Me too. I thought the (un)caged lion metaphor was poignant.
I was so stressed last year that my stomach lining gave out, lost my entire sense of self & found I'd lost all desire to do anything (doesn't help when you actually do live out of your middle-of-nowhere-in-Beijing office -- what a great place to bring home a date!).
Now I'm moving around South East Asia and spend <$30/day to live as I do a few hours of contract work per week (for the company I left) and am teaching myself programming (Earlier I'd sort of hacked my way through web dev w/ html, css, php, and various open-source db tools -- design & sales/marketing/networking were my strong points, not code. Now I'm going through Learning Python, Programming with Python, & Software Engineering for Internet Applications).
Basically I look for quiet, beautiful places with creative, interesting people. When I find such a place or such people, I stay there and work until such qualities evaporate. I find it's not a bad way to spend my time. It won't last forever (I'm hoping some day I find a place I actually want to live), but this sure beats having to get some shit job or take shit contracts to support an expensive, boring (to me) typical lifestyle back in N.America. I may go back when I feel ready or the right sort of opportunity arises (mainly meaning working with the right people), but I'm in no rush. I wouldn't mind living on an island close to Hong Kong -- secluded paradise a 24h/30min ferry to one of the best cities I've ever seen.
If you plan ahead, you can do Vancouver => Hong Kong for $380 with oasis air, and Shenzhen => Bangkok for $80 with Air Asia. Then get by on $1000/mo living expenses as you move around and find a spot that suits you. Not much risk...
I was so stressed last year that my stomach lining gave out, lost my entire sense of self & found I'd lost all desire to do anything (doesn't help when you actually do live out of your middle-of-nowhere-in-Beijing office -- what a great place to bring home a date!).
Now I'm moving around South East Asia and spend <$30/day to live as I do a few hours of contract work per week (for the company I left) and am teaching myself programming (Earlier I'd sort of hacked my way through web dev w/ html, css, php, and various open-source db tools -- design & sales/marketing/networking were my strong points, not code. Now I'm going through Learning Python, Programming with Python, & Software Engineering for Internet Applications).
Basically I look for quiet, beautiful places with creative, interesting people. When I find such a place or such people, I stay there and work until such qualities evaporate. I find it's not a bad way to spend my time. It won't last forever (I'm hoping some day I find a place I actually want to live), but this sure beats having to get some shit job or take shit contracts to support an expensive, boring (to me) typical lifestyle back in N.America. I may go back when I feel ready or the right sort of opportunity arises (mainly meaning working with the right people), but I'm in no rush. I wouldn't mind living on an island close to Hong Kong -- secluded paradise a 24h/30min ferry to one of the best cities I've ever seen.
If you plan ahead, you can do Vancouver => Hong Kong for $380 with oasis air, and Shenzhen => Bangkok for $80 with Air Asia. Then get by on $1000/mo living expenses as you move around and find a spot that suits you. Not much risk...