Dusty,

As I was reading your original post regarding your Shanghai-to-smaller-place Plan, I was thinking, Oh, geez, please dont do that, Louise!

Raoul Duke is right, and I really feel the need to reinforce what he said about your theory (and by the way, AsiaXPAT.com is absolutely the best site for jobs in Shanghai and the surrounding area).

No matter where you begin in your new working life in China, therell be lots of cultural adjustments to be made. In Shanghai (never lived there myself, but visited numerous times) the adjustments will, in many ways, be easier. You will see many more foreigners in the crowd, and a high volume of signage in English -- especially compared with the rest of mainland China (even other large cities). There will also be a much higher volume of people in service jobs that can conduct business with you in English, etc.

Once youve adjusted to working in Shanghai, as well as the comforts of Shanghai (availability of western goods, etc.), and of course, Shanghai-level wages, it will be almost impossible for you, in my opinion, to accept conditions that are far less elsewhere. Do you think after Shanghai you could live in place where you are but one of only a handful of foreigners (constantly being stared at by the locals)? Adjust to and accept perhaps much lesser living and working conditions? And of course, be content earning likely 25-30% of the salary you were getting in Shanghai? I doubt that I could!

My first job was in a small city (more than one million in the core part of the city) near Shanghai. There were some wonderful aspects to the place, and for the most part, I will always have fond memories of the local people there, but ultimately, it was not for me (for numerous reasons). Soon, I made my way to a much larger city four hours away (Nanjing approx. 7 million, and counting), adjustments were still quite challenging, but I have remained here since 2003 -- except for one very brief, and misguided trial experience in western China. Oops!

Remember, every time you relocate, new adjustments are required, and social networks must be built from scratch.

I love teaching in China, but living and working here can be very exasperating at times!!!

Good luck!