Congratulations to Phil Cagle, the winner of the Lucky Draw for the famous, much discussed Japanese Whisky (which tastes like Scotch). Come and meet your friends and make some new ones at the Starbucks at Olympic Square.
...your source for information on the Dalian Scene
In This Issue: Events, Articles, Happenings, Reviews, Guide to the Website, Contact Information
Publisher's Message
There’s Change in the Air
You may have noticed that there have been some definite changes in DalianXpat. New writers are contributing, we are providing more Dalian and China-focused information, and we are improving the accessibility and utility of the site. But our task is far from complete. In the next few weeks, we will be working on developing a revised Terms of Service (ToS), new moderator guidelines, and a fresh look for the website. In examining our purpose as a cross-cultural bridge, we realize that we need to make much more information available in order to make life easier and more productive for expats in Dalian. At the same time, we know that there is a definite need for a website that enables and supports social networking. To that end, we have already rolled out Dalianstuff.com, a localized version of facebook. We hope this addition will assist the Expat community in finding and making friends and make communication easier and more fun.
How you can help.
To fulfill our vision, we need more volunteer writers and editors. If you have an interest in writing or if you are willing to help others “whip their writing” into a publishable document, please let us know by sending us an email at
This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it
.
We need a native English speaker to spend time in the office with our Chinese students who help with the website. If you could spend up to three hours a day, one or more days a week, that would be very helpful.
If you have an interest in helping with the Sunday coffee or with other social gatherings for the Expat community, please let us know. We want to involve the community as much as possible as we dream about the future and what role DalianXpat can play to make our city more understandable and more fulfilling.
Contribute your ideas. If you have ideas you want to share about the future of the website, now is a great time to let us know.
Write reviews of restaurants or other aspects of Dalian life, follow the directions in the Dalian Directory to easily add a review.
Funding of this website is always a critical issue. If you are aware of advertisers or other funding sources that would be helpful for us to cover our expenses and expand our services, please let us know.
Perhaps your employer would be interested in becoming a sustaining partner for the website through underwriting some expenses, providing some technical support, or even some equipment that would be useful.
To help us plan for the future, we have put a poll in the website (lower right corner) asking which social event you would most like to attend. Please take a minute and let us know where your interest lies.
We thank you for your support and patience as we strive to take DalianXpat to a higher level. Early October is the target date for implementation of the New Look.
Events
Below are a sampling of the events in and around Dalian. More information is contained in the website.
The biggest news is that the signature Dalian event, what should have been the 20th International Fashion Festival (Fu Zhuangjie), has been canceled for this year. We can only surmise that the Fashion Festival is a casualty of the Olympic Games.
Every Saturday At 2:00PM there is a Peking Opera performance held atDalian Peking Opera Theater. The seating is arranged very close to the stage, so the audience can appreciate the acting and movements on stage. Prices range from 150 100 80 50 30 RMB.
Southeast Gallery is featuring a new exhibition: "Flourishing Age﹒Vision — Niu Yungong Oil Painting Exhibition" from August 23-September 30. Niu's approach is fresh and his works all celebrate women in dream-like imagery.
Like dancing? How about Salsa? Every Friday and Saturday, there is a Salsa Party at Sweetland Hotel KTV Club from 7:30-midnight. They even have lessons at 7:30 for beginners.
French Corner is held every Sunday at 16:00 at the Dalian French Alliance
How about professional soccer? The Dalian Shide Football Team plays its next home match on August 30 Ticket prices range from 20RMB to 100RMB
Our website Events Calendar is designed for you to add events yourself. Please take advantage of this feature.
Just login, click on Events at top menu, "Add an Event" at bottom. It's free to add basic event information, seen by over 1300 people each day.
Dalian Happenings
According tobloomberg.com the South China Morning Post reported that Deutsche Bank has bought a commercial building in Dalian, northeastern China, for 1.05 billion yuan ($153 million).
Read here for the Warden Message on recent violent incidents in Xinjiang.
As much as we would enjoy eating at every restaurant ourselves, we have to rely on our readers for their input. Thanks for taking the time to contribute and share. (Note: Reviews - good or bad are welcome - but please try to be balanced and give a few specifics. "Best in Dalian!" or "Place is terrible - don't go." are comments, not reviews. Give a few details. Most owners do care, want the feedback and want to improve.)
Featured Articles
Stamps that do not self-adhere. Rice glue. I'm in China!
Dalian is one of those cities where postcarding is obligatory. Here's a story to guide you through the process.
Looking for something to do in Dalian and get exercise at the same time? Hill walking might be just the thing. As you look around the city, there are plenty of hills and most of them have well-worn trails that enable you to experience nature in a spectacular way. This is the perfect time of the year to do hill walking.
Do you want to enjoy a little sea travel and save some money on your trip to South Korea? You might consider the overnight ferry that departs the Dalian Port Station (Dalian Gang Ke Yun Zhan) every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday afternoon at around 4:30. The trip takes about 16 hours and will dock Incheon Port around 10:00 the next morning (Korea is one hour ahead)
10 Most Popular Articles from the DalianXpat archives
Realizing that many people are new to the website, perhaps some of the older articles might be of interest. Be aware that some articles are somewhat old, so feel free to write your own new and improved version. Here are the articles of the highest readership.
Question from the last newsletter: Speaking of Old Dalian, before it was the King Club or Sunny Night Club, what was it?
Answer: It was an Outdoor Movie Theater.
New Question: What was Dalian called before it's name was changed to Dalian in 1905 and what was Dalian called between 1950 and 1981?
Website Features
Jobs- Employers: Please use our Jobs Sections (free). They are especially useful for finding expats or white collar Chinese with good English skills.
Classifieds - It is free to make posts to buy/sell, offer a service, seek a language exchange partner, find a house, and to make announcements.
Specials- We post information on discounts and specials for DalianXpat members.
Dalian Directory - This is the place to find where to eat this weekend, buy wine, find a church, and more. Contribute and add a review! (or tell us about a new place:
This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it
)
Forum- Post your questions and help other DalianXpat members in our community forum, which remains an active outlet for interaction and discussion. Please remember to respect our ToS(Terms of Service).
Polls - Polls are back! Take a look at the front page.
Our readership has more than doubled in the past year. As a non-profit, community website, DalianXpat is pleased to acknowledge the many individual donors, paypal donations from overseas, and the local advertisers that support us.
Our community is run by a few dedicated moderators, volunteers and a small core staff.
This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it
This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it
(general inquiries, non-technical)
This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it
(sales)
This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it
(to add new restuarants, doctors, venues)
This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it
(editors of this newsletter - Stephen Keith, Rain Che Bian)
"Let's Make DalianXpat Better"
Look for this logo when deciding where to spend hard earned money. These are our advertisers and they support us.
Welcome some of new advertisers:
-Shangri-la
-Dalian American International School
-Ideal Yacht Club
DalianXpat.com is a community web site, focused on life in Dalian from the perspective of a foreigner. Our primary intention is to assist the foreign community in Dalian and our local friends.
...your source for information on the Dalian Scene
August 11, 2008 Editorial
In 2003, 2 huge shipping cranes just barely slipped underneath San Francisco's Golden Gate Bridge. Although destined for the Port of Oakland, they were built in Shanghai and floated across the Pacific. It was front page news in San Francisco and thousands watched. I thought, why build in China? Why float across an ocean? Why couldn't we build it closer to home?
As China now basks in the glow of the 2008 Summer Olympic Games, let us congratulate the Chinese people for the stunning economic and infrastructure achievements in the last generation. We should all reach out to the Chinese and compliment them for their accomplishments.
But let us also encourage the Chinese people - especially the young - to dream a little more. To dream of a China that resumes its historic role as a world leader in the arts, science, culture, literature, medicine, engineering and the exploration of the unknown - as well as industry, trade and commerce. To dream of a China that is again a leader in education, law, diplomacy, and innovation and confident to tackle the formidable challenges we all will face in the 21st century and to do so with fresh ideas and approaches. To dream of a China that is proud to stand up for what is right and provide opportunity for all.
It is OK to dream a little. But after the Olympics, it will be time to return to work and make the dreams a reality.
And Dalianese should dream also. But Dalian is not Shenzhen or Shanghai. Dalian is catching up quickly to its larger siblings in the south and will develop in its own way. For those of us who live here, we are glad it is blessed with a more temperate climate and the sea. But what is Dalian's dream?
DalianXpat
, of course, is just a community website about Dalian. The website has tried to be a useful, timely, friendly resource for foreigners who choose to live here or visit and to help bridge the culture between east and west. We think Dalian is a first rate city, getting much better, and we hope our website will improve with it. Dalian has made a name for itself both in China and internationally. Internationally, Dalian has made a name as a global IT outsourcing powerhouse. It is well known within domestically as being a clean, beautiful resort town on the sea, the top city for quality of life.
But like Dalian, the website has changed rapidly. It began 3 years ago as an attempt to be a "city portal" - filled with useful Dalian information, events, reviews, jobs. But along the way it also become a bit of "social networking" site - a place to chat, meet, make friends, establish a special persona. Unfortunately, I am the first to admit it is perfect in neither. Moreover, it has become difficult to manage as both 'portal' and 'social networking site.' It is time to simplify, focus and improve. One way to do this is to separate the functions of 'city portal' and 'social networking' and choose the right software and identity for each purpose.
DalianStuff.com
is a new site designed for social networking, a place to make friends, add music, leave comments for others - a kind of localized Facebook just for Dalian, using the latest web 2.0 tools. Please take a look.
DalianXpat
will continue to be about Dalian , with the aim of providing more useful, organized content related to living, working, visiting, investing - and learning - about Dalian and bridging two cultures.
The two websites serve different purposes and different features. DalianXpat.com focuses on Dalian information, articles, events, reviews and DalianStuff.com focuses on friends, connections, music, establishing an online identity etc. The first might become a little quieter, the second more interactive. I hope they will be the very best at each purpose.
Both will continue to operate as non-profit, community sites and - with your help - strive to the best they can be. This is our Dream.
Best wishes to China and congratulations.
Dream, China.
Dream, Dalian! Aim high.
Then do! Let us share Dreams.
DalianXpat.com is a community web site, focused on life in Dalian from the perspective of a foreigner. Our primary intention is to assist the foreign community in Dalian and our local friends.
Program of the
Games of the Beijing Olympiad will take place
August 8-24, 2008, in Beijing.
The Games will play host to the
28 summer sports currently on the Olympic
program.
Approximately 10,500 athletes are expected to participate in
the
Games, with around 20,000 accredited media bringing the
Games to the
world. Click the link
to visit the recent reports of the Beijing Olympics.
Dalian Ren in Beijing
We'd be delighted to have reports from
Beijing Olympics for DalianXpat. If interested, just send your emails
with anecdotes about your experiences to
This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it
and
we'll put your stories in our site for the Dalian community to see.
ADI
Coltsfan
