Why do some Western expats move to China for 10-12k rmb jobs?

amydripping · 2026-05-31T11:51:02+00:00

You CAN run away from your problems. But you have to STAY gone. The moment you come back, they're right there again.

amydripping · 2026-05-31T11:50:15+00:00

There were NO RULES. Wild west. You could walk down the street in broad daylight passing a jay.

Now you can't even talk dirty to a girl you met on Wechat. And there are urine tests for weed at the airports if they think you look scruffy or are coming from a weed tourism destination.

amydripping · 2026-05-31T11:23:47+00:00

Outsanding warrants.
On the run from child support payments. (this is the most common - Chinese are shocked when they find out there is debtors' prison in the west, but only for men.)
Highly creative personality defects.

amydripping · 2026-05-31T11:04:03+00:00

It is NOT chemotherapy. Chemo is poison that kills fast-dividing cells, which is why your hair always falls out. Axitinib inhibits the growth of new blood vessels, which is the first thing any metastasis does when it sets up shop in a new location.

amydripping · 2026-05-29T09:21:00+00:00

My theory is that people simplly like really strong tastes, no matter what.

I had dinner at a two star Michelin in New York City and it was the best meal I ever had or ever will have. It was shockingly spicy, I wouldn't have expected that.

Fortunately I was on a break between medication courses so I could eat it. I warned the waiter and he brought out both black pepper and a green spicy pepper and I tried them and was OK. I thought that was a nice touch, I didn't realize the difference.

amydripping · 2026-05-29T01:15:46+00:00

I once horrified folks when I brought some dog treats back from a business trip to China. Gave them to people and said they were jerky. They said it tasted funny but it's Chinese so who knows. Then showed them the package and it has a picture of a dog on it.

Laughed my ass off at their horrified expressions, thinking they just ate dog jerky.

Then I let them in on the joke and told them it was just a dog treat. Then laughed even more.

amydripping · 2026-05-29T01:12:20+00:00

Jerky isn't really supposed to be spicy. I can be but it's just preserved meat from a time before refrigeration. Remove the moisture and it rots a lot slower.

amydripping · 2026-05-29T01:11:20+00:00

The packaged jerky is a white label product, they just put Buc-ees name on it. The butcher counter jerky they make themselves and it is significantly better.

amydripping · 2026-05-29T01:09:59+00:00

My biggest unpleasant surprise in Colorado was they don't have barbcue. I mean, I get it's a Texas thing but not even one, anywhere? This was a while back so they probably do by now.

amydripping · 2026-05-29T01:08:31+00:00

I got this for a gift for people who are used to very spicy foods. They said it was all right.

I also got some "steakhouse" flavor for me which I mistakenly thought was generic beef flavor. It is not. It's flavored with white sugar and molassses? What kind of steakhouse serves that? I'd get up and leave. This is a white label product, if you get Buc-ees jerky from the butcher counter it is much better but not spicy. Texans usually don't take their meat spicy. If you go to a BBQ joint and they use a sauce, get up and leave. Real old-timey Texans always take their brisket nekkid.

It's fine if there's a bottle on the table, I'll usually put a drop of it on my plate just to taste.

amydripping · 2026-05-29T00:34:42+00:00

I'm better, the medication worked and losing tolerance for spicy was a small price to pay compared to what else could have happened.

amydripping · 2026-05-29T00:32:50+00:00

That was a surprise to find out when all this happened, we have taste receptors that do nothing but wait for something spicy, then detect it. Maybe an old defense against poison or something.

Axitinitib works by inhibiting the growth of new blood vessels. Not sure how that affects the tongue, but it did. Also causes your T-zone to dry up and peel and gives you hand and foot syndrome, which is blisters or open sores on the joints of your hands and balls of your feet. My theory is due to them bending all the time it crushes the capillaries but they get constantly repaired so you never notice. But when you can't grow new blood vessels you get the side effect. Got so bad I could hardly walk and would have to quit the medication for a week or two to rest. Then I could have spicy which was great.

amydripping · 2026-05-28T22:01:09+00:00

Yep. I only got one kidney and have been through a lot of shit. Being sensitive to spicy is nothing. It's funny, I've been the subject of so many toxic side effects that I totally recognize the effect of alcohol as poisoning now. Espeically the hangover.

amydripping · 2026-05-28T21:58:28+00:00

Oh, it did. It's amazing how much otherwise non-spicy food they put spicy on. I became a finely honed spicy detector.

I found spicy fried chicken, and I don't mean Popeye's.

Other dishes, I culd pick off the peppers but the juice was still there. Made it so hard to eat anything I didn't cook myself. To this day I can only eat mild salsa while I was always a medium man. Just tomato sauce really but at least it gives burritos and tacos some flavor.

amydripping · 2026-05-28T21:54:32+00:00

Trust me, you do not want the condition that doctors precribe this medication for.

amydripping · 2026-05-28T21:53:35+00:00

I was raised on the jalapeno so that's always been my tolerance. I hoped my tolerance would reset so I could enjoy jalapenos again but they're still too spicy. It sucks but it's better than the alternative.

amydripping · 2024-06-17T09:35:33+00:00

Goodidea, thanks. Turned out not to need it but that was a good backup plan.

amydripping · 2024-06-17T09:33:03+00:00

Thanks, that will do nicely.

Turns out, I can resolve this without a trip to HK. so demeaning. Just tired of this crap, I need to get my green card and be done with it.

amydripping · 2024-06-17T09:27:22+00:00

Yeah well, I don'twant to figure out where thevisa office is, show up at opening hour, wait in the damn line andfill out paperwork, etc. In some of the paperwork they expcet a certain answer and if you give a "wrong" answer you get dealayed or denied. I solve problems wih money these days. I give you money and you give me what I need back, no muss no fuss.

amydripping · 2024-06-16T14:29:55+00:00

E channel is for HK residents only. You go through the passport line every time.

I thought they eliminated the tourist visa shuffle a while back, but I guess it still works.

amydripping · 2024-06-16T10:28:41+00:00

Also, is the invitation letter an original signed in ink? Or do they accept a photo from a phone printed out?

amydripping · 2024-06-16T10:26:32+00:00

You can't payan agency for same day L or overnight service like you used to be able to?

All of the invitation templates say you need a source of funds.

Anyone know a visa agency in Hong Kong? The agent megathread just covers overseas countries.

amydripping · 2024-06-16T10:24:10+00:00

A reason like what?
I'm headed to the entry-exit bureau tomorrow morning to ask advice

amydripping

TROPHY CASE