In my opinion, if you can find a decent job at a public university in China then you can move back here and have a fairly good life. I also think that you could find your soulmate in China also. However, having said that, I understand that recently many Chinese women are starting to turn their nose up at foreign teachers.

Cheers SB. This is what I was thinking. At least that would be a start, no scumbag recruiters, or kindergartens, just a nice simple gig to ease me back into life in the PRC. I understand the point you mean about turning their nose up at foreign teachers. When I left GZ airport to come back home, I saw a beautiful Chinese woman with a guy who could only be a foreign businessman/engineer, the look on her face was like every other young laowai guy around her was muck...it's this kind of new rich attitude we are up against, the society doesn't value the self worth of an individual, just their net worth, and what can be gained from him/her. The last girl I liked in China, assured me that she didn't care about my financial status, just wanted a good boyfriend, well that didn't work out at all, turns out she was a little miss me me me, with her and her future and world being the number one priority...and I wouldn't say she was the greediest or most materialistic girl it had been my misfortune to meet in China either, so I am not sure what the answer is mate?!

When I go back to Australia I also find that friends have moved on, some people are curious about China, many are indifferent, or they view you as being a loser. As for employment, all I can get now is part-time construction work back home, and that is self generated work

Ain't that the truth! I know a few mates from other commonwealth countries, NZ, Aus, Canada, and they all complain about the same thing as me. Friends DO move on, you get some people curious about China who nod their head slightly and feign interest, but that is it, move on, nothing more to see here! Indifference, hell yes! Or yes, they view you as being a loser. I've sent a few applications out to British/Spanish schools, and got no reply or just sniffy replies of we will consider you for next semester but can't promise anything!! It's getting so bad I might be working behind a bar at this rate, which is far from ideal, but I know I don't like and am not cut out for sales/telesales?!

Nice to know I am not in this alone!
Cheers
VS