I think adventures comes whenever you are trying to experience the new  life and cultures of another country.

working in china looks good on your resume? I dont think so!

They will think I wonder what kind of sneeky weird shit this guy was doing in china.

Why would a company like you having experience working in china? To see how you can deal with non english speaking assholes?

Nothing can be learned from china other than how to cheat and be a sneaky chinaman.

As for adventure... its pretty fun at first...and later you find out all of china is the same..all the citys look the same...

Actually there is a lot of adventure out here and new things to learn. I like telling people back home that I went to china because some people still want to come here back home. It's good that I've been to the great wall of china because I always saw this big picture at the china king buffet back home and always wanted to come. Now that I came I can tell people the adventure I had to get there and everything else I did and every place I went especially HK I love that place too.

That is the one thing I love about living in China.  Every day is an adventure and every day I can see things that I have never seen before.  (And that is after 6 years.)

Has China been good for my resume?  That depends on the type of job you do.  For me, I deal with teams all over the world on various projects, so having face-to-face experience with Chinese working culture is a good thing to have on my resume.

The thing to remember is that there is good and bad everywhere.  And anyplace that is not where we were raised will seem different and odd.  But to the folks who live there, we seem different and odd to.

The best we can do is try to adapt, have fun and smile.  Life is too short to be miserable all the time.

Everything is so different that it is not boring weither it is annoying or not. I like China when I look at the big picture. It's the annoying things, like cars that try to run me over, the spitting , lying, and not listening that bother me.

I don't need a resume.

XiFei:

China, like any other nation on Earth, has good points and bad points.  You must accept that basic premise to follow my response to you.

And there are also two other premises that you must be aware of, and understand too to make sense of "foreigners".  One is that my country, and the ways I am used to, are the best ones available.  And the other is that in many countries abroad, its people have the freedom to express their thoughts, makes no difference what they are.

Now, with that in mind, when you read postings on this or any other forums in which foreigners do participate, realize that some of the negativism you see plastered all over is done to "vent steam", to relieve stress.   Me, for example, when I read some of it (for example, spitting on street, or urinating in public), I take it not as offensive to a local culture, but as a way for the writer to vent some stresses that developed during the day.  

And yes, I do grant you that it is human nature to focus on negative items, and ignore to an extent, positive ones.  Maybe this comes from the daily news, where most pof the things you read or see are "negative" type news.  Back in 1995 I made two vows to myself.  One was that from then on, I would live my life as I wanted to live, and not as others want me to live (I will please my self, and not do things to please others).  And the other was that there is always two ways to look at things, one is positive, the other negative.  For example, take a glass and fill it with water half way, and ask friends what do they see.  If they answer a glass half full of water, that person has positive thinking.  A glass half empty will be negative thinking.  Well, I also decide in 1995 I would think positive always, and do make an effort to be a happy fellow, and live each day to its fullest.   I am so used to it by now, that it comes natural on me.

So, when you read complains about China here, do not take it personal, because it is not intended to be so.  It is not offensive either, it is just a way to vent a frustration, and done in a way common to foreigners nowadays, by posting a commentary on a forum or blog.

I do try hard to understand Chinese mind and customs, traditions, before I will criticize.  Please make an effort to understand the "laowai" mind too.  An who knows, we may end up with a mixture of both, and as a result, a better society.  Be aware of one thing, many laowais are in China because they do like to be here, even if they do critizice a few things.  Be assured, if the overall feeling would become that I dislike China, then they would leave.  That is in the laowai nature.

So? That doesn't mean I can't bitch about day to day stupidity.

Of course it is more of an adventure. But as with every adventure, there are good and bad parts, scary and exciting and interesting, and hopefully many happy moments. At that time, the negative moments are stronger. As time goes on, even the bitter moments become more sweet until hopefully even the worst of times can be told as a funny tale. It's human nature to think of the bad things first, but in the end, we try to hold onto the good things. Just think of the comments on this site as the raw first telling.

just getting in my car and driving down the street is an adventure these people on the road have no sense of law when in a motor vehicle they stop in the middle of the street drive the wrong way  drive with no lights on in the middle of the night etc

"Don't............country?" First of all, why do you ask such AN ARROGANT QUESTION? :( That is a TYPICAL example of the "superiority complex" thinking of Chinese that I've read about! :( In reply to your question, NO I don't! * There IS NOTHING BETTER about China! Believe me, I know as I've lived in different country's or traveled widely just like many of my fellow Westerners. :(

Xifei, have you lived outside of China before?  I just ask because it seems that you might be offended or bothered by the fact that foreigners are not 100% happy with China.  It's difficult adjusting to a new place.  The adventure is great, and I love meeting new people, improving my language, trying new foods, etc. etc.  But there are days that I would really like some conveniences from home and that's just kind of the way it is.  Trust me, if you would go to the states I bet you would miss things like street food, bargaining, or whatever it is that you like.  China is a great adventure and I would recommend anyone to try it, but like others have said, some times you just need to vent about your problems with other like minded people, otherwise its just unhealthy to keep it all in.

china is full of adventures caz you never know what's comming next and you are on your own here and you are learning new thing and you learnt things ,life in here is completely different from back home so its an adventure living here 

Of course it's an adventure for a foreign national living in China. It is a completely different culture with a completely different race of people doing completely different things so it is going to be an adventure. But anything can be described as an adventure. Going to prison can be an adventure if you want it to. So can going to war.

For most of us, it is a case of taking the rough with the smooth. Some days I feel practically suicidal but then the feeling withers and dies. Sure, there are challenges that test mental will to its entirety. But I have come here by choice so I have to live with it.