Seven years ago this month I made my first trip to China and I was hooked, the culture, the food, the language and the people although sometimes I also found of all of this confronting and disgusting. China is full of surprises and it is really quite difficult to sum up this world power in a few words.
A few years before, I had met some Chinese friends and gained an interest in all things Chinese. Up until 2013 I have travelled throughout South East Asia but had never ventured to china because I thought it would be too difficult because of the language, the logistics but I was totally wrong. I had learned a few phrases of Chinese before I went there and they came in very useful and to my amazement I eased into my month long trip with no effort at all and was surprised at just how friendly the locals were to an old white guy and also how curious they were. Everywhere I went I was able to find someone that spoke English and if not I would have a laugh with the locals as we tried to understand each other.
I started my journey in Guilin which is in the west of China and then I headed to Xian, Beijing, Suzhou and then Shanghai. I have recently returned from Suzhou after being there for nearly three years. I want to return to China soon, but I now have more of an interest to go to the west of the country to the more remote areas and also to some of the city’s that don’t get advertised as often. In recent years I have found that my level of Chinese increases when I am away from the big cities, when there are not many English speakers and this for me is much more fun. I hope to return to China but I would love to spend time in another part of the country.
My understanding of China and its people has grown over the last few years and I now feel as if it is my second home to some degree, but I am also torn between there and Thailand which has always been my favourite destination. The difference between these two countries is striking but my heart is still with Thailand. I think I’m still too young to go there to live yet. I think I would like to spend another couple of years in China and then maybe I could retire to Thailand or at least spend a fair bit of time there. Australia has become too expensive to live in now but Thailand is still very affordable and is easier to adjust to than say living in China, plus the fact getting a visa for China is way more difficult. Thailand does encourage foreigners to retire there and so you can apply quite easily for this. The biggest problem with Thailand of course is the heat; it’s too bloody hot most of the year round. In Thailand I could have a more normal life and by that I mean I could afford to rent or buy there, buy a car and live in a country that is more environmentally aware and generally easier to live in as a foreigner.
In China I could teach English and make enough money to live, however it is way more difficult to do this in Thailand and this is really because the Thai people do not have the same amount of disposable income as the Chinese, so it would be hard to subsidise my living expenses: but I think Thailand in generally cheaper by comparison.
But I guess until all the travel restrictions are lifted I won’t be going anywhere and so for the time being at least I can make a few plans and then decide what to do when the time is right.
