Zhang also believes his lab is riddled with bureaucracy and has repeatedly advised trimming administrative personnel, he says.

"But, no, I wouldn't leave," he says.

"I wouldn't even think of it. My career and family are here."

It's not always culture that lures foreigners to China. It's often a career. Many are posted by their employers, rather than opting on their own to relocate to the country.

And those who feel most content seem to be those who evaluate their lives in the country according to non-financial criteria.

CRGBanking senior manager Ulrich Rosenbaum has come to love Guangzhou, a city he'd never heard of and had to look up on Wikipedia before moving there from his native Germany.

"I love being fully integrated into the local community, the street vendors, the witty bargaining."

He encourages other foreigners to step out of their comfort zones. It takes commitment to China if they will last in the country, he believes.

"It should never be just a job," he says.

"Be open-minded. In the end, it all depends on if you find what you want."

I couldn't agree more.

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