected. Library: Checking out books from the library can be done in two ways: you can take your contract, ID card and passport to the counter and explain (or get someone to help explain) that you want to register or you can deposit 500RMB which you will get back when you no longer are a member of the university staff. This process may change soon.

Who to ask for help: Returning teachers are also very willing to share their experiences o
feel free to ask them if you are unsure about anything. 6

Emergencies, including health: Campus emergency (Campus extension: 4110) ICD: (2316) Building B4-101 (3224) Fire: B4 101 (3224) Non-emergency health care: Consult Mr. Xu for directions to the proper local hospital. You may also use your BUPA insurance to receive care in Hong Kong. (It only covers overnight hospital stays, not out-patient care.) Tickets to various places around Shantou, flights, trips, etc., will just be taken out of your salary the next month: Contact Mr. Xu in the International Cooperation Department or his assistants, Dora Zheng and Mark Li. Students or other teachers can also be good to ask about travel itineraries and reservations as they might have their own connections or phone numbers. Problems with your apartment: If you live in the B complex of buildings, there should be a bilingual list printed on your front door. Two handy numbers are for Tommy, the general manager of apartment maintenance (13433377801), who speaks English, and Mr. Lu, the heater/air conditioner repairman (13692032490) who does not speak English. Problems with your contract: Discuss with your department chair. Reserving taxis to airport or elsewhere: No need to go through Mr. Xu. Many STU faculty members who can speak a little Chinese call Tom Xiao, a very dependable private driver who lives nearby in Tuopu. If he is unavailable, he tries to enlist another driver to help. (Phone: 13556307773.) Translation or interpretation: Your students will often be more than happy to help out. Otherwise, you can ask the student assistants or one of the office assistants for help. For tasks taking a substantial amount of time, such as medical visits, students are your best choice as the office assistants are often unavailable for this kind of issue. The students probably will not accept pay, unless they are hired to be your assistant by your department. However, they almost always enjoy being treated to a meal. Taxes: Mr. Xu of the ICD can provide information about payment of local taxes, which currently begins with the fourth year of employment. For information about your own countrys tax policy for overseas citizens, please consult a tax accountant at home. Exercise options: A gymnasium in the sports ground and a work-out center in the new library are available. Hours and prices may change from year to year, so please check on this information at the beginning of the academic year. Business cards: Some departments order these for you automatically or on request.

Housing on Campus
Overseas faculty housing is located in several different buildings, including B2, B4, B6, A4, and others. A building provides 3-bedroom apartments. The B-buildings are 2-bedroom, while D is one-bedroom. (See Appendix B for floor plans.) Teachers who choose to return keep their apartment over the summer while departing faculty must leave about 2 weeks after the end of the semester. The apartments are well-equipped with the following furniture and appliances: Kitchen: refrigerator, gas stove (B buildings), electric hotplate (A, D buildings), sinks, and microwave Living room: couch and 2 chairs (A, B6 and B8), coffee table, side table, cabinet, TV Dining room: bookshelf, dining table, 4 chairs (6 in A building) Bedroom 1: double bed, 2 bedside tables, desk, desk chair, 2 wardrobes with hanging space, shelves and drawers Bedroom 2: twin bed, desk, desk chair, wardrobe (as above) Bathroom: sink, western-style toilet, shower (all inside shower unit for D building) Balcony 1: 2 clothes-hanging bars with hangers (can be raised and lowered), washing machine (most A and D buildings) Balcony 2: washing-machine (B buildings) There are air-conditioning units in each of the bedrooms, the living room and the dining room. These also have functions for heating (in A, B6 and B8), humidifier, dehumidifier and fan options. The windows and doors onto the balconies all have screens installed that should keep out mosquitoes. (Be careful not to lock yourself onto the balcony. Several faculty members have had to be rescued by the cleaning staff!) Drinking water must be boiled or purchased. A water unit is provided in the B buildings. Nine-gallon bottles may be ordered by calling or texting a nearby company, which will deliver a new bottle for 10 RMB within a few hours. (The phone number, 137 1585 7376, is located on the side of the water bottles.) There are water fountains around campus, including in the office and classroom buildings. The water is gas-heated and the stove in the B buildings is gas-powered. A and D buildings have electric hotplates. The gas provides hot water for a washing-machine, shower and sinks in B6 and A, washing-machine and shower in B2 and B4 as well as B6 and A). Each resident is responsible for ordering his/ her own gas tanks9 (not necessary in some of the A buildings). Delivery usually occurs on the evening of the day it is ordered. B2 and B4 and D apartments can store one gas tank at a time in a kitchen cabinet while B6 and A can store two tanks. The clothes bars on the balcony are raised and lowered using a handle on the wall which can be pulled out (external bar) or pushed in (internal bar.) There is one Internet and one telephone jack in each bedroom as well as in the living room. Phones are provided in some apartments, but not in all. Most people choose to have cell phones, instead. The television has cable and receives about 40 channels. Most are Chinese both local and nationwide. A few English-language channels are provided for overseas faculty. These include HBO Asia, CNN, BBC World, and ESPN, as well as Hong Kong channels Pearl and 8

ATV, which show some American TV shows and movies. Sheets, towels and dishware are provided in some apartments. Some academic departments provide an allowance to purchase such house-ware on campus or at Wal-Mart or Lotus. Chinese mattresses are generally pretty firm; the ones in the apartments are no exception. Egg-crate-style pads can offer additional softness but are difficult to find locally. At the time of this writing, the cleaning staff is in transition. Some apartments may have cleaning provided for a monthly fee. In any case, local cleaners can easily be found at reasonable rates. Ask around for dependable and trustworthy candidates. All A and B buildings have a main door that locks automatically and unlocks with a code. D had a gate that will lock and be opened with an ID card when the system is eventually activated. In B6 and B8 buildings the number pad has a camera that is linked to a screen and intercom in the apartment. Residents can be called from outside through the intercom and unlock the door from the apartment. The code for calling each apartment is the number of the apartment + 0# (example apartment 502 is called with 5020#).

Entertainment on Campus
Major activities include reading, watching DVDs, playing sports and games. Books: An English-language section in the library carries some classics. The English Learning Center (ELC) and Center for Independent Language Learning (CILL) offer a small array of English language books. Many teachers will also be happy to lend their own small collection. In addition, the College will be reorganizing the English Department library this year, and those books may also be available for check-out. Sports: The school offers a gymnasium, track, outdoor exercise area (pull-up and parallel bars), swimming pool, and new exercise center at the main library. Sports equipment is available for rental at the gym or for sale at local stores. In the past, Frisbee aficionados have also brought Frisbees both for personal entertainment and to play with the students. Hiking trails wind their way up the mountain behind the university. Films: There are several stores downtown that sell DVDs but if you have some films you cant live without, bring those. Your students can also tell you how to download movies from the Internet. A documentary film series is hosted in a downtown coffee shop by STU faculty members. Inquire at the English Learning Center about this activity. Music and CDs: These can be purchased at various stores downtown but its a good idea to bring your favorites on an mp3 player. Games: Cards (called pokers) can be found here but board games are much harder to come by. (There are a few available at English Lounge on the second floor of building 9). Wal-Mart sells bilingual Monopoly, Clue and The Game of Life.

Restaurants on Campus
The options for a meal on or around campus are varied, both in nutritional value and price. These include the cafeterias, Any Bar (currently closed, but may reopen soon), ACC (Academic Conference Center): and the various restaurants just outside the East Gate of campus. 9

Cafeterias: There are 4 cafeterias on campus located in 2 blocks. Cafeterias 1, 2 and 3 are in the same room while #4 is in its own building. There are always many options from which to choose, including a wide range of prepared dishes from different regions of China, ondemand fried noodles, rice and vegetables, buns, dumplings, local pancakes, marinated meats and, of course, white rice. These dining halls are open from breakfast until late at night, though they stop serving meals and focus on snacks after about 8pm. Food costs as little as 3RMB for a large serving of vegetarian stir-fried noodles. Payment is made by swiping your ID card, to which you add money at several on-campus locations. ACC (Academic Conference Center): This restaurant, located on the first floor of the hotel and meeting facility, offers upscale Chinese food as well as western and Chinese breakfasts. This is a good place to try certain dishes unavailable at East Gate. Departments and programs occasionally sponsor special meals for their faculty at the ACC. Some of the more delicious offerings include beef sauted with peppers, onions and mango, steamed garlic abalone and vegetable platters. A Chinese breakfast includes all the local essentials, including congee, while western breakfast choices may include eggs and baked beans. A meal here costs 35-40RMB or more. East Gate: There are several inexpensive restaurants at the east gate of campus, each with its own style and specialties. There are also three or four spots to get a quick dish of noodles or dumplings. A couple of mini-markets for snacks, a self-described healthy hot and cold soup shop, and some fruit stands complete the options. Here are also two fruit stands at the front/main gate. Shaoxian Snacks: This noodle and dumpling shop has some of the cheapest, tastiest and fastest food at East Gate. A tall pile of dumpling steamers welcomes you to this tiny and popular stop. The many employees can prepare fried noodles or rice (vegetarian or not), various soups (including wonton, noodle or beef) as well as several other noodle dishes (like the popular ban mian noodles with peanut sauce. Unfortunately, dumplings have a standard filling and only come in non-vegetarian option. All dishes are between 2 and 5RMB. Dumplings cost 3RMB, ban mian 3RMB and fried noodles or rice 5RMB. Delicious Garden: This small hidden-away spot serves Hong Kong and Macao-style food and curry-style rice and meat dishes followed by a coconut jelly dessert. A meal here costs about 8-10RMB. Putian Dumplings: Another of East Gates stops for noodles and dumplings, Putian is a little more spacious but provides basically the same options as Shaoxian Snacks for the same price. The most noticeable difference is the dumpling filling. While also meaty, it has a different flavor due to the use of slightly different vegetables. The selection of soups and noodles might also provide some variety. Prices per dish vary between 2 and 5RMB. Spring Garden: The only eatery on the right side of the East Gate road is currently being re-built. Like its competitors, Spring Garden has its unique dishes. Some of these include very tasty mapo doufu (spicy tofu), mala qiezi (grilled/ deep fried eggplant with a spicy chili sauce), and traditional tieban niurou which comes still hissing on a cow shaped iron skillet and includes French-fry style potatoes. They have a special way of cooking tofu that keeps it soft but also coats it in a crispy shell. This delicious ingredient can be enjoyed with an orange sauce or simple salt and pepper. This style of preparation is also used with grilled squid. Eating here is also family-style and costs around 20RMB per person. Mimi House: A more recent addition to East Gate, Mimi House is still expanding its menu to include such dishes as beef brisket, curry and eggplant. They also serve coffees, teas, milkshakes (the Chinese version) and BBQ skewers. NB: One of the only places with A/C. 10

Expect to pay about 6-10 RMB a plate. Mala Tang (Spicy Soup): This is a good place for vegetarians as you get to pick exactly what you eat! Veggie, tofu and meat skewers are up for grabs then boiled in a broth with noodles, if desired). Spicy/pickled sauce is added after boiling. They also serve dumplings (boiled or steamed), noodles and other small snacks. A vegetarian skewer is 1RMB and meat is 2RMB. Other snacks vary between 1 and 5RMB. Health Food Restaurant: A little healthier than most East Gate offerings, this place serves a variety of sweet snacks such as douhua (literally tofu flower, like a tofu pudding), almond milk, coconut sago and mango jelly. Options change day to day. A cup of any of the options is around 3RMB. There are a few other snack and drink options, such as MTR, a milk tea chain (drinks between 2 and 6RMB) and Naisen, which offers more tea and coffee as well as smoothies for the same price range. In the evenings, the food selection is increased by two barbeque stalls and a smoothie stand, which stay open until late. The BBQ stalls offer traditional Chinese street food quite unlike traditional western BBQ. Here, a large variety of meat and vegetarian offerings are all skewered and then grilled and spiced. There are also eggs, dried fish, various types of tofu and sometimes shellfish. A single skewer costs 1RMB for vegetarian and 2RMB for meat. The smoothie stand makes delicious fruity and icy combinations with or without sugar and condensed milk. A smoothie costs 3RMB. .

Off Campus Restaurants See Appendix A for some bilingual names, addresses and
commentary. Chinese Restaurants: Beifang Jiaoziguan (Jinsha Road, Bus 6): Northern food with particularly good dumplings (both vegetarian and non) that you can get boiled, steamed, fried or in soup. Some particularly good dishes you cant find on campus include cumin fried potatoes, disanxian (eggplant, peppers and potatoes) and ganbian sijidou (spicy fried green beans). They also have donkey meat. A family-style meal will run anywhere from 15 to 40RMB, dependent on number of dishes (they are generously served) and proportion of vegetarian dishes. Qinghai Lamian (Jinsha Road, Bus 6 or 39): A family from Qinghai province runs this small restaurant whose specialty is delicious hand-pulled noodles. Watching the men make noodles in front of the restaurant should be done at least once. The noodles are served in soup, fried, or boiled with a choice of meats or vegetables. Other choices include tasty dumplings (non-vegetarian, fried or boiled), stir-fried eggs and tomatoes and cold cucumber with a soy and vinegar sauce. Noodles cost 5RMB and come with soup and tea. Other dishes are around 36RMB. Sichuan Hotpot (off Jinsha Road, Bus 6): If you are craving spicy food, this is a good place to go in a group. Order a broth (spicy, non-spicy or both in a yin-yang bowl) then pick plates of different ingredients to boil your self. These include potatoes, mushrooms, lettuce, tofu, lamb and local specialties like beef balls, fish balls, or turtle. Groups are recommended to get more variety since each plate is large. Meals cost upwards of 25RMB.

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Liuhua Vegetarian Restaurant (Haibin Road, Bus 39 or 21, then a 20-minute walk): This is the perfect place to eat safely. Vegetarian or not, its a great restaurant to try Buddhist mock-meat. Order separate dishes or one of the set menus that come in a variety of sizes. A meal costs around 30RMB per person. Harbour View Hotel, located near the riverfront, has good dim sum. Western Restaurants: Il Santo (Huangshan Road, Bus 39 (with a 10-minute walk) or 21 (with a 15 minute walk): A recent arrival in Shantou, this Italian restaurant serves Italian staples such as thin-crust pizzas, gnocchi, lasagne, carpacccio and Milanese veal. The restaurant is often full of foreigners, especially on weekends. Of the restaurants mentioned here, it is farthest from STU but a trip is worth the time. Most entres costs around 30-50RMB. Also makes good cocktails, and has a reasonable beer and wine list. With a drink and dessert, expect to pay at least 100RMB. Hayleys Caf (Huashan Road, Bus 6 or 39): Hayleys has a range of options from Indian-style curry to Japanese bento boxes, steak or lobster, Chinese rice dishes, and puff-pastry topped cream soups. The setting is a little more high-class and the staff regularly comes by to refill your cucumber water. A non-smoking section and western-style bathroom are featured. Prices range from 25RMB for small wraps to 400RMB for lobster. Most dishes are in the 3060RMB range. Portions are reasonably sized. Pizza Hut (Jinsha Road by Jinsha Park, Bus 21 or 6): This now pales in comparison with the other Western options in town, but it is a top restaurant for Chinese families. It is much fancier than US Pizza Huts and the menu combines some traditional toppings like pepperoni with strange choices like wasabi/salmon. The usual salad bar is available and you can even celebrate birthdays here. A pizza will set you back at least 75RMB. Los Amigos Spanish Restaurant (Shop A8-A11, Regal Gardens, Wen Guan Road, Chenghai District, Shantou (Near Garden Hotel) Phone for directions: 754-8563-3889. A long taxi ride from campus, but the paella and tapas at this authentic Spanish restaurant are worth the trip. Good wines are sold in the adjoining shop. Chef Jose Gallego Ramon may be moving on so dont delay your visit!

Others: Daiwo Sushi (Zhongshan Road, Bus 21): With color-coded plates (each color represents a different price) and a little conveyor belt, Daiwo is a fun experience and a reasonable place to try sushi. The usual choices of salmon, shrimp, squid, snapper and the like are complemented by concoctions like curry shrimp with egg, quail egg/seaweed/tofu boats, bacon/Singles, winemarinated beef and turbo gastropod. Soups, noodles and rice dishes are also available. Sushi plates cost 8 to 25RMB (with most from 8RMB to 15RMB). Other dishes range from 5RMB to 25RMB. Happy Lamian (2 stores on Changping Road, Bus 39): This chain of restaurants is a reliable pick for slight variations on the usual noodles/ rice options. Noodle soup dishes include curry udon and beef noodles (similar to spaghetti). Rice comes plain or stir-fried with veggies and eel, squid or egg or steamed with curry salmon or baby octopus. They also have tasty Japanese eel, spicy cucumber, miso soup and a small selection of sushi. Dishes cost from 5RMB to 30RMB. 12

McDonalds and KFC each have at least 2 locations in Shantou: Jinsha Road (next to Pizza Hut) and by Wal-Mart. Coffee and Tea: New Yemen: has Wifi; Changping Road, Bus 39 E-Coffee: various locations around Changping Road, Buses 21 and 39; one by UD Tom Harrys: also serves ice cream; on Changping Road, Bus 39 La Kaffa: has good smoothies; Huashan Road, Bus 6 or 39 (popular with middle school crowd) Bread Diary: chain with various locations including on Huanshan Road, Bus 39 or 6; on Jinsha Road, Bus 6; and on the 17, 21 and 39 buses on smaller roads. Oujyi: nation-wide chain with various locations including on Changping Road, Buses 21 and 39; on Rongjiang Road, Bus 6 and in Old Town, bus 17 close to Zhongshan Park. Macau Cate: 2 locations in Shantou, close to other snack places, Changping Road, Bus 39; Huashan Road, Buses 39 or 6. Six-Star: serves a free waffle with afternoon drinks; has teppanyaki rooms; two locations on Jinhuan Road, Bus 6 or 39; Changping Road, Bus 39 or 21. Bars: The area across from the big Bank of China on Jinsha Road has quite a few clubs and bars ranging from kind of noisy and smoky to very noisy and smoky. L.A. Music Caf has live music and a good range of imported beers (both bottled and on tap), while Show 8 Bar and LA Bar have DJs and cheaper Chinese beer. Other bars and clubs frequented by STU faculty members include Sunglow (behind Wal-Mart), Deli Bar (by Pizza Hut) and Channel Five (in the bar district).

Off Campus Entertainment and Day Trips

Cinema: Of the two cinemas in Shantou, the better one is on Jinsha Road (Bus 6) near the International Hotel. Both Chinese and English-language films are shown, the latter in English and subtitled. Ticket prices vary. Bowling: A bowling alley close to the cinema rents lanes by the hour. Shoe rental is provided. Swimming Pools: In addition to the pool on campus, there are two pools downtown: the old Olympic Diving Center by Peoples Park (end of Bus 17) and Zhongshan Park (bus 39 or 17). Another pool is available at the Diving Center on Queshi Island. Queshi Island is a pleasant day trip. (The ferry leaves from Peoples Park, end of Bus 17). NanAo Island is also a good trip (either one- or two-day) Wander around the town, head to the beach (with swimmable water) and sleep on the sand or in a hotel. This is also a common student trip destination. Zhongxin Beach is about 1.5 hours away and boasts a good stretch of beach with swimmable water, a saltwater pool and a small resort with a restaurant.

Bus Routes Summary

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There are five buses that reach campus: 6, 17, 21, 27 and 39. All travel to downtown Shantou and hit some of the more useful and popular destinations. The cost is 2 RMB per ride from the campus and 1 RMB within the city. A map with bus lines and some English names is available for purchase at the campus bookstore. Bus #6 Route: - Jinsha Park/ playground - Pizza Hut and Deli Bar - Fashion District - International Hotel - Movie theater - Meritus Hotel - Imports store - Golden Gulf Hotel - Wal-Mart Supercenter area (Turbo, DVD stores, Avant-Courrier, Hayleys Caf, Pacific Prime restaurant, Aussino Wines, which also carries cheese) - Brazilian BBQ - All-you-can-eat Sushi - Regency Hotel - Train station Bus #17 Route: - Long distance bus station (to Meizhou, Chaozhou and beyond) - Fabric District - Old Shantou area - Zhongshan Park, incl. swimming pool - Renmin (Peoples) Park - River side - Olympic Diving Center and pool - Boat to Queshi Island - Office to recharge bus cards Bus #21 Route - K-one-KTV Karaoke - Location of weekly downtown documentary presented by STU faculty - Alternative record store - Fashion district - Jinsha Park/ playground - Pizza Hut and Deli Bar - Puppy alley (pets sold by the side of the street) - Walking Street (great for Chinglish shirts and fake Converse shoes) - Daiwo Sushi/ Korean barbeque restaurant - Times Square/ Wal-Mart - Coffee store (also deals with imports from Shenzhen/ Hong Kong) - Massage/ sauna center - Gym - Turbo - Avant-Courier salon - Lotus Supercenter - Close to Il Santo Italian restaurant Bus #39 Route - Long distance bus station (to Meizhou, Chaozhou) - New Lotus Supermarket 14

Walking Street (opposite end of this street from #21) New Yemen coffee shop (and others along Changping Road) Wal-Mart area Gym Older Lotus Supermarket Il Santo Italian restaurant 6-Star Coffee Shop Train Station Long- distance Bus Station

All buses (6, 21, 17, 39 and 27) go through Tuopu, a suburb of Shantou, which holds a market every morning and many areas to wander around to get to know the real China. They also go past the TV station and tower, a useful landmark when navigating the city in a cab. Bus #20 is also a useful one as it connects Lotus and Wal-Mart by going down Changping Lu along which both stores are located. The gym is located between the two. #39 also follows this major road, which is lined with many little stores. #21 and #6 routes cross at the Jinsha Park/ Pizza Hut intersection in the fashion district. Wal-Marts south side is one block away from Times Square, a good place to go fly a kite during the weekend, and the location of the yearly Chaoshan Food Festival. The #21 runs on the south side of this park, the #39 on the north side. #6 runs one block north of it.

A Few Warnings
Not to be alarmist but there are a few things that should be mentioned so they are not too surprising if you encounter them. Counterfeit Money: Apparently Shantou is a well-known counterfeit money production area. This leads to some people being fooled into taking fake money in exchange for the real thing. Watch the people you give 100RMB bills to (small businesses, individuals) until they give you change. If they try to exchange your bill for another of the same value, refuse to take it and ask for the change you are owed. Taxi drivers are notable distributors of counterfeit money so be especially careful with them. (Give exact change whenever possible.) Counterfeit money comes in denominations as small as 10RMB. Check for the watermark and texture of the bills. Most stores will run any money you use through a machine or check it by hand. Taxis: Bargaining for the price of a cab ride is standard operating procedure in Shantou. Going by the meter is often much more expensive and the drivers sometimes will take a roundabout route to increase the fare. You should always negotiate the fare before getting into the cab and be clear you and the driver have agreed on a price before you leave. Around town, 10RMB is pretty standard, but if you know where you are going and can give directions, you can use the meter. The fares should be approximately as follows (and not increase at night or in rainy conditions no matter what the drivers say, though they sometimes do increase a little): University to downtown: 30-40RMB Wal-Mart to university: 30-40RMB Older Lotus to university: sometimes 40-50RMB Newer Lotus to university: 25-35RMB University to airport: 60-80RMB 15

Traffic: Your first taxi or bus ride into town might be quite a shock. The traffic laws in Shantou seem to be more guidelines than rules and its not uncommon to find your vehicle going down the wrong side of the road. You will get used to this and learn to view traffic philosophically. Bargaining: Apart from cabs, you might be called on to bargain for goods anywhere outside of stores where prices are very clearly labeled. Small stalls and stores seem to think that all foreigners are wealthy and will often raise the price of all sorts of items when selling to a laowai. You can avoid this by bargaining, taking a Chinese-speaker with you to buy for you or shopping only at large stores and supermarkets. Some smaller restaurants without a written official menu occasionally also increase their prices for their foreign friends. Look at how much others pay for their food. Learning some Chinese to help with bargaining is a very good idea. Pickpockets: Some very skilled pickpockets in the area will distract you while their friend steals your wallet out of your bag. Use a bag or purse that zips closed and keep an eye on it at all times. Some thieves will ride past on a scooter and grab your bag as they pass you. Watch for people riding suspiciously close to pedestrians. If someone grabs your purse or bag, let go rather than be dragged. There are many fewer incidents than you will hear about. Touts: This is not a serious problem in Shantou, but sometimes you will be approached by someone being very friendly and trying to get you to buy something or eat/sleep at a specific place. They get a commission and you might be getting tricked into buying something/paying for a service that is not what was advertised. Taxi drivers at bus stations are probably the most annoying tout-like people you will meet.

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Appendix A: Directions in Chinese for a few recommended destinations.

Restaurants
Northern Chinese Food Restaurant (dumplings, noodles, pancakes, northern flavored dishes). Dayang Head Store 0754-88538775 88538776 33 Dayang Commercial Building, No.33, Haibin Road, Shantou City Yangguang Brunch Store 0754-88878317 88850121 Yangguang huayuan, Hanjiang Road, Shantou City Fengwei Guang 0754-88882617 The juncture of Hengshan Road and Jiangzhu Road,Shantou City

Xian Gulaoba 0754-88129275. Great hole-in-the-wall for Xian meat-filled pancakes. Dumpling soup, and other middle China dishes. Just a block away from WalMart. 49 101 No.101, Building 49, Juyuan District, Shantou City IL SANTO 0754-88803978 88803979 2 109 No.109,The second Building, Yihailanwan,Huangshan Road, Sahntou City Lianhua Vegetarian Restaurant 0754-88530028 88520098 13829618308 The West-wing building, Dayang Group, Haibin Road, Shantou City Songhuajiang Homemade Food 0754-88879900 39 S15 S15,Building 39, Zhongtai Huayuan, Hanjiang Road, Shantou City

Duo Duo Northeast Asian Food 0754-88484188 1 2 10 No.10, Building 2, Dongsha huayuan, The juncture of North Dongsha Road and North Tianshan Road, Shantou City

Beifang Jiaozi guan 0754-88360555 88360666 12 The first and second floor of Jinxun Building, Danxia Zhuang, The East Jinsha Road, Shantou City Old Shantou Zongzi Snack 0754-88273535 13715905542 5 7 No.5 to No.7, Xinguan Street, Shantou City

Hotel Meritus 0754-88191188 The East Jinsha Road, Shantou City

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 Regency Hotel 0754-88199888 The East Jinsha Road, Shantou City

Hotspring Hotel 0754-88466288 Dongshanhu, Chaoan, Guangdong Province

Leisure Time Activities Haiyi Leisure Center 0754-88263622 88263822 7 1 2 The first and the second floor, Building 7, The northern part of Danxia Zhuang, Sahntou City Youth Caf 0754-88613131 13542846481 16 2 The second floor of [Baige Store], No.16, Brand Street, Jinyuan Road, Shantou City

New Haiyi Leisure Center Danxia Head Store 0754-88263622 89656666 7 12 The first and second floor, Building 7, The North part of Danxia Zhuang, Longhu Distrit Longxi Brunch Store 0754-88814686 35 Building 35, The South part of Longxi Huangyuan, Changping Road

Liu Zhilin (Blind Massage) 0754-88176657 13556380346 2830 107 No.107, Building 28-30, The North BIxia Zhuang, Longhu District, Shantou City

Chen Mingcong (Hairology) 0754-88884710 13192318810 5 103 No.103, Building 5, Jinfeng huating, The North Fengze Street

Other
( ) Cai Weidong (Longjia Food Limited Company) 0754-88884710 13322774710 15 Building 15, Longyan yuan, Jinsha Road, Shantou City

Deng Yuangang (Creative Dressmaking) 13556368430 37 No.37, Donglong Road, Jinping District, Shantou City

Regency Shantou Deluxe Hongkong Bus 0754-88199888 The East Jinsha Road, Shantou City

) Allied Pickford Moving Co. Packing and shipping out of the country. Contact Mr. Xu for the up-to-date phone number.

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 Tom Xiao 13556307773.Tom is a very dependable local private driver who will put you in touch with another driver if he is busy. Limited English.

Appendix B: Apartment Building floor plans

B buildings: Each unit is comprised of 5 rooms as well as two balconies following the floor plan below.

Balcony 1

Bedroom 1 Living Room

Bathroom Ref Kitchen

Bedroom 2

Dining Room

Balcony 2

A building: Each unit is comprised of 6 rooms as well as two balconies following the floor plan below.

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D building: Each unit is comprised of 4 rooms as well as one balcony following the floor plan below.

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Appendix C

English-Chinese Cards for Taxi Drivers

Please take me to Shantou University Qng sng w do shn tu d x

Please take me to Wal-Mart Qng sng w do w r m

Please take me to the new Lotus Qng sng w do xn b fng lin hu ( )

Please take me to Shantou University Qng sng w do shn tu d x

Please take me to the old Lotus Qng sng w do lo wn k lng ( )

Please take me to Shantou University Qng sng w do shn tu d x

Please take me to the long-distance bus Station (for trips out of town) Qng sng w do q ch zng zhn

Please take me to Shantou University Qng sng w do shn tu d x

Please take me to the Shantou bus station near the TV tower (for in-town trips) Qng sng w do din sh t f jn de gng ch zhn

Please take me to Shantou University Qng sng w do shn tu d x

Please take me to the airport Qng sng w do j chng

Please take me to Shantou University Qng sng w do shn tu d x

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