One of my best friends is from Changchun, can't help thinking that not only did she decide to leave the place, but when she made enough money, she moved her parents away from the place too. Have also previously met quite a few German engineers who never seem to have a positive story about the place.

My only experience of Changchun is passing through it recently on the way to Haerbin. It looked like a shithole to be honest, but I guess that the West station is in the middle of nowhere.