Dudeson's, are you here voluntarily, or did someone lock you in a basement dungeon against your will?

JeanDP - How long have you been in China? Yunnan?

@alien
I agree with you but I don't hate China.
I love China for my own little reasons. If that is not enough for you, I am sorry you are guilty of hating me [foreigners] for things you don't agree with.

so, you are "Me" a negative, bitter person, hating something, that I don't.

Welcome to the club.

Is it really so hard to understand that someone can like the same thing for different reasons?

I love Brad Pitt, he is a great actor, he has a nice voice, and is a very versatile artist.

My wife likes him because he is hot, in good shape, and she agrees, he can act.

So I am not sitting there, or complain to other posters, that my wife doesn't like him for the same reasons, I do.

Doesn't that make me bitter and weird, as well.

So, I think China has more negative to offer, than positive, maybe a few attacks on my life, and my pregnant wife, plus constant cheating, and the other usual suspects, do that to you after time.

I don't have a choice, I have to go out all day and meet people, that I wouldn't usually meet.

I have to take taxis and public transport and occasionally [on business] go to Kundu, bars, and diners. I don't like mainland Chinese culture, because it is cruel [IMO] and outdated, I prefer the Taiwanese version or HK one.

Also there are too many unsafe variables here, [for our kid], lead, tainted food, bad medical services, ambulances, education...etc....I know you may love it,...I don't.

Ask my boss to move me there [taiwan/HK], and I will be in the plane tomorrow. As I said before, I am stuck here, but that doesn't mean I cannot make the best out of it.

But best out of it, doesn't mean artificially love it or pretend it to be great. I enjoy my daily life, family time, meeting Chinese friends, and avoid the things that could potentially bother me.

You may or may not agree with me, I don't mind but you shouldn't tell, or teach me who I am.

Some people here may know me, and they would testify, that I am not bitter, negative or depressed. Except if my favourite mixian is not available...lol

I am very happy to be in China/Yunnan. This is why I have been here for 12 years and counting and have not returned to the west in those 12 years.

I love the freedom of retirement (since age 38) and the availability to travel at any time (except holidays).

I love the proximity to other SE Asian countries.

I love that China is 3rd in UNESCO sites.

I love how there is not a big police presence everywhere I go (has increased in the last few years but not a police state like USA).

@Jean
Actually it does not matter at all. If I chose to be here, or not.

I buy a house, things are not perfect, I just leave and never come back. Right?

I know you will say "You should go home, if I hate it here" right?
And before I was stuck, I thought to do it. Plus, I don't hate it here.

But actually my Chinese friends said something to me, that moved me and kept me, a little longer. Then life happened.

Same question to you Jean. I am only allowed to be here, if I like China for the exact same reasons you do? If I don't like it, or don't like it enough, I have no right to be here and say what most Chinese think?

Don't you think that is somewhat insane?

So say, all Chinese people are pop-music millionaires, but keep it a secret. And complain to me, also a pop-music millionaire openly partying and enjoying life to the fullest. "I wish I could live like a pop-star,to. But I hate you for doing it and you should be more like us" ...while their record sales are going down, to a lack of scandals etc...

WOW, reading that, makes me realize that, this is the weirdest of my metaphors so far...dunno to be proud or seek help...lol

What I like about China: I like the fact that 'China' includes so much that I don't know and can learn, and that China includes the largest single nationally-organized collection of human beings on the face of the earth, and the importance of 'China' within the species, for better or for worse. And I like the fact that it is huge geographically as well, and the variations (cultural/social/geographical whatever) within it.

I also like Laos, for very different reasons.

@Alien I wholeheartedly agree with that.

I also like the fact that I can get around easily on my own in China, as most people speak a language that I can handle, having studied it (i.e., if I couldn't handle the language, I'm pretty sure I'd like China less).
I also generally like the attitudes & general good-naturedness and generosity I find in rural areas of China.

China is always interesting:

"China Warns Citizens: Beware 'Good Looking' Foreigners Who May Be Spies"

news.vice.com/[...]

"China to Women: 'Dating Foreigners is Dangerous Love'"

mp.weixin.qq.com/[...]

@Geezer
Same could be said of a Chinese national. God knows there are plenty of ladies in China :-).