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(1) Weather & Climate
Yanji weather is erratic and quite difficult to predict. The
average summer months(Jun-Aug) temperature ranges 25-30¢®E. Mornings
and evenings are relatively cool. At times it may rain several
days in a row followed by a heat wave. If you are volunteering
outside of Yanji, it is advised to bring long sleeves as the temperature
may plunge.
(2) Room & Board
On-campus housing priority is given to volunteers under the age
of 30 to maximize the exposure to the Chinese culture. Living
and sharing meals together is an invaluable opportunity to build
a relationship and to learn the culture. Our bathroom & shower
facilities are above other universities in quality. All 3 meals
are served in the cafeteria and toiletries and other necessities
may be purchased at the supermarket.
Volunteers serving outside of YUST will need to stay in local
homes which may mean heated floors, communal bathrooms(possibly
no door), public bathhouses, etc. It may also be necessary to
prepare your own meals.
(3) Transportation & Telecommunication
" in Yanji
a.
TAXI (oo©£Oo©ø) - 5~10 yuan
You must ask for the price before entering the taxi. The price
will vary depending on the distance. If you go past the bridge
from the school, it will increase to 10 yuan. You should also
be warned that there are quite a few reckless cab drivers.
b.
public bus - 1 yuan (regardless of the distance)
#28 bus route
(YUST ' Catholic Church ' #1 High School ' Court ' Shin-Hwa Bookstore
' West Market ' Hah-Nahm ' Airport)
c.
intercity (e.g. Long-Jing) : taxi 30-40 yuan, bus 4~5 yuan
" International Calls
a.
Collect call : 108-821 / 108-828 (operator)
b.
Calling card : IP Card (~2.5 yuan/minute) * cheaper to use this.
c.
Yanbian area code : 0433
d.
Local calls : basic charge of 0.4yuan for the first 3 minutes
and 0.2yuan for every minute after that.
" Postcards, letters : Yanji pose office (6.40 yuan postage)
" E-mail: available via volunteer PC room
" There are many places to develop pictures downtown. (~25
yuan/ roll)
(4) Other Safety Issues
" Pickpockets & con-artists : Be cautious at all times.
" Traveling alone / at night : Although Yanji may look safe
and even idyllic, do not travel alone especially at night.
" Dormitory lockers : We have had incidents of theft from
the dormitory lockers, so please be careful.
" Counterfeit : They are circulated and you must beware.
" Crossroads : Traffic law in Yanji is not always obeyed.
" Water & food : It may be tempting to just buy street
food but please practice discretion as you may have to "pay
the price" later
(5) Miscellaneous
" Shopping :
Be sure to ask the price of the item before you decide on the
purchase. You will need to haggle most of the time(15-20%). It
is useful to bring a student or a resident.
" Exchanging money :
Although the rates may be a little lower, please use legitimate
institutions (banks, hotels). Traveler's check has better rate
than cash.
" Language :
The Korean language spoken here is not the same as the Korean
spoken in South Korea, so don't get too frazzled when you don't
understand.
" Traveling outside of Yanji
You must bring your passport. Outside of Yanbian, it would be
difficult to travel unless you speak Chinese or have a Chinese
guide.
" Items to bring
Personal medication / Comfortable and durable shoes / Toiletries
/
A copy of your passport & the visa page / Educational books
are always welcome for the schools if you choose to bring and
donate them.
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