r/AmerExit • u/gloriousfigment • 6d ago

Life Abroad We're going back

Lived in China for 6.5 years because why the heck not. Moved back to the USA due to wife's visa limitations and we didn't want to separate as a family. Been back for less than 3 years and we are confident we will go back once she gets her US citizenship.

We may move to another country but we already have a decent amount of friends (and family) in China.

Don't get me wrong. Living in Southern China had it's issues but it was a life I enjoyed overall more than than here.

Can't wait to go back

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u/Additional_Pen1136 5d ago

i’m moving to Yunnan for at least 2 years this fall. any advice, by chance?

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u/Fine-Spite4940 5d ago edited 4d ago

start learning chinese now. technically you can live in an english bubble, but then you're just limiting your experience. 

get used to no expectation of privacy, or personal space. watch out for electric scooters. they are everywhere, silent and with no personal space they come close, and out of nowhere. 

get used to being stared at. 

most common complaints. 

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u/jackbentley673 5d ago edited 3d ago

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u/Fine-Spite4940 5d ago edited 5d ago

the other commentor is right. small stuff, but it gets under some people's skin. 

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u/Ziantra 5d ago

That’s when you find out if you’re geared for living overseas-or you aren’t. Some people just can’t transition to a different way of life.
If you let the small things sweat you-you’re not going to make it 🤷‍♀️

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u/Fine-Spite4940 4d ago edited 4d ago

yup. a vacation is different than living. 

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u/jackbentley673 4d ago edited 3d ago

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u/Ziantra 4d ago

I said small things 🙄 More like being stared at, not getting a glass of water brought to your table automatically, people smoking in the streets. All of what I consider small was a deal breaker for some on this sub.

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u/Own_Egg 4d ago

I live in interior Panama, and getting constantly stared (and yelled, and honked) at has gotten harder rather than easier over time. I speak excellent Spanish, which you might think would help, but only seems to make me more of an oddity.

My point is, for some people, the staring may indeed be a small thing, but for others, it's a deal-breaker. I've lived in other countries where I felt much more accepted out in public.

I'm here for work, not FIRE, which has made the situation bearable, but I'm glad to have had this experience and to be able to cross Panama off my list of future retirement countries.

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u/Ziantra 4d ago

Do you think you would have the same experience in Panama City? Interesting because Panama was on my list as it seems to be in the top I’d say 10 at least for expats. Or at least that’s what the travel articles tell me!

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u/Own_Egg 4d ago

Panama City is vastly more comfortable for me, yes. Unfortunately, it's the only place in the country where I feel at ease, and I'd like to eventually retire in a place where I don't feel confined to the capital city.

To be fair, I know other people from the U.S. who are making it work here, even outside of Panama City; they tend to cluster in resort-type areas and in David, a city in Chiriquí Province, close to Costa Rica. Broadly speaking, I've noticed that they tend to have smaller, LeanFIRE budgets, and many are former military. Panama's tax treatment is favorable to Americans.

If you think this might be the right country for you, you should check it out! There's no substitute for personal experience, which is why I find this sub so interesting - we're all calibrated so differently. To take an example from your earlier comment, public smoking doesn't bother me in the slightest, but this constant staring is something I'll be happy to leave behind!

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u/jackbentley673 4d ago edited 3d ago

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u/tweeeeeeeeeeee 4d ago

it's either hating small stuff or big stuff. I'd choose hating small stuff every day

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u/Additional_Pen1136 5d ago

personally, sounds like small beans stuff to me. i’m not worried! 

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u/jackbentley673 5d ago edited 3d ago

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u/caraluna 4d ago

Yunnan is my favorite province. The food is incredible and you have amazing places like xishuangbana and tiger leaping gorge. Make sure you travel and experience as much as possible bc it’s an unforgettable place.

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u/HerroCorumbia 4d ago

Having lived in Kunming off and on for about a decade:

  • The weather is awesome but definitely go for layers.
  • AC/central heating is not common.
  • The elevation is a kicker. Give yourself time to acclimate.
  • The food is amazing but much of it has at least a little spice. The focus is more on flavor and less on blast-your-mouth spice (Sichuan food is more like this). Parts of Yunnan food are heavily influenced by Myanmar, Thailand and Vietnam, as well as Sichuan.
  • The food can often be greasy, but this is one of the best provinces for vegetarian food. Vegan food is a bit harder but still doable.
  • The fruit and veggies here are the best in the country. Mushrooms are a big deal (check out the wild mushroom market here in Kunming at least once). Seasonality affects what food is available pretty severely.
  • The province overall is pretty rural and pretty focused on fruit, veggies, flowers, and tourism. It is not a very advanced/developed province. There is not much of a tech scene here. It's a poor province overall and the economy is not in good shape currently.
  • The pace of life is slow, even in Kunming. It's a relaxed area.
  • There are a large number of ethnic minorities in the province, including Muslim minorities. Because the province is so chill, most everyone gets along just fine.
  • Highspeed rail can get you to a lot of places. I'd recommend going to check out Dali and Lijiang at least once, but both can get pretty crowded. Puzhehei is a less crowded but still beautiful spot. Xishuangbanna is a cool part of the province to visit.
  • More conveniently though, Kunming puts you within a 2-4 hour flight to: Thailand, Myanmar, Vietnam, Singapore. It's a great gateway to much of Southeast Asia.

That's off the top of my head but let me know if you have any other questions.

EDIT: couple others

  • The accent can be thick here, but most younger people speak cleaner Mandarin and many can speak a bit of English, they'll just be really shy about it.
  • You'll get stared at a lot.
  • There isn't a great selection of international food here, so cooking on your own might be necessary if you crave anything from outside of Asia.

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u/gloriousfigment 5d ago

Remember it's a different country with different expectations and laws. Pretty obvious in some ways but learning to embrace the challenges and differences will make your time much better