It's really hard because there are some things about living in China that are amazing. I love the life on the street. I love Chinese families and meals, while we were in China a different family member took a turn hosting a dinner, which meant a lot of great evenings eating, drinking, and laughing. One night we went to a lamb roast at a countryside farm, and partied it up with local elite. There are times in China where I feel like I'm getting an experience that I couldn't have anywhere else in the world.

Then there were the reminders of all the little things that had slowly killing me inside while I lived in China. The constant construction without warning or detour, the disregard for health and safety, stares, narrow supermarket isles, senseless runarounds and bureaucracy. This last visit since I was no longer a resident and staying with my wife's parents I thought I should register with the police within the first 24 hours... Big mistake. We had to run around to a number of different police stations, none of them knew what they were doing. In the end I somehow got added to my wife's parents household registration.

Like you said there's always a big but to liking China. I don't ever plan on living there full time again, but I love the country.