Simplified and complete Trainee Packet - Google Groups

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Guangzhou, AIESEC Mainland of China

Simplified and Complete Trainee Packet 2011 In this packet you will find information on the following:

1. Housing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Page 2 2. Visas . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Page 3 3. Transportation around Guangzhou . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 4. AIESEC MoC Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Page 18 5. Setting the Right Expectations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Page 19 6. Emergency Situations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Page 20 7. Useful Information and Tips . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Page 20 8. Chinese Culture . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Page 22 9. Trainee Feedback . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Page 23

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1. Housing Overview Finding a nice and comfortable place to live in a large city like Guangzhou, can be overwhelming, not just for expats, but for Chinese people too. So, taking a bit more time to research things online can make your life a lot easier. Even so, you'll probably still have to see about 10 – 20 properties before you find your ideal place.

Agent Commission The standard agent commission is equal to one month’s rent. In Guangzhou’s housing market, usually agents get paid by the landlords if the monthly rental fee exceeds RMB 3000. Otherwise, tenants will be asked to pay the commission. Deposit In general, you'll need to pay one month's deposit up front. When tenants move out or the contract ends, the landlord will return it if you haven't damaged the apartment's interior, or any of the furniture or appliances. Changing the lock If the new apartment's key was kept in agency offices, we strongly suggest you change the lock after you move into a new house. While an apartment sits vacant, there's usually more than one agency showing it to customers. And they all have the keys of the apartment. For your safety, it's best to change the locks. It can be done very quickly by a locksmith (ask a Chinese friend to help you find one, they're usually on street corners near apartment buildings), and the cost is around RMB 100.

TTeemmppoorraarryy RReessiiddeennccyy RReeggiissttrraattiioonn

IItt iiss iimmppoorrttaanntt ttoo kknnooww tthhaatt uunnddeerr CChhiinneessee llaaww ffoorreeiiggnneerrss MMUUSSTT rreeggiisstteerr aatt tthheeiirr llooccaall ppoolliiccee ssttaattiioonn ((sseeee tthhee

ppoolliicciieess hheerree:: CChhiinneessee ppoolliicciieess)).. UUssuuaallllyy ffoorreeiiggnneerrss nneeeedd ttoo pprreeppaarree tthheeiirr ppaassssppoorrtt aanndd aa ccooppyy ooff tthhee ppaassssppoorrtt ssoo

tthhaatt tthhee rreeggiissttrraattiioonn ccaann bbee ffiinniisshheedd ssuucccceessssffuullllyy.. AAtt mmoosstt ppoolliiccee ssttaattiioonnss yyoouu''llll aallssoo hhaavvee ttoo bbrriinngg aa ccooppyy ooff yyoouurr

rreennttaall ccoonnttrraacctt aanndd aa ccooppyy ooff llaannddlloorrdd''ss nnaattiioonnaall IIDD ccaarrdd ((ccaalllleedd aa 身身份份证证 iinn CChhiinneessee)).. AAfftteerr yyoouu ffiinniisshh rreeggiissttrraattiioonn yyoouu''llll bbee ggiivveenn aa tteemmppoorraarryy rreessiiddeennccee ppeerrmmiitt aass pprrooooff ooff yyoouurr rreeggiissttrraattiioonn.. AAnndd iiff yyoouu mmoovvee aanndd yyoouu nneeeedd ttoo

rreeggiisstteerr iinn aannootthheerr ppoolliiccee ssttaattiioonn,, rreemmeemmbbeerr ttoo bbrriinngg yyoouurr ffoorrmmeerr rreeggiissttrraattiioonn ffoorrmm wwiitthh yyoouu.. IItt mmaakkeess tthhee wwhhoollee

pprroocceessss mmuucchh eeaassiieerr!! Communication with Landlord Like in any other relationships, it’s always to find out what the landlords want (it may not only be money, but something else) and then work with them to get a result that satisfies both parties’ needs. Here some things to pay attention to: Before starting to negotiate, ask questions – Ask questions about the lease agreement or anything else you're interested in knowing. This will create an impression of a tenant who cannot be fooled and is genuinely interested in safeguarding his/her rights as well as the landlord’s. Showing responsibility can help make the landlord more willing to negotiate. During negotiations, always keep your cool. Do not raise your voice and stay calm even if the landlord is shouting. Do not waste time arguing. Negotiating is about finding solutions. Arguing is about trying to prove the other person wrong. We know that when negotiating turns into each party trying to prove the other one wrong, no progress gets made. If you disagree with something state your disagreement in a gentle but assertive way. Don’t demean the other person or get into a power struggle (this is a good rule for most arguments in China!!). The last one is the most important. The key to negotiating is having options. We strongly suggest visiting more than one apartment, and always have a backup choice in mind even you think you have found the right one. Things change very quickly in the Guangzhou housing market, and negotiating with different landlords at the same time can help you get a better deal.

http://www.bjgaj.gov.cn/web/detail_zxftDetail_213652.html

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Things to Pay Attention to When You Inspect the Apartment 1. Is there a security code needed to get into the apartment or into the complex? If so, make sure to get those codes or entrance cards, if any. 2. If the utilities are on check to see if: All the lights work properly, the toilets flush and refill properly, the water pressure at all of the sinks, tubs and showers is adequate, the water heater is supplying hot water at an adequate pressure, and the heating and/or air-conditioning systems is working. 3. Inspect the refrigerator, heater, dishwasher (if there is one), and faucets and make sure all are in working condition. If there’s no electricity or water available in this apartment, ask the landlord to buy some first, then check and make sure those home appliances work. 4. Look for any unsafe items: Electrical wiring hanging from fixtures or open electrical boxes, electrical outlets without cover plates, electrical switches and outlets that are loose and not secured. 5. Check to see if all doors and windows operate properly and have their proper hardware and that the hardware is operating properly i.e. windows stay up without being propped, window locks work properly, door locks work properly and all openable windows have undamaged window screens. 6. Check that the windows and doors are sealed properly: This is to guard against rain leaks and insects. 7. To avoid any disagreements with the landlord when ready to move out be sure that before moving anything into the unit, that you write down every defect that is present i.e. scratched woodwork, holes in walls, floor covering defects, dirty walls, floors etc., and of course any of the other items that are listed above. Your rental contract will have a page where all this can be written down. 8. Check the water, gas and electricity meters; write down the display numbers on the inspection page of the contract. The actual cost during the rental period will be calculated based on this record when contract ends. **Note** This may be different if your apartment requires you to charge your meters with IC cards. For more information on how to do that, see later on in this section. The above list of tips is by no means fully comprehensive, but does give you some guidelines on what to look for and what to be aware of when you're for a rental unit. Property Ownership Certification

Please be aware of that it’s important to review landlord’s house ownership certificate (called a 房本 in Chinese), along with his/her ID, before signing any lease agreement. It's not unheard of for fake landlords to rent out empty apartments and break in later on. So checking the ownership papers is a very useful way to ensure your rights won’t be violated after moving in.

2. VISAs Anyone who's lived outside their country knows that visas are not fun to deal with. China's no different.

The first, and the most important question you're going to have to answer about your Chinese visa is:

Am I going to apply for an L (tourist) visa or an F (internship) visa?

Your host AIESEC LC should work with you to help you make the decision. Once you've decided what visa you're

getting, they should help guide you through the process of getting it.

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But even though your LC is going to help you, you should still understand what kind of visa you're getting and why

you're getting it, so you'll know if something's not right, and have an idea how to fix it.

The next two sections are an explanation of the two different kinds of visas. They're a little bit complicated, but the

reason they're so detailed is that understanding the details of your visa will help you stay out of visa trouble! Trust

us, you don't want to get into visa trouble. Visa trouble in China can cost you a lot of time and money.

But . . . if you just want to know which kind of visa you need and why, and you don't want all the details, skip these

two sections and go to the next one (it starts on page 13). It'll tell you which kind of visa you should get and why.

The last section talks about some other important things you should know about Chinese visas. The last section is

important too! Just because it's last doesn't mean you shouldn't read it!

One brief note before we introduce the two kinds of visas:

*NOTE*

In China government regulations can change without warning for what seems like no reason at all. This is true for

the regulations applying to visas, too. The first place you should go to look for the latest information on getting a

Chinese visa is the website of your local embassy. Unfortunately, while the websites of many Chinese embassies are

up-to-date and helpful, some of them aren't. Also, the consular sections of most Chinese embassies don't answer

phone calls, so there's no way to call with questions.

We've done our best to make sure the information we've included here was accurate at the time of writing. But if

you're the type who wants to be 100% sure, you can check websites like Lonely Planet's “Thorntree” forum

(www.lonelyplanet.com/thorntree) to read the experiences of recent travelers with getting visas. Or you can

ask your AIESEC buddy in China to get in touch with a visa agency here (the best is Traders' Link. Their website is

here: http://www.traders-link.com/en/), or put you in touch with a recent trainee from your home country. Or,

send an email to the Guangzhou AIESEC People listserv (which you should already be on! If you're not, join here:

http://groups.google.com/group/aiesec-gdufs-trainee ) and send the trainees in Guangzhou your question!

*END NOTE!*

Now that we've got that out of the way, let's introduce the two different kinds of visas!

The “L” Visa

The so-called “tourist visa”. L visas are supposed to be for people traveling in China or visiting relatives and friends

here.

You'll be working in China instead of traveling, but if you're doing a very short-term traineeship then you should

apply for this visa (once again, go to page 10 if you want to skip all the explanation below and just want to know

which visa you should apply for).

This visa's period of validity can be either 90 or 180 days from the date they're issued (a lot of factors affect which

one you'll get, but it can't hurt to ask the consular for the longer duration when you apply!). That means that you

have either 90 or 180 days to enter China after you get the visa, otherwise you'll have to apply for a new visa

before you can enter the country.

There's a few kinds of L visas:

http://www.lonelyplanet.com/thorntree

http://www.traders-link.com/en/

http://groups.google.com/group/aiesec-gdufs-trainee

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● Single entry: This visa allows you to enter China only one time. If you leave China with a single entry visa, you'll have to get a new visa before you can come back into the country.

● Double entry: Allows you to enter China twice. If you have this visa, you can leave the China once and come back in. If you leave the country a second time, you'll have to get a new visa before you can come back in.

● Multiple entry: This visa allows you to leave China and come back in as many times as you would like during the visa's period of validity.

The duration of stay for most L visas is 30 days.

Please note that duration of stay and period of validity are not the same thing! Although an L visa may be valid for

three or six months, a 30-day duration of stay means that once you enter the country, you have to leave 30 days

later.

If you have a single entry L visa, that means you'll need to get a new visa to come back in, even if there is still time

left on your period of validity. Instead of leaving the country and getting a new visa, you can also get your L visa

extended for another 30 days inside China. You can only extend your L visa two times (more on that option below).

With a double entry L visa, you'll still have to leave the country after 30 days, but you can come back in and stay

another 30 days as long as your second entry is before the end of the visa's period of validity. If you leave the

country again, you'll need a new visa before you can come back in, just like with the single entry L visa. Also like

the single entry L visa, you can extend this one for 30 days from inside China.

With a multiple entry L visa, you'll still have to leave the country after 30 days, but you can enter and come back in

as many times as you need before the end of the visa's period of validity. With an L visa that has 180 days of

validity, this means you may end up exiting the country and re-entering as many as four or five times! Just like the

other two kinds of L visas, you have the option of extending this visa for 30 days from within China up to two times.

See the next couple pages for some examples of each of the different kinds of visas:

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Single Entry L Visa

See the next page for double entry

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Double Entry L Visa

See the next page for multiple entry

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Multiple Entry L Visa

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Applying for an L Visa

Applying for an L visa is simple. You can request a single, double, or multiple-entry L when you apply (we suggest

you ask for multiple-entry, just in case!). When you go to apply, you'll need to bring:

● Your passport. It needs to have a blank page available (as you can see, a Chinese visa takes up a whole page), and at least six months left before it expires.

● A complete Visa Application Form (for an example of the Chinese Visa Application Form go to:

http://www.china-embassy.org/eng/ywzn/lsyw/vpna/news/W020110113222979154291.pdf ) ● One passport-sized photo ● Money to pay the visa fee (this is different for each country. Consult the website of your local embassy).

These requirements are based on the requirements for United States citizens. You should talk with your host LC and

ask them to help you find out whether the requirements for your country are different!

Give all this to your local embassy, and four working days later you'll have your brand-new L visa. Remember to

apply for your visa soon enough that you'll get it before you come to China!

Extending an L Visa in China

The process of extending an L visa is not easy, which is one of the reasons L visas are best only for very short

traineeships (for more on that, see page 10). Plus, it can only be extended twice, each time only for 30 days!

We suggest you avoid extending an L visa if it's at all possible! After you read this section you'll understand why.

Extending an L visa is not a fun process.

If you do need to extend your L visa, though, below are the materials you'll need to do it. Once again, these

requirements are accurate as of the time of this writing, but may have changed since. You can go to the website of

the Guangzhou Public Security Bureau (http://www.gzjd.gov.cn/churujing/main_jsp_catid_67.html/ or

http://crj.gdga.gov.cn/ ) to make sure.

● Passport with your current visa ● Temporary Residence Registration Form ● Filled-out Visa Application Form ● Passport Photo ● Documents certifying financial support for living cost in Guangzhou (e.g. certificate of deposit, at an

average of US$100 per day)

The last requirement is what makes extending an L visa so annoying.

A hundred dollars a day means you need to have a certificate of deposit for US$3000 (US$100 per day x 30 days).

The exchange rate at the time of this writing was about 6.6 RMB to one US dollar, which means you would need

about RMB20,000 !

The worst part is that all this money needs to be in a Chinese bank account. That's worth repeating in big letters

with lots of exclamation points:

TO EXTEND YOUR L VISA, YOU NEED TO SHOW THE CHINESE VISA AUTHORITIES PROOF OF US$3000 IN A

CHINESE BANK ACCOUNT!!!!!!!!!

http://www.china-embassy.org/eng/ywzn/lsyw/vpna/news/W020110113222979154291.pdf

http://www.gzjd.gov.cn/churujing/main_jsp_catid_67.html/

http://crj.gdga.gov.cn/

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There are three major reasons this requirement is annoying:

1. If you don't have a Chinese bank account, you need to open one, which means you'll probably have to wait in line at the bank for a long time (Chinese banks have horrible customer service), and you'll need to fill out a bunch of forms written in Chinese. If you do have to open a Chinese bank account, be sure to bring your passport! You'll need to show it to open the account.

2. If you didn't bring this amount of money with you to China, you'll need to wire the money from your foreign bank account, or have someone else wire it to you. Wire transfers into China take several days to process, and also require you to fill out a bunch of forms in Chinese.

3. The certificate of deposit you need to show the visa authorities freezes your bank account. You won't have access to the account for at least a day or two.

For all these reasons, it's worth repeating, we suggest you avoid extending an L visa if at all possible! If you're

applying for an L visa extension, it probably means that you or your LC made a mistake!

The “F” Visa

The F visa is given to foreigners who are invited to China on an internship.

This visa is better for medium-to-long term traineeships (once again, you can skip all the explanation below and

just go to page 10 if you just want to know what visa you should get).

Just like the L visa, F visas have a period of validity of either 90 or 180 days. Also like the L visa, whether your local

embassy gives you 90 or 180 days depends on a lot of factors, but it can't hurt to ask for the longer one when you

apply.

F visas have the same three basic kinds as the L visa:

● Single entry: This visa allows you to enter China only one time. If you leave China with a single entry visa, you'll have to get a new visa before you can come back into the country.

● Double entry: Allows you to enter China twice. If you have this visa, you can leave the China once and come back in. If you leave the country a second time, you'll have to get a new visa before you can come back in.

● Multiple entry: This visa allows you to leave China and come back in as many times as you would like during the visa's period of validity.

Unlike the L visa, F visas have longer duration of stay. The duration of stay for an F visa can be 90 or 180 days. Still,

most of the same rules apply.

If you have a single entry F visa, that means you'll need to get a new visa to come back in, even if there is still time

left on your period of validity. Instead of leaving the country and getting a new visa, you can also get your F visa

extended inside China. Unlike the L visa, there is no limit to the number of times you can extend an F visa (more on

that option below).

With a double entry F visa you can leave China once, but you can come only back in if your second entry is before

the end of the visa's period of validity. If you leave the country again, you'll need a new visa before you can come

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back in, just like with the single entry F visa. Also like the single entry F visa, you can extend this one from inside

China.

With a multiple entry F visa you can enter and come back in as many times as you need before the end of the visa's

period of validity. You can extend this one inside China too.

Note that, unlike with the L visa, you do not have to exit the country once every thirty days, making this visa a

much more convenient option if you're on a long traineeship.

See the next page for an example of the F visa.

Single Entry F Visa

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Applying for an F Visa

Applying for an F visa is a little bit more complicated than an L visa.

Just like with the L, you can request a single, double, or multiple-entry when you apply (we still suggest you ask for

multiple-entry, just in case!).

Unlike an L visa, with the F you can also request either a 90 or 180 duration of stay. Ask for the one which is

appropriate to your situation. Some embassies can grant F visas with durations of stay up to a year, but you have

to explain to the visa officer why you need the extra time. If your traineeship is longer than six months, talk with

your host LC about getting a longer F visa.

When you go to apply for an F visa, you'll need to bring:

● Your passport. It needs to have a blank page available, and at least six months left before it expires. ● A complete Visa Application Form (for an example of the Chinese Visa Application Form go to:

http://www.china-embassy.org/eng/ywzn/lsyw/vpna/news/W020110113222979154291.pdf ) ● One passport-sized photo ● Money to pay the visa fee (this is different for each country. Consult the website of your local embassy). ● Invitation letter from the host company, authorized by the Chinese government.

Once again, these are the requirements for United States citizens. These are here only as an example. You should

talk with your host LC and ask them to help you find out whether the requirements for your country are different!

The last requirement (the invitation letter) is the main thing that makes applying for an F visa more difficult than

applying for an L visa. Your host LC will work with you to get you the invitation letter, but it may take awhile. TThhaatt''ss

wwhhyy yyoouu sshhoouulldd bbeeggiinn aappppllyyiinngg ffoorr aann FF vviissaa aass ssoooonn aass yyoouu ccaann,, aatt lleeaasstt aa mmoonntthh bbeeffoorree yyoouu ggoo ttoo CChhiinnaa,, iiff ppoossssiibbllee...

Once you have all the materials, the process for applying for an F visa is the same as an L visa. Go to the embassy,

turn everything in, and wait four working days. After that, you'll have your new F visa!

Extending an F Visa in China

Extending an F visa isn't simple, but at least you don't have to have three thousand dollars in the bank! If you have

an F visa, you won't have to extend it unless you're on a very long traineeship. By the time you have to extend it

you'll probably be a China expert and not need the help from this little reception booklet we've put together!

But, just in case, here's our advice. If you want to extend an F visa, go to a visa service company. We recommended

Traders' Link on the first page. We'll recommend them again here. They make the long and difficult process of

extending an F visa fast and easy. Walk in with a passport photo, your passport, and the money for their fee

(RMB2000 as of this writing for citizens of the U.S., Canada, Japan, and most European countries. It may be more

expensive for people from other countries) and you'll very quickly have a new F visa.

However, if you still want to do things by the book, the list below is what you'll need to extend your F visa. Before

you apply, go to the Guangzhou Municipal Public Security Bureau's website

(http://www.gzjd.gov.cn/churujing/main_jsp_catid_67.html/ or http://crj.gdga.gov.cn/ ) to check out the most up-

to-date list of what materials you need.

● Your passport with your current visa

http://www.china-embassy.org/eng/ywzn/lsyw/vpna/news/W020110113222979154291.pdf

http://www.gzjd.gov.cn/churujing/main_jsp_catid_67.html/

http://crj.gdga.gov.cn/

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● Your temporary residence permit (see page 2 in the section on housing for more info on what this is and how to get it)

● Filled-out Visa Application Form stamped with your host company's seal ● Passport Photo ● Invitation letter from your host company ● Copy of your host company's business license

If it sounds like it would be hard for a poor little trainee like you to get all this by yourself, you're right! YYoouu nneeeedd ttoo

ggeett iinn ttoouucchh wwiitthh yyoouurr hhoosstt LLCC aatt lleeaasstt aa mmoonntthh bbeeffoorree tthhee eenndd ooff yyoouurr vviissaa''ss ppeerriioodd ooff vvaalliiddiittyy. They'll work

together with you, your company, and the Guangzhou government to get together all the materials you'll need to

apply for an extension.

F visas extensions can be zero, single, double, or multiple entry. The duration of stay for the first three (zero, single,

double) is six months. Multiple entry F visa extensions can be six or 12 months long. Like we said earlier, there's no

limit to the number of times you can extend your F visa, but unless you decide to stay in China after the end of

your traineeship you should only have to do it once!

So Which Visa Should I Get?

Before we help you figure out which visa will work for you, you should know that different Guangzhou LCs have

different recommendations on this question.

Some of them tell all of their trainees to get F visas. Some of them tell trainees on short traineeships to get an L

visa, and trainees on long traineeships to get F visas.

Do what your LC tells you to do!!

The information we're giving you here so that you can make good decisions, and protect both yourself and AIESEC

China. It's not so that you can get in a fight with your LC!

L Visas

If you read the last two sections, you've probably already guessed that L visas are only good for short-term

traineeships. By “short-term”, we mean one or two months.

The main reason why L visas are better for short-term traineeships is that they require less paperwork than F visas.

This makes the process of getting a visa much quicker and easier for you and your LC.

L visas are not good for traineeships longer than a month or two because:

a. They require you to leave the country once every thirty days. This takes a lot of time and effort, and can get very expensive very quickly (the cheapest way to leave the country is to go to Hong Kong, but even that will probably cost you at least US$50 for a round-trip).

b. It's not easy to extend an L visa inside China (see page 6 for all the painful details). Also, an L visa can only be extended for 30 days each time, a maximum of two times.

All this makes L visas (it's worth repeating) a terrible choice for traineeships longer two months!!

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F Visas

If you're going to be in China for longer than two months, you should get an F visa.

The reason is simple: even though it's a little bit more trouble to get an F visa than an L visa (see page 7 for the

details), having one will save you a lot of time and trouble and money. The reasons are:

F visas don't require you to leave the country once every 30 days.

F visas are much easier to extend than L visas.

If you're doing a four month-long traineeship and your LC is recommending that you get an L visa, something is

wrong (of course, the LCs in Guangzhou are usually pretty good at handling visas, so it's not likely that this will

happen ☺).

Some Important Miscellaneous Information

This is where we put all the information that you really need to know, but that didn't fit in the other sections.

READ THIS SECTION (ESPECIALLY THE PARTS IN RED). IT'S IMPORTANT!!

First, you may have asked yourself while you were reading this,

“Why are we choosing between a tourist visa and an internship visa? Why are we not getting a work visa?”

If you've had any experience with visas before, you probably know that most countries don't make it easy to get a

work visa. China's no different. To get a work visa (they're called a “Z” visa in China), you need:

AAtt lleeaasstt ttwwoo yyeeaarrss ppoosstt--ggrraadduuaattiioonn wwoorrkk eexxppeerriieennccee

TToo bbee aatt lleeaasstt 2255 yyeeaarrss oolldd

Obviously, the overwhelming majority of AIESEC trainees in China don't meet these qualifications!

And those are only two of the requirements for work visas in China. There are many others. The time, energy, and

money (especially the money!) needed to get a trainee a Z visa makes it impractical for almost all of the companies

that AIESEC works with in Guangzhou.

So you won't be getting a work visa. Knowing that, it's possible you might ask yourself,

“I'm going to be working in China, but I won't have a work visa. Is this illegal? Am I going to go to jail?”

Let's answer the second question first: No, you're not going to go to jail. You don't have to worry about that. If you

follow the instructions we're going to give you, nothing bad will happen to you. You'll come to China, you'll do your

traineeship, and you'll go home.

The first question (“Is this illegal?”) is harder. If you're on an F visa, the answer is “maybe”. If you're on an L visa,

the answer is “definitely”.

Is working on an L visa illegal?

Yes. Yes. Yes. Yes. Yes. A thousand times yes.

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People with L visas are not allowed to work while they're in China. The law is very clear on this. When you are

doing your traineeship in China, you will be working illegally.

If that's the case, why do some LCs still recommend that their trainees get an L visa?

First, L visas are much easier to get than F visas, which makes the process much easier for LCs here and for companies that take trainees. It's not easy to get 20 F visas for 20 trainees that are only going to be in China for a month!

Second, as long as you don't tell the Chinese government that you will be working while you're in China, the risk of anyone finding out is very, very small. Like almost zero. The government here has much bigger problems to worry about than 19 and 20 year-old foreigners doing a one month traineeship.

So we really want to emphasize that if your LC has asked you to apply for an L visa

DO NOT MENTION ON YOUR L VISA APPLICATION THAT YOU WILL BE WORKING IN CHINA!! IF YOU DO THIS YOU

WILL NOT GET A VISA, AND YOU WILL GET AIESEC IN CHINA INTO TROUBLE!!

You should take this warning very seriously.

As an international NGO that works with university students, AIESEC is in a very sensitive position in China. They

don't want to give the government an excuse to shut AIESEC down here. You shouldn't give the government that

excuse either!

Is working on an F visa illegal?

F visas can be used for internships. But they're supposed to be unpaid internships. AIESEC traineeships all pay the

trainee a salary. So that means AIESEC trainees with F visas are working illegally, right?

No, not necessarily. To be honest, this is a gray area (which is why the warning below isn't in big letters☺). The

regulations on F visas do allow companies to give interns a stipend for housing and food.

So when you apply for your F visa, you should say that the money your company is giving you is a STIPEND for

housing and food. NOT A SALARY. You should say this even if your company is providing you housing. Just like

with the L visa, saying the wrong thing could keep you from getting a visa, and get AIESEC China in trouble!!

Under a strict interpretation of the law, AIESEC traineeships with F visas are probably illegal. But the salaries for

AIESEC traineeships in China are low enough compared to market wages that it's not silly to call it a stipend.

Certainly, no one's going to be getting rich on a traineeship here!

Regardless, as long as you emphasize that you're being paid a stipend, not a salary, you should have no problems

with your F visa.

3. Transportation Around Guangzhou Guangzhou Subway

● 2-15RMB wherever you want to go within Guangzhou. You can buy a 70RMB Metro Card at the major subway stops for a 20RMB deposit and charge money so you don’t have to wait for the ticket machine that rarely reads paper money and also is congested during rush hour peak hours.

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● * Avoid Line 1 during morning and afternoon rush hours! ● * Don’t be surprised if you find local people pushing you to get out even before the train has completely

stopped. Public Bus system

● Besides bicycles, public buses are the cheapest way to get around Guangzhou ● Fare: 2RMB if you have take some special bus, like the ones in university city, it one take 1RMB. So it

depends. ● Whereever the subway doesn’t go or if your destination is faraway from a subway stop there should be a

bus stop. Check out google/baidu maps for the closest bus stop.

Taxi ● Meters start at 8RMB and depending on the taxi, 2.6RMB is added on to the meter every kilometer. ● Taxi call: 96900

Guangzhou Airport Shuttle Bus ● Taking the Guangzhou airport bus is the cheapest way to get to the downtown Guangzhou from

Guangzhou Capital Airport or to Guangzhou Capital Airport from the city center of Guangzhou. ● But it is convenient only if you do not have much luggage or already know where the buses are going to

drop you off. ● If you are going to use the airport bus for your airport transfer, you are kindly advised to know Guangzhou

airport bus routes and fares before you decide to take it. ● Most fares are about 15-30RMB

Guangzhou Railway Stations ● Taking the train in China is an experience not to be missed. ● You can meet people from all over the country, and the views out of the train windows are unavailable in

any other forms of travel. ● Guangzhou has 2 railway stations, with lines running to almost all provincial capitals, and to all China's

major cities. ● There are four kinds of seats available-soft berths, hard berths, soft seats and hard seats. ● Guangzhou Railway Station and Guangzhou East Railway Station have many counters selling tickets to

foreigners and overseas Chinese. Tickets can be purchased up to 10 days in advance.

1. Guangzhou Railway Station ( Guangzhou ) Add: Huan shi Xi Rd. , Yue Xiu District

Tel: 96020088、95105105

2. Guangzhou EAST Railway Station (Guangzhou EAST )

Add: Ling he Zhong Rd. , Tianhe District

Tel: 020-61346610

3. Guangzhou SOUTH Railway Station (Guangzhou SOUTH ) Add: Shi pi Village, Zhong Cun Town, Panyu District Tel: /

http://www.google.com/url?q=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.tour-beijing.com%2Fbeijing_airport_shuttle_bus%2F&sa=D&sntz=1&usg=AFQjCNFLiGvPpmnehMz3b7tehUx95ZSoog










http://www.google.com/url?q=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.tour-beijing.com%2Ftrains%2Fbeijing_railway_stations%2F&sa=D&sntz=1&usg=AFQjCNE7_B4ypWSAo3iZdtQtNyNs2mbJfg







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Guangzhou Subway Map (Note: the subway lines with dotted lines are NOT completed yet)

4. Basic AIESEC Guangzhou info and Key Contacts Welcome!

• Congratulations on being matched as a trainee in AIESEC Mainland of China! GDUFS welcomes you with open arms and look forward to both learning from you and helping you to learn more about yourself and this great city of Guangzhou!

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• AIESEC in Mainland of China is a new AIESEC country full of challenges and opportunities and we can’t wait to share it with you! Best of luck for in your preparation, and we look forward to working and partying with you soon!

• There are a total of 3 Local committees (LC) in Guangzhou. • GDUFS, Guangdong University of Foreign Studies • SYSU • SCUT

AIESEC Mainland of China Website: www.aiesec.cn Add: Room 1800, Tower E, No. 16, Haidian Middle Street, Haidian District, Guangzhou, P.R. China 北京市海淀区海淀中街 16 号中关村公馆 E 座 1800 室

MC Office Phone Number: 010-82866532

LC Position Name Phone(+ 86) E-mail

MC VP Exchange Delivery

Tiger Xu 134 8885 0314 [email protected]

MC South China Director

Jaycee Lam 13632387573 [email protected]

GDUFS LCP Lorraine Li 13760674965 [email protected]

GDUFS VP ICX Cherokee Zhou 15017578294 [email protected]

Key: LCP: Local Committee President, ICX: Incoming Exchange

5. Setting the right expectations Responsibilities of Exchange Participant (EP) & MoC EP Buddy

EExxcchhaannggee PPaarrttiicciippaanntt wwiillll bbee rreessppoonnssiibbllee ffoorr tthhee ffoolllloowwiinngg:: •• FFaacciilliittaattee ccuullttuurraall eexxcchhaannggee aanndd ddiissccuussss yyoouurr pprroobblleemmss wwiitthh AAIIEESSEECC mmeemmbbeerrss aanndd ootthheerr ttrraaiinneeeess

•• DDoo yyoouurr jjoobb wwiitthh aa ppoossiittiivvee aattttiittuuddee aanndd ttoo tthhee bbeesstt ooff yyoouurr aabbiilliittiieess

•• CCoommmmuunniiccaattiinngg wwiitthh AAIIEESSEECCeerrss aanndd iinniittiiaattiinngg tthhaatt ccoommmmuunniiccaattiioonn

•• FFiillll iinn tthhee ttrraaiinneeeesshhiipp ssuurrvveeyyss ttoo ggiivvee bbaacckk ffeeeeddbbaacckk..

•• HHeellpp uuss hheellpp yyoouu tthhiiss iiss oonnllyy ppoossssiibbllee iiff yyoouu ccoommmmuunniiccaattee wwiitthh uuss aabboouutt aannyy pprroobblleemmss,,ccoonncceerrnnss aanndd eexxppeeccttaattiioonnss.. MMaannyy tthhiinnggss mmaayy nnoott bbee oobbvviioouuss ttoo uuss aanndd wwee nneeeedd yyoouu ttoo tteellll uuss..

•• NNeevveerr mmiissss aa ppaarrttyy,, bbeeccaauussee tthhiiss iiss wwhheerree yyoouu ggeett ttoo iinntteerraacctt wwiitthh tthhee mmeemmbbeerrss aanndd ttrraaiinneeeess iinn tthhee LLCC aanndd mmaannyy ootthheerr iinntteerreessttiinngg ppeeooppllee..

•• AAfftteerr tthhee iinniittiiaall rreecceeppttiioonn ssttaaggee yyoouu aarree rreessppoonnssiibbllee ffoorr yyoouurr aaccttiioonnss aanndd ggeettttiinngg iinnvvoollvveedd wwiitthh tthhee cciittyy

AAIIEESSEECC iinn MMaaiinnllaanndd ooff CChhiinnaa wwiillll bbee rreessppoonnssiibbllee ffoorr tthhee ffoolllloowwiinngg:: •• OOuurr RReessppoonnssiibbiilliittiieess aass HHoossttssCCoommmmuunniiccaattee wwiitthh yyoouu bbeeffoorree yyoouu aarrrriivvee ttoo eennssuurree yyoouu aarree pprreeppaarreedd ffoorr yyoouurr

ttrriipp..

•• PPiicckk yyoouu uupp aatt tthhee ppooiinntt ooff yyoouurr aarrrriivvaall

•• HHeellpp yyoouu wwiitthh aarrrraannggiinngg aaccccoommmmooddaattiioonn •• HHeellpp yyoouu wwiitthh aallll tthhee rreegguullaarr ddaaiillyy ffuunnccttiioonnss ((sshhooppppiinngg,, ttaakkiinngg tthhee bbuuss,, ggeettttiinngg aa bbaannkk aaccccoouunntt,, hhooww ttoo uussee tthhee

tteelleepphhoonneess,, hhooww ttoo oorrddeerr ffoooodd eettcc……))

•• TTaakkee yyoouu ttoo tthhee oorrggaanniizzaattiioonn oonn yyoouurr ffiirrsstt ddaayy ooff yyoouurr ttrraaiinneeeesshhiipp •• BBee tthheerree ttoo aannsswweerr qquueessttiioonnss aanndd pprroovviiddee ssuuppppoorrtt wwhheenneevveerr wwee ccaann

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•• HHeellpp yyoouu ggeett iinntteeggrraatteedd iinnttoo tthhee ccuullttuurree

•• PPrroovviiddee mmaannyy aaccttiivviittiieess tthhaatt ccaann tteeaacchh yyoouu aabboouutt tthhee CChhiinneessee ccuullttuurree aanndd lliiffeessttyyllee

•• PPrroovviiddee yyoouu wwiitthh nnaammeess aanndd aa tteelleepphhoonnee lliisstt ooff tthhee AAIIEESSEECC mmeemmbbeerrss iinn yyoouurr LLCC aass wweellll aass iinnffoorrmmaattiioonn aabboouutt uuppccoommiinngg eevveennttss oorr aaccttiivviittiieess..

Remember that AIESEC assistance is only for guidance and not them holding hands with you throughout your entire Traineeship experience in Guangzhou.

● As a general rule of thumb for both parties, expect about 3 -5 hours of assistance from AIESEC on the first 2-3 days after your arrival to Guangzhou.

● This initial reception will include: ● Pick up at the airport and guidance to location of stay until apartment is found. ● Arranging meetings with the landlord/real estate agents, act as an interpreter for finding an apartment

BBeeiinngg RReeaalliissttiicc

●● PPrroobbaabbllyy yyoouu’’llll ggeett lleessss tthhaann yyoouu’’dd eexxppeecctt aanndd nneeeedd ●● AAIIEESSEECC wwiillll ddoo aass mmuucchh aass tthheeyy ccaann ttoo hheellpp yyoouu ggeett aaccccoommmmooddaatteedd iinnttoo yyoouurr nneeww lliivviinngg ssiittuuaattiioonn bbuutt kkeeeepp

eexxppeeccttaattiioonnss llooww aass yyoouu ccaann’’tt oovveerrllooookk tthhee ffaacctt tthhaatt yyoouu wwiillll mmoosstt lliikkeellyy ttoo bbee wwoorrkkiinngg wwiitthh aa ssttuuddeenntt wwhhoo

mmiigghhtt nnoott hhaavvee aann eexxtteennssiivvee kknnoowwlleeddggee ooff tthhee cciittyy ooff GGuuaannggzzhhoouu nnoorr tthhee cchhaannggiinngg hhoouussiinngg ssiittuuaattiioonn iinn GGuuaannggzzhhoouu..

●● PPllaann ffoorr tthhee wwoorrsstt!! TThhaatt bbeeiinngg ffoorr ssoommee rreeaassoonn yyoouu ddoo nnoott ggeett ppiicckkeedd uupp aatt tthhee aaiirrppoorrtt aanndd yyoouu wwiillll hhaavvee

ttoo ffiinndd ootthheerr mmeeaannss ttoo ffiinndd aann aappaarrttmmeenntt.. ●● MMaakkee ssuurree yyoouu hhaavvee aa ccoouuppllee ccoonnttaaccttss ooff ppeeooppllee iinn GGuuaannggzzhhoouu tthhrroouugghh tthhee GGuuaannggzzhhoouu ggooooggllee ggrroouupp

((mmoorree iinnffoo bbeellllooww)) ssoo tthhaatt yyoouu ccaann ggeett iinn ttoouucchh wwiitthh tthheemm iinn ttiimmeess ooff eemmeerrggeennccyy..

●● WWhhiinnee aanndd bbee iiggnnoorreedd ●● TTrryy ttoo MMaakkee ccaallllss iinnsstteeaadd ooff eemmaaiillss

What your schedule should look like after being matched. Pre- Arrival Apply for the adequate Chinese Visa

● See other section for more info on Chinese Visa Buy Travel Insurace

● See other section for more info on travel insurance. Apply for a Buddy

● Since most LCs will have a Buddy Project, the first thing you have to do before your traineeship is to apply for a buddy who will pick you up at the airport and support you throughout your traineeship experience in Guangzhou.

● Make sure you communicate with your buddy the time of arrival to Guangzhou and exchange contact information.

Introduce yourself on the AIESEC Trainee Google Group ● Introduce yourself and ask your questions on this forum of over 500+ alumni’s and current trainees in

Guangzhou. ● They can assist you on the most updated information in Guangzhou. ● Google Group webpage: http://groups.google.com/group/aiesec-gdufs-trainee

Research, Research, Research ● Get familiar with Guangzhou and its culture.

On-arrival Pick up

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● When the plane has landed at Guangzhou Capital International Airport, your buddy will be waiting for you at the meeting point.

Exchange money ● Exchange enough money to get by on your first couple days in Guangzhou.

To Guangzhou and your accommodation for the first couple days ● Most trainees will stay at a hostel, hotel or a trainees apartment before finding their new apartment. Get

in touch with the trainees on the Guangzhou Google Group.

Post-arrival Find an apartment

● Your buddy should have a list of apartments ready for you based on your location of work. ● Check out the other section of this packet for more information on apartments and leasing.

Temporary Residence Registration ● Foreigners must apply for a temporary residence registration at the closest local police office to your

apartment. ● Remember to get one as soon as you are settled down. ● The required document is your passport.

Bank Account ● Depending on the company, some companies will use the bank account to transfer your allowance, so the

buddy will take you to the appointed bank to open an account. Get Involved

● Contact local Trainees and AIESECers to learn more about this city and how to get by.

6. Useful Information and tips Cost of Living(basic prices, Unit: RMB¥)

● Exchange rate for 6.75 RMB¥ ~ 1 US$ ● Taxi - minimum charge - ¥ 1.10 / km (start from ¥ 8) ● Bus - normal - ¥2.00 Others - ¥ 1.00 – 4.00 ● Metro (faster) - ¥ 2.00-15.00 ● Bread - (medium 400 gram - 10 slices) - ¥ 4.50 ● Milk - ¥ 8.50 for 1 liter ● Egg - ¥ 4.50 for 1 dozen ● Butter – 58 for 500 gram ● Coke (355ml) - ¥ 3 – 5 ● Beer (355ml) - ¥ 3 – 10 in the market and ¥ 10 – 30 in a pub ● Hint: tipping is not expected, but in many places bargaining is, especially as foreigners are often quoted

higher prices! Go with a local to make sure you get the best price, especially in markets!

Safety Net

Important Reminder:

If people in embassy ask about your purpose to go to China, please DO NOT mention you are coming to China for work, with salary. You can say you come to China for internship, with allowance for food and transportation

You MUST register as temporary resident in the nearest policy office within 24 hours after you move in to your new apartment in China. (make sure you bring your passport)

Passport and Other Documents:

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● Make sure you make a photocopy of your passport, visa, ticket, credit cards, debit cards, travel insurance and other important documents you plan to bring with you.

● Leave one copy with someone at home, and another copy with your LC. ● Take a third copy with you and store it separately and in a safe place. In case of loss it is much easier to

get a duplicate when you have a copy of the original. ● The same goes for traveler cheque numbers and telephone numbers in case you lose your credit card. ● While in China, you will be required to carry your passport (MUST if you are staying at a hotel) around

frequently because other forms of ID are not usually recognized. Insurance and Medical Care:

● It is strongly recommended that you ensure you are adequately insured and bring all related insurance papers with you.

● Make copies of this also! Leave a copy of the number to call for claims and your policy number in your wallet and label it as insurance in case you are brought into the hospital unconscious.

● Consult your doctor or travel doctor early on to plan ahead for getting your vaccinations. Some of them require more than one injection, while others should not be given at the same time.

● It is recommended that you seek medical advice at least six weeks before your departure. ● Record all vaccinations on an International Health Certificate, available from your doctor or government

health department and carry it with you (again make a copy) Staying Safe in Guangzhou

● Security is difficult to judge as the reporting of crime is not as extensive as you would find in many other countries.

● The general impression you get though, is that the streets are very safe. ● Without a doubt the biggest danger you face when visiting Guangzhou is being involved in some kind of

traffic accident. Crossing the road is an often frightening experience, and so is riding in a taxi for most foreign tourists. We would advise riding in the back of the taxi as in the majority of taxis there are no front seat belts, or they don't work.

● Here are some Basic Safety Net Numbers in Guangzhou. Police 110 Fire 119 Ambulance 120 Foreigners Section of the Guangzhou Public Security Bureau 96897 Traffic Accident 122

Embassies in China - Make sure you register your address and information at the embassy of your country of origin. Embassy Add Tel Fax Argentina 11 Sanlitun Dong 5-jie, Beijing 65322090 65322319 Australia 3 Linjiang St. Tianhe District, Guangzhou 020-38140111 Austria 5 Xiushui Nanjie, Beijing 65322061 65321505 Belgium 233 Tianhebei Rd. Tianhe District, Guangzhou Brazil 27 Guanghua Lu, Beijing 65322881 65322751 Bulgaria 4 Xiushui Beijie, Beijing 65321946 65322826 Canada 1 Liuhua Rd. Yuexiu District, Guangzhou Cuba 13 Huaming Rd, Tianhe District, Guangzhou Cambodia Room 8114, The Garden hotel, 368 HuanshiDong Rd. Yuexiu District, Guangzhou Denmark 1 Liuhua Rd. Yuexiu District, Guangzhou Finland 1-10-1 Tayuan Office Building, Beijing 65321817 65321884 France 3 Sanlitun Dong 3-jie, Beijing 65321331 65324841 Germany 5 Dongzhimenwai Dajie, Beijing 65322161 65325336 Greece 19 Guanghua Lu, Beijing 65321317 65321277 Hungary 10 Dongzhimenwai Dajie, Beijing 65321431 65325053

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India 8 Linhezhong Rd, Tianhe District, Guangzhou Indonesia Sanlitun Office Building B, Beijing 65325488 65325368 Ireland 3 Ritan Donglu, Beijing 65322691 65326857 Israel Rm. 405, China World Trade Center, Beijing 65052970 65050328 Italy 2 Sanlitun Dong 2-jie, Beijing 65322131 65324676 Japan 368 HuanshiDong Rd. Yuexiu District, Guangzhou 020-83343009 Korea (DPR) Ritan Beijie, Beijing 65321186 65321154 Korea(R) 122 Tiyudong Rd. Tianhe District, Guangzhou Malaysia Room15-18, Floor 19, 233 Tianhebei Rd. Tianhe District, Guangzhou Mexico 5 Sanlitun Dong 5-jie, Beijing 65322574 65323744 Mongolia 2 Xiushui Beijie, Beijing 65321203 65325045 Myanmar(Burma) 6 Dongzhimenwai Dajie , Beijing 65321425 65321344 Nepal 1 Sanlitun Xi 6-jie, Beijing 65321795 65323251 Netherlands 10 Sanlitun Dong 4-jie, Beijing 65321131 65324689 New Zealand 1 Ritan Dong 2-jie, Beijing 65322731 65324317 Norway 1 Sanlitun Dong 1-jie, Beijing 65322261 65322392 Pakistan 1 Dongzhimenwai Dajie, Beijing 65322504 65322715 Philippines 23 Xiushui Beijie, Beijing 65322451 65323761 Poland 36 Shamian St. Liwan District, Guangzhou 020-81219993 Portugal 2-15-1 Tayuan Building, Beijing 65323497 65324637 Romania Ritan Dong 2-jie, Beijing 65323442 65325728 Russia 3 Linjiang St. Tianhe District, Guangzhou Singapore 233 Tianhebei Rd. Tianhe District, Guangzhou 020-38912345 Spain 9 Sanlitun Lu, Beijing 65321986 65323401 Sweden 233 Tianhebei Rd. Tianhe District, Guangzhou Switzerland 3 Sanlitun Dong 5-jie, Beijing 65322736 65324353 Thailand The Garden hotel, 368 HuanshiDong Rd. Yuexiu District, Guangzhou 020-83338989 UK 208, Tianhe Rd. Tianhe District, Guangzhou Ukraine 11 Sanlitun Dong 6-jie, Beijing 65326359 65326765 USA Huali Rd. Tianhe District, Guangzhou 65323831 65323178 Viet Nam 8 Qiaoguang Rd, Guangzhou

7. Housing How to prep for the unknown

● Like any foreign country that you have visited, it is extremely important to be open minded and being flexible.

● Language barriers and cultural differences always happen and it is part of the learning experience here in Guangzhou. It might help to read up on some current affairs on China and learn some basic phrases in Chinese to get by since you should expect no one to speak back to you in English or your mother tongue other than English.

● We recommend that you read as much as possible about China (guidebooks, history, fiction, and books by Chinese and information from the embassy).

● Look at maps, talk to people who have been here or live here. ● Just remember, exposure to a culture as complex as ours may have left some travelers with mixed

memories. ● China, just like any foreign country, can be frustrating at times, especially to a new visitor but believe us

when we say the good times more than make up for it! ● We have found that the most important ingredients of a successful traineeship are a positive receptive

attitude and a lot of tolerance. ● Once you gain the confidence to handle any situation here, you will have a really great time.

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Expatriate Life in China “It’s a small community; you’re bound to meet everyone” www.cityweekend.com Official Holidays: January 1st New Year's Day February 12th-18th Chinese Lunar Festival May 1st - 7th Labor Day October 1st-7th National Day Traditional Festivals: 15th of the 1st month Lantern Festival The 3rd month Qing Ming 5th of the 5th month Dragon-Boat Festival 15th of the 8th month Mid-Autumn Festival Mid April Water Splashing Festival May 4th Chinese Youth Day July/August Nadam Fair

8. Trainee Feedback GDUFS, Discover China-DiySmart™ Education Consulting Co. Ltd. - Shaon Shaon says the LC was "good": was picked up, given dinners, taken to the park. One problem - they did insist Shaon attended an LC meeting that was mostly conducted in Chinese and the AIESEC stuff was too specialized to be understood anyway. Lasted a day and was a waste. But did appreciate the LC's efforts to create social events whilst they had exams. Overall Grade 5 for the experience: "It was a truly unique, life-impacting experience". Work was excellent, colleagues very welcome and friendly, helped with any problems. "These AIESEC internships I have found are far more than employment opportunities; they are "life" opportunities, affording students a chance to experience a different life for a period of time. " Has had "incredible experiences, met some really interesting people."

Simplified and complete Trainee Packet - Google Groups

Documents

Transcript of Simplified and complete Trainee Packet - Google Groups