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Well good morning. So much for my five week hiatus!

You know, no matter how hard I try, these wacky Chinese just have these unorthodox ideas that make life miserable. Like if you do well, they might feel jealous, and when you feel jealous, you tell lies, try to disrupt someone else's presentations, turn people against each other (which they're unnaturally eager to do here, it's part of the culture, turning against each other is a sport, this time it might be you, but next time you can pile on another, or another, really keeps things primitive that way, you'll want that if you don't want any change for 3000 years)

So in a nutshell, I was just getting really comfortable, but a couple Chinese who aren't doing as well as I put on temper tantrums, and one supervisor used her position to invite me to a talk, then spewed out these veiled put downs, then ran off without letting me "talk". They'll do that, they don't seem to understand that you may act one way only because someone is a manager, but that doesn't reflect how you personally feel about them. They seem to believe it's their "personal power" that's controlling you and you must be scared of that individual, that's why you sat down to talk.

Well anyway, I QUIT! I QUIT! I'm done, no more. This is stupid in the extreme. I can't believe how cowardly and worthless these idiots are. All I'm doing is certain instructional courses for customers, and yet they act like we're launching satellites or something! Some students are extremely young, and their whole family stands there judgmentally and watches if the child approves of you or not!

And am absolutely bursting with newfound love and respect for our magnificent country and society. Another cute point here is that there are "mid-levels" of managers, or even just gossips, that can say anything about you to higher ups, but the higher ups are under no requirement to find out your side of the story! They can just start treating you as if what they were told is the whole truth, and it's you who must scramble to get your words in, if you can ascertain that there is something moving against you! Otherwise you're just railroaded, and that's considered normal!

Compare that with our law based society where everyone must have a say. Not only that, but managers clearly enjoy acting on just rumors and seeing how fast others will scramble to "appease" their mighty judgment. It's pretty disgusting to watch, and bizarrely the Chinese never seem to hold grudges over all this BS, they seem to think that's just how life works!

Anyway, for the first time in my life, I'm simply going to walk away from this job Monday after they pay me. Never done that before, but they've already lied to me about money, and changed terms numerous times, then that veiled put down fest under cover of a manager invite to talk was a new low, I was furious all night over that one.

So in addition to just a regular update, I also had a question for the Lair. That is, this Indian guy here has invited me to go to Kerala. I went once last year and didn't like it at all, but went by myself. Now I could maybe go, earn an industry certification, then come home to the US.

What do you think Soaring and Lairites? Should I go to India, since I probably never will again if I leave Asia now? Or should I just make a quick stop in familiar places (Thailand or Cambodia) and come back to job hunt without the certification, and with a near four-year hole in my resume?

And sorry I never stay away for as long as I say I will, but life just changes so suddenly!!!

Well, my Friend, good to hear from you.

Here's what I think, you have a bird in the hand with the Indian, I say go with that.

You have quit the job and will finish up soon enough. Do the India thing, you will have time to time things out more clearly about going to the other Asian countries - and may very well decide not to do that, but come home to the USA for a real change of pace.

I think you have had it with their tactics, and need a good offering of honesty in the work place.

Ultimately the decision is yours to make, but you need to feel right about your job and your life. You have to fit in your skin.

Sorry this has not worked out for you. Something will fall into place for you. Do what is in front of you. All the answers are in you, living life with reveal them to you.