Your post is more than a year and a half old but always true. I read it again and found the retired Captain very very courageous. Not just because he has endured all this, but he did it with a lucid constantly critical eye. Which makes it worse !
Here is a very valuable website
Middle Kingdom Life written by an expat who speaks Chinese and was teaching in China for more than 7 years. Wish his insight helps any expat preparation and adjustment in China a bit less traumatic.