THINGS I DON’T LIKE ABOUT LIVING IN CHINA

Things the speaker doesn’t like about living in China (plus related lifestyle/work concerns)

1) Inconvenience (paperwork + needing the right person)

• As a foreigner, processes can be more difficult because requirements and paperwork differ from what locals may need.
• At places like banks, lower-level staff may not be able to help; you often must find someone who can actually handle your issue.
• The speaker notes situations where locals are told they don’t need certain documents, but foreigners do.

2) Social belonging (you’re never fully “part of society”)

• Even after long-term residence (the speaker’s best friend claims even 50 years), foreigners are still treated as outsiders.
• The speaker says this remains true regardless of language ability or marriage.
• Friendships can be hard to sustain in a deep way:
  • They estimate only about 1% of people become true friends.
  • Many people are not in the speaker’s social circle (they describe rural/village separation).
  • Much of the remaining social contact becomes “white friend” dynamics or mostly superficial meetings.
• They attribute difficulty bonding to different social/introversion and family bonding patterns, describing many interactions as staying at the acquaintance level (e.g., meeting once, then just sharing photos).

3) Loneliness and dating challenges

• The speaker describes loneliness as common for foreigners.
• They suggest that even when you have people around you, they can remain “acquaintances,” not close connections.
• They call the dating market “terrible,” saying it’s an issue for foreigners regardless of gender.

4) Increased exposure to danger (as a foreigner)

• Because foreigners draw attention, they may face more risk than locals.
• The speaker says this seems less common now due to changing rules, but still may happen.

5) Communication + hierarchy at work (indirectness and low accountability)

The speaker feels problems aren’t addressed directly or early:

• People may dismiss issues because they are not audible/visible at the moment.
• Then once the problem escalates, they only try to “shut it down,” rather than fix the root cause.

They also describe strong hierarchy and limited voice for lower-status workers:

• “Direct communication” doesn’t seem to exist in the way they expect.
• People keep things quiet, even when they notice issues.

They compare this to a flight incident (a Korean flight is mentioned) as an example of how problems may not be communicated upward in time.

6) Quality concerns (thin/low-quality production; consumer rotation)

• The speaker believes some goods and even food quality standards are lower.
• They link this to high crowding and competition/throughput:
  • With many people, systems prioritize speed and efficiency over durability/quality.
  • Products may be designed to be used quickly and replaced to keep production going.

7) Consumerism/materialism

• They mention an “insane amount” of consumerism and materialism.
• They suggest it connects to the later point about dating/market dynamics (though the details are not fully expanded).

8) Privacy + lack of personal space (constant proximity)

They describe frequent issues with exposure in daily life:

• In crowded areas, people may bump into you and move on without apology.
• At home, they say landlords may enter living spaces when they “ask” (or announce arrival), violating boundaries.

They interpret this as partly due to scale/crowding—people may not be used to the same norms around personal space that exist in less densely populated countries.

---

Notable locations/products/speakers mentioned

• Location referenced: China (overall), plus Spain (as an example where loneliness could still occur).
• Aviation example: A Korean flight incident is referenced to illustrate poor communication between crew ranks.
• Speaker/voices: The speaker quotes their best friend about never becoming part of society even after 50 years.