NGL, There Was a Time I Seriously Hated Guangzhou.
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Why's that? I haven't been to Zhejiang yet.
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It's hard to love any place when you're broke, you know?
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You've hit the nail on the head. Judging Guangzhou solely by its 'urban villages' as soon as they arrive? I completely don't understand their point.
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I'm not trying to be exclusive, but for native Cantonese speakers, having to speak Mandarin in Guangzhou is a real pain. I mean, this is a place where Cantonese should be spoken, right? But if I speak Cantonese, some people accuse me of being unwelcoming. Why is that?! I'm seriously fed up. And don't even get me started on that damn non-local manager at Sushiro who actually forbids employees from speaking Cantonese – what's his problem?
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Put yourself in their shoes: imagine going back to your hometown and finding everyone speaking Mandarin, and then you get criticized for speaking your own local dialect. How would you feel?
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When I first graduated from Beijing and returned, I complained about Guangzhou too. I was in Baiyun District doing e-commerce, surrounded by factories with no real commercial hubs, and I wondered, 'Is this all Guangzhou is?' But after more than a year, I worked my way up to Tianhe District. There, you find plenty of chic influencers, the air in Huacheng Square feels fresh, and you can easily pop down to the Grand Theatre for a show. It's not that Guangzhou is a certain way; it's that, for a time, that was all you could access. Keep striving, and you'll eventually see Guangzhou's vibrant side.
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Wow, you're so impressive!
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To fall in love with a city, you need to see a future there that your hard work can lead to, not just the 'urban village' life you're currently describing. As a Guangzhou native and someone working hard here, I'll say this: if you want to enjoy the good stuff without putting in the effort, you'll probably only experience that kind of 'urban village' life in any top-tier city.
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That's exactly what I was getting at later.
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I'm a Guangzhou local, but I often find myself complaining about it. There are just too many people! It means I have to queue up just to eat out, and good luck finding a parking spot at the mall.
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Hahahahaha, you're hilarious!
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I was in Guangzhou on a business trip, around the Zhongda-Xiaogang area in Haizhu District... Honestly, the cityscape there seemed pretty run-down. The sidewalks were narrow, damaged, and super crowded, but the roads weren't very wide either. I get really agitated in messy, dirty places, and I especially dislike it when it's so crowded you can practically smell the person next to you.
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That's true for many areas. Guangzhou has a lot of rundown spots.
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Why do I keep seeing posts like this? I get the feeling some people, like my old roommate from Chongqing, would find something to complain about no matter where they go. It's like no place is ever good enough for them.
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It's true, this place (Guangzhou) isn't for everyone. I've spent six months in Chongqing, half a month in Shenzhen, and a few days in Guangzhou... I'm from Guizhou, and I really liked Chongqing. Sometimes, even my small county town in Guizhou feels better than Guangzhou.
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But my time in Guangzhou was so miserable. I had a string of bad luck, and to top it off, my phone got stolen right before I left. Tracked it, and it was already in Shenzhen... Total meltdown! I miss Hangzhou so much 🥹🥹
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I'm so miserable in Shenzhen right now.
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Shigui Fang on Zhongshan Fourth Road in Guangzhou is pretty rundown.
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I've been there, hahaha!