China is NOT a bad place to be (RANT)

China is NOT a bad place to be (RANT)
hadleyj09 May 15, 2014 17:36

So many foriengers who have claimed to have been living in China for years are continuously complaining about how bad China is. Why are they still here after years of complaining?

 

Look at the positives about living here. There are issues, and there are things that irritate me, but no there's no reason to complain all the time.

 

I can see the positive things that have effected my life in China. I save money, I have no debt, I can eat all kinds of good food, I can travel, I can go out and I can live a safe and fun life.

 

You can focus on every single bad thing that you notice, but that would make you someone who is no fun to be around. 

 

I have friends who are struggling from paying off serious debt from credit cards, loans, cars, apartments, food, and they can't go out like they want to.

 

I am having a great time here and I see no reason to complain about anything here. Like I said, there are some things that annoy me, but there are so many good things that the bad things don't even matter.  

 

China is a great place, but you can be miserabe in any country, even ALL western countries, if you continuously only look and dwell on the negatives. 

 

Have Fun, but Don't Complain

Tags:Expat Rants & Advice Lifestyle

23 Comments

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Guest858516

Also I feel alot of foreign people in China that complain about cultural problems never tried to understand Chinese culture. You can't go to another contry and expect them to change their way of life and culture to accomodate you. But actually many Chinese people do try their bast to accomodate foreign people.

Jun 04, 2014 23:47 Report Abuse

hadleyj09

This is true, and Chinese people really do go out of their way to help us foreigners with so many things whether it be with communication, directions, ordering food.....the Chinese are really nice people.

Jun 05, 2014 06:14 Report Abuse

sorrel

I have found that when I ask questions to overcome cultural related problems, as I am willing to adapt to local conditions, I am met with a blanket: "you don't understand" and a refusal to explain more. This is VERY frustrating as I struggle to understand. To say that "a lot of foreign people in China that complain about cultural problems never tried to understand Chinese culture." is unhelpful and insulting to those of us who have tired asking questions to understand only to be met with silence or worse.

Jun 06, 2014 20:38 Report Abuse

timjames

The reason they don't answer is because they don't know and they don't want to look stupid. They blindly follow every command of their parents, and rarely ask why. Most of the parents I have met are control freaks always telling their children what to do no matter how old they are. They tell them when to get married, when to have children,etc. People say it's China's culture, I say it's their inability to think for themselves. Sure their good at math, but try to get them to come up with an idea of something on their own, and you'll get a blank stare. Enjoy your little robots, i'm moving out.

Jul 02, 2014 01:43 Report Abuse

expatlife26

And don't take this as people saying "You should be complaining too like us cool cynical people, you're stupid to be happy!"...cause I'm against detached irony and cynical defeatism as much as anybody you're gonna meet and I firmly believe in trying to find what happiness you can. The issue is that you're telling everyone they should be happy because you are happy and life is good for you. That's just as ignorant as some cynical jerk telling you that you should be unhappy. I mean yeah, China is OK for what you want from it right now...and that's why China ESL life can be such a trap. What China ESL life offers you right now makes you happy, but as you get older and your values and desires change...your life here doesn't always change with it. And that's where you get the misery you see a lot of people posting about. They have a kid with a local woman but don't have the income to sponsor her US spousal visa. They get to 40 without solid career experience and find themselves locked out of the job market in the US. They really do get stuck here. I wrote a blog on just how hard it was (and how lucky I got) to get out of teaching into a career in my major (finance). Enjoy this time...really. I really like your positive attitude. China can be ok, but the experience it offers people in other situations is pretty limited. To a guy with a wife and kid here, he might HATE teaching in China but have literally no other option. He can't afford to go to back to school, he can't afford to sponsor his family's visas. He's in a bad way and miserable about it. Let him complain...don't follow his example.

May 27, 2014 13:39 Report Abuse

expatlife26

Im gonna agree with Sinobear and Mike on this. China is fun as like a continuation of college life. You come here at 22 work at a university and basically keep student hours with no papers to write or research to do. It IS a dream life for a college student...you show up to class (you're just at the head now) have no homework and you get paid and a free private apartment. Life is good. It just doesn't go anywhere. Being a time, cash and life experience rich 22 year old is fine...but you turn into a work experience, cash, and future prospects poor 30 year old pretty quickly.

May 27, 2014 11:53 Report Abuse

Guest2491918

BTW, I enjoy your comments Nessquick. I have the same, sorrel have same, almost 99,9% of us laowais have the same experience...... LOL. You are so right. The same goes for you Eorthisio. What I dislike about China: the locals (misbehaved, rude, selfish, arrogant, full of.......So right. So true. I believe that is because most of them are not educated, have not traveled, etc. They are confined to one place "China" even though they have access to the outside world via TV, Facebook, etc. They ignore it and live according to their ancestors. I am female and when I get ask if I would get involved with a Chinese man, I normally said: Is he educated? Has he traveled abroad? Let me see his teeth? Can he eats foreign food other than Chinese food? Let's see his mannerism? Should I go on. It is a huge turn off. The ladies aren't as bad but the man are disgusting.

May 27, 2014 09:06 Report Abuse

silverbutton1

" ...expat newbies who knows nothing and give lessons to long-term expats." That sentence says it all. Well said.

Jun 17, 2014 14:42 Report Abuse

mike695ca

You sound like a teenager. They food is great! I can go out whenever I want! China is perfect! So your right, China is perfect for you and other people that never want to have any responsibilities for the rest of your life. IF your OK with never buying a house, or never buying a car, or raising a family on what you have now. No growth, no chance to improve yourself, other than the chinese language. For people with zero goals in life China is great. Others complain because they see the situation they are in, and its not a happy place to be. They dont want to drink all day. Food is maybe the ....137th most important part of their day. They have kids that they need to put into an international school, and a wife that thought she was getting more in life. And he cant blame her, because he thought he was getting more too. I really cant wait for your blogs after a year or so, when your tired of eating hotpot and going to bars. Those will be an interesting read. But they may not happen at all. Im going to take a shot in the dark here, and guess that you werent born in America. But Africa, perhaps you studied in America, or have an american passport. But you grew up in Africa. Now I have spent quite a fair share of time there, and yeah compared to Africa, life is amazing here. So if thats the case. Keep on enjoying!

May 21, 2014 10:58 Report Abuse

Nessquick

you mean those international schools here, filled with chinese kids by 80% and driving the fee in sky heights .... Yeah, something I will love about 2 years later. If I do not shoot myself ...

May 21, 2014 15:29 Report Abuse

expatlife26

Agreed.

May 27, 2014 11:48 Report Abuse

Guest255074

The write sounds like someone with no responsibilities but if we consider the real life here, especially if you are not a teenager or living bachelor life, China is a hard place to live in term of life expenditure apart from the pressure that you get from the Chinese society like stares and ..... from the local people.

Jun 15, 2014 12:02 Report Abuse

Benjamin321

I tend to agree. I think the biggest thing to finding contentment in China is discovering the right city for you as a person. As well, it depends on your working conditions back home. A lot of expats fit certain types too. The talented and worldly sorts, the adventurers, the shut in nerds, and the outright social rejects. They all tend to form certain opinions on what China is and what China should be. Nobody is necessarily right. It is all a matter of what one wants when they come, what they expect, and what they can adapt to.

May 20, 2014 23:20 Report Abuse

juanisaac

Your blog has a date of May 15, 2014. Why don't you plan to write a blog on the same day next year? I want to see if you will really feel the same then as you do now. My first 6 months here I loved everything, the next six months I loathed everything. I have reached homeostasis now where I take China for what it is- China. Yesterday some Chinese man tried to open up a box I was carrying in my arms to see what was inside. How will you react when your personal things have been ransacked or your personal space violated? Three days ago I was invited to a going away party by colleagues I have known for three years. Even though they all know my name they still called me "loa wai." How will you feel when you hear that word from people you suppose are your friends? You need to spend more time here to make a better judgement.

May 20, 2014 14:45 Report Abuse

hadleyj09

Sorry China hasn't been treating you well, but it's not for everyone and I hope you find happiness elsewhere. I still love it here after a year and life is great. Thanks for the comment

May 20, 2014 22:17 Report Abuse

Nessquick

I have the same, sorrel have same, almost 99,9% of us laowais have the same experience. Take a nice spring/summer morning, open window of your 8th floor apartment, listen to birds songs while drinking a cup of nice coffee. than .. haaaaawkhhh......... haaaawkh... pffff. and something is flying front of your head from above ... Your day is fucked up for year or so... If not enough, than you take elevator, where some neighbor kid just took a small piss, because it can not hold another 30 seconds. step out of building in to the sea of spit. that you go almost crushed by a car while crossing zebra on green light and than be pushed in the metro wagon by hordes inside the smelly train with people who do not know what is toothbrush. And this happen just within 30 minutes. take it as grant for years and you want living on Pluto or shot yourself instantly... Good luck here

May 21, 2014 15:23 Report Abuse

flyingheart

Guess that's why so many Chinese business tycoons and corrupt officials are rushing out of China. I am a Chinese and I have to shake my head helplessly at some things that happened to me...but it's been almost 30 years, and homeostasis may be the only word I can use to describe what I have to do in and with China...

Jun 02, 2014 21:45 Report Abuse

Trebek

While Hadley does seem a bit of naive in his views on China, he's right on the money as far as his message to those who constantly bitch and moan about China and the Chinese. Why live in a place that drives you nuts? I certainly wouldn't.

May 20, 2014 11:03 Report Abuse

sorrel

Posters don't 'constantly' moan about China. Many have been here for years and are married to local women and adapt to certain aspects of life here. But BCD's happen and better to do it here in an forum, than in real life. Most of these people - as 'carlstar' above points out, actually care enough to want to improve the more frustrating aspects of life here, and would do it in any country.

May 20, 2014 12:07 Report Abuse

Robk

China isn't a horrible place at all... but it does grow tiresome and you will find yourself wanting to leave for a while in a year or so. Perhaps not permanently but certainly to recharge your batteries. I will 100% agree with you that the financial freedom is great. It gave me to time to sort myself out and create my own business. But you do make sacrifices, like constantly being the outsider. Not allowed to get citizenship (even if you wanted it) and other issues. China is give and take... it gives you a sort of status instantly and financial freedom... but what it takes in return may cost you more such are your morals, your beliefs, your social skills and your ambition in many expats' case.

May 19, 2014 23:06 Report Abuse

carlstar

complaining can mean you care about things. Just keeping mum or quiet on things that bug you just make the problems worse. Of course there are no problems in China because if you say there are then.... "If you hate it so much then why are you here".... China

May 19, 2014 19:40 Report Abuse

Sinobear

You are a baby (and you sound like one too, with your constant bleating, "China good, China good.") You are in your honeymoon phase, although I think you tend more towards the Pollyanna type. You are how old? But you whine about the States constantly. Give up your citizenship and become a Chinese citizen then. Oh wait! You can't. They don't want you. Obviously, too, you did not do well in high school, as you should have learned to keep your eyes and ears open and your mouth shut until you learn the truth about the subject (critical thinking). I don't "claim" to have lived here for 15 years, I have. I don't "hate" China, either. It's just not the Nirvana that you constantly blog about. YOU are new to China, YOU are living in a secluded city, YOU are comparing everything to whatever hellhole that YOU must have come from. Wait until YOU have some more years under YOUR belt and then let's see what YOU'LL be posting about. Nothing personal, young sir, but your constant ass-kissing blog posts combined with passive-aggressive kicks of those of us who have to deal with the real world is a bit wearisome. There, that is MY rant.

May 19, 2014 17:56 Report Abuse

sorrel

for all the complaints, there are many positives that keep people here. However you can not blind yourself to the problems and frustrations of dealing with the simplest things. For most it is an accumulation of patterns repeating themselves: I might focus on the positives, but the repeated disrespect of the most common courtesies would try the patience of a saint at times. For example, a Foreign Teachers Department that refuses to help foreign teachers - i experienced 2 years of this before deciding that NOTHING i said or did made a blind bit of difference or helped me solve problems such as getting essential work on my accommodation done. Most long term ex-pats have a high tolerance level, but we all have bad days when locals behave in an illogical way once too often. What are we expected to? Smile? LOL good luck when this happens to you - and it will!

May 19, 2014 12:23 Report Abuse