Brutal Truth: Just Hit Hangzhou & The Main Streets Are...
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As an economics graduate, let me tell you: you think Hangzhou is tough just because you're here. But if you went anywhere else, you'd likely find employment and life even harder. Both environment and data suggest Hangzhou is currently the best city for young people to develop. The overall economic climate is extremely challenging, making jobs scarce and life even harder for small business owners. If you don't have strong skills, life will be particularly difficult. That's also why birth rates are declining—the 'environment and temperature' are no longer conducive to 'reproduction'.
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But I was in Wuxi before, and I felt like I could get by on 5,000-plus a month. In Hangzhou, I feel like that's not enough. The high cost of living is one thing, but more importantly, rent is exorbitant for often terrible, partitioned apartments.
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Some personal advice: once you're settled, getting an electric scooter makes life so much easier. If you're in Xiaoshan District, you can often find elderly folks selling homegrown vegetables by the roadside, which are relatively cheap. It's good to have a sense of urgency, but use your free time to improve yourself. After all, the goal of working here is to make money, not just to slave away.
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Thanks, got it.
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Without the social security contributions you're paying, how could the elderly enjoy their comfortable retirement?
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And without the contributions of the older generation when they were young, we wouldn't have the standard of living we do today.
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So, which developed, civilized city with high wages, a good environment, and low living costs also offers plenty of job opportunities? Recommendations, please. Don't just criticize without offering solutions.
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Shenzhen.
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I quit my job without another lined up and came to Hangzhou alone by train in mid-May. But I had already secured a new position. Now I live in company-provided housing (an apartment in a residential complex, nice environment), and it's about a 9-minute electric scooter ride to work. I work 9 AM to 6 PM with a 1.5-hour lunch break, have afternoon tea once a week, and our department has a fridge and microwave, so I bring my own lunch. Life is pretty regular, which is great.
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Sounds great, I'm envious! Keep it up!
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It's thanks to us 'beasts of burden'—the working class—that elderly folks who didn't contribute to social security can still have a happy retirement.
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West Lake was just okay. My overall impression of Hangzhou is pretty average.