Moving or Retiring in China...

[Guest ShaQuaNew]

Since I've been living in China these past several months, I've had the chance to meet several foreigners from all over the world. Most come to teach the language of their native countries. That's right, it's not just about English here. China is a popular destination for many countries, like, Canada, France, Mexico, India, Australia, and so on.

 

Both men and women come to teach, as it's a good opportunity. You really won't become rich in doing it, but it does present a good chance for learning the culture. Several of the people that come, meet someone here, and develop relationships. Some even marry. Most of the foreigners with whom I've spoken, try it for a while, and then later choose to go home. The reasons for leaving is that it's just tough for foreigners over here. The two dominating reasons seem to be:

 

1. The language. Most everyone can learn many phrases, and eventually get comfortable enough to take a taxi or bus by themselves. But there will always be an absence of being able to have a deep conversation. Those that cannot speak Chinese will be heavily dependent upon a Chinese partner. Those that don't have a partner, or someone to help them, really don't make it very long at all.

 

2. The Culture. Most everyone has been here at least once. Some have taken the time to study the differences. Every country has issues, and China has it's fair share. I can't imagine anyone making it here for very long at all who lacks a deep love for the country and its culture.

 

You can stretch your money a lot further here than you can in the US. I really do enjoy just how little it costs for groceries, and living needs.

 

Most of you have seen the challenges your partners have experienced in moving to the US. I did my best to help both Lan and Sarah make these adjustments, but really there was / is very little I could do. It was much easier for Sarah, as had just turned 15 when she came to the US. If nothing else, moving here as provided me a real-world experience of just what it takes to adjust to another culture.

 

I know Roger want's to move away from the big cities to avoid problems with pollution. That's a big problem here, because with the big cities and conveniences that they offer, also comes the crowds and pollution. The problem with moving into rural areas, is that you become even more cut-off from finding support from other Westerners, as most Westerners living in China come here only for short periods, and stay almost exclusively in the big cities.

Edited October 26, 2008 by ShaQuaNew (see edit history)

[IllinoisDave]

Nice post Jesse.

[Dennis143]

Jesse, why not start a blog (thread) that is yours, where we can read your thoughts and experiences of what you go through daily first-hand?

[Guest ShaQuaNew]

Jesse, why not start a blog (thread) that is yours, where we can read your thoughts and experiences of what you go through daily first-hand?

 

LOL...., It's hard for me to keep my wife's attention for more than a couple minutes.... Seems like it would get pretty boring real fast...

[Dennis143]

Jesse, why not start a blog (thread) that is yours, where we can read your thoughts and experiences of what you go through daily first-hand?

 

LOL...., It's hard for me to keep my wife's attention for more than a couple minutes.... Seems like it would get pretty boring real fast...

Since when did you ever sell yourself short, so don't start now. Writing is what you do. Ain't it?

 

Anyway, I always enjoy your insight.

 

 

Just don't be afraid to flavor it with the ugly, the bad along with the good.

[shaffej7070]

Jesse, why not start a blog (thread) that is yours, where we can read your thoughts and experiences of what you go through daily first-hand?

 

LOL...., It's hard for me to keep my wife's attention for more than a couple minutes.... Seems like it would get pretty boring real fast...

 

That's a good suggestion by Dennis. Try http://wordpress.com/ to set up a free blog. You can provide a link that could be pinned on this site. It would be beneficial for those wanting insight of living as an expatriate.

[mredmond]

I just returned from wuhan china and was very impressed with the peoples in that city. I was under the assumption that I would feel afraid of walking down the streets, being told "go home back to USA" by everyone, feeling I did not belong, and/or just not feel comfortable at all about being in a communistic run country.

Boy oh boy was I wrong about them all. I loved it there. The people, yes, stared or looked at me (it seems everyone of them) but they were all as nice as could be or acted as though they did not even care that an American was walking among them.

I was impressed at the amount of people in business. Young people had stores selling items everywhere. Shopping was fun, and different. They do not have shopping malls as we know them. Stalls, small glass divider rooms on a floor of a building along with 100 or so other small glass divider rooms. Street vendors selling everything and anything you can eat or wear or use in one way or another.

It was great. This was my first time in China ever. I met my girlfriend, fiance and confirmed that we were for sure in love and would marry.

I spent 10 days there and with her and we did anything and everything. We visited her family, had dinner with friends, went to see where her parents worked ( the yellow crane tower), ate foods that would never be allowed to be sold on a plate in the USA, window shopped, walked along the Yangtze river at noght and day, looked at people walk by on the crowded streets, etc, etc, etc.

I tell you, I hated to leave and come back to the USA. Not only because I would miss her and she also did not want for me to leave, but because the hustle and bustle of that city is something you never see in the states anywhere. Yes, the air there is so thick that you can hold it in you hand, and you choke on it everyday, but it was a great time !

Anyway, onto my real meaning of this response. I feel for you in being able to live in China. I think that it would be a great adventure and is definitely something that you will remember forever. I have thought of a move to live there myself. My fiance is very afraid to come to the USA because of her negative feelings of learning the language efficient enough to feel comfortable. I on the other hand can and have been learning the Chinese language very good and very quickly. So, I have had the thought of a move for myself to China. My only problem is the money there is very little and how to find a good paying job. One always has bills to pay and if you are only making 1/4 of the amount you wold be making in the USA how do you pay bills and live in another country with that ? Any suggestions ? I know that I can pay off all bills her before going and sell the house and that would go pretty far in China for living on, but I want to live nice there not in a minimal apartment style house in a run down area.

Anyway, good luck to you and I hope you have fun there.

[warpedbored]

Jesse, why not start a blog (thread) that is yours, where we can read your thoughts and experiences of what you go through daily first-hand?

 

LOL...., It's hard for me to keep my wife's attention for more than a couple minutes.... Seems like it would get pretty boring real fast...

Actually I think this is a good idea Jesse. Toplaw has his running blog about wedded bliss.

 

I think a lot of us have an unrealistic idea of what living in China would really be like. A day to day posting of real life in China could be usesful.

[Wendy W]

Jesse, why not start a blog (thread) that is yours, where we can read your thoughts and experiences of what you go through daily first-hand?

 

LOL...., It's hard for me to keep my wife's attention for more than a couple minutes.... Seems like it would get pretty boring real fast...

Actually I think this is a good idea Jesse. Toplaw has his running blog about wedded bliss.

 

I think a lot of us have an unrealistic idea of what living in China would really be like. A day to day posting of real life in China could be usesful.

 

It is a hard job

[tsap seui]

I like reading Jesse's and others stories about life in China. They are all very interesting and insightful.

 

I often read these stories about experiences in China and discuss them with the lil' rabbit. I have no preconceived notions about living in China, humble to all of it's aspects, and I'm a really laid back sort who fits in to different situations fairly easily. And YES, I will be highly dependent upon the lil' rabbit and our son, Bubba Jr., to get me around.

 

tsap seui

"I have been waiting for this moment, for all my life...Oh Yeah"

[Guest lilac6451]

I just returned from wuhan china and was very impressed with the peoples in that city. I was under the assumption that I would feel afraid of walking down the streets, being told "go home back to USA" by everyone, feeling I did not belong, and/or just not feel comfortable at all about being in a communistic run country.

Boy oh boy was I wrong about them all. I loved it there. The people, yes, stared or looked at me (it seems everyone of them) but they were all as nice as could be or acted as though they did not even care that an American was walking among them.

I was impressed at the amount of people in business. Young people had stores selling items everywhere. Shopping was fun, and different. They do not have shopping malls as we know them. Stalls, small glass divider rooms on a floor of a building along with 100 or so other small glass divider rooms. Street vendors selling everything and anything you can eat or wear or use in one way or another.

It was great. This was my first time in China ever. I met my girlfriend, fiance and confirmed that we were for sure in love and would marry.

I spent 10 days there and with her and we did anything and everything. We visited her family, had dinner with friends, went to see where her parents worked ( the yellow crane tower), ate foods that would never be allowed to be sold on a plate in the USA, window shopped, walked along the Yangtze river at noght and day, looked at people walk by on the crowded streets, etc, etc, etc.

I tell you, I hated to leave and come back to the USA. Not only because I would miss her and she also did not want for me to leave, but because the hustle and bustle of that city is something you never see in the states anywhere. Yes, the air there is so thick that you can hold it in you hand, and you choke on it everyday, but it was a great time !

Anyway, onto my real meaning of this response. I feel for you in being able to live in China. I think that it would be a great adventure and is definitely something that you will remember forever. I have thought of a move to live there myself. My fiance is very afraid to come to the USA because of her negative feelings of learning the language efficient enough to feel comfortable. I on the other hand can and have been learning the Chinese language very good and very quickly. So, I have had the thought of a move for myself to China. My only problem is the money there is very little and how to find a good paying job. One always has bills to pay and if you are only making 1/4 of the amount you wold be making in the USA how do you pay bills and live in another country with that ? Any suggestions ? I know that I can pay off all bills her before going and sell the house and that would go pretty far in China for living on, but I want to live nice there not in a minimal apartment style house in a run down area.

Anyway, good luck to you and I hope you have fun there.

 

 

Your posting is interesting to read, and my husband and I are thinking of doing the same.

 

In my opinion, if you have any bills to pay in USA, then it will be hurt moving to China. The best idea is sell everything , bills free. If you have a house in USA, sell it or rent it.

 

As for jobs in China, it will be very easy to find one. I dont know what you can do, but the bottom line is you can always teach English. You get decent paid and you will live a decent life in China. Instead of renting a flat, you can buy a nice house. I dont know the price of house in Wuhan, but it will not be expensive.

 

Good luck to you and hope to hear more stories from you.

[rogerluli]

I just returned from wuhan china and was very impressed with the peoples in that city. I was under the assumption that I would feel afraid of walking down the streets, being told "go home back to USA" by everyone, feeling I did not belong, and/or just not feel comfortable at all about being in a communistic run country.

Boy oh boy was I wrong about them all. I loved it there. The people, yes, stared or looked at me (it seems everyone of them) but they were all as nice as could be or acted as though they did not even care that an American was walking among them.

I was impressed at the amount of people in business. Young people had stores selling items everywhere. Shopping was fun, and different. They do not have shopping malls as we know them. Stalls, small glass divider rooms on a floor of a building along with 100 or so other small glass divider rooms. Street vendors selling everything and anything you can eat or wear or use in one way or another.

It was great. This was my first time in China ever. I met my girlfriend, fiance and confirmed that we were for sure in love and would marry.

I spent 10 days there and with her and we did anything and everything. We visited her family, had dinner with friends, went to see where her parents worked ( the yellow crane tower), ate foods that would never be allowed to be sold on a plate in the USA, window shopped, walked along the Yangtze river at noght and day, looked at people walk by on the crowded streets, etc, etc, etc.

I tell you, I hated to leave and come back to the USA. Not only because I would miss her and she also did not want for me to leave, but because the hustle and bustle of that city is something you never see in the states anywhere. Yes, the air there is so thick that you can hold it in you hand, and you choke on it everyday, but it was a great time !

Anyway, onto my real meaning of this response. I feel for you in being able to live in China. I think that it would be a great adventure and is definitely something that you will remember forever. I have thought of a move to live there myself. My fiance is very afraid to come to the USA because of her negative feelings of learning the language efficient enough to feel comfortable. I on the other hand can and have been learning the Chinese language very good and very quickly. So, I have had the thought of a move for myself to China. My only problem is the money there is very little and how to find a good paying job. One always has bills to pay and if you are only making 1/4 of the amount you wold be making in the USA how do you pay bills and live in another country with that ? Any suggestions ? I know that I can pay off all bills her before going and sell the house and that would go pretty far in China for living on, but I want to live nice there not in a minimal apartment style house in a run down area.

Anyway, good luck to you and I hope you have fun there.

 

You had the same kinds of feelings about China that many of us did on our first excursion to the motherland...It's always great to read posts like this and get that fresh feeling back again...

 

xie xie

[rogerluli]

 

I know Roger want's to move away from the big cities to avoid problems with pollution. That's a big problem here, because with the big cities and conveniences that they offer, also comes the crowds and pollution. The problem with moving into rural areas, is that you become even more cut-off from finding support from other Westerners, as most Westerners living in China come here only for short periods, and stay almost exclusively in the big cities.

 

I don't worry too much about the language issue. I accept that I will never learn more than those few phrases and individual words so I would not be totally dysfunctional. But Lu Li and I are joined at the hip so I would always have her for needed translation. Without a Chinese spouse I would never attempt it...

 

I love the culture so that is not an issue at all. In many ways I feel more at home in China than the US...

 

It will be somewhere in the range of 5 to 9 years before we retire and move to China. I think in our situation it would be very financially imprudent to attempt it earlier. We both want to travel widely both within China and all of Asia. We also want to live well and never have to worry about where the next Yuan is coming from. We will be based in Qionghai, Hainan which is a small city on the east coast of Hainan. It is 15 clicks in from the sea on a huge river, the Wanquan. Our house is #23-2-1101...for travelers. But we will also keep a place in Lu Li's Hunan hometown AND in America... Laopo insists on the America part... She says we have to much junk to give it all up...

 

We will both be USC when we make the move. I would not want to have to make the annual trek back to the US for the green card requirement. Once we are there we are there for a long time, I envision 10-15 years before probably returning to the US. But that's so far in the future who can say. China is just as good a place to draw one's last breath as America...

 

Oh the big city thingie I almost forgot... Qionghai is a real ciy and it is growing by leaps and bounds. When we first discovered it in 2005 there was 1 real estate development there listed on Soufun. A year later when we bought our first place there were 9. Today there are 43... There is a new high-speed commuter railine being built which can whisk us the capital Haikou in minutes or to the beaches of Sanya in less than an hour. It will also be the third city on Hainan to have its own commercial airport so we will be able to fly directly to Guangzhou and who knows where all??? B) For anyone interested in Hainan I have a thread around here somewhere about it...

[tsap seui]

I just returned from wuhan china and was very impressed with the peoples in that city. I was under the assumption that I would feel afraid of walking down the streets, being told "go home back to USA" by everyone, feeling I did not belong, and/or just not feel comfortable at all about being in a communistic run country.

Boy oh boy was I wrong about them all. I loved it there. The people, yes, stared or looked at me (it seems everyone of them) but they were all as nice as could be or acted as though they did not even care that an American was walking among them.

I was impressed at the amount of people in business. Young people had stores selling items everywhere. Shopping was fun, and different. They do not have shopping malls as we know them. Stalls, small glass divider rooms on a floor of a building along with 100 or so other small glass divider rooms. Street vendors selling everything and anything you can eat or wear or use in one way or another.

It was great. This was my first time in China ever. I met my girlfriend, fiance and confirmed that we were for sure in love and would marry.

I spent 10 days there and with her and we did anything and everything. We visited her family, had dinner with friends, went to see where her parents worked ( the yellow crane tower), ate foods that would never be allowed to be sold on a plate in the USA, window shopped, walked along the Yangtze river at noght and day, looked at people walk by on the crowded streets, etc, etc, etc.

I tell you, I hated to leave and come back to the USA. Not only because I would miss her and she also did not want for me to leave, but because the hustle and bustle of that city is something you never see in the states anywhere. Yes, the air there is so thick that you can hold it in you hand, and you choke on it everyday, but it was a great time !

Anyway, onto my real meaning of this response. I feel for you in being able to live in China. I think that it would be a great adventure and is definitely something that you will remember forever. I have thought of a move to live there myself. My fiance is very afraid to come to the USA because of her negative feelings of learning the language efficient enough to feel comfortable. I on the other hand can and have been learning the Chinese language very good and very quickly. So, I have had the thought of a move for myself to China. My only problem is the money there is very little and how to find a good paying job. One always has bills to pay and if you are only making 1/4 of the amount you wold be making in the USA how do you pay bills and live in another country with that ? Any suggestions ? I know that I can pay off all bills her before going and sell the house and that would go pretty far in China for living on, but I want to live nice there not in a minimal apartment style house in a run down area.

Anyway, good luck to you and I hope you have fun there.

 

Great post!!

 

As far as life in China. I look at it as a great adventure with my wife that, quite literally, was placed right in our laps. I like the fact that we are going to be married in China, and start our married life on my wife's home turf. If I decide I'm not busy enough enjoying the freedom of "TIME" with my wife, writing, and playing my bass guitar, then I know I can easily go teach english, or try and find some Chinese players and start a garage band .

 

We plan on traveling all over China and Australia and New Zealand, and then (after we CLEARLY make the point to the DOS that we are a bona fide relationship, that, even a blind person could see ) we will make a DCF IR-1 and we'll settle down in the serene mountains of Pennsyltucky.

 

It's all about living in happiness with my wife.... so we get to live in China a while....COOL!!

 

I started liquidating everything I owned, and leased, in america, back in January of this year. No more houses, Harley, Corvette, Alvalanche...even sold some of my construction tools and equipment. I probably don't have more than $200 worth of yard sale junk and most of it will probably just get put at the curb with a sign...

 

FREE

You takey

 

I sold one of my houses with everything but my bed in it. I am now in a furnished apartment...awaiting results from the Veteran's Administration.The kitchen to our new home is getting installed November 8th and the upgraded doors will be installed at that time...that is the last of the finishing steps of the home.

 

I look forward to being with my wife everyday, helping our son, writing, playing music again, and just plain waking up, together, with my lil' rabbit....where... doesn't really concern me.

 

tsap seui

 

Have plan

Will Travel

[mredmond]

I just returned from wuhan china and was very impressed with the peoples in that city. I was under the assumption that I would feel afraid of walking down the streets, being told "go home back to USA" by everyone, feeling I did not belong, and/or just not feel comfortable at all about being in a communistic run country.

Boy oh boy was I wrong about them all. I loved it there. The people, yes, stared or looked at me (it seems everyone of them) but they were all as nice as could be or acted as though they did not even care that an American was walking among them.

I was impressed at the amount of people in business. Young people had stores selling items everywhere. Shopping was fun, and different. They do not have shopping malls as we know them. Stalls, small glass divider rooms on a floor of a building along with 100 or so other small glass divider rooms. Street vendors selling everything and anything you can eat or wear or use in one way or another.

It was great. This was my first time in China ever. I met my girlfriend, fiance and confirmed that we were for sure in love and would marry.

I spent 10 days there and with her and we did anything and everything. We visited her family, had dinner with friends, went to see where her parents worked ( the yellow crane tower), ate foods that would never be allowed to be sold on a plate in the USA, window shopped, walked along the Yangtze river at noght and day, looked at people walk by on the crowded streets, etc, etc, etc.

I tell you, I hated to leave and come back to the USA. Not only because I would miss her and she also did not want for me to leave, but because the hustle and bustle of that city is something you never see in the states anywhere. Yes, the air there is so thick that you can hold it in you hand, and you choke on it everyday, but it was a great time !

Anyway, onto my real meaning of this response. I feel for you in being able to live in China. I think that it would be a great adventure and is definitely something that you will remember forever. I have thought of a move to live there myself. My fiance is very afraid to come to the USA because of her negative feelings of learning the language efficient enough to feel comfortable. I on the other hand can and have been learning the Chinese language very good and very quickly. So, I have had the thought of a move for myself to China. My only problem is the money there is very little and how to find a good paying job. One always has bills to pay and if you are only making 1/4 of the amount you wold be making in the USA how do you pay bills and live in another country with that ? Any suggestions ? I know that I can pay off all bills her before going and sell the house and that would go pretty far in China for living on, but I want to live nice there not in a minimal apartment style house in a run down area.

Anyway, good luck to you and I hope you have fun there.

 

 

Your posting is interesting to read, and my husband and I are thinking of doing the same.

 

In my opinion, if you have any bills to pay in USA, then it will be hurt moving to China. The best idea is sell everything , bills free. If you have a house in USA, sell it or rent it.

 

As for jobs in China, it will be very easy to find one. I dont know what you can do, but the bottom line is you can always teach English. You get decent paid and you will live a decent life in China. Instead of renting a flat, you can buy a nice house. I dont know the price of house in Wuhan, but it will not be expensive.

 

Good luck to you and hope to hear more stories from you.

 

I am told that in Wuhan living expenses and wages are about 1/2 of what they are in HK or Beijing areas. Thanks for the input, it helps to ease my mind for a move if that is to happen.