Huaihua City, Hunan Province.

I have worked here for over a year, seen many come and go, heard and experienced a bunch.

It could have been this forum, or another, but somewhere in cyberspace was a pole for the "top 5 worst cities in China."

I am nominating HUAIHUA for at least the fifth position on the following grounds:

--No western supplies available (not even cheese at the supermarket)
--Soldiers shout abuse at you and photograph you on their cellphones in the street
--Abuse and unreasonable refusals from the local entry and exit bureau
--So much dirt on the roads that vehicles drag out huge clouds behind them
--Foreign teachers were not able to find any chest infection medicine (despite going to all the hospitals in town)
--Many locals are extremely unreasonable and abusive to foreigners - THERE HAVE BEEN SEVERAL ASSAULTS
--Many complaints about local ESL employers (esp. gov. run schools), including but not limited to - agency scams, racism, and non-functioning or abusive FAO, filthy or no accommodation. At Huamei School in nearby Zhongfang, one very senior American teacher in his 60's WAS NOT EVEN ALLOWED TO LEAVE THE SCHOOL GATES
--Military vehicles following you and rumors of cellphone monitoring (something to do with the local army base)
--There doesn't seem to be any way to escape the noise pollution wherever you live. The city is a major railway hub and all through the night you are probably going to get annoyed by the incessant blasting of locomotive horns.
--Awful or unusable internet access to foreign websites

I will be just as proud of myself for leaving this city as I was for tolerating my time here

Above was the worst I could hear, will add more if I can get the info (and believe it!!)

Either don't come to China or get huntin' for jobs in another better known city, one that has more of a complete infrastructure - noting the expat turnover rate here, you will regret choosing Huaihua!

[Edited by Administrator (admin) Sat, 14 May 2011, 02:39 AM]