Fair enough, you did state that you were going to focus on the reasons not to go to China. I'm surprised you did concede that there were good reasons. How can good reasons survive inside that picture you portray? I anxiously await part 2, to find out.

You have made me reconsider whether or not to return to China because you have vividly reminded me what things were really like, I'd actually forgotten. However, when I think about it, my experience of China was a little different in a couple of respects. I never felt a welling up of hostility towards me on the streets, or was aware of any nasty remarks made by passing strangers aimed in my direction.

As for the veiled contempt shown by leaders in the workplace; do you feel that many of us bring this contempt upon ourselves by not making an effort to learn a word of Mandarin? If you spend five years in China(or even one) shouldn't you(not you personally) be able to hold some sort of conversation in the language? Many of us can't. If I were Chinese I might well find such an inability to make an effort somewhat annoying.

Hell of a lot of truth in what you say though.