Job Discussion Forums

Plume D'ella Plumeria · Joined: 10 Jan 2005 Posts: 28 Location: The Lost Horizon

NOW, I get what GWOW was on about in the locked thread. When I first read it, it was like he was speaking in tongues. I had no real idea as to what he was insinuating.

Now, I do. Our school in Beijing had a visitation today from the lovely burly men dressed in blue and wearing peaked caps. One of them could actually speak English and roughed me up pretty well. Verbally, not physically. Although, if I had been less cooperative and less forthcoming with information, who knows what might have happened?

Luckily, I am working legally. Still, they took my passport, to "check a few things" and promised its return next week.

MOD EDIT

Ariadne · Joined: 16 Jul 2004 Posts: 960

Took your passport and promised its return next week???? If this is part of the process to get your new RP in the passport, well OK. If they just took it for the heck of it... 'to check a few things'... that's weird, and very unsettling. Can you tell us more about what they said to you and what questions they asked during the 'interview'? Are there other teachers at your school and were their passports taken too? Was your FAO present? What was his/her reaction?

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Plume D'ella Plumeria · Joined: 10 Jan 2005 Posts: 28 Location: The Lost Horizon

Ariadne, please let me get back to you later with more detail when I am less upset and unsettled.

It was an upsetting experience. No, it wasn't a matter of putting something in my passport; it was more of a going through it with a fine-tooth comb, magnifying glass thing.

MOD EDIT

They wanted to know my monthly earnings. How many hours a week worked. Who I worked with (Here, I was very protective of my work-mates, did not disclose names and kept things as vague as I could).

I work at a kindy so no FAO. The principal was in attendance, the owner was a phone call away ( and did, in fact, call me several times to reassure me) and a primary investor in the school (who is married to a somewhat high-ranking official) was physically present to apply oil to the wheels.

Still, it was scary. The police officer did his best to intimidate me, and intimidated, I certainly was. I told the truth and nothing but the truth despite the school's advice to lie like a rug.

I will lie about a haircut or a new item of clothing. White lies, if you will. I will not lie to a police officer, especially one in a country with rules so different than my own.

To answer your last question, by chance, three out of our five foreign teachers were away as a matter of coincidence. One subbing for another teacher at another one of our schools. One out for the morning due to personal circumstances. Another away for an off-grounds event. They were the lucky ones.

I was left behind along with another teacher who is having visa issues because of the present political circumstances. She had the presence of mind to lie. I had no such thing because it came down to me out of the blue (literally).

I was truthful because that's how I am by nature. Hopefully, it won't come back to bite me ...

creeper1 · Posted: Thu May 31, 2012 3:00 pm Post subject:

Sheesh. I guess I might have to consider carrying my passport with me while this crackdown is going on.

That is annoying because I don't normally carry the dawm thing.

I guessed the crackdown would be stronger in the foreign areas of Sanlitun or Wuduaoku.

Where in Beijing are you? I am out in the west, Wanshoulu/ Babaoshan area.

rogerwilco · Joined: 10 Jun 2010 Posts: 1549

scholar · Joined: 18 May 2012 Posts: 159

This looks like a perfect example of how the system is working. You are legal, you were able to present your passport with appropriate stamps, and so there was no trouble. They will just check it to tie up loose ends, you'll get it back and no problems. This whole issue has been overblown on the web.

rogerwilco · Joined: 10 Jun 2010 Posts: 1549

Gtomas · Joined: 03 Jun 2010 Posts: 100

Gtomas · Joined: 03 Jun 2010 Posts: 100

I want to know if this "crack down" on illegals will spread to Shanghai or Shenzhen, where powerful men have an investment in foreigners working in the "grey" area of legality.

Beijing is obviously a very politically charged place--being the capital and all. What about the investment centers?

Most people know the Chinese legal system has been designed so everyone is breaking some law all the time. That way they can punish you at any moment.

Every foreigner reading this could probably be kicked out of the country for something. IE not registering in a city they traveled to a year ago for three days. If you did register? Well I'm sure they could quickly lose your records.