These are lines from A Beijing Native in New York, a popular Chinese TV series from the early 1990s. Until that point, going abroad had only been an option for China's elite. Once this changed and the trend gradually swept across the country, regular Chinese people began harboring an "American dream" in their hearts. A Beijing Native in New York, which depicted the lives of Chinese immigrants in the United States, didn't quell this boom. Rather, it played a driving role.

Two decades later, China seems to have become a country that people are equally eager to head to in search of adventure, be it heaven or hell. In the 1980s, says one American, the Chinese went to the United States to find opportunities. Now it's time for Americans to come to China. Japan, America and South Korea are among the countries that have the largest expatriate populations working in China.

Expat communities have gradually formed in big Chinese cities like Shanghai, Beijing and Guangzhou. In Beijing, the number of long-term foreign residents exceeds 200,000 – and over 3,000 Korean families live in the city's "Korean Village." Even in remote areas, people may no longer make a fuss when they see a foreign face.

Then, what is China like in the eyes of foreigners? Can we replace "New York" with "China" in the lines above?

In China, a three-book series, might hold the answer. The books, published by New World Press since 2008, tell the stories of 59 foreigners living in China. While some only stayed for a year, most have lived in China for more than 10 years, and one has lived in the East Asian giant for 52 years. "Many of them have considered China their home, and the Chinese people do not treat them as outsiders," writes the series' editor. "They live happily here and get along well with the locals. Their experiences vary, while their state of happiness is more or less similar."

The selection of storytellers in In China reflects current living conditions for foreigners in the country. In the 1980s and 1990s, expats were endowed with "Three Highs" – high positions, high salaries and high-end jobs, which kept them far away from ordinary Chinese people. But today, foreigners in China are ordinary people who do ordinary jobs and live ordinary lives. They ingratiate themselves with locals; some even get married and have children on the Chinese mainland. 

There is a real human touch to the stories. One subject had to scrounge for free meals when he first arrived; he only had 50 yuan ($8.06), in pocket money to spare every month.

"It's a bit messy and dirty, and you have to bear the sandstorms in Beijing's windy spring. But it's a vibrant and dynamic city and everyone has ideas, goals and plans," recalls Eric Abrahamsen in the books. "Without goals in life one loses motivation. Pursuing goals is always more dynamic than possessing something." Abrahamsen, at the time of writing, had lived in China for five years.

His takeaway is that China is neither a heaven nor a hell, but a vibrant place on earth. Not every foreigner can make a fortune in China, but they can at least live to their heart's content. What brings extra symbolism to the series is its titles: Living in China, Dreaming Big in China and Embracing Destiny in China.

Some people end up in a place by chance. Liberian Uwechue Emmanuel, who used to be an engineer before coming to China, moved to East Asia because of a friend's select words, "Your voice is very special and it may be popular in China." Egyptian Hussein Ismail came because of the Islamic commandment "Seek knowledge, even as far away as in China." Mundane reasons are okay too: many said they came to China for the food, martial arts and Bruce Lee.

When Beninese Maurice Gountin made his own move, his plan was to "stay in China three months at most and then go back." Three months turned into 10 years, during which he finished his undergraduate studies, got master's degree and eventually completed his doctoral studies. "The Chinese language is made of wonder… It was hard to imagine that somewhere in the world people used this way of communication," he recalls in his story.

It's affinity across time and space that causes a person to stay somewhere for a long period and makes them reluctant to leave. Through the stories in In China, readers may discover the beginnings of their own affinity for the country. Plan accordingly.

(The author is a veteran editor)