What do you do to relax?

[Hypiereon]

Being in China or a foreign country can really get you down at times. Holidays in particular, or just the day to day things you might miss from home (like eating at your favorite restaurant.) Teaching, learning Chinese, getting to know the culture, and all the other things that are "fun" the first months, even for the first year or so, begin to wear off and some serious homesickness can set in.

For me, I've never actually been homesick, but I do get bored from time to time. All the fun things foreigners do when they first get here (like spending way too much money on souvenirs) and trying new foods (and finding out new and exotic does not mean it actually tastes good) has been done ten times over by me and my family.

We have our own ideas of what to do when things get down, but I'd like to get some of your thoughts. What do you do when you've been in-country "a little too long?"

[cdevine]

Totally understand where you are coming from.

Germany is very beautiful, but not being able to speak my own native tongue fluently is something I often long for.

I would definitely have to thank the internet for keeping me so long in this country. Without the internet, I'm sure I would have been back home a long time back. I think more and more English teachers will start to spend longer times abroad teaching because of the internet. We can now do our banking back home, research stuff, read our local newspaper online, talk to friends back home and more all just from the internet.

After spending many hours teaching between 4 walls, sometimes, I don't want to spend all my spare time at home. I think cities are the same throughout the world. So I do enjoy hiking, tennis and other outdoor activities. Get's me away from the hustle and bustle of the cities, and the exercise helps release stress.

I no longer get homesick however, only because the internet is by my side.

I've probably got it lucky compared to many other English teachers who are in China, Japan or Korea etc. Don't know how I could cope being in an Asian country. Am sure it would be very different.

[Rhyf]

I find copious amounts of beer helps a lot, but that could just be me.

[Motivated]

You are not alone there Rhyf - copious amounts of liquid amber goodness works for me as well

[regorthai]

Indeed. I am trying to get a job in Saudi having worked in Japan. What on earth will an ESL teacher do with him or herself if deprived of the debrief an amber ale doth provide.

[Brisbanian]

When I was living in the States I had an Australian mother who I was pretty friendly with - mostly we just discussed (Read: moaned) about the differences and how much better our country was.

I found/find having friends and someone who you can relate to about your homesickness really helps.

That or beer.

[exported_kiwi]

Yep, imbibing copious amounts of the good ole amber liquid kinda helps alleviate the boredom, but that in itself causes more problems and kinda promulgates the "drunken foreigner" stereotype, so I try to avoid that where possible. In summer down here in the sub tropics, it's not hard to avoid drinking so if you must, find a nice little corner store and stay there. I have done this and have made friends with the owners of the store as well as the locals who live there. They frequently will come and try to talk with me as I try to talk to them in Cantonese, no small feat, and they then understand that you're actually interested in them and their ways. Some of them bring their kids to me and I'll sit there, drink veeeeery little and talk to their kids so their parents can see their money at work coz it costs a lot to learn English down here! These folks understand that I'm bored and lonely having few friends so they make an effort, as I do, to become friends....it's kinda cool actually!

Other times I'll just play ping pong or some other sport with people at the local park and I make friends that way too. I was surprised at how many folks here speak English and it's not hard to get invitations to dinner, or to meet the "sister" etc. I do, of course, graciously decline or the soon to be Mrs exported_kiwi would ensure that I'll never be able to do "things" again.....she's from Hunan and is a typical "spicy gal", hot tempered and mean as hell when crossed, but I love her!

There's more to China than cheap beer, go and find what interests you about wherever you are and make yourself known to the locals as someone who is genuinely interested in them and what they do etc and you'll, hopefully, find that making friends isn't too hard after all!

Good luck to you!

[leozeh]

What really helps me to relax is my family, esp. my wife. She's the one who is always there for me, even when i'm stressed out.
I also like to swim and read in my spare time.

[kdavid]

Normally it's reading or watching a bootleg copy of the latest Hollywood blockbuster.

On the rare occassion, cigarettes and lots of booze with other expats.

[exported_kiwi]

Yeah, if I can find decent copies of decent movies, I'll buy em and voraciously watch em! I go back to Guangzhou every week to see my missus so, when there, I will buy a novel to read. I've moved cities and am in a small place now and there are only about 4 other expats here, none of whom seem interested in meeting me so I drink with some Chinese friends instead, helps me to learn more Chinese! The local restaurant has shown a great jump in income since I moved here, hehehehehe!