I have tried the part time lifestyle but it is a real hassle maintaining 2 homes. In the end you are neither here nor there and you wind up going back and forth for some reason or other.

For me, moving is a means of expanding my travel perimeter and the last thing I want to do is come back where I started.

I am looking for a permanent move for a few years outside of China. I like that word - Stale or Stagnant - describes how I feel here in China for so long.

Recently I have seen several ads for people selling (old timers here, not 1 yr students) things because they are leaving China. I would really like to hear the reasons why people are leaving because I also am nearing the point where I am looking for greener pastures.

My time in the Marines had me moving every 3-4 years so I am accustomed to pulling roots up and setting up shop elsewhere. I have been in China for 13 years now (Yunnan 11) and I have long had the itch to move on.

For my wife and I, work (income) is not an issue. The important thing for both of us is if we can get long term visas to stay in country for an extended period of time without much hassle. Not leaving any time soon (1-2 years later) but just interested in reasons why others are moving on.

Considering India or Cambodia or even Ecuador as possible sites for relocation. Ecuador (Vilcabamba) has a huge expat community and the US dollar is the official currency. My main reason for leaving is that I have been in China too long. We will eventually make our way back to China in years to come. Would really be interested in reasons why some other folks are moving on.

Alien, the rates outside the bank are better than inside the bank and I avoid the hassle of time (1 hour+) and copies of passports and visa.

The rates change every day, so no matter what the rate is in the bank, the women are always better, that is how they maintain their business.

The banks and the woman have 2 rates, one for buying and one for selling, still better than the bank.

The diff is tiny but when you change large amounts it adds up to dollars. Could be 10 dollars, or 20, or 30 depending on how much was changed.

Bridge - I realize that all this back and forth bantering may cause you confusion so in the end you will have to decide if you go in the bank where you will have 100% safety or risk it outside the bank. I dismissed Aliens comment for 2 reasons, because he was sending you to another branch which I have no experience with at all and because he openly admits he does not know about this topic nor does he have experience exchanging money with those people. The bank branch I suggested to you is because I have used them many times in the past to exchange money every time I travel and I travel often here in the last 12 years.

As for the other comments, read for yourself. Personally, I could care less about what happened to the friend of a friend in another province or country.

Bank is best and safest place to go, just bring a copy of your passport and expect to wait for some time but you will have your money in hand at the end of the day and this is all that matters. Fortunatley, you are not changing a lot of money. Good luck!

Thanks Bridge - this issue can finally be put to rest when you give us actual exchange rates given by the bank and the women outside the bank.

Exchange rates change every day but the women consistently have better rates than the banks so people prefer using them because it gives them better rates and saves a lot of time. Not to mention that they dont ask for copies of passport and visa.

No english required. You will see them carrying a bag with them and they have just about every type of currency you can possibly need. As I mentioned earlier, the have Kip, Dong, Baht, Euro, HK Dollars, and US, Canadian, Australian Dollars.