I'll try to keep this short. I'm in China, in a province and city that I will not name for obvious reasons. I know some other FT's from my school who monitor this board and they can't be trusted. I'm contemplating packing up and doing a runner from here, that is I'm going to take off, probably on a weekend when I'm off so I'll have a head start of a couple days. This isn't the sort of nutjob place that would send the police after me, I'm pretty sure of that. There have been runners here before. My concern is mostly what will happen when my current residence permit expires at the end of this term. Will I wind up more or less "banned" from ever legally working in the country again? When I try to get another visa will I have been "flagged?" Anyone have any experience or knowledge of this?

One more question: My contract has a clause about both parties terminating the contract through "mutual agreement." If I decided to go to the FAO and attempt to be honest is it even possible to leave in such a way as not to jeopardize future employment possibilities here? The new term has just begun and I simply hate what I'm doing and I don't think I'll survive the entire term here. Can these folks actually be reasoned with? Has anyone does this before?

Thanks.