Job Discussion Forums

johntpartee · Joined: 02 Mar 2010 Posts: 3258

Re: "Warning! Henan Business College, Zhengzhou"

Re: "There IS a blacklist!"

I just got this e-mail from the FAO:

The good news is we got your residence permit valid until February 10th, 2013. So you can stay in China and work here without worries. Please take the passport in my office tomorrow during working hour.
But according to the police rules, your blacklist will be kept to the end of our present contract. If you obey the contract rules and do your duty well, we will then apply to the police station to eliminate it.
Again, we appreciate all your efforts to teach students in our university so far. And we are glad that you tell us the truth in the blacklist issue. That's the premise we keep good cooperation and build mutual trust relationship in the future.

I can't believe it. As I said on the "There IS a blacklist" topic, I was sure I was dead in the water.

The Great Wall of Whiner · Joined: 29 Jan 2003 Posts: 4946 Location: Blabbing

Call me cynical/jaded/untrusting....

But it seems to me that this is a perfect way to keep their foreigners on a tight leash. Note the subtle threat:

If you obey the contract rules and do your duty well, we will then apply to the police station to eliminate it.

Of course, if you do not "do your duty well" (which could be anything to their liking) they threaten to not apply to have it eliminated.

I don't buy that they can even apply to have it removed; I think it would be automatic after the contract is over, yes?

johntpartee · Joined: 02 Mar 2010 Posts: 3258

You have to remember that this is Chinglish. However, you do have a point; yes, that can be interpreted as such, but I don't think that's the case.

In any case, I still have no regrets about what happened. I told the president and the FAO while this was going on that my actions were justified. I wasn't imposing any Western morality on a foreign country; if somebody is trying to take something away from me that belongs to me without my permission, that is stealing. My exact words.

xiguagua · Joined: 09 Oct 2011 Posts: 768

Sure they could screw you over in the end, it could be just a way to tighten the leash on foreigners, but if you're a responsible teacher and you don't do anything you shouldn't be doing......you won't have to worry about this anyway. Do a good job, don't create a lot of problems and you should be fine. It's good to be cautious, but I think if you go into meeting people with the idea that they're going to screw you over it can cause a lot of tension.

I'm not saying trust everyone, I'm saying that you shouldn't have the "everyone's out to get me" mentality. Nothing you could do about it anyway, cross that bridge if and when it comes.

johntpartee · Joined: 02 Mar 2010 Posts: 3258

Precisely. My comment about Chinglish was not facetious. When Chinese is translated verbatim into English it sounds very "to the point"; some would say rude. When the FAO wrote "do your duty well" it means doing what I always do, i.e., showing up for classes and teaching.

Opiate · Joined: 10 Aug 2011 Posts: 630 Location: Qingdao

Glad things worked out for you as far as the paperwork. Let's hope they do the right thing so you do not have to hop a plane to Mexico again.

danasoverseasemail · Joined: 08 Jan 2012 Posts: 86

You are quite gullible to buy their story. There is no authorized blacklist. I have no doubt that some authorities have lists of those that violate contracts or cause trouble in some form or another. So, there sure may be something with your name on it for whatever reason.

However, it's clear you're falling for manipulation for control.

In addition, you have no right to post other people's e-mail messages without their permission. You know that, right?

johntpartee · Joined: 02 Mar 2010 Posts: 3258

Zimmer · Joined: 26 Oct 2011 Posts: 229

It does make me wonder if the blacklist isn't more of a red flag against your name rather than an actual blacklist.

johntpartee · Joined: 02 Mar 2010 Posts: 3258

I don't know. Everything I got from the president and the FAO used the word "blacklist". I'm just glad that the powers that be at HBC weren't able to close off this part of the world to me.

Zimmer · Joined: 26 Oct 2011 Posts: 229

dean_a_jones · Joined: 03 Jul 2009 Posts: 1151 Location: Wuhan, China

Lobster · Posted: Thu Mar 15, 2012 1:35 pm Post subject:

He probably doesn't want to Dean, he has no choice. Still, better to paraphrase the e-mail than cut and paste I guess.

Seeing as how they rejected his RP, it looks like there was a complaint against him. This probably doesn't indicate the existence of e general blacklist, but rather is a reflection of an individual case where a school made a complaint against a specific individual.

That's great news John, and I think that it's going to be ok. You, being there, can get a much better read on their intentions and attitudes. The last line about appreciation sounds positive to me, and I hope that it all works out for the best.

RED

choudoufu · Joined: 25 May 2010 Posts: 3325 Location: Mao-berry, PRC

johntpartee · Joined: 02 Mar 2010 Posts: 3258

When I said "ignorance of the law is no excuse", I was being a wise guy. I believe that since that e-mail was sent to me, it is mine. I can do with it what I want. I pasted it instead of paraphrasing because the tenor of the note is clearer when it is in the original vernacular. The FAO mentioned obeying the contract rules; I will if the school will. I will do my duty if they will do theirs. In addition, several posters have said there is no blacklist. I don't know if there is or not. That is the term that has been used by the police and the school since this whole thing started. Whatever it's called, the result was the same. I was blacklisted. I beat it.