Thinking back, it was not hard for me to leave behind a life of "comfort". I have been planning to leave since the moment I understood that I was not happy having my supervisors judging my potential by a 360 review, or their perception of who I was. I also was tired of the daily small talk before, during and at the end of work. Every time someone said "another day another penny", "it is Monday!", "3 more hours to go", "1 more hour to go", "it's Friday", etc.
I had started 6 small business, although most of them had failed, they left me with an irreplaceable first hand experience on risk taking. Starting your own business while going to school, being a single dad and holding at full time job it is not easy task, but I the desired to put my money where my mouth is pushed to put the extra time. Moving to China was going to be my new enterprise, all I need to do is put extra time and take the risk, besides living in a communist country with multiple alleged human rights violation sounded more appealing that enduring another day at my job.
It is exciting to take risk and being challenged, just when I took a moto-taxi (riding on the back of a 125cc Suzuki) in the middle of Caracas, the second most dangerous city of the American Continent, I thought I was going to ruin my pants, but when we finally arrived, I realized this was the most exciting park ride i ever had. I felt moving to china was going to be similar to riding that bike, I was not safe, nor I was ready, but I was ready enough. So I told my business partners, kid and family I am leaving and you are taking care of business while I am gone.
Now after five month in China, I lost weight due to regular exercise and weekly food poisoning, I learned that learning Mandarin is harder than my overconfidence ego had anticipated, I met a bunch of like minded entrepreneurs and realized the amazing similarities China has with South American bureaucracy. Nevertheless, I still feel it was a great decision and I my only regret is, not doing it earlier.
