Job Discussion Forums

[Mandrews1985]

Hi guys, I've been looking at these forums fair a little while now and I'm just wondering if i can get some general advice. I hope to start working in China after my current contract in Korea is up. I have a BA, 2 years experience and a 120 hour TESOL (not distance) certification.

My problem is I know nothing about China and I don't know where to start. Honestly I could only name Beijing and Shanghai, any other city name means nothing to me.

I WANT to research about the country before making a decision to go over there, from what I hear a lot of people make the move, freak out and leave or they're just in China on a gap year and don't look too deep into it.

Where should I start looking? Are there any useful websites you can think of? The postings I've seen on Dave's look alright, but is their any agencies you could recommend, that may offer more information?

weather Daegu, Korea is massively humid and hot in the summer, dry and cold in the winter, the weather doesnt bother me much.

location I'd like to be in a medium sized city, that has nice surroundings, maybe some mountains to trek, lakes to look at....forests? but at the same time I'd like to be in a City where I can enjoy some foreigners/foreign comforts if I feel the needs. (like a beer in a foreigner bar, or the occassional McDs?) I'm looking away from Shanghai/Beijing.

Realistically, I don't want to be in the middle of no where but I don't want to be in the middle of Beijing. Coastal (or semi Coastal would be great!)

job type University is my only preference.

Is private tutoring outside of work hours illegal? or is it 'illegal' but nobody cares?

Do many university jobs allow you to create your own syllabus? (This is something that I am interested in doing, having little creative freedom at my current academy, I would like the opportunity.

So I'm asking you nicely, to please give me what ever advice you can think, something you'd have liked to have known prior to arriving, a website that could help me choose a location, your opinion on what location would be nice. I'd really appreciate your input.

[hippocampus]

Not to put too fine a point on it, but South Korea is a fine, first world country as nice as they come. China is a third world dump. Now that might suit you, if you're in a mood to get down and dirty, but the move you're anticipating is like from Muncie, Indiana to Timbuktu.

[Non Sequitur]

Assuming you're not put off by hippo, my advice is to go for an initial position that has the least downside possibilities.
Include vocational colleges along with unis. The students seem to be a little more unspoiled. I've worked for two of these and one Tier One uni.
Go for 2nd level provincial centres as they're a little less pricy.
If you get RMB4500 pm after tax for 10 months that's good.
RMB10,000 airfare allowance.
Live on campus in single occupancy apartment with internet and utilities paid.
No more that 20 hrs contact time pw.
Oral English preferred. Non contact hours minimal as opposed to say Written English.
All work on one site.
College is actually in the city mentioned in the ad - not an hour's bus ride (in your time) to a development zone somewhere.
Class size reasonable - no more than 50 nominal students. You'll never see all of them at once - except when they're wheedling for a pass mark having attended a couple of times.
On the coast.
Access to past/present FTs who can give you the lowdown.
Direct contact with hirer even if facilitated by agent.
Look for a thread 'Job offer checklist' on this forum.
Best

[Mr.Engrish]

hippo is full of it.

I loved Korea when I was there. China has its own beauty.

Come to China and see for yourself, if you don't like it, go to Japan.

Cheers.