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Q: What's the comparison between your home and China?
I have been back in Canada now for about 8 months. Before coming back, I had lived in China for ten years.
I built up this ideal of home in my head that it was a wonderful place where everything I hated about China... never happens. Well, I was wrong. For the most part.
While China is a noisy, polluted (although being cleaned up), chaotic mess at times. Canada is just the opposite. Too much the opposite. How do I mean?
Well, Canada is pretty quiet. Life is pretty simple and kind of mundane due to the fact that everyone is overly polite, everything has a lengthy process.... and people take everything for granted. The taxes are at about 35-40% with a nice lump of 13% sales tax pretty much on top of everything you buy. So pretty much the government is dipping their hand into your pocket and taking 50% of your earnings... worth it? Not in my eyes. Not unless you have a family with children.
China presented insanely complex problems that seemed like they should not be problems at all. Thus, many Chinese had a nonchalant attitude when it came to problems and mainly just ignore them unless they have to deal with them. It is infuriating...
Here's where things are different but similar. Many Canadians are living a very peaceful life but it seems like they go out of their way to create drama and problems (I think because they are just bored). I heard about people getting mad because their neighbor left their recycling bin out... or a neighbor down the road used the same tiles.... or some lame nonsense.
China is too chaotic and unstable... Canada is too systematic and mellow...
When I was in China, I miss people being polite, clear skies, Canadian food and customer service (which isn't that great to be honest). In Canada, I miss the interestingly weird situations of China, bending the law because I am a foreigner and the energy of the people. I also like not having to pay taxes in China...
China is much better for the single guy looking to have an experience and Canada is much better for the family man or the retiree.
How does your home country stack up against China? Would you prefer home or China?
In my country, and every other normal country in the world, cataract surgery is an outpatient experience. That is, Day Surgery. You rock up and get the business done and as long as you haven't swallowed your tongue and you've avoided anaphylaxis and haven't overdone the grope, you can go home.
In China, at least at the main hospital in this here joint, you have to lie down on a flat hospital bed for 5 days. And you mustn't watch tv or read either, as doing so will deflate your eyeballs or some bullshit reason that I couldn't understand.
ScotsAlan:
And you will be on a drip. And told not to drink cold water or eat shellfish.
icnif77:
@Scotts: 'I am passing daily by Hospital in my city. Mothers walk babies (2 -5y old) on parking lot with drip attached'.
We are maybe using drip for the wrong purposes .....?
royceH:
I used the bed for about 3 hours over the five days. No intravenous fluids came anywhere near me. The only thing put into my body was eye drops. No sedation of any description.
It wasn't a horrible experience. But I was ripped off. The quote was 7, the bill was 13.
I now have about 50% vision in the eye and before the surgery it was less than 10.
So I'm a winner.
Think I'll take another week off work. Maybe I will.
The head nurse told us that they've significantly reduced the use of IV fluids in the hospital this year. Progress.
Apples & Oranges,,,, apples & oranges.
Hard to compare/contrast anyplace over here with the Gulf Coast down by Mexico. It's just like u said I think,,, PRC is more stimulating and fun because of craziness that you can be involved in and pretty much know you'll get out of it too. I mean at least Big Bro & Federales keep their nose out 98% of the time, whereas in the States, the coppers luv to bust someone for the smallest infraction.
As far as being a mellow, beautiful scenery/weather place to live,,, hard to beat the Gulf Coast ~
*try out a place called Padre Island if u ever get the chance 
I know exactly what you mean. The chaos is fantastic, and shit, at the same time. I need my laptop to answer this fantastic question. My phone cant do a reply justice 
Robk:
Yeah, I was thinking... I would find a place to live that didn't exhibit the two extremes. But then the feeling would probably feel more like half-assed on both accounts lol.
I guess just living 6 months in each or going back and forth when I am bored or infuriated might just do the trick given the means.
In my country, and every other normal country in the world, cataract surgery is an outpatient experience. That is, Day Surgery. You rock up and get the business done and as long as you haven't swallowed your tongue and you've avoided anaphylaxis and haven't overdone the grope, you can go home.
In China, at least at the main hospital in this here joint, you have to lie down on a flat hospital bed for 5 days. And you mustn't watch tv or read either, as doing so will deflate your eyeballs or some bullshit reason that I couldn't understand.
ScotsAlan:
And you will be on a drip. And told not to drink cold water or eat shellfish.
icnif77:
@Scotts: 'I am passing daily by Hospital in my city. Mothers walk babies (2 -5y old) on parking lot with drip attached'.
We are maybe using drip for the wrong purposes .....?
royceH:
I used the bed for about 3 hours over the five days. No intravenous fluids came anywhere near me. The only thing put into my body was eye drops. No sedation of any description.
It wasn't a horrible experience. But I was ripped off. The quote was 7, the bill was 13.
I now have about 50% vision in the eye and before the surgery it was less than 10.
So I'm a winner.
Think I'll take another week off work. Maybe I will.
The head nurse told us that they've significantly reduced the use of IV fluids in the hospital this year. Progress.
If I recall you do your own online business? So are you automatically taxed on your earnings just for living in Canada?
Robk:
That is kind of a grey area, the whole online thing is still kind of new for the government to figure out... I am taxed because I reside in Canada...
Although, I can exploit a lot of tax deducible such as rent, car costs etc. for business purposes and significantly reduce it.
However, I found a better way. You can claim non-residency as long as you only stay in the country 182 days of the year. So, I will probably hop back and forth between China so that I don't have to pay income taxes. You only have to pay taxes on Canadian sources... meaning employment, or an income stream directly from a source in Canada. Since all my payments go through online platforms... it isn't technically a source in Canada... so I don't have to pay taxes.
It is perfectly legal.
Girls in my hometown of Colorado don't have underarm hair.
nicholasba:
seriously, wtf are u talking about dude?are you dating over 50?
Another thing I didn't mention...
Chinese women overall are A LOT more feminine and very few smoke.
Canadian women have undergone a serious feminism movement due to new laws which protects them and social assistance that dumps money in their laps.
So in short... think of Shanghai women (with their self-entitlement) with the same amount of drama... but way better at playing mental games and exploitation. Constantly dissatisfied and willing to drop their husbands or BFs (especially if they have children) at any time cause the government will just toss them money.
I am very glad I chose a Chinese wife... the women around here at hideous and act like all the men are chasing them at all times... (kind of sounds like some expats I know haha)
Been back about 4 months and the pros of being in the US are clear: no pollution, more diverse food, safer food, more interesting people, better conversations, better quality of life
The cons: daily life is more expensive, saving is harder, and being a young white male with light hair and a degree (or no degree) does not automatically get you a job with lots of disposable income relative to the cost of living
Basically if you are an alcoholic or someone with little ambition / are making big money China makes sense. Otherwise the pros of being home far outweigh the cons provided that you are not unemployed or working at McDs.
