My small American town was perfect for growing up, but not for building a career. So I moved to China.

Emory Babb moved to Beijing in 2017 and has no interest in moving back to the US.

Provided by Emory Babb

• Emory Babb, now 32, had been struggling with his job in Oregon and started looking for a career change.
• After a friend suggested teaching English in Beijing, he moved to China in 2017.
• If he ever left China, he would prefer moving to Europe over the US.

This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Emory Babb, 32, cofounder of Grassroots, a vegan company based in Beijing.