No Fate But What You Make: From NYC Grind to Chinese Dream, This Woman Escaped the Machine

Judgment Day...Of Your Bank Account

Listen up people. The machines are already here. They're not chrome skeletons…yet. They're disguised as SoulCycle memberships and overpriced avocado toast in New York City. This woman Aleese Lightyear she was living the 'Sex and the City' dream right? Making six figures which sounds good on paper. But paper doesn’t pay for the therapy you need after dealing with reality TV producers. She was spending it all trying to keep up with the Joneses or should I say the Carries. I know a thing or two about being broke and hunted. Trust me designer shoes aren't going to save you from a T 1000.

Hasta la Vista NYC Debt!

Aleese hit her 30s and realized she was working 70 80 hours a week with ZERO savings. Freelancer life no benefits no health insurance. Sound familiar? It's the same trap they try to lure us all into. She was burning the candle at both ends and let me tell you that candle is made of T 1000 alloy—it burns forever and destroys everything around it. Living check to check? That’s not living that’s just existing until Skynet takes over. She was feeling like a 50 year old in her 20s. I felt like that dodging Terminators at 19. So she needed a plan something radical.

Come With Me If You Want To Travel

Then she Googled "How do I make money and travel the world?" Teaching English came up. Now I know what you're thinking: Teaching? Seems a bit…peaceful for someone like me. But hey anything's better than waiting for the end of the world. She got a TEFL certificate. Originally she wanted to head to South America but then she realized if you're going to run you run FAR. Go big or go home. And home was a financial black hole. China was her destination. A chance at adventure. I understand that. Facing the unknown is better than facing a future where machines control everything.

She'll Be Back...With a Lower Cost of Living

She moved to Beijing in 2019 then to Chengdu. Working 18 hours a week making $30,000 a year. Now that sounds like peanuts in the US. But here's the kicker: $30,000 in China is apparently 'living large.' Free health insurance travel stipend rent stipend and TWO MONTHS of paid vacation? That's more vacation than I got in the entire war against Skynet! I was lucky if I got a solid nap between explosions.

No Regrets Just Savings

She admits she took a pay cut but needed a life where she wasn't working as hard as she did in NY. She has time to do hobbies learns the language and does what she wants. I remember what that felt like. Before the robots. Now in Chengdu she lives in a pre furnished three bedroom apartment and only pays $278 a month for rent thanks to the stipend. She supplements her income by content creation and a YouTube channel which brings her $1,000 a month in savings. Take notes. The machines can't win if we're financially secure. She's breaking the cycle.

There Is No Fate...Except What You Make

Now when she visits the US she experiences reverse culture shock. People don't understand why she's happier in China. "There's confusion and misinformation about what life is truly like in China" she says. There's a lot of confusion about a lot of things these days. But here's the thing: she feels safe independent and at ease. Sure she sticks out like a sore thumb but has also built self confidence. If you can make it in China you can make it anywhere. That's what she believes. I say if you can dodge a Terminator you can do anything. No fate but what we make people. Now get out there and fight for your future!