Well, WordPress isn’t working, so I’m writing less, which is too bad, because I’m not thinking any less. I’ll keep writing posts and put them up whenever I can I guess. Let’s give a quick roundup about my love-hate relationship with China (all of which are extremely typical of expats in China):
What I love about living in China:
Learning a new, complicated language
Delicious, cheap food
Saving money without making serious sacrifice to lifestyle
All of the great places to visit in China, and the travel possibilities nearby
Cheap beer, even if it’s not such great beer
Fun and interesting expats, travelers, friends, coworkers
People here are so nice, really (I hear from people who’ve worked in Beijing, Wuhan, Shanghai, etc, that it’s especially nice around here)
My coworkers, if I’m not talking to them about work, are friendly, funny people
Adorable, outgoing babies/little kids
secret DVD shops
I hate:
The exam culture
Chinese communication- are we kept out of the loop or is there no loop to begin with?
Lack of responsibility- bureaucracy diffuses power to such an extent that everyone has something they’re in charge of one, but no one is responsible (on the other hand, near total lack of accountability means that I can’t ever really get in trouble, because there are no clear expectations)
Reinventing the wheel with every new project at work
Annoying/sketchy expats, backpackers, tourists, etc
Air pollution (and water, and ground, but mostly air)
Getting on and off the bus
Being illiterate
