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Q: How's things going for you in China? How long are you staying? Got a plan?
I know some people come here for a specific reason and when done with their reason, they leave.
How about you? How long do you expect to stay in China?
If you don't really have a plan, do you have an exit strategy?
Are you happy with how things are going?
well i'm sure you all hear this a lot. but i'm here for the long haul. i originally came short term, took an extended vacation from my bank... never went back. i'm too relaxed here, too free. i found my little niche in china, and i hope everyone else does too. the girlfriend has a really good job, so we stay for that. and we have established ourselves in this city quite well. as for a plan... it's the same it was in the states. save, save, save. actually it is pretty easy to save here, as long as we avoid a crazy extravagant life style.
royceH:
Yes, saving is a good plan and not hard to do when all you spend your money on is beer and food.
However we're about to throw out about 25000 to go to Yunnan for a holiday during Spring Festival. 3 of us.
Paulberger:
geez 25,000! yea we spend a lot going to hainan. vacations are what really set you back here.
Not bad. I plan to stay until I finish a master's, then - who knows? I'm happy with things in general, and have an exit plan, but I'm unsure if I'll go.
And you?
royceH:
Yes, I have a plan. It's to move, with my wife and step daughter, to Australia in mid 2015. As for how long we stay, don't know. It'll depend on jobs.
Australia is a very expensive country in which to live...most expensive housing costs in the world.
If life isn't suiting us we'll have an option to come back to China but, to be honest, China has started to wear thin on me. Mainly because there's nothing to do, no one to talk to. No sport, no cultural events, not even interesting places to visit.
I reckon I could buy a small place in the Philippines and be happy there but my wife is bothered by the fact that Chinese aren't really liked there...or anywhere much, in Asia.
The immediate plan is to have some xiao zi mian and kao rou and stay off the grog until later in the afternoon.
I came here (2nd stay, have done a 1 year stay before that) 3 years ago without much plans apart from moving forward with my life. I did move forward, in a direction that mean something.
Got married, so happy-go-lucky way of life, month-to-month planning is not reasonable anymore. I personally *DO NOT* want to have a home and a kid in China. After carefully weighting my options, studying the various possible paths... The 'Escape From China' plan is activated and under way, it's a year-long process. So far so good, it's unfolding. Choosing a suitable place and emigrating there takes a lots of preparation.
maggiegirly:
Same as My husband,He does not want to have a home and a kid in China,that's why we moved back to Australia a while ago.
Heading back to Australia in January after 3 years here but returning for probably another 3 years then looking to settle in the Philippines. Just been offered a different position with the school which will include new teacher training, lesson plan development and I will be co-authoring 10 new English books which I hope will be sold outside our own school as well.
Things here piss me off a bit, frustrations build and that's why I holiday in another Asian country every 6 months. And to answer the continual questions by Chinese ladies looking to get into my pants:
No, I don't own an apartment here - and never will.
No, I don't own a car and never will although if I could buy a gun I might try driving!
Yes, I will improve my Chinese language ability which after 3 years is embarrassingly poor!
I think living here is okay and certainly the lifestyle I enjoy would be hard to achieve back home.
My goal of a complete lifestyle change has been reached!
Paulberger:
an aussie... driving in china... with a gun... i can only see good things happening..
royceH:
Hey DD.... Congrats on being involved in the creation of these new books!
How do I get my hands on them? I could slip the dough into your account today if you like.
The retrieval of The Ashes looks like being completed by the end of this weekend...have you kept in touch?
bill8899:
An Aussie driving with a loaded weapon in China. What could possibly go wrong?
Are you self-publishing?
DaqingDevil:
Whoa! Just started the books. We will be writing 10 books that will cover 10 different levels. These books will replace the existing Cambridge, Shentong and Superkids books we currently use and for which we pay a fortune.
We have a Chinese illustrator whose work I am yet to see examples of and of course the books will be written with Chinese translations to help the littlies. I have full editorial say on the grammar and the context.
Books will be accompanied by DVD's with songs and games. There is a mountain load of work to be done but we will have the first two books done and published within 3 months.
Royce, following the cricket and hard to believe such a turn around by the Aussies in 6 months.
Only goes to show - put an Aussie coach in charge of an Aussie team. What possessed AC to employ Mickey whatsisname defies belief!
I feel like my honeymoon phase with China ended after 1.5 years. I would have left already, but I am working on getting my wife's visa. Hopefully I am back in America by this summer
wagon:
My exact feelings. A year and a half is it. We'll start the immigration process soon, as well.
for me it is a bit unclear. I try to climb up the career ladder here because i am young and i couldnt skip these steps into high positions (if ever) back home. Nevertheless i will marry here soon and i earn quite good. I would like to live back home but not if i live worse than here (lifestyle)
so if i get another good job offer i might stay here but not sure if i would buy a house here :/
Going great, staying till I become a P.O.W or till my retirement in Sanya with my Chinese wife and kids..
Paulberger:
i spent three weeks in sanya last summer.. i can't see myself retiring there. there's some cool like towns and villages in the mountains outside sanya that would be cool. and close enough to drive into sanya in a hour or so.
ironman510:
No, not area code, it's from my favorite Marvel comic series. Too many people had this ID : ironman, so I added the 510 to make it work
Came to China 4 years ago for a three week consulting gig. Ended up signing a 3 year contract and then a 5 year extension. I have what is referred to as a fat expat deal, so life doesn't suck. My company gives me a sizable amount in living expenses each month. I save all of my salary and get stock grants each year as part of my compensation package. This year the stock has risen from 15 USD a share in JAN to 33.50 yesterday. Plan to work until 55, (I am 47 now) and then retire. I spent 20 yrs US Army, so I have my military retirement, whatever I save, and stocks and investments. Hope to live well on this. I probably won't retire in China, but I am looking at places other than the US.
It so depends on the day. Somedays I love it, can't think of leaving. Some days I'm ready to go back. I've only been here 2 years and today I think move home for Christmas 2014. But tomorrow Imay have a different answer.
I have been here two and a half years and will probably be here for another two or three yet. After that we are out of here, I quite fancy somewhere in the Carribean, or at least somewhere with good weather all year round, good food, reasonably good healthcare and cheapish cost of living. I can't imagine being here really long term, it would just drive me nuts.
Plan to get married in 2015, take wife to America, go to grad school, get a M.Ed. Come back to China teach AP English Literature at international school, or other well paying gig. Will be in China 4 year this February.
rasklnik:
Frankly with a billion people, and the worst universities in the world, I don't see the demand for overseas education for the rich and connected drying up for a decade at least...
