I am so happy I decided to leave early March - I told everyone the Covid policies scare me and I was fed up with health codes and face masks and they all dismissed it. A few weeks later BHAM! And it's not just Covid, it's the values of that country... I loved living there in 2008 and 2014-2022 but that'll do. I care a bit more about political freedoms and security these days. I got the feeling anything could happen any time - I quit while I was ahead.
@4:05 i lived in china 11 years. All through covid. I left three months ago. I know your feeling @4:05 And I hug you and I am so proud of you and I just want you to know that I recognize your powerful emotions…. Free at last. To the safe house. No place like home. And, lay down on all the seats on the plane. Just one flight for you girlfriend. Sick. Mad respect! LAOWAI forever! You can rest now.
As you have been living in China for so long, can you tell me how many percentage of people you have come across, who can speak fluent English wen you were there? Totally understand why you need to leave.
3:21 Ha, These two girls. According to Instagram, in September 2023, Lou and her friend traveled back to China. They seem to be in chengdu now. Welcome back.
Great video. I'm glad you escaped. I fled Beijing at short notice in 2020. I've still got a lot of my stuff in a storage locker there. ¥125 per month -- totally worth it! I know that surreal feeling of being at an almost deserted airport. Do not go back until zero Covid is lifted!
As you have been living in Beijing for while. Can you tell me how many percentage of people you had come across, who can speak fluent English while you were there? Thanks
I miss the good old China, back in 2015-2017 I had the best time of my life in China, but now.... I really don't know what is going on. So sad to see how it changed...
At the risk of making a political comment, China and how it interacts with it's citizens and the world at large has changed. I could feel it changing before Covid. You're absolutely right...2015-17 was great. I was living/working in Beijing then.
Every country has pros and cons. China may have strict rule to control covid. But the percentage of people who died due to covid is low comparing to many countries. I have not been to UK yet. But I was told there are a lot of racial discrimination against Asians there. Also it is not safe for woman to walk at night on the streets.
@Urek Mazino Im sure there is, There was a Woman who was beat to death, i forgot the reason and news was Censored but some people talked about it and made it out of china
I tested positive ..and they locked me up 19 days .. After 9 years of living in Shanghai, I am now considering leaving. I still have NIGHTMARES that they are going to take me away again. As a foreigner, it was the scariest time in my lifetime.
My training school in Beijing went bankrupt due to Covid. A lot of my ex colleagues moved to Shanghai in 2021 because it's more cosmopolitan. Their WeChat Moments updates have been sad to read. Nobody knew it would get like this.
That's the thing with you westerners you only see your own benefit and can't even make a little sacrifice as staying in lockdown for the benefit of everyone.
Should not let this one experience overshadow your entire experience in China. China isn't going to always be like this. I believe in the near future, when Xi is elected again, they will drop the covid zero policy, probably next year. Once this happens, China will slowly reopen back to the world, allowing international travelers. This covid zero policy is just an excuse in my opinion to solve many internal problems China is facing at the moment, and once they've completely their mission, they will drop it.
Ahhhh what a bitter sweet video, sorry for your ordeal...I can only imagine how terrifying it must've been for you and Antonia, knowing how aggressive Chinese people can get. And with no understanding of the language it just makes matters worse. On the flip side! I'm glad you're home safe now! Can't wait for more videos of your adventure in Croatia and Italy! Now time to binge watch your channel hahaha...take care
Going back to China would be a very silly move considering their actions over the last few years. They are traveling in wrong direction not only for foreigners but also for themselves. I spent 11 years there and got out 2020 as I could see this happening and had been ramping up over the last 4 or 5 years I was there. I vow never to return and wish the Chinese people the best of luck. The risk of arbitrary detention is high and is only getting worse.
I live in another province with dogs, because of the epidemic dogs can't fly domestically... nor take the train. My flight leaves Shanghai in a week and I can't get anyone to drive us to the airport because if they drive into Shanghai they will have to quarantine for 2 weeks in a hotel when they get back just cause they "went to shanghai"... I can't leave my pets behind and the clock is ticking...I've had friends who went home before covid telling me I will miss it here after a few months and the truth is, I already do. I miss the China I know and love. This place isn't it. It won't be the same, this is the "new normal" pcr tests every few days for everyone, random lockdowns.... That is China now....
Sorry to see you are leaving China, but I do agree that China is different now, not only due to COVID but also fewer teaching jobs for foreigners. If you live in a big city, I'm sure there is international pet transportation service. The process and paperwork will be a hassle but it is do-able.
So bittersweet! Can’t imagine how scary it must’ve been thinking you’d get taken away to a camp. I think I’d have left too if I’d tested positive and had to go through all that. Staying in shanghai for now but lockdown has definitely soured things for me.
VPNs are tolerated in China. Because they need access to them to conduct international business. But don’t think the government can’t shut them down whenever it’s convenient for them to do so. The vpn system in China is just an easy faucet the government can turn off when needed for censorship. That’s why chinese have this crazy VPN internet system in their country. It kind of royally messed up.
Good luck, Dan. I escaped in 2020. China was wonderful....until it wasn't. I don't see the point in staying out of sheer stubbornness or hoping the situation will improve soon. Good decision.
Congrats on being able to escape China and glad you are doing well now. I wouldn't recommend going back there because the CCP doesn't allow criticism of any kind and can use this video to detain you if you ever go back.
Not that bad, China is not North Korea. Besides, there is nothing wrong with the girl's remarks, it's just a complaint, not a destructive incitement. After the epidemic is over, she can come back anytime she wants. However, the Chinese government does not welcome some very vile people, but it will not arrest them, because their applications for entry China will not be accepted at all. For example, like serpentza & laowhy86, that bad ass level ppl will attract the attention of the government. If they want to enter China, China will refuse 100%
Different country has different policy base on their own country circumstance, good & bad it is because it cannot meet everyone‘’s expectation, and it is also give and take. I believe no one can judge, but it is fine to express personal feeling toward certain effect of policy！
yeah , no judgement when it happens within China, there is judgment when this happens in elsewhere. You can talk like this becuz you are overseas Chinese, someone who don't get affected by this zero covid. You ask Chinese living in Shanghai, see if they agree with you that because they live in China, therefore, their freedom can be riped off due to this stupid zero covid with such low fatality and very very close to zero symptoms, which is totally not sensible and ridiculous. it's not just different policies, policies that don't respect human, no respect of their rights of leaving, being interrogated with no reasons of offending anything. yea, this is Ccp's policies right? so ppl should stay aware, this is CCP-controlled China. political needs go above everyone's interest.
I am glad to see you are free and actually now awake to the evils of this entire process. And to think so many people are tolerant and accepting of the governments incredibly abuse of the very people who elect them and pay their extravagant bills. INHUMANE at best and should serve as a wake up call to the world!!!! There is something quite nefarious going on.
very insightful, keep bringing awareness to how awful they are handling and what they are subjecting their people to Literally a tyrannical government 👏
别对中国的防疫政策指手画脚，我们受到了政府政策的保护，绝大多数中国人民都支持政府的防疫政策。 Don't criticize China's epidemic prevention policy. We are protected by government policies. The vast majority of Chinese people support the government's epidemic prevention policy.
I watch with horror how convoluted China's lockdown policy has become, it made no sense, even their propaganda has become nonsensical with officers contradicting each other.
@@salva_75 why no one can actually confirm that in China... did you speak to everyone in China, if not, don't judge.... all my family and extended family members haven't been tested positive so far.... how many of you can have 0 family member uninfected so far....
Tyrannical it maybe but China did far better than the land of mass shooting and fraud freedom that had the highest covid deaths ever due to wrong handling.
Have to put things in perspective. For the past 2 years+ majority of people is China is enjoying alot of freedom while the rest of the world's we went thru lockdowns again and again. Only this past few months with the omicron then there were alot of problems. Not only China experience problems when it comes to managing covid. You could have left the country if it was a bad environment earlier on before omicron.
The enjoyed their freedom in an unsustainable sealed off bubble. It was simply delaying the inevitable. We will never know the truth about COVID in China. I'm not even sure the central government knows the full truth because everything is manipulated.
Your comment makes it seem like other countries beside China are a gift from god or something like that. Well, I'm American and you may think I'm having the best time of my life, say it ain't so. It's mildly depressing where I live, even though I live in a little more upper class neighborhood here in California. People here are assholes, I think it might be the I'm rich mentality to be honest, or just the average American mentality or something to that nature, I'm not really sure. I'm not struggling with money or anything like that, but it's just people that I have a problem with. People are rude, they have no manners, no self awareness. It's like every person for themselves, really. And, were not even in a lockdown, this is normal everyday America for you. I think it's getting worse because of the recession, everything is getting more expensive, people are only thinking about money money money, and that is really stressing everyone out. What I'm trying to say is, China ain't perfect, neither are other countries.
I love London too! I stayed in Bayswater for a year. Super nice! Sorry that you guys had to experience that in customs. Totally understand the situation. But Plz forgive those men if you can. They are just incompetent or undereducated. They didn’t have the chance to see the world as you do. Ok I know it’s an excuse. lol
I'm so sorry for what you have been through at the airport,that's terrible and ridiculous.But it's part of China.Not all immigration is like that,maybe Shanghai is the worst one
we were going through so many emotions - after what we went through in customs, leaving during the lockdown and after testing positive. It wasn't all negative and I would love to return to china in the future
@@LouAimeeinChina Horrible, I escaped Beijing recently so understand you. Can you tell me exactly what they did to you guys in customs? I hope you report this to the media, more people needs to know how Chinese police bully people.
@@LouAimeeinChina You would return to China in the future? Wow, you must love lockdowns, racist comments on a daily basis and anti-foreigner sentiment on the streets. Good luck for the future when you return back to China.
Good luck dude.....I hope you are prepared for the daily racist issues, anti-foreigner propaganda and backward uneducated behaviour. This place has become a nightmare for foreigners right now.
I hope "sweet old China" is the China you'll be going back to. China has changed/is changing, and not necessarily for the better. If you're going for a holiday you'll love it. If you're hoping to live there I'm not so sure.
If you watch our previous vlogs, you can find out more about the whole situation... Everyone is locked in their apartments, only allowed outside for testing and absolutely nothing else. There was a huge lack of delivery drivers and therefore people were unable to get food and other necessities. I had friends who were eating one meal a day because they didn't know when they would be able to get food next. People were unable to access healthcare and medication - an elderly man in my community died because he couldn't get his blood pressure medicine. If you test positive, you are taken away to a quarantine facility with unhygienic conditions and many other sick people. Some people were taken away and their pets were killed, and children were being separated from their parents.
By 2023-2025, China should be completely back to the way it was before the pandemic. I believe the worse is over for China. Things will start to slowly get better from here on out for the entire country.
China will be recovering for a long time. Lockdowns are continuing in many cities and it’s ruining the trust foreign investors might have had in the strength of the Chinese economy. The CCP has really done a number on its people. You are an importer of too much and exporter of stuff you make for others, and the label of “factory of the world” is shifting to other more stable and cheaper places. Companies can’t wait for the Chinese government to return to rationality. This covid response show the world a lot about what is happening at the national government level. Sad. The people of China deserve more.
Umm....... I hate to burst your bubble. LIke any virus, it is endemic and will never be eradicated, that is why you need vaccinations and herd immunity. Like the Flu and other viruses, you cannot eliminated by lock down policy. It just doesn't work. That is the whole reason why we immunize against polio and other diseases.... etc.
