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Hermosillo
Joined: 17 Jun 2014
Posts: 176
Location: Chiang Mai, Thailand
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 Posted: Wed Oct 26, 2016 11:47 am Post subject: Every job offer seems to come from The Five Furnaces. |
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| I get emails from prospective employers and it's really an interesting geography lesson. I can't help but notice that when I run these destinations through Wiki; they often are mentioned as being one of "The Five Furnaces of China." The saying: "Where there is smoke; there is usually fire" comes to mind. Are these just more industrial cities, or just ones known for hot climates? Is it a red flag for sure, or do I maybe seem like a good candidate for one of these places? And, yes, I will work anywhere if the pay is right, which sure as heck isn't the case here in Chiang Mai, but it's a comfy lifestyle, with minimal visa hassles. Your thoughts would be appreciated, THX! |
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Osiry
Joined: 19 Mar 2015
Posts: 84
Location: Nanjing
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| Posted: Wed Oct 26, 2016 9:27 pm Post subject: |
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| It refers to a few cities in the Yangtze river valley that can get quite hot and humid during summer. Look up meteorological data on the cities to see if they'd be too hot for you, as most of them are quite nice places to live! |
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jimpellow
Joined: 12 Oct 2007
Posts: 913
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| Posted: Thu Oct 27, 2016 12:29 am Post subject: |
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I agree with the above poster that cities like Nanjing and Hangzhou are nicer cities in China.
Hard to say why this is happening. It may have something to do with the fact that they have high demand for teachers but these same cities like Nanjing and Hangzhou now have some of the most arduous processes for obtaining a z-visa. They may have lost a lot of the "non-qualifieds" and more teachers may be choosing cities where the process is easier. |
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Osiry
Joined: 19 Mar 2015
Posts: 84
Location: Nanjing
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| Posted: Thu Oct 27, 2016 3:58 am Post subject: |
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| jimpellow wrote: |
| I agree with the above poster that cities like Nanjing and Hangzhou are nicer cities in China. |
I liked Nanjing so much I'm moving back there in February!
I think you might be onto something regarding increased demand due to tighter visa requirements.
It's a lot more arduous this year than it was even last year. I imagine some people can't be bothered spending all the money to get the necessary documents to obtain the z-visa. |
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Tazz
Joined: 26 Sep 2013
Posts: 512
Location: Jakarta
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| Posted: Thu Oct 27, 2016 4:35 am Post subject: |
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maybe not so much 'can't be bothered' as running a cost-benefit analysis-who wants to go through all the expense involved for a crappy $1000 a month?  |
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The bear
Joined: 16 Aug 2015
Posts: 483
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| Posted: Thu Oct 27, 2016 8:50 am Post subject: |
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| Tazz wrote: |
| maybe not so much 'can't be bothered' as running a cost-benefit analysis-who wants to go through all the expense involved for a crappy $1000 a month? |
That's it.
I remember when I was first looking into teaching abroad. Korea was a possible destination, but the legwork needed put me off. So I opted for China instead.
Now I've been here a few years, I'm willing to put in the effort for the new requirements. But if I was a new teacher I'm not sure I'd be willing to go through all the upfront costs.
I mean: medical, first flight, degree authentication, etc. could all easily add up to over 2,000 dollars. If you have a public school position, salary of 5,000 a month, for 9 months of the year. That's only 6,640 dollars, minus the 2,000 to get set up... |
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joe30
Joined: 07 Jul 2016
Posts: 112
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| Posted: Thu Oct 27, 2016 10:13 am Post subject: |
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| Anyone who actually accepts a position paying 5,000 a month for 9 months of the year quite frankly is too stupid to be let out of the house without supervision, let alone go to a foreign country. |
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OhBudPowellWhereArtThou
Joined: 02 Jun 2015
Posts: 1168
Location: Since 2003
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| Posted: Thu Oct 27, 2016 9:40 pm Post subject: |
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| joe30 wrote: |
| Anyone who actually accepts a position paying 5,000 a month for 9 months of the year quite frankly is too stupid to be let out of the house without supervision, let alone go to a foreign country. |
Maybe not. Some folks who have two MA's and 16 years experience teaching at home and abroad and are published authors might disagree.
How do you stack up? |
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joe30
Joined: 07 Jul 2016
Posts: 112
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| Posted: Thu Oct 27, 2016 9:57 pm Post subject: |
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| OhBudPowellWhereArtThou wrote: |
Maybe not. Some folks who have two MA's and 16 years experience teaching at home and abroad and are published authors might disagree.
How do you stack up? |
The more qualifications someone has just makes them all the more stupid for accepting a 45,000rmb a year position. |
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Tazz
Joined: 26 Sep 2013
Posts: 512
Location: Jakarta
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| Posted: Fri Oct 28, 2016 12:31 am Post subject: |
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back in 2004, when I was last here, I did meet the 'retired on a decent pension' academic types who were happy with the minimal hours, residing in the panda house, type gigs. Different times.....typical pay back then was only 3500-4000 a month in some of the more highly rated government Unis. 12 years on and the offers are roughly 6-7000 a month. However I see prices have almost doubled - and in general there is a different attitude towards the 'foreign experts'. We are ten a penny now, those government Uni jobs are asking for 18-20 hours a week, not 12-14, and overall the workload seems to have increased. I'm sorry-but pension or no pension, or private income, if you have a double MA, 16 years experience, are qualified-working for less than $1000 a month is just plain crazy......  |
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nimadecaomei
Joined: 22 Sep 2016
Posts: 605
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| Posted: Fri Oct 28, 2016 4:25 am Post subject: |
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| joe30 wrote: |
| Anyone who actually accepts a position paying 5,000 a month for 9 months of the year quite frankly is too stupid to be let out of the house without supervision, let alone go to a foreign country. |
Not bad if you have no quals and don't really know how to do the job. 6K would be better, but only slightly. Compare that to being unemployed and it is a great gain. |
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plumpy nut
Joined: 12 Mar 2011
Posts: 1652
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| Posted: Sat Oct 29, 2016 3:22 pm Post subject: |
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| joe30 wrote: |
| Anyone who actually accepts a position paying 5,000 a month for 9 months of the year quite frankly is too stupid to be let out of the house without supervision, let alone go to a foreign country. |
That is an extremely low wage for China. However for the newbie after a year of working at 5000, a newbie can go up the ladder to a higher wage. It's difficult to get good Korean jobs or any other good job with no experience. Thailand the pay is just as low with really bad students. |
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Markness
Joined: 30 Dec 2009
Posts: 738
Location: Chengdu
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| Posted: Mon Nov 07, 2016 7:21 am Post subject: |
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| The low-paying jobs are reserved for the types of westerners who come here for a year to essentially go on a holiday and don't know the system any better. There are tons of them kicking around, so their operation will remain active for as long as there are greasy backpackers looking for a bit of a holiday. Typical jobs like this advertise "Teach N' Travel", or something along those lines, and that basically says "we will pay you jack sh*t and exploit you as a monkey because you don't know any better". Tons of cheap-ass training schools pulling off those shenanigans. |
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joe30
Joined: 07 Jul 2016
Posts: 112
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| Posted: Sun Nov 13, 2016 1:04 am Post subject: |
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| plumpy nut wrote: |
| joe30 wrote: |
| Anyone who actually accepts a position paying 5,000 a month for 9 months of the year quite frankly is too stupid to be let out of the house without supervision, let alone go to a foreign country. |
That is an extremely low wage for China. However for the newbie after a year of working at 5000, a newbie can go up the ladder to a higher wage. It's difficult to get good Korean jobs or any other good job with no experience. Thailand the pay is just as low with really bad students. |
Nobody should be accepting 5000 a month, even a total noob with no idea what to do or how to teach. You'd be better off unemployed back home (as in, you'll actually make more money claiming unemployment benefits). |
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The bear
Joined: 16 Aug 2015
Posts: 483
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| Posted: Sun Nov 13, 2016 1:41 am Post subject: |
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| joe30 wrote: |
| plumpy nut wrote: |
| joe30 wrote: |
| Anyone who actually accepts a position paying 5,000 a month for 9 months of the year quite frankly is too stupid to be let out of the house without supervision, let alone go to a foreign country. |
That is an extremely low wage for China. However for the newbie after a year of working at 5000, a newbie can go up the ladder to a higher wage. It's difficult to get good Korean jobs or any other good job with no experience. Thailand the pay is just as low with really bad students. |
Nobody should be accepting 5000 a month, even a total noob with no idea what to do or how to teach. You'd be better off unemployed back home (as in, you'll actually make more money claiming unemployment benefits). |
But that's only the financial side of things.
Let's take an example situation of a newbie on 5,000 a month, working at a uni 16 teaching hours a week, free apartment, utilities included, long holiday, in a small central-Chinese city.
Their quality of life would be a lot better than unemployment at home. They could eat out every meal (Nothing fancy of course BUT with the occasional western or 'better' meal). They would have plenty of social activities (being foreign in China you're automatically an interest). They'd have great opportunities for travel. They'd have the potential to learn a new language.
And that doesn't include the fact they can find side jobs to up their income.
I'm personally on 5,500 a month, but I didn't choose this job for money. I work 8 hours a week at a uni. BUT I have 4 hours of private classes a week, upping my salary to 9,300 a month. In a great city.
I really wish people would stop thinking better salary = better job/life. |
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