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Going abroad/exchange for 5 months, Where would you go?

Anything related to matters of the mind

Phones

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Straight to the point, I'm applying for Student Exchange and I have lots of options.

I'm looking for a great city-life experience, decent/good weather, good people, a great night to go for a drink and meet new people.
This will be a great time for me to come out of my shyness and comfort zone.

I'm focusing on Asia, as I would be closer to the places where most factories I work with are (cheaper flights), and I'm also learning Mandarin.

So, I would like to know YOUR opinion, where would you go? :)

This is my top list right now:

- Beijing, China
- Singapore
- Bangkok, Thailand
- Taipei, Taiwan

Considering but not so good:

- Seoul, South Korea (living cost too high)
- Hong-Kong (same)
- Najoya, Japan
- Vietnam
 
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Hong King Kong

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Go to Guangzhou or Shenzhen China. These are rapidly growing cities with lots of opportunity and still relatively cheap, where as Beijing is already well developed.

I know many guys who went abroad for a semester, ended up staying in China teaching English (which pays very well if you're foreign), then leveraging that to build very successful businesses.

But be warned, this is not a get-away vacation place with blue skies. The pollution is bad, food is different and most people are rude. But it will be worth it if you are persistent and resourceful.

edit*** oops i meant to say shanghai is developed not beijing
 
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Phones

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Go to Guangzhou or Shenzhen China.

Should have been more clear, In China the only city available is Beijing (And Taipei/Hong-Kong if you count them in). There is also Shanghai but it is restricted to Masters students.

Those two would be on the top for sure, two top locations of alibaba sourcing listings.

Pollution and food I can handle. People its what is holding me back the most from Beijing and considering Singapore, but Beijing is way more near the action than Singapore.

I'm expecting to go with my business logistics here in Portugal ready to ship&sell to anywhere in the EU zone, so there's room for a lot of opportunities once in China.
 
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I think we both know you really want to go to Beijing.

I would choose Beijing too. It's China! It's almost like the other America! Lol I'm Canadian though so what do I know eh
 
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Blhhi

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Beijing, since you're learning Chinese. I personally would go to Japan, though.

I paid for my own trip to Tokyo for 2 weeks a couple years ago, and the one thing I can say is it's easier to come out of your shell if you put yourself in a situation where it's hard not to. I stayed in a hostel full of foreigners in their 20's who were visiting the country on a budget. There was very little privacy and lots of opportunities to have unexpected interactions with complete strangers. The most fun I had came from talking to them and the Japanese staff, who had tons of suggestions for places to go (one was a DJ who invited me to a huge party he was working in Shibuya. That was definitely a new experience). The most boring times were when I went to landmarks and museums. These places are very organized and structured, two adjectives you never see hanging out with the word "fun."

If there were 2 things I could change about my trip, it'd be this:
1. I'd be even more talkative and friendly and open to suggestions from locals and other travelers.
2. I'd have studied Japanese a lot harder before going. I had a ton of great interactions from my intermediate skills alone, but I feel like the experience would've been ten times better had I been even more prepared.
 

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@DreamCreator You're right, I'm tending to choose Beijing, but I'd like to hear other opinions as my choice is made of some wild guesses.

@Prototype I agree with you on every mark. One of the reasons I started learning Mandarin this year, going prepared and trying to reach a decent conversational level.

Also, I will have to order my preferences, if someone has an higher GPA than me they will keep the spot, which isn't that hard as my GPA sucks. (Thanks to a bunch of useless subjects).

Current order:
- Beijing, China
- Hong-Kong (estimate of 450€/month on student housing, not so bad after all)
- Bangkok, Thailand
- Taipei, Taiwan

Singapore doesn't look so attractive anymore, HK is cheaper (after some research), and it's seems to have a more "massive city life" than Singapore.
Taipei is just... meh. Flights to mainland are just a little bit cheaper than from HK, don't think it's worth it. Need to research some more!

Thanks for all the feedback so far!
 
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ljb7

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Beijing would be awesome, and I'm sure you'd be very productive there.

Bangkok is where you'd have the wildest experience, you'd definitely have the chance to come out of your shell.

I'd probably choose Beijing.
 

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Thank you for everyones input,
Application sent, this was the final order:

Beijing, China
Taipei, Taiwan
Bangkok, Thailand
Hong-Kong
Singapure
Vietnam, Ho Chi Minh
Seoul, South Korea
Nagoya, Japan
Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Sao Paulo, Brazil

The rest are European Capitals and less interesting places.
I expect to be placed in the top two, maybe three.

Again, thanks!
 

Ronnie

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Thank you for everyones input,
Application sent, this was the final order:

Beijing, China
Taipei, Taiwan
Bangkok, Thailand
Hong-Kong
Singapure
Vietnam, Ho Chi Minh
Seoul, South Korea
Nagoya, Japan
Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Sao Paulo, Brazil

The rest are European Capitals and less interesting places.
I expect to be placed in the top two, maybe three.

Again, thanks!

I know you're studying Madarin and you want to be close to your suppliers, but bro.. Brazil... the women.. beaches... the night life.... the women... and did I say the women? lol

I'm sorry, I'm just in love with Brazilians haha
 
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Phones

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I know you're studying Madarin and you want to be close to your suppliers, but bro.. Brazil... the women.. beaches... the night life.... the women... and did I say the women? lol

Ahah. It wouldn't be such a change in environment. I'd be speaking Portuguese (mother tongue) and we have nice beaches here in Lisbon too (hence my desire for a more "mega-city" life).

And Brazil is becoming really expensive, specially in Rio and São Paulo.
 

Durete

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Thank you for everyones input,
Application sent, this was the final order:

Beijing, China
Taipei, Taiwan
Bangkok, Thailand
Hong-Kong
Singapure
Vietnam, Ho Chi Minh
Seoul, South Korea
Nagoya, Japan
Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Sao Paulo, Brazil

The rest are European Capitals and less interesting places.
I expect to be placed in the top two, maybe three.

Again, thanks!
I know that you've send in your list,
Just thought I'd give my oppinion as I've been travelling around the world for my job quite a bit. (I'm travelling 300 days per year)

Of your list: If you want to have a good time, I'd say:

#1 Rio
#2 Sao Paulo
#3 Bangkok
#4 Singapor

If you plan to network and for business opportunities
#1 Hong-kong (well established, one of the best countries to start a business due to no foreign income taxes)
#2 Beijing (Quite established, still growing)
#3 Singapore (This is speculated to become one of the main business centers in the future, very expensive living though.)
- Rest not even to be considered

Oh and your mandarin will help and improve in the 3 "business focussed" ones as well. Mandarin is the most spoken language in business after all.
 

1step

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You chose well. good luck man
 
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Jake

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Of your list: If you want to have a good time, I'd say:

#1 Rio
#2 Sao Paulo
#3 Bangkok
#4 Singapor

If you plan to network and for business opportunities
#1 Hong-kong (well established, one of the best countries to start a business due to no foreign income taxes)
Matter of opinion but I'd put HK above Singapore in the good time category as well. I like Singapore but it doesn't compare to HK
 

Durete

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They both have their own qualities.
I would say that it's close to a draw.
Singapore has some qualities that HK lacks,
HK has some qualities that SP lacks.

I've learned long time ago that every place has something that they're better at than any other place, something that makes it unique.
After visiting and working in 120+ countries, I still think the same.

In the end your goals and personal preference should decide.
 

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