Job Discussion Forums

[Old Surrender]

Three years. Planning on staying until 2016 to finish my masters in the U.S.

[GreatApe]

I just "celebrated" my 3 year anniversary on February 10th, 2013 ... so I voted 2-5 years. The Honeymoon is OVER!

I have entered the town of "Jaded" on my way to my home in the suburbs of "Totally."

Schizophrenically speaking, I recently had to have a long talk with myself over the New Year vacation ... (and, ironically, I AGREE with MYSELF!) ... "keep things in perspective ... you live a good life ... it's ONLY a job!"

Been back to the US of A one time in three years. I lasted 4 weeks and then jumped the plane back to the International Date Line and the PRC. It really helps to occasionally put things in perspective.

Having said that, anyone who's been here 8, 10 years or MORE deserves R.E.S.P.E.C.T. on a very high level!

Cheers ... to all of you old-timers!

--GA

[it'snotmyfault]

@greatape I know what you mean about going back home.

Three years ago after spending some time traveling I went back to the UK and got a job related to my degree. I lasted three months and left.

Stuck in an office with all the small minded office politics and the small town mentality drove me crazy, I got into a big argument with a guy one day, and it all started over PAPERCLIPS...FFS.

I think unless one has a stimulating career to go back to, has family commitments, or is just homesick; why would you want to go home?

[mike w]

After all my years in China (16), I have two thoughts whenever I go back to the UK for vacation.

Firstly - I feel like a visitor in my own country, and scondly, it reminds me of all the reasons I left the UK in the first place.

If it wasn't for my dad still being alive (88yo), and my grown up kids, I wouldn't go back.

[creeper1]

If you enjoy teaching and get on well with your co-workers then China seems good. BTW I don't think it is impossible to get into arguments with co-workers in China either. And, yeah, the reasons could be as silly as paperclips.

Any place is what you make of it. At home, I say, is where ambitious poeple should go. Those career minded or business start up minded. Those are best done at home. But for those, like me, having a good time for the here and now then China is best.

It's interesting that most posters on here are long termers. Where do Newbies post? I know that there are a lot of them around.

[it'snotmyfault]

I guess I was using the paperclips as a kind of metaphor for the whole going home experience

[7969]

By summer 2013 I'll have nine years in this country. The last seven at my current job.

Prior to ESL I wasn't working for more than a year. I had just left the army and was enjoying new-found freedom traveling all over the place and spending money (I still drew my salary while unemployed due to using up accumulated leave I never took). My army experience is probably the main reason I adapted to life in China without too many difficulties. Going from life under one authoritarian regime to another doesn't require much change in attitude. . . There isn't much they can do to me here that I haven't already experienced in the "let's F*&^ with this person's head" department." Ex-military people will know what I mean

I do go home in summertime though. My family has a cottage on a somewhat remote lake in Ontario and that kind of tranquility isn't easily found during our working lives here. I may retire there one day.

[mike w]

[GreatApe]

[fat_chris]

[7969]

[NoBillyNO]