Top Five Reasons to Live in China

Guide in China, an official WeChat account that I subscribe to, made a post today called “5 reasons Why Living in China is Totally Awesome”.  Like many others looking for easy reading, I’m a sucker for lists, infographics and any information presented in an easily digestible format.   But before reading, I wanted to think about my own top five reasons.  I had been feeling a bit down about China recently, thinking that this country and Shanghai in particular offered few redeeming qualities.  I came here from Korea three years ago thinking that it was the promised land, that business opportunities lurked behind every corner and that when I stepped foot in this world where the wild-west East meets an ultra-modern cosmopolis, it would create a seismic shift so powerful that it sent a culture shock riveting through my spine. 

I’m not saying that I wasn’t impressed.  Yet I do feel disillusioned.  I feel like I went through many of the same patterns that other Westerners have.  First it was the honeymoon phase, the country boy blinded by the city lights time when I went out four times a week and dreamed of all the future fun and money I would have.  A few months later I hit my depressed stage, where I started missing my life and ex-girlfriend in Korea.  Combine that with a cold, lonely Christmas, high pollution levels and the wearing off of my phase one and it made for a pretty miserable Christmas.  I recovered though, started my master’s program at JiaoTong University, and entered my third and final phase, acceptance.  Since then I have been comfortable here, but would feel like I’m lying if I tell people I love it.  Hence the need for a critical re-think on why I’m here. 

Here are my top five reasons for living in China:

1.  Freedom, Flexibility and Convenience:  This may seem counter-intuitive, given the limitations the government has on information, speech, and daily life.  I despise how China employs an army of censors to make sure that content is in line with the CCP’s “harmonious society”.  Yet there are many things I take for granted.  If there are regulations on drinking a beer on the street or on the university lawn, or for setting up a table on the sidewalk to serve shaokao, they are ignored or easily dodged.  Here you can create your own job, wiggle your way into an industry or start a business with relatively little red tape.  There are wet-markets, fruit stores, bars and restaurants for all budgets just a few minutes away from my house.  This sort of flexibility and convenience simply doesn’t exist in my country, where there is often just one way to do things.

2.  Transportation:  I can get anywhere by metro or bus, and the systems are quick, efficient and for the most part pretty clean.  But the best part about Shanghai and many other Chinese cities is the bikability.  I rarely take public transportation just because I can get anywhere by using the muscles in my legs to propel me across town.  I often like to race cars, dodging in an out of traffic like a badass while thinking about how awesome it is that I never have to worry about parking, insurance or fuel.  Furthermore my vehicle was free, bequeathed to me by a friend who left Shanghai over a year ago, a fact I’m sure isn’t true for those stuck in traffic in their shiny BMWs.  I get extra points if I put my girlfriend on the back (there are nifty black pegs and a comfy saddle for my passengers). 

3.  Food:  This one might seem counter-intuitive as well, given the food safety scares in China and the high quantity and low quality of oil used in restaurants.  Yet it is completely delicious.  When dining with friends in the U.S. I am always struck by how senseless it is that each member of the party chooses one dish to consume, often without sharing.  “How is your burger?”  “Lovely, thank you, and your fish sandwich?”  “It’s acceptable.”  The reason that Thanksgiving is so awesome is because you get to eat a lot of different yummy foods and drink and talk with your friends.  Chinese style eating has the same features, and it’s usually pretty affordable.  And the hell with that tipping bullshit. 

4.  Opportunity:  China has a lot of problems.  There are state problems that need serious attention like the human rights record or the cookie-cutter education system.  There are social problems like the materialistic culture that spawned from China’s economic success, or how members of the more conservative older generation despise Japanese or put too much pressure on the younger generation to marry, often creating unwanted results for both bride and groom.  There are environmental problems like air and water pollution, a growing responsibility for GHG emissions and food safety concerns.  Yet all of these problems are looking for solutions.  The more problems we got, the more work we get to do.  As an optimist, I see less problems and more opportunities for change.  

5.  Me:  Happiness is relative.  You can be happy no matter where you are, you adjust to your surroundings and you make the most of what you have.  I try my best to surround myself with long-term, interesting people who help me to be a better person.  The transient nature of Shanghai makes this a challenge.  But each friend I make seems to have a unique background and plan for the future, so I try to take what I can from these people and apply it to myself. 

Admittedly, some of the things I like about China are simply things that I don’t like about the U.S.  But the re-think works all the same.  

On a side note, I found GuideInChina's "Five Reasons" a little lacking.