This Forum

[Philip]

Like Willy, I am living the life of Riley in China with my little family, wife, 3 year-old son, 13 year-old stepdaughter (stepson is in university in Shanghai, getting ready to do a couple of years military service).
Most of the stuff in the media about China is wrong, which suits me fine. I can just carry on enjoying being as happy, as free, as un-spied-upon and as wealthy as I've ever been. Like Willy, I'm still waiting for this disastrous economic collapse that all the debt-ridden Western economies swear is imminent. lol.
So, life is sweet, there are probably lots of everyday events in my life that could be of interest in a forum with active members, but not for people that only want to talk about U.S. politics.

[Willy The Londoner]

Like Willy, I am living the life of Riley in China with my little family, wife, 3 year-old son, 13 year-old stepdaughter (stepson is in university in Shanghai, getting ready to do a couple of years military service).
Most of the stuff in the media about China is wrong, which suits me fine. I can just carry on enjoying being as happy, as free, as un-spied-upon and as wealthy as I've ever been. Like Willy, I'm still waiting for this disastrous economic collapse that all the debt-ridden Western economies swear is imminent. lol.
So, life is sweet, there are probably lots of everyday events in my life that could be of interest in a forum with active members, but not for people that only want to talk about U.S. politics.

I agree with Philip life here is more than good. I want to live no where else until my final curtain is lowered.
I laugh at some of the rubbish media items I see and read about China.   The Chinese people have never had it so good. Come to think of it neither have I.
 
Civil rights bah humbug!   What civil rights do I have here?   I have all that I want -  I can walk out at night without the fear of being mugged or being in bed at night without the fear of my home being broken into both things that I could not do either in London or most other big cities in the Western World.

The 'disastrous economy'  here has been good to tens of millions of Chinese and me. Wages have risen and house prices are such that for the last few year my investments in property have outstripped any other investments.  I keep hearing the western profits of doom telling me that the housing bubble will burst but guys you have been telling me that since I arrived here in 2009. Things still keep growing and long may it do so.

Of course there is a big difference between the West and China. The vast majority of home purchasers here are paid for in full without any loans from banks. Loans are usually for no more that 25 % - 50 % of the value for those who do use banks. So the loans do not outstrip the value of the properties.

Mind you I am not against USA politics.  They are like movies and they start of with the highly comical primaries which leads to the backstabbing back chatting jibes and eventual we get to the pathos and when just one on each side go head to head there vare the false promises and eventually we have the horror of realising just whose finger is on the trigger.

What is different to the west than here. The people in the west THINK their votes count. Where as here!

Willy

[shaun]

Another aspect is that there are those of us who feel it is unsafe to post anything on this site.  Sorry Robert.  There are abuses and predators who will screw you up if they get half a chance.  They get booted of this site but there isn't anything one can do to keep them from coming on as anther person.  So several of us just don't post anymore.

[Willy The Londoner]

Mind you I am not against USA politics.  They are like movies and they start of with the highly comical primaries which leads to the backstabbing back chatting jibes and eventual we get to the pathos and when just one on each side go head to head there vare the false promises and eventually we have the horror of realising just whose finger is on the trigger.

What is different to the west than here. The people in the west THINK their votes count. Where as here!

I think Mark Twain summed up politics perfectly. "if voting made a difference they would not let you do it"

Willy

[David E]

Another aspect is that there are those of us who feel it is unsafe to post anything on this site.  Sorry Robert.  There are abuses and predators who will screw you up if they get half a chance.  They get booted of this site but there isn't anything one can do to keep them from coming on as anther person.  So several of us just don't post anymore.

Hi Shaun....

Good to see you are still "up and about"....sorry to have not heard from you for so long "!!
Why do you get so uptight about the "trolls" that we get here from time to time...sticks and stones.......

Talking about the Chinese economy...

In Aus we are constantly barraged with the doom and gloom that our economy will suffer as China enters its own economic meltdown...woe is us !!!

What nobody seems to realise is that China has moved from an annual growth rate of 15% plus, to a more rational 7% as its own economy matures and moves towards a service based model...such as it has done in Western economies as they matured.

Interestingly....if the developed Western Countries were currently achieving a growth rate of 7% there would be dancing in the Streets...how come everybody is so depressed !!!!

Its all politics...logic does not apply

[Willy The Londoner]

I know that this is a strange way to compare how the economy has changed in China but when I first arrived in 2009 nearly every baby and toddler was being carried on a females back. Whether the adult was mother, grandmother aunt or whatever.

Now 7 years on it is rare to see a child carried that way as they have the now have pushchairs or strollers. Even the fathers and grandfathers are happy to be pushing them.

Willy

[shaun]

Hi David.  There are a few I do miss talking to on this site.  Be sure trolls are not my issue.  It is members.  Sticks and stones are par for the course in life and my skin is tougher than that.

[ChinaBound]

  Shaun is correct. It is the few selective members who have brought the site down from were it was a few years ago.
  There were to many know it alls who thought they knew everything and went after a few select members. Its all in
  the past but i feel it is the root cause of why this forum died. After talking with Stephanie she feels ok with it if i
  decide to look more often and give advice when i can to a new member if needed.

 Life is good now and i really didnt think it would turn out like it did.  Our daughter is growing and she keeps me young.
 Will be back in Guangzhou in September just before National day and looking forward to the 3 month break back there.

[JohnB]

I had to awake this thread..

I do not think Paradise lost!

on my last visit in September, I saw quite a few Westerners in Shenyang. of course, in a large 4- Star hotel where
my wife & I stayed, I had a few conversations. all these guys were with their Chinese girlfriends. or wives. the
times I saw Western couples were quite a few also, most had children in tow.

the thing is "boy chases girl" has never really disappeared. maybe the forums fell out of favor but it seems
as if the China playing fields are still busy.
at times I look at www.chinalovecupid.com for fun, and I will say that site has a wealth of potential.
there are thousands of ladies there.
 
nowadays, the agencies, no one talks about. the marketing of the product has changed.
the thing is you still have to sell yourself to the woman you want to meet. knowledge is good... this is where forums
should reign.
but I think another factor comes into play. air tickets are cheap. accommodations are cheap. I can visit China for two
weeks for less than $1000. & live well. now I can take two or three China visits for less cost than what I spent on
my first China visit 9 years ago.
China is cheap. just go. do it.


still, kinda weird to see the level of introspection on some of the postings. sort of like a dog chasing it's own tail.

[Gus]