Dear Jamie: My Boyfriend Complains about China All the Time

By That's PRD, January 4, 2017

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Dear Jamie is a regular series where our readers seek advice from Jamie, a Guangdong-based life coach.

Dear Jamie,

I’ve never written to you before. I’m facing a serious problem and I don’t know what to do about it. I hope you can give me some sound advice.

My boyfriend complains about China all the time. Every time we meet up he tells me about all the bad things that have happened to him recently and how terrible his life is here and how great his life was back in Canada. Every WeChat conversation, phone call or dinner includes negative comments about this country, yet he has chosen to live in China for five years.

I studied in the United States, so I can understand his point of view sometimes, but I’m always left wondering why he has no plans to leave.

Last week was the last straw. He called me at 4am from a strange number and said that someone had stolen his phone in a club. He added that this would never have happened in Canada and complained for an hour about his life in China.

Before going back to sleep, I went online and bought a one-way ticket for this summer to Toronto.

The next day I brought the printed ticket to his apartment. I really wasn’t sure how he would react, but I know that leaving is for the best – for both of us.

Then I noticed that the ticket was registered under my name and not his. Can I change the name on the ticket or have I just wasted my money?

-Sincerely,

Fed Up in Foshan

Dear Fed Up, 

You haven’t wasted your money, though you will need to spend a little more to enjoy your upcoming vacation to Canada. Buy a return ticket and apply for a visa at the Canadian Consulate in Guangzhou. There can be a bit of paperwork, so it’s good to start early to make sure everything is set for your trip. 

As for your current boyfriend, dump him. If he is unhappy with his decision to stay here, it doesn’t mean you need to be.

-Jamie


Need advice? Contact Jamie at Jamieinchina@outlook.com

Click here for more Dear Jamie.


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