Jeff, i have worked as an English teacher in China for 8 years, and just this year returned to the USA to be with my aging family. I had some bad experiences in China but mostly good, and I felt much resonance with the comments and descriptions you made here. China itself is different from the media we have had on it for so many years in the USA, and perhaps you agree with that. Overall, i found that despite some setbacks that would occur, with management or contracts, Chinese managers do sincerely try to work things out to a positive outcome. I also found that you can report things to the police if something occurs in a contract or incident on the street, etc. I had to break up a couple fights, one of which saved a handicapped food vendor's life.

As for Martin Hainan, don't be affected. Someone has mistakenly told him that he is the BS detector on this website and so he has become a TROLL. I am appalled that he accused you of being 'non-white, and non-American" due to the language in your post. I really think moderators should be controlling him, and that is one big example of why. It's one of the only cases I have ever seen on a blog where a troll accused a contributor of being an imposter due to allegedly incorrect use of grammar and diction!! I am appalled. You are fine Jeff, and worry not a moment. Mr. Martin is just an angry malcontent, who might get into some trouble someday for being a troll or bully, who ends up to make some very big errors in judgment.