Just a quick straw poll for those who are leaving. Not intended as a pi55ing contest, or to denigrate the big C.
I see a number of people are selling up, and moving on.
I am curious to ask why this is. Is it a natural time to go home, are you moving to another city in China, or were there other factors (like new visa regs, pay, etc)?
After living in China for 6 years decided was time to begin moving back to USA. Realized i was never going to be able to communicate easily. Have age related health issues, which minor now, could be much larger problem in future, with many treatment options in USA and none here.
@tallamerican: But why to USA? I understand that, for you, it's 'home' - that must be significant, no? And by difficulty of communication, are you primarily referring to language?
@alien, 3 children, 2 grandchildren, 1 brother, 1 sister, 85 year old father and in 2 years medicare. Also i love golf which i cannot afford in china, and my biggest hobby is home improvement projects which is difficult in china with type of construction used and i make extra money in USA doing for friends.
@tallamerican
MANY americans retire across the border to Mexico, despite the combined medias best efforts to present Mexico as a dangerous lawless place, where you'll be murdered by drug dealing gangsters.
Simply - the cost of living is about half that of the USA and that social security check stretches much further - including healthcare.
There are many american expat communities (literally - housing developments) dotting the country...
@michael2015 I have spent a lot of time in Mexico and that is for sure an option. If one does not mind living in a smaller town the cost of living can be much less reasonable in the USA.
I plan to move to the UK when my current visa and contract expire.
It's more a case of a strong desire to go home rather than a wish to leave China. I've not lived at 'home' for any significant extended time since the age of 18.
It'll probably be as difficult to reintegrate than it was to come here because the expectations are higher.
@noble: As somebody who's gone 'home' a few times after many years abroad, I can tell you that it can seem pretty weird. Expectations may be higher, but what I ran into was simply that I'd taken on some new ones of my own, and many of them seemed either suspicious or incomprehensible to others. Had to learn to sometimes speak a bit carefully or to keep my mouth shut - I did, but 'home' can turn into a moving target.
Yea, A, when u take a look outside the walls of your culture, it can be like taking a bite of the apple in the genesis myth. Maybe thats what it was all about, the apple Eve chewed was the knowledge outside the boundaries of the local societal control.
I've been to a couple of the hupan kia moving sales, and I can tell you that the wicker south crowd never imagine kunming or china to be forever. It's usually finish their offer or commitment and repatriate. But they and their families also depart with good memories and times in kunming, so it's not anything driving them out. Beijing is a different story. Many want to stay and prospects and opportunity is fine, even with urban rat race is ok given the expat amenities the capital offers, but the pollution has driven them out and tier2 cities can't offer the same life, so more or less rest of China off the table.
