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How did you decide on China?
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MisterButtkins



Joined: 03 Oct 2009
Posts: 1221

PostPosted: Fri Dec 24, 2010 11:56 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

The Great Wall of Whiner wrote:
johntpartee wrote:
The "pay scale" argument is misleading; purchasing POWER is the key. Cost of living (away from the tourist destinations) is way low.


One pound of chicken thighs and legs in the United States?

$1.19 a pound. 99 cents on sale.

One pound of chicken thighs and legs in China?

About the same.

I find beef cheaper in Canada than China.

Inflation here is in double digits. Apple juice is cheaper in France than it is here.

Sorry, but the purchasing power is simply not there any longer for me.

Check out that other place...


Clothing is way cheaper. Some of it is bad quality but some of it is quite good. I bought a formal winter jacket new for 100 yuan a few weeks ago. It's quite warm and looks good. Formal winter jacket new for fifteen dollars in the US? I think not.

Also, buying food at the supermarket might not be as cheap as it used to be, but eating at restaurants is still vastly cheaper than in the US. The other day my friend and I went to a restaurant and ordered three dishe s and fourteen bottles of beer. Our bill? Sixty two yuan. The food was better than 95% of places in the US too. You just can't find deals like that in the US.

Massages are also cheaper.

Not to mention DVDs and especially X-box games. X-box games here are literally 1/100th of the price of new releases in the US.

Add in the fact that most people won't need a car here and you may receive a free apartment, and I think it's quite true you have more spending power. There's a lot more to it than just food prices at the store.


Last edited by MisterButtkins on Sat Dec 25, 2010 12:38 am; edited 1 time in total
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MisterButtkins



Joined: 03 Oct 2009
Posts: 1221

PostPosted: Sat Dec 25, 2010 12:00 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

To respond to the OP, I came to China because I studied Chinese in college for two years and I didn't want to be one of those people who never really used the foreign language they learned in college and forgot everything a year after they graduated.

I stayed here because I find it suitable to my lifestyle (easy work, lots of free time, I don't need a car).
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Kiwi303



Joined: 20 Nov 2010
Posts: 165
Location: Chong Qing Jiao Tong Da Xue, Xue Fu Da Dao, Nan An Qu, Chong Qing Shi, P. R China

PostPosted: Sat Dec 25, 2010 1:08 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Me? I'm planning on China for the Sept 2011 term start.

Why? I dated a Chinese MBA student who was taking the same Marketing class as I was at University. So I got bored of the same old daily drudge here on the farm, and my brother has just graduated recently with a B.Sci.Ag from a rural orientated uni here and can take my place on the family farm, I decided to go TESOL-ing in china. I have a cousin in Taiwan who married a local and has set down roots there, but I decided to go mainland.

A mix of boredom with my current routine, a sense of it's time for my OE or I'll end up never doing it, and a desire to check out the culture that my Ex-GF came from. She was a cutie Razz
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7969



Joined: 26 Mar 2003
Posts: 5782
Location: Coastal Guangdong

PostPosted: Sat Dec 25, 2010 4:59 am    Post subject: Re: How did you decide on China? Reply with quote

hoshi wrote:
I've been looking around on the forums here for a few weeks trying to figure out which country I should focus on in my job search. It seems like my best choices are either here or that other country that requires a separate registration.

There are some things that I think I'd really like about China:
1) Better chance of teaching adults/university
2) I'd like to learn Mandarin and Chinese martial arts

The things I think I would like about the other country:
1) Better air quality
2) More money

Since it's obvious that China isn't at the top of the pay scale for FTs, I was just curious how you guys decided to live here. Thanks in advance!

i came to china for the following reasons:

1. lots of beautiful scenery in every part of the country (not just talking about the women either);
2. good food of many varieties;
3. way lower cost of living than other places I wanted to go;
4. plenty of freedom in how i do my job as long as I do it responsibly.

i'm still happy doing what i'm doing here but i wont stay much longer as i need a change.
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The Edge



Joined: 04 Sep 2010
Posts: 455
Location: China

PostPosted: Sat Dec 25, 2010 10:55 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

OP: My wife is a Chinese. I took early retirement and choosing to live here was a logical and financially prudent decision. I only teach part-time to keep myself busy so I am hardly the best person for 'career' advice. There are some good posters on this forum who are worth reading and give some sound and realistic advice.
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sharpe88



Joined: 21 Oct 2008
Posts: 226

PostPosted: Tue Dec 28, 2010 3:44 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Rent and transportation are the major expenses which are significantly lower.
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mat chen



Joined: 01 Nov 2009
Posts: 494
Location: xiangtan hunan

PostPosted: Tue Dec 28, 2010 7:11 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I was banished for writing on the internet.
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