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Posts: 9631

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Q: How do you feel when you return to China from vacation back home?

I just spent a month in Europe doing nothing but relaxing. Now back to China for some more relaxing. 

 

However, stepping of the boat is not quite the exiting thing it was the first time years ago. Garbage on the streets, constant honking, people talking loud, large clouds of dark exhaust from trucks. All the things we all live with daily. 

 

The local supermarket that was actually a decent place to shop has been cut in half and the other half will be used for a spa. The place only existed for about 8 months, what a waste of reconstruction and decoration and what a symbol of shortsightedness. 

Our community has been decked with nice signs saying "No tossing" & "Love me homestead", less and less of the locks on the doors around the community are actually working, and even less of the "guards" standing there gives a flying f#¤%& about who enters, when we returned they let our taxi drive in, half a year ago they would have asked for an access card to the community and asked to see the luggage compartment on the car. 

The grass has signs that I assume says not to step on it, it is completely worn down by people cutting corners. 

I must say, when I first saw our community it looked like a postcard, now the pictures we took to send home when we moved in are postcards of a long gone time. It is a hallmark of how the Chinese dream is. Buy something shiny and let it fall apart. 

 

It is such a striking difference when coming directly from sitting on a mountaintop in France looking at the wines growing, in a hotel where you can get your own key at the reception as there is no need to be concerned about being burglarized, where the air is clean, the beef tender and the service impeccable. 

 

Oh how awesome it was to be able to step out of the house, pick stuff of plants/bushes/trees and eat it without having to go through futile efforts to scrub it clean from pollution and chemicals.

 

Seeing how everything is basically deteriorating in China, I can also reflect on myself. During our stay in Europe, I learned that I have picked up this habit of stopping for cars at pedestrian crossings, silly thing really as ALL cars stop, without any honking or the driver looking the slightest bit annoyed. 

 

Note: On the honking. During a month in Europe I counted 8 occasions of audible car horns. I have been on the road for more than 3000kms during that time, I have walked around the centers of larger cities etc. Once off the boat, we took a 12RMB taxi ride, during which I heard 11 car horns. (it was not rush hour) 

 

Sigh. I really love China, but I also deeply hate it. 

10 years 33 weeks ago in  General  - China

 
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Posts: 1547

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Seeing how my "vacations" back home thus far have been by myself, when I've come back to China I'm usually pretty excited to see my gf after the hiatus.  After that initial euphoria wears off, then my situation is pretty similar to yours.  It will be interesting to see how that changes if/when she starts traveling home with me.

Scandinavian:

maybe I make the mistake of bringing the wife, if I didn't there would be something to long for when away

 

also, as my wife has lived in Europe for several years, but failed to see much of it, I strive to only spend time in places I know in advance will be blue skies and awesome food. (or f-ing windy and cold with doubtful and expensive food on some days) 

10 years 33 weeks ago
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10 years 33 weeks ago
 
Posts: 3837

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i moved cities this time, from a tier 3 to a tier 1, so i am hoping for a better experience.

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10 years 33 weeks ago
 
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I almost never travel to some place that I can't wait to go home from. I went to Dominican last winter. Any time I've been in China, I never wanted to leave and when I come back, it feels like home, but I belong in a circus.

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10 years 33 weeks ago
 
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Like a million bucks to be perfectly honest...

Mr_spoon:

"Home sweet home" must come to your mind.

10 years 33 weeks ago
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TedDBayer:

I think he was asking real foreigners.indecision

Too bad you look like a food stamp.

10 years 33 weeks ago
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Hulk:

Thumbs up for you, sparky. China is your home.

10 years 33 weeks ago
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Scandinavian:

a million kuai...

10 years 33 weeks ago
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nicholasba:

be honest Sparky;)

wink

10 years 31 weeks ago
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10 years 33 weeks ago

There are cookies, bookies and too many rookies for me to sit here trying to be a hooky! Looky Looky don't call me a wooky. Touchy Touchy Feely Feely Spicy Spicy Nicey Nicey & that's what the doctor Ordered!!

 
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I feel... different.

I mean, the good and the bad are quite balanced between the two, but I was glad to come back to Beijing, the city where I became a MAN.

Sure, Beijing blows compared to what it used to be, but nostalgia and stuff.

There are many things that are wrong about this city, but the town I moved to a year ago is so god damn boring, I'm now able to withstand Beijing's bad sides.

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10 years 33 weeks ago
 
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First time I returned to China with my ex:

Me: Yeeeeeeeeessss!!!!! China, how I missed you!

Girlfriend: Haha, me too. It's been 4 years...
Girlfriend: Okay, let's go to Wuhan.

Me: Sure.

*arrives in Wuhan*

Me: Not bad, I love this place.

Girlfriend: This place is horrible...

Me: Nah. I like it!

*months pass, and I meet people*

Me: Serenity now. Someone kill me please.

Me: God, what am I doing here?

*praying to die*
*go home*

 

Second time:

 

Me: What the fuck am I doing here again?

Me: Okay, let's go study somewhere.

*praying to die*

*go home to 'murica with a new wife and kid*

*delete all Chinese programs, including QQ, from my computer*

 

And right now, I still feel like I got some reverse culture shock going on.

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10 years 33 weeks ago
 
Posts: 887

Shifu

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Will be back on Wednesday...after being home for 2 months...I miss China haha...Our suitcases are full of cheese, chocolate, sausages (that aren't sweet!) and some secret Balkan spices! smiley .

Off to Liaoning...to get married...again!

dom87:

how are you allowed to take all these with you?

Isnt it forbidden to take cheese meat and so on on the plane? (maybe its only germany)

10 years 31 weeks ago
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manasyt:

Never had any trouble doing that

10 years 31 weeks ago
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10 years 33 weeks ago
 
Posts: 43

Governor

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I really enjoyed being back in the UK for the four weeks but towards the end I must admit I was looking forward to being back in China, I am really glad to be back, buts that's not to say that come the end of December I will be super excited to be going home for Chinese New Year, so the best of both worlds really and I can do a super shop in Tesco to stock up!!

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10 years 33 weeks ago
 
Posts: 921

Shifu

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Went back to Italy end of July for my 3 weeks summer holiday. 1 year long waited vacations. Was counting days, hours, minutes.

I was hoping that, as usual, 20 days were enough to heal all the stress of 1 year in China. Got back and from minute 0 I was back again to the same level of anxiety, stress and mixed hunger I had before departure. That made me clearly understand, if I still had any doubt, that is now REALLY the time to move on and define an exit strategy.

Another factor: when in China I always dream what I'd like to buy back home they day I'll leave. Dreaming on the last enduro bike and about a sport car. Once back to Italy, and having everything here's missing (usual things, blue skie, safe and good food, good wine, clean environment), I heavily realized that in fact, even if I could afford all the things I dream of everyday in China (a way to keep myself mentally healthy), I don't actually feel the need for them.

All the other things I can get are largely sufficient to make me a happy chap.

 

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10 years 31 weeks ago
 
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Vocabulary outdated, these kids today use a whole new dialect in the U.S

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10 years 31 weeks ago
 
Posts: 1084

Shifu

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I'm happy to go back each year. It gets boring at home.

andy74rc:

For me too, when I was younger and single. After 1 week I was feeling really boring and willing to get back to China.

Now in the forties and with family, believe me it's a whole different ballgame. Priorities change completely

10 years 31 weeks ago
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10 years 31 weeks ago
 
Posts: 1330

Shifu

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have mixed feeling about it. Sure, once back I enjoy the luxury of a drinkable (and tastes even better than nongfu spring) tap water, fresh vegetables and not poisoned food but after 2 weeks I start to miss China and the "renao" stuff.

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10 years 31 weeks ago
 
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