I can't say for sure but I don't think anyone would consider me a loser. I know my family are all supportive of me. As far as my friends and good acquaintances go I don't think they've really thought that much about it.

I go back to Australia every year and what I've found is that conversations just continue on from where we left off the year before. No one ever really asks anything about my life in China. Most people aren't very curious at all.

And I don't know anyone who has done what done what I've done...move to another country. Which makes me the odd one out, not a loser.

Of course, when I do move back to Australia and find I can't get a job....then I'll be a loser.

Some were surprisingly jealous of me going to China. I rather liked that aspect. I was doing something they never thought of doing, never had the imagination or balls. And they knew it. Spent their whole lives in the same place. Maybe going to Spain twice a year in some tourist resort. Unlike Chinese they have access to the world and never use it.

Yep a lot of people judged me to be a loser because I went to China and will go again soon. They weren't wrong really. I was one of those escaping from a dead end life. So what, it worked. Got some options, a beautiful Chinese gf, interesting life, a hunger to do better and get more. For me China worked so screw them.

People in my home country don't know me. If they ask about me, my mom, she's sporting T-shirt with text: 'He's in China ---- P.S. Oral English Teacher'.

My mom likes to tell people I'm in China, what equals as she would say 'he landed on some outer planet'.

I'm like: 'What's the matter with you? You shouldn't tell people am in China. Tell them I'm in Rome or Myconos or something....' I guess she's proud, people are confused when she mentions China.

Was shoveling snow on my mom's house road last winter. Suddenly, few neighbours came out with shovels, and .....'you have very American accent' (when I speak their not my native language. It's a sound/adding anybody eventually adopts while speaking foreign language for long time).

They watch US movies on the teli all the time, so I come like 'J. Wayne with shovel'.

Mastard, he never shoveled snow. J.W. lived in Santa Monica.

I hate to go to my mum's. Sometimes, I just hibernate in Camden or Amsterdam instead.