I really, really thought about just ignoring this post of yours and moving on. But then I decided that while the long time readers and posters know me well enough there are always some folks who may not. So I will reiterate some of my stances and try to give some new ideas on what I believe in which has always been consistent on this board.

I rather think, Dragonized, that it's more a question of you, using China's problems to divert attention from anywhere else in the world.

I do not like to divert attention from "anywhere else". China attracts the most new teachers in the ESL field compared to other countries and I have enough experience working there to give my input. I do not have as much experience working in other places. But for folks who have worked in Central Asia, the Middle East, parts of Africa, etc. I would not be surprised to see someone who is just as passionate talking about the problems of those places, they just do not do it on this forum. I would not put China's problems over any other country's problems, but since I personally know about so many of the issues which happen there I can give an honest, truthful insight which I believe has more value than what you or other posters may have.

Even the Taliban or Hitler's Gestapo probably seem good eggs to you compared to the Chinese Government.

I never did say that, and do you really know enough about the Taliban or the Gestapo to be making this comparison to the Chinese Government? If you don't, you shouldn't be judging me, again. The Taliban are evil, they just resort to different tactics when it comes to treating people poorly. As for the Gestapo of Hitler's reign I do see some similarities with them and the modern day Chinese Government. But to be fair the people are responsible for giving their government power, no matter what type it is. For these governments to exist or to have existed means that in the general population of these respective countries there were some ingrained, old, and very stubborn structures of bad thinking stuck amongst the majority of the populous that lead to these types of leadership to exist. I always believe that the evils which happen in this world happen for a reason, and in this case it is within the individuals and families where the backwards thinking starts. I think you have misread most of my posts as I have always pointed the finger at the people of China rather than just the Chinese government. Governments are in many cases manifestations, it's the people that are the root and source.

For reasons I haven't fathomed yet, strangely enough, I will state that China for you is the most important place in the world...it certainly seems to be the fulcrum of all your problems.

From what I have posted on this board alone, that may not be such a bad guess for you. But in fact I have many other things in my life that I pursue. My hobbies and interests are diverse. My friends span the whole world. I fell in love with the Mandarin language when I was a kid and that played an important role in helping me construct a life goal of seeing the world and giving my time to different people. However, working in places like China put a serious blunt in that way of thinking, but I have managed to get it back. I am however much more cautious now and I will not put things on equal planes so eagerly like I did before. I think people, places, and entities have to earn their place through good behavior, virtue, and at least some semblance of justice. I know for a fact that most countries in this world are underdeveloped, corrupt, and treat their own people poorly. But at this time I just do not have the resources to go to all of these places, live there, and take on all of their problems. I think a few countries would be enough for me, and I only comment on what I know. I am certainly not bonded to these things.

I have said it before, you are far from being the usual type of grumbler whom you align with on this forum. I believe that any co-operations you have on this forum are merely ones of convenience...

Absolutely not. I am grateful for the board mods to have let me post my opinions and I am happy to see that the small contributions I have made helped change the culture on here. I do not see this partnership with what I write and what the board mods allow as anything of convenience. If you want to get things done, both sides have to be honest and consistent with what they do. I am puzzled as to why they would tolerate what you have been doing in the last half year though. I think they may feel a bit sorry for you and edited many of my posts towards you for fear of driving you off the board too soon. I trust there is a reason, which is why I still post on here. If there is a disagreement between me and you specifically though I still feel that I am getting into the verbal ring with both hands tied behind my back as if I could swing you'd be knocked out in a mere few seconds. You are wrong because you are wrong, but no offense.

I am not now insulting you in any way-in fact I am saying that I do not put you in the same category as most of the moaners, who never had any success with their own countrymen,or its women, so they arrive in China and carry on complaining...

Based on how you have behaved, I would have put you into that category of men as well. You moan quite a lot about the grumbling of expats. If you actually spoke other languages (such as Mandarin) you would find out that the moaning and complaining of expats is not always as bad as that of the local people. I will take the negative statements of many posters, especially on this board over the real life moaning of folks I see in some places. See, many of the stories typed on here may seem like moaning or "grumbling" to you. But in reality these people suffered some injustice that they will never get compensated for. To be naive is not something to be criticized incessantly. However, when local people in places like China moan, grumble, and complain a lot of the times it is a mere ploy to measure where your political, family, and spiritual ideologies lie so they can find a reason to treat you worse to make their own miserable little lives a little better. They know exactly what they are doing, and they are indeed happy with their own lives. They would not change even if it meant stepping out of ignorance, and that is something worth remembering. There is a different ilk of people who complain because they respect themselves and people who do it because they do not know what respecting themselves mean.

no, you is a little of a mystery man to me.

No, I am no mystery at all. I have two arms and two feet and I eat with my mouth just like everyone else. Culture and international politics are an area of interest to me though, and I merely talk about an area that I know more about. I do believe that if I am going to do something then it should be done properly and done right, and I give my best. For you, maybe a serious poster is something a bit alien? Well then you shouldn't expect all posters to be not serious.

Responses from Dragonized are typical and very Chinese.

HI Sarah that is a bit of friendly fire I just drew from you. I have always attacked the bosses of these crappy private business outfits scamming people in the name of "education". I also hate the sellout types of expats who come here and talk about how great China is. I certainly have interacted, lived, and participated socially in a Chinese environment long enough to where I may have incorporated some language patterns. But when it comes to principle, rules, and ideals I am definitely pro-West and I think that would put us on the same boat.

Yes, that post was very curious indeed.......if you were to ask me to analyse it, it sounds like a pay-back- it sounds like she actually knows you. Very curious indeed; however, i fear you will never know what was on the woman's mind, as it reeks of a 'I'll make you suffer one-off post' She doesn't like you, that is for dead certain. More in that post than meets the eye....je connais les hommes..mark my words.

Responses from Dragonized are typical and very Chinese.

HI Sarah that is a bit of friendly fire I just drew from you. I have always attacked the bosses of these crappy private business outfits scamming people in the name of "education". I also hate the sellout types of expats who come here and talk about how great China is. I certainly have interacted, lived, and participated socially in a Chinese environment long enough to where I may have incorporated some language patterns. But when it comes to principle, rules, and ideals I am definitely pro-West and I think that would put us on the same boat.

When I arrived in China I was asked to sign a communist inspired document in which they requested that I abide by their morals, but, I'm not naturally dishonest, deceptive, i don't support stealing from others be it money, copyrights, technology etc, laying claim to territories to which I have no legal international claim, I certainly do not support giving children false history lessons etc, I don't support censoring peoples free right to speak, locking up innocents to silence them, censoring media and internet sources or using my job for the purpose of deceiving others to improve my own wealth so signing a document and agreeing to behave this was seemed absurd. I explained that my morals were much higher but this fell on deaf ears.
I signed it but promised to myself that my interpretation of "morality" would not sink to the level requested from me.

I think you misinterpreted what I said about the issue of "morality". Let me be more clear: I do not think that this country of China abides by ANY lines of Morality on any operating level of their society no matter what. This country being discussed does not respect copyright laws, they do not provide for the less than wealthy demographics of their own, and they certainly cannot tell you a Westerner what morality is. I stated this word out of the fact that there are always some con-artists and maybe criminals coming on this board pretending to be moral when in fact they are the least qualified to be saying this, and I was not attacking you at all. It seems like you have put me on their level, which certainly means you do not know me. I have always stated that China is not a good place for qualified professionals in any field to work, and you stated some of those reasons.

Anyways, I read your other post which is quite a good one. This board needs more contributions from different posters. I would not be the end of all authority on what is good or bad, but I certainly liked what you wrote.

Responses from Dragonized are typical and very Chinese. Blame those that come to provide professional training and hide behind comments such as "morality" when they themselves have not got any morals.
When I arrived in China I was asked to sign a communist inspired document in which they requested that I abide by their morals, but, I'm not naturally dishonest, deceptive, i don't support stealing from others be it money, copyrights, technology etc, laying claim to territories to which I have no legal international claim, I certainly do not support giving children false history lessons etc, I don't support censoring peoples free right to speak, locking up innocents to silence them, censoring media and internet sources or using my job for the purpose of deceiving others to improve my own wealth so signing a document and agreeing to behave this was seemed absurd. I explained that my morals were much higher but this fell on deaf ears.
I signed it but promised to myself that my interpretation of "morality" would not sink to the level requested from me.

I don't know why all you don't just concentrate on the job you were paid to do, teaching. Unless you'd had your head totally buried in the sand you would have known what China is and stands before before you agreed to take on your position....I mean to say you could have switched to Saudi Arabia or some other god awful place where they really know how to treat a woman. If you had done just an iota of research before deciding to come it would have been of absolutely no surprise to you at all that you would have been required to sign such a document as obviously upset your sensibilities so much- and i think you refer to the relevant part in the bog-standard contract that we all sign- did you not ask to see a contract before you made your commitment? Why on earth did you come to China?

As for Tibet- well, when we stop and think what lies beyond Tibet, a certain amount of sympathy should go out to the Chinese should they feel a need for a buffer-zone. Anyway, the previous Tibetan regime used to treat the people like shit. One thing i learned from Chinese students who would like to get shot of the communists is that most of them still see Tibet as an integral part of China- so, the government may change but their claims on Tibet and Taiwan will not change. Of course Taiwan is different- that's a bit like Britain demanding back America. Anyway, the Chinese would lose half of their army trying to take it- not a likely scenario.

I do think people who are successful living in countries such as China would not feel the need to come on here and tell us how wrong people are to hold the belief that this place is not so good to work or live in. This discussion would not hold any moral value for these folks, because they would certainly believe they are already in the right and would not need to waste time. However, time and time again the liars, cheats, and thieves who come here and say things about some of the regular posters do tell that they themselves do not exactly have it easy, and their own moral conundrums are getting the best of them.