You've Been In China Too Long When...

[yanpa]

Thailand is doing pretty well at the moment by all accounts.

[Samurai_Jerk]

You could probably buy a MA and PHD in China....but I still wouldn't want to work there. Try Korea or Taiwan?

I don't know. I've heard from some people who teach in China that you can make good money there. I think whether or not China is livable really depends on where you're based. I've only been to Shanghai but it's a modern clean city and the people weren't pushy assholes like I expected.

[matsuki]

Thailand is doing pretty well at the moment by all accounts.

...and Thai food is amazing

You could probably buy a MA and PHD in China....but I still wouldn't want to work there. Try Korea or Taiwan?

I don't know. I've heard from some people who teach in China that you can make good money there. I think whether or not China is livable really depends on where you're based. I've only been to Shanghai but it's a modern clean city and the people weren't pushy assholes like I expected.

Shanghai was fun but I wouldn't want to live there. I don't know that I'd call it clean either? Chengdu was beautiful but the people were mostly assholes.

[Samurai_Jerk]

Shanghai was fun but I wouldn't want to live there. I don't know that I'd call it clean either?

It's all relative. I grew up in NYC.

[matsuki]

Shanghai was fun but I wouldn't want to live there. I don't know that I'd call it clean either?

It's all relative. I grew up in NYC.

LOL, true that.

The thing that cracked me up the most was their collection of confiscated American and German cars that made up their police force...and distaste for "Japanese cars made of inferior steel."

[Samurai_Jerk]

Shanghai was fun but I wouldn't want to live there. I don't know that I'd call it clean either?

It's all relative. I grew up in NYC.

LOL, true that.

The thing that cracked me up the most was their collection of confiscated American and German cars that made up their police force...and distaste for "Japanese cars made of inferior steel."

I can't say Shanghai struck me as a place I'd want to love either. However, I've heard that nightlife is pretty fucking nuts and it's easy to get laid. I was only there for a couple of afternoons in transit to and from Vietnam so I didn't get to explore that at all though.

[matsuki]

Shanghai was fun but I wouldn't want to live there. I don't know that I'd call it clean either?

It's all relative. I grew up in NYC.

LOL, true that.

The thing that cracked me up the most was their collection of confiscated American and German cars that made up their police force...and distaste for "Japanese cars made of inferior steel."

I can't say Shanghai struck me as a place I'd want to love either. However, I've heard that nightlife is pretty fucking nuts and it's easy to get laid. I was only there for a couple of afternoons in transit to and from Vietnam so I didn't get to explore that at all though.

Unfortunately same experience here...though, judging by the hottie my frumpy/drunk/druggee friend had, I imagine it can't be that hard. (though I still imagine Taiwan is better)

[yanpa]

Shanghai was fun but I wouldn't want to live there. I don't know that I'd call it clean either?

It's all relative. I grew up in NYC.

LOL, true that.

The thing that cracked me up the most was their collection of confiscated American and German cars that made up their police force...and distaste for "Japanese cars made of inferior steel."

I can't say Shanghai struck me as a place I'd want to love either. However, I've heard that nightlife is pretty fucking nuts and it's easy to get laid. I was only there for a couple of afternoons in transit to and from Vietnam so I didn't get to explore that at all though.

Unfortunately same experience here...though, judging by the hottie my frumpy/drunk/druggee friend had, I imagine it can't be that hard.

Oh, and it's a lot easier to get a "smoke" compared, if you get my drift.

Mind you I was only there for a couple of weeks for work so my experience is not exactly authoritative, but my co-worker has lived there for years. It was a lot cleaner than I expected, apparently because of the Expo or some major event that had taken place. Also if you do get "taken short" the next day due to overenthusiastic/forced consumption of Mystery Protein and/or Animal Genital Liquor, there is at least one facility in one of the new metro stations which is as good as any I've encountered in Tokyo.

[wangta]

Is China that bad?

It looks like Japan doesn't want my homeland higher ed experience or variety of jobs in Japan experience. I never worked for a chain school or sang the A B C song to kiddies. I'm really desperate not to go back to where I was last time. Is China a viable option for somebody who is older, is experienced in curriculum preparation, has worked at senmon gakko and one of the biggest name companies in Japan teaching English?

I suppose the no MA, Phd thing is going to fuck up my chances in China as well.

You could probably buy a MA and PHD in China....but I still wouldn't want to work there. Try Korea or Taiwan?

Thanks for the response. What one of the problems is Korea was the last place I worked - and I just don't want to work there again but it looks like I don't have any real alternative now. I know it seems some kind of trend to hate on Korea but it's really not as bad as many foreigners who worked there say. There are some great things going on there - convenient lifestyle, cheap internet, wireless hotspots everywhere, interesting and cheap people's markets everywhere, fruit sold on the street that helps you snack on food that's actually good for you, cheap public transportation especially trains, etc.

But yes, most of the jobs do suck like a deep black hole. You just can't get good jobs even if you've got a good experienced cv. They don't have the eikaiwa thing going where you can teach middle school kids one class and then teach a professor at a highly regarded uni in the next class, or teach a businessman from an international oriented company the class after. It's really segregated there the way they structure their hagwons (eikaiwa/juku).

You can't do anything but teach on the usual E-2 visa for native English teachers. Full stop. You can't do editing, writing, whatever like you can on the Spec. in Humanities visa. The best English teaching jobs go to those married with a Korean partner or to those who have an E-7 visa. To get that fucking visa you have to present the Korean version of 'Employment Certificates' and that means ALL your fucking jobs on your cv have to be proved by signed employment certificates a la the way Koreans do it. They don't give a shit what you can prove by other document or referees' personal numbers, letters etc.

Koreans absolutely enjoy making you jump like circus monkeys higher and higher. Koreans themselves nearly all of the time get teaching jobs easily at hagwons with no fucking referees or references whatseover. They also can do this with other jobs. I'm stuck working at jobs in Korea that are too low for my cv and skills.

When there are adult teaching jobs available for E-2ers the hours are disgusting - sometimes 5.45/6am start, work til 12, go home then come back and teach again til 10pm/11pm if you're unlucky, 8/9pm if you're lucky. For these trashy split shifts you don't get any additional money, just the usual 2.1 - 2.3/2.4 million won which worked out last time I changed my money to around 1,800 Aussie bucks per month.

Seoul's good to hang out in, but the other 'major' cities are very limited. A city in Korea with 1 million to 3 million people is not going to have the advantages of one in Japan or back home. Koreans aren't bad people but you'd be surprised outside Seoul how some Koreans will see you as a wealthy westerner and try to scab some money from you. Japanese culture encourages more pride and self respect - in a longer time in Japan I never once had any Japanese person ask me for money straight out or ask to borrow money from me. It happened in Korea.

Koreans think they are 'generous' but I haven't seen that in the real sense by contrast to Japan. The generosity of Japanese including strangers who gave me lifts when it was bucketing down and I was weighed down by bags will always stay with me. The lack of classy behaviour that's not unusual in Korea isn't a problem that would prevent me from going back but the shithouse jobs is.

[Samurai_Jerk]

though I still imagine Taiwan is better

Almost every dude I know who has spent time in Taiwan says the chicks are ugly (please no model/actress/singer's photos as they don't count) and the country is boring. I've only heard good things about the food.

I know it seems some kind of trend to hate on Korea but it's really not as bad as many foreigners who worked there say.

People have been talking shit about living and working in Korea since at least the late 90s when I first came to Japan so I wouldn't call it a trend. If anything, Korea's image is improving drastically (ok, maybe not as a place to teach English, but overall).

[matsuki]

though I still imagine Taiwan is better

Almost every dude I know who has spent time in Taiwan says the chicks are ugly (please no model/actress/singer's photos as they don't count) and the country is boring. I've only heard good things about the food.

Weird, I know plenty of decent/good Taiwanese chicks...but plenty of fuglies too. I've never been there though, just had a little Taiwan in my backyard growing up. The food is good for sure.

I know it seems some kind of trend to hate on Korea but it's really not as bad as many foreigners who worked there say.

People have been talking shit about living and working in Korea since at least the late 90s when I first came to Japan so I wouldn't call it a trend. If anything, Korea's image is improving drastically (ok, maybe not as a place to teach English, but overall).

I guess if English teaching sucks there, it sucks for English teachers...I liked the Thailand suggestion. If you factor in cost of living and the pay is about the same regardless of where you go, Thailand would seem like a winner. (or Vietnam?)

[Samurai_Jerk]

though I still imagine Taiwan is better

Almost every dude I know who has spent time in Taiwan says the chicks are ugly (please no model/actress/singer's photos as they don't count) and the country is boring. I've only heard good things about the food.

Weird, I know plenty of decent/good Taiwanese chicks...but plenty of fuglies too. I've never been there though, just had a little Taiwan in my backyard growing up. The food is good for sure.

I know it seems some kind of trend to hate on Korea but it's really not as bad as many foreigners who worked there say.

People have been talking shit about living and working in Korea since at least the late 90s when I first came to Japan so I wouldn't call it a trend. If anything, Korea's image is improving drastically (ok, maybe not as a place to teach English, but overall).

I guess if English teaching sucks there, it sucks for English teachers...I liked the Thailand suggestion. If you factor in cost of living and the pay is about the same regardless of where you go, Thailand would seem like a winner. (or Vietnam?)

I spoke with some English teachers when I was in Saigon and apparently they can pull $1500 - $2000 a month. To put that into perspective I met a Vietnamese guy in his 30s working for JVC as an offshore oil rig engineer and he makes about $2000 a month.

[matsuki]

though I still imagine Taiwan is better

Almost every dude I know who has spent time in Taiwan says the chicks are ugly (please no model/actress/singer's photos as they don't count) and the country is boring. I've only heard good things about the food.

Weird, I know plenty of decent/good Taiwanese chicks...but plenty of fuglies too. I've never been there though, just had a little Taiwan in my backyard growing up. The food is good for sure.

I know it seems some kind of trend to hate on Korea but it's really not as bad as many foreigners who worked there say.

People have been talking shit about living and working in Korea since at least the late 90s when I first came to Japan so I wouldn't call it a trend. If anything, Korea's image is improving drastically (ok, maybe not as a place to teach English, but overall).

I guess if English teaching sucks there, it sucks for English teachers...I liked the Thailand suggestion. If you factor in cost of living and the pay is about the same regardless of where you go, Thailand would seem like a winner. (or Vietnam?)

I spoke with some English teachers when I was in Saigon and apparently they can pull $1500 - $2000 a month. To put that into perspective I met a Vietnamese guy in his 30s working for JVC as an offshore oil rig engineer and he makes about $2000 a month.

$2000 a month in 'nam goes a loooooooooooooot farther than $2000 here. All the offshore oil rig guys I know in the middle east make crazy $$$$$$

[Samurai_Jerk]

though I still imagine Taiwan is better

Almost every dude I know who has spent time in Taiwan says the chicks are ugly (please no model/actress/singer's photos as they don't count) and the country is boring. I've only heard good things about the food.

Weird, I know plenty of decent/good Taiwanese chicks...but plenty of fuglies too. I've never been there though, just had a little Taiwan in my backyard growing up. The food is good for sure.

I know it seems some kind of trend to hate on Korea but it's really not as bad as many foreigners who worked there say.

People have been talking shit about living and working in Korea since at least the late 90s when I first came to Japan so I wouldn't call it a trend. If anything, Korea's image is improving drastically (ok, maybe not as a place to teach English, but overall).

I guess if English teaching sucks there, it sucks for English teachers...I liked the Thailand suggestion. If you factor in cost of living and the pay is about the same regardless of where you go, Thailand would seem like a winner. (or Vietnam?)

I spoke with some English teachers when I was in Saigon and apparently they can pull $1500 - $2000 a month. To put that into perspective I met a Vietnamese guy in his 30s working for JVC as an offshore oil rig engineer and he makes about $2000 a month.

$2000 a month in 'nam goes a loooooooooooooot farther than $2000 here. All the offshore oil rig guys I know in the middle east make crazy $$$$$$

He was a local. I'm sure the foreign engineers are doing well. Plus I'm not sure if he actually worked on the rigs or just worked on parts design for the rigs at a factory.

Anyway, two grand is certainly a lot in Saigon but it might not be as much as you think. Trying to maintain a lifestyle you're used to in a major third world city isn't as cheap as a lot of people assume. It's definitely a hell of a lot better than living on the standard eikaiwa wage in Tokyo though.

[Coligny]

Can't find the price list... that can't be good...

http://www.audi.vn/

[shindays]

I use to live in Japan, love it but in terms of stable life it was so hard. Then I was just visiting China with no intention to stay there and BAM. I have a VISA, good business, no taxes, sex, drugs and rock 'n roll. Japan is a dream if you have those things but in China it's still a battle.

[Taro Toporific]

You've Been In China Too Long When...

...You think this anti-Japanese war drama is "Vulgar."

20120704102852239.jpg

China's Anti-Japanese TV War Dramas Knocked for Vulgarity
Global Voices / 14 April 2013 / by Oiwan Lam
The Chinese entertainment industry's incessant production of anti-Japanese TV dramas, under the scrutiny of netizens for a while now, has hit a nerve with China's state-controlled media after two photographs from a war drama showing a nude girl saluting...more...

[Screwed-down Hairdo]

I use to live in Japan, love it but in terms of stable life it was so hard. Then I was just visiting China with no intention to stay there and BAM. I have a VISA, good business, no taxes, sex, drugs and rock 'n roll. Japan is a dream if you have those things but in China it's still a battle.

Sorry to be pedantic, but do you have no taxes, nor any sex, drugs or rock 'n roll, or you don't pay tax but get sex, drugs and rock 'n roll?

[Buraku]

A very old thread, an ANCIENT topic


3 Fun Beachside Cities Ideal For Expat Life
https://www.forbes.com/sites/kathleenpe ... xpat-life/

Retiring by the beach is a popular dream of many, but while escaping the 9-to-5 grind on a deserted island may seem like a fun idea, the reality of a life without everyday conveniences is another matter entirely.

Hoping for the Tiger Economy the late 90s the 1997 Asian financial crisis, before Brexit there was EU expansion and economy of Slovakia in period 2002 – 2007 another 'Tiger' for Engrish teachers.

The epic days of teaching Engrish might be over
Southeast Asia once it thought Japan cool and English was important but now when studying language it is torn between Korean and Japanese, there is a growth in China influence.
Japan does make effort at study but the way it learns language is still a failure, Conceivably its a culture thing, its the fear of failure that causes so many to fear mistakes to have trouble making a leap with foreign language.

Maybe its over
perhaps there will never be another Bubble Japan era maybe there will never be another old Empire and a story and imperialism like the Shanghai International Settlement
Mohammedan Arabs have probably expanded as much as they can, sure there are lots and lots of low IQ gangsters that invaded by way of immigration but 'Arabic' is probably over, dying from within, 70 million more will quit Arabic than be born with it or learn it, now it is a culture entering its death phase.
Vietnam is interesting, it is trying hard embracing learning and is attempting linguistic diversity as new tourists arrive.

What over languages of the future might be important?
maybe Spanish, Mandarin Chinese, with the War in Eastern Europe and refugee thing there will be a growth in Ukrainian learners but as a country Ukraine might never recover.
learning some weird remote Turkic Arabic dialect of Asscrackistan those days are probably over even if you're a linguist
the growth of AI means a Humanoid Robot might be the leader of the future, the Artificial Intelligence will be translating a lot of stuff and it will be far more loyal than your pro-jihadi islamo apologist translators
'Korean' has become the new Japanese, South Korea seems to have culturally replaced Japan on the 'cool' factor


French is probably on the decline, a decayed Empire...an interesting culture and people but it has been dying

people will monitor Russian media its language broadcasts but only because of Russia's aggression and stupidity


Third culture kids have almost seen a totally different planet to previous generations, the diplomat child the military base brats of the world. The old Britannia Empire is over long ago an English speaker respected walking everywhere giving command as "Anglo-Indians". With wealth and property came boats and the 'Jet Set' people with funds moving to a vacation beach spot, these days an instgram Whore can climb the social ladder and become part of world "café society", it had come from the lifestyle of travelling from one stylish or exotic place to another via jet plane
The word Immigrants has replaced Expatriate, there is now a business of human smuggling in the West and this new culture is different to Ex-Pat, the jihadi Mexican gangster Open Border gimmigrant invading the USA. There was a time maybe when it worked as a culture exchange the 'Beat Generation' the Americans of the 70s, the 1960s United States people chilled out in Paris, Film-makers of Europe moving to California when it wasn't Commiefornia and drug addicts were not shitting on the streets...all that is gone
Does the expat still have loyalty to their homeland, it is a person who resides outside their country of citizenship, the Ex-Pat can refer to the elderly that want to avoid BLM Antifa riots the other Boomer politics retirees, artists and other individuals who have chosen to live outside their native country. They used to be an annoyance in history, sometimes referred to exiles


Been there too long while the rest of the world got more miserable

sure there are plenty of people who tell you the bad stories
dislike Mainland China the angry old Ex-Pat drinking in a pub sayings its not like NewYork or Tokyo or the 90s...eventually they quit go home or move to another Ex-Pat location.

an entire community about Latin America, Eastern Europe which seems to have gone to shit since Ukraine or

'Asia, China, Philippines, Thailand'
https://www.happierabroad.com/forum/vie ... f=5&t=8333

Philippines Travel Tips & Resources

Lima Peru as a 'Happier Abroad' destination

https://www.happierabroad.com/forum/vie ... =7&t=49599


You know you've been in China too long when the rest of the world decayed and got poor

The Middle East sure some part of it looks ok in a gated community, in a selfie by some snapchat 'star' paid to promote the place its rich but was always an islamist Sharia Law terror supporting shithole they pay bots and instagram facebook celebs to promote the Theocratic Monarchy come see Burj Khalifa the tallest building then you smell the garbage, they forgot to put in plumbing and toilets, camel piss stink, trucks blocking up traffic try to pump out all that urine and extcrement the smell of human sewage everywhere on a boiling hot sand box
, China glacial moves to freedom, maybe slowly moving away from extreme Communism seems to have become the land of the Ex-Pat. Are there better places sure maybe Singapore or Hungary or Brazil or Argentina or Italy, maybe you hear stories.

Some hippie types have enjoyed wandering around old Hindu regions in India, back packing smoking shit.
Others tell me fuck that Hindu hippe land, avoid it like the plague, full of criminals and gypsy and Whatever You Do DONT GO they say, avoid all cities and its filthy, they have been trying to oursource Western companies there for 30 years and constantly failing and India is Filthy...you will have explosive shitty some weird type of Delhi Belly 'Diarrhea' for a week or two weeks

Not every 'Brics' country will be a positive story, Brazil might be ok but Russia has probably destroyed its men while destroying Ukraine, South Africa might never recover from its madness

After years of stagnation Japan might start being a cheaper option, less crime but the energy, party and life is gone.
The 1980s showed signs of trouble, in 1992, the bubble burst and Japan's economy stumbles, Kobe earthquake of 1995 probably was the end marked in real time
sure China was Commie land and is Communist but there is more to their history, thousands of years of it
The world's economic center used to be sitting off Newyork somewhere between that Atlantic Ocean, the French and USA selling goods back and forth, the British trade to Americas, Canada, the USA and the West coast Europe
but the world has truly changed