What? Do you wish we'd leave your country and stop taking all the good paying jobs after three years? It's not really our fault we enjoy a short-term stop in China during our career life.

People stay here in China for differing amounts of time and for very different reasons. While crimochina seems to be a bit sex oriented in some of his answers my observations have shown that there is some truth to the western fixation with Chinese women and the affect that has on a Westerner's length of stay.
Amongst my colleagues here I am the only single guy! The other teachers have all fallen by the wayside and married Chinese women and that means their stay in China has changed from a an initially planned short sojourn to a lifetime connected to China. It might happen to me too. (Please find me a wayside somebody!)
There are many things that piss me off here with the people and their habits / manners but generally I would say it's not a bad life. While it's nice to get home to family occasionally I am happy enough to stay in China for as long as I can hold out.
People post a lot of complaints in this forum but that's just good, healthy whinging. The Chinese should learn to do that too instead of this dumb acceptance. When that social revolution happens I wanna be here so that's another reason to stay 7 years.....ummmm....make that 15 years..........perhaps 22 years but I am sure it will come to be!!
Also it's gonna take me at least 2 years to master the language.....ok, ok 7 years....okay....make that....ummm.......never!
The day I urinate in the street is the day I start thinking about going back home.

I am married to a wonderful Chinese girl, been in China for 6 years, and shit is really starting to get to me....if i was single and had far less responsibilties i would foxtrot oscar sharpish...however, House, Car, Family here means i try to deal with stuff that pisses me off that i found funny 6 years ago in a different way. I certainly do not want to return home to the crap situation in my country, and a country that over the years i refer to as the country of "Can't"

1. Can't just walk into a hospital pay a few RMB and get seen within an hour. Can in China.
2. Can't just walk into a bowling alley and get a lane. Can in China
3. Can't smoke anywhere where i want to. Can in China
4. Can't get a great variety of food at low cost. Can in China.
5. Can't find decent jobs that pays ok and often pays for my rent. Can in China.
6. Can't just walk into a mall and find copied stuff. Can in China.
7. Can't wait at the side of the road for a bus to take you somewhere long distance. Can in China.
8. Can'y walk into a restaurant and get a beer for 40p. Can in China.
9. Can't buy a brand new car for less than 4000 Pounds. Can in China.
10. Can't have the hospitality as once before. Can in China.

The list goes on and on, some people will disagree with my reasons, don't care....just a few personal factoids that i wanted to share.

Biggest reason is that I feel safer here, stable payment, and have a reason to not give crap about politics and economy, I got to be more independent, and able to do whatever the hell I want with my money.

As long as they feel ok here?!

I assume most of people who r complaining all the time will leave soon. Who feels nice here will stay longer and we want people who feels happy in China to stay, they r welcomed all the time...

No choice until now.....married with a Chinese girl.

However, now with a baby, she finally understood that my country will be safer for him : free education, no need to import all kind of food (powder milk, bottles, diapers) because either they are fake or they are expensive, but above all.....that this child can grow up in an clean environment, practice sport anytime he wants and enjoy healthy food....

China is good, why live in a country that has democracy that is just so fake it makes the word disappear when you write it
Pay through your nose for a beer, food and rent. Go out and maybe get stabbed by a beer glass or better still, robbed in daylight
Who really cares where you live, as long as it is affordable and safe and no crap politics, the rest is a bonus!!

well it is cheap and i am earning like 2000 GB pounds a month with a little tax or no tax, no national insurance tax, free house a brand new car without insurance, no road tax disc no MOT checks of my car.
even i broke a small law police parden me, lot of preety girls is waiting for me and now i am planning to buy my own house in china, you get personal attention, people praise u appreciate you, i am having my house mate working 12 hours for me i am paying only 1000 rmb to her so nothing to worry for house hold and much much more...........

I do most of the things I used to do in my home country with the exceptions of: a dirtier environment, a less technical environment, ruder people around me, less conveniences. Some passions can not be followed like Riding my motorcycle where I like when I like, no target shooting or hunting and no good sport fishing.

Those exceptions aside, I try to control my environment, find new hobbies and make the best of it. in many ways it is an adventure here and because I control as much as possible what goes on around me I enjoy it here, the cost of living is dead cheap (I make more than $2500 a month after tax, but my rent is only $250 a month!) buying and doing most everything is cheaper. Not to mention the lady factor... So as long as the cost of living remains very low and the ladies keep lining up, I'm here for awhile!