Some excerpts from a USA Today article:
BEIJING — The number of Americans living in China has reached a historic high of 110,000. They are teachers, hairdressers, diplomats, travelers, students and business fat cats. There’s even a bluegrass banjo player and singer who is scheduled to perform in Mandarin here Friday night.
What kind of advice about dealing with the Chinese can American expatriates pass along to President Bush, who comes through Saturday night for a state visit?
And some of the things they’ve learned
Persistence pays off
Yep. No doubt about that one.
Patience is profitable
If only in the interests of alliteration, probably.
Dancing brings discovery
Er, say what?
I imagine that a lot of ChinesePod learners aspire to one day live/work here. What is it that attracts people to China? I’d love to hear your ideas.
Ken Carroll 凯恩
I’ve been in China since 97, and my original motivation for coming was to see what Chinese life and culture were like. I started out teaching, and living fairly modestly, but as time has gone by I’ve found my Chinese and China experience are fairly marketable skills, especially as the economy is racing along and many companies need foreign staff who can help them bridge the cutural gap. I’ve moved around the country a bit, but am now based in Shanghai as this is where the most action is, and am working for a multinational in middle management. I think my story would fit for quite a large number of the foreigners in town. I’d recommend for any young person in the West to come out here, because there are tremendous opportunities if you are flexible and willing to work hard.
Rob,
I think you’ve described a common route to China. I think good knowledge of Chinese language and culture is very, very valuable. In order to leverage it, however, it is best to tie that to some other skill or ability: management, marketing, IT, whatever. This kind of combination makes you marketable and allows you to choose what you want to do. After that, the hard works starts. There is endless opportunity in China these says if you are willing to work hard.
Personally, having spent some years in Singapore as a toddler, I simply love Asia and Chinese is the main language there. Additionally, China is one of the fastest-growing economies in the world…next to that I just love myths, history and the Oriental ambiance. I also think that 汉字 are very interesting. I am planning to pursue a degree in International Business and then working as a liaison between the East and the West
I live in Canada and have never been to China, but, obviously, would really like to live/visit there. One of the main motivations for wanting to learn Chinese is that it’s so much more artistic and developed as a language than English, in my opinion. Also, there are a lot of Chinese speaking people in Canada and, in the line of volunteer work I do, it would be great to be able to speak with them! And China overall has such a rich historical background (ANY country does compared to Canada *haha*) that it’s hard not to be allured.
Canadians always say thank you when I buy something in their stores. As an American that kind of politeness freaks me out. Go kanucks. Bet I spelled that wrong, hey I’m American. Is Canada like in America or North America, is it a state?
When crossing a street in China—Be cool, be in the zone, be like zen, chant if you must: 1. watch your pace, 2. not to fast, 3. not too slow, 4. don’t stop all of a sudden, 5.don’t run. Mind these five, stay alive.
When you can cross the street without first looking left, right, left–that’s success in China. The expats in their gated buildings are just on vacation.
I’ve met so many ex-pats that fit David’s description. To be fair, most of them come here to work, not to learn the language, but some of them do spend years here without learning a single world. I think there’s an element of fear involved. And quite a lot of people are simply not that gifted at languages.
In the end I guess it’s their choice. To each his own, but people do miss out on a lot by not learning some of the language. What a waste!
I was just blown away by your mention of a banjo player performing Bluegrass in China! Let me say, he won’t be the FIRST. In 1975 I lived in Taipei (then the only accessible “China”) and I brought my banjo with me, thinking I’d have something to practice on if the adventure got boring. Well, having that banjo made the whole thing just the opposite. I hung out at an expat cafe and within a few weeks was introduced to the “Japanese Cowboys”, a group of Japanese students attending Tai Da who were into bluegrass. And guess what they needed? A banjo player! Within a month we were performing on TV, in the sports stadium and at several local venues. That’s how I met my wife. So….
If anyone knows that banjo guy, tell him he could be in for a really interesting ride. As for me, I now play Cajun music …. anyone want to start a Chinese Cajun Band!!!
Roger,
Great story. here re you based now?
Are there any Americans living there who are retired? I have a Ph.D. in psychology. I retired as a psychotherapist.
JKHSR
“What is it that attracts people to China?”
Well, for anybody who considers themselves a thinker and a dreamer how could you not be? Culture & history alone is enough for someone eager to learn everything they can. As for the rest, well, I dont have many doubts about what China can do in the future.
In summary the answer to the question I think in my case would be that ‘the possibilities are endless’.