Job Discussion Forums

[jg]

Hello,

I am teaching in China and though its okay most of the time, I think that my personality may not be suited to China. Its a little too uptight here, I feel stressed due to the all work and no play attitude some have here. That and a few other things... for me living in such a radically different culture might be easier if they weren't so in-your-face and quarrelsome. Maybe its Shanghai, but lately I am more curious about teaching in Indonesia.

Anyone with any comparisons on the differing approaches to living between the two countries? Thanks in advance.

[guruengerish]

I think you would find the Javanese a lot less confrontationalist. They go to great lengths to avoid direct face to face problems, and have many ways of going around such things.. This is why they have about twelve different ways of saying "no".

My dealings with Chinese in Indonesia was that they were much more direct, certainly with westerners.

I feel that you'd get along fine with Indonesians, as long as YOU don't confront them. Always go around things, and you'll end up with the same result anyway. They much prefer consensus to numbers, and discussions rather than edicts.

A good book to get hold of is "Culture Shock Indonesia". It explains a lot.

[TEAM_PAPUA]

The simple answer to your question is YES.

I lived in Indonesia for 2 years then came to China where I lived up in the 'spits' for a year, then Shanghai for a year. Indonesia, though having many of its own probelms & annoyances, is much better than China IMO

At least in Indonesia you don't get force fed 24/7 about how great the country is by the Ministry of Truth (CCTV & all your robot students) And you actually get more respect as a teacher and a professional than you do in the PRC, where unless you are in business you are a nobody.

[william wallace]

nothing to say.

[TEAM_PAPUA]