5 Types of Foreigners in China- Which One Are You?

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It's almost impossible to live in China and not run into at least 1 other expat during your travels. Often, we'll catch a glimpse of a passing expat and wonder, "What's their story?" While it would be impossible to encapsulate every expat's story into a few archetypes, there are some expats that are more common than others. Does any of these sounds familiar? Which one are you?

1
Educators

This is probably the most common type of foreigner you'll run into in China and the one that people are most familiar with. 

While they often appear 1-dimensional, these guys run the gamut from highly-educated PHD holders researching special snow reindeer in Northern China to retired business owners to 22 years olds on a gap year. There is a lot of diversity there and it's hard to make generalizations about them. 

In some circles, foreign and local alike, they have a bad reputation and are mischaracterized as losers back home, but this is often not the case. Many are dedicated to education and perform a missionary-like duty by providing high-quality and affordable 

English lessons to the eager Chinese masses. They're the guy who can tell you the etymological origins of the word "novel" and direct you to 5 different databases confirming his breakdown. They can be a transient bunch and the turnover rate amongst teachers tends to be high, but we're always sad to see the great ones leave.

2The Businessmen 
While no one is quite sure what business this guy is in, it always begins with "start" and ends with "up."  Kidding, but there are a high number of foreigners here who dream of having a start-up based in Shenzhen. While they cannot quite explain to you the need for their "cat hair dyeing business" their passion for it is undeniable. On the other side of the coin, there are a number of foreigners in Shenzhen who bring much needed business consulting skills to growing Chinese businesses. 
They often get transferred here to the Chinese branch of their company and end up liking it so much that they stay on for years and years. Many of them often come with their families and raise their children here. 

They tend to be a very stable and grounded people. Many of them long to return home, but fear that they wouldn't be able to readjust to their country of origin after such extended stays in China. 

3Party Animals

The name says it all. He could be any one of the other foreigners or none of them at all. He could be the vacationing Australian who loves traveling or the English teacher who likes to cut loose a few times a week. 

You can find them at many of the trendy haunts around town with a mixed group of Chinese and foreign friends. They tend to be quite friendly and easy going. They’re fun to talk to, but they can be famously rowdy after 1 too many shots of Baijiu.

4Oh, Wanderers!He is everyone's personal favorite at some level. Perhaps, long ago, he came here with a purpose, but that purpose has long been forgotten amidst boozy nights best left unmentioned. Were he born 600 years ago, he may have been a sage or a wise man and been valued for his obviously high, albeit misdirected, intelligence. 
He often speaks Mandarin and the local dialect quite well and knows many of the best spots to hang out and he may even be able to help you out in a pinch, but he's also the guy who might also get you into a pinch late at night. 
At his best, he is a helpful and friendly guide to newer foreigners in China and at his worst he is a pragmatist who only looks out for number 1. He may or may not have a military background. It's all very confusing and unclear and he prefers it this way. The waylaid traveler is someone we might hesitate to call a good guy, but he's undeniably entertaining and interesting and can regale you with stories about his escapades in China. Perhaps that story about him being on the run because he owes someone money is true--or maybe he's full of it. We'll never know, but we sure love to hear the stories that pour forth from his mouth and we even may feel a bit sad when he suddenly uproots himself and moves to another country to repeat the cycle once more.5World Travelers
This guy may be a combination of nay number of the above foreigners, but the bottom line is that he loves traveling. 
Sometimes we question just where he's from because he's traveled so much that his accent is hard to place. He sounds British, but has a slight southern American twang. Maybe he's Chinese, but he's lived abroad longer than he's lived in China and doesn't fit in anymore. We really don't know.

They often grew up traveling. Perhaps mom or dad was in the military, the church or some other profession that required extensive traveling. Either way, the traveling bug bit him early and he doesn't seem interested in any cure. He has probably been to over 20 countries by the age of 30 and is looking to increase that number as much as possible in the next few years. Naturally, they're a bit worldly and curious.