Job Discussion Forums

[choudoufu]

more detail.....hangzhou vs. where?

where is the much smaller city? odds are someone here has
been there.

the pay difference is inconsequential.....300 rmb?
would you choose detroit over key west because of $50/month?

you've done some internet research......the cost of living is higher
in the larger city....based on what? native chinese? expats living
on the economy? or ft's living on campus?

[DosEquisX]

Like what has been said already. More detail. I haven't lived in Hangzhou. I've only been there and I liked it quite a bit. I was even pursuing a job there. However, there are definitely some smaller cities that I would take over Hangzhou in a heartbeat even if they paid less.

Perhaps you don't have to show us the full contract. Just the more detailed specifics is enough. There are definitely have warning signs that need to be addressed in a contract. A word with a foreign teacher at the schools would go a long way in helping yourself.

[goodbyeus]

Thank you for all the helpful posts. The name of the smaller city is Fuyang. I was originally confused because apparently there are two cities named Fuyang, one in Anhui province and the other in Zhejiang province. When I originally posted, I thought the smaller school was in Anhui province when apparently it is in the Fuyang in Zhejiang which is approx. an hour by bus from the city of Hangzhou. I suppose this might be a benefit if anything. Seemingly, maybe I will be able to have the best of both worlds if I chose the smaller of the two as if I get bored I will be able to take an hour bus ride into Hangzhou anyway.

I am more of a city type person however so living in Hangzhou might be more my taste in the long run. To answer some of the other posters questions, it is a private teaching company and I have attempted to make contact with FT's from the schools with only luck with one so far.

As far as the housing goes, TECHNICALLY, they both offer the same package which is free accommodation if you chose the shared housing (and if it is available) or 1000RMB allowance for housing of your choosing, which is where the higher cost of living may come into play in this second situation. I did my "research" of cost of living by just looking at what other expats were offering and local prices of 1br apartments there, nothing too extensive.

I suppose my major concern at this point is, (and any input from someone who has lived in Hangzhou would be appreciated here), if I wanted to get my own apartment, or if shared housing wasn't available, in Hangzhou, is around 7000rmb plus the 1000RMB for housing sound good enough to live in a city like Hangzhou if I had to fork in more of my own money from salary to have a decent apartment? (so in reality, probably more around 5000-6000 after housing expenses for own apartment guesstimating around 2500-3000rmb total for apartment based on what I have seen). Now before posters start yelling at me for the ambiguous question of "is it enough to live on," I realize this varies from person to person and depends on personal spending, alcohol, expensive restaurants, etc. so for the purposes of getting to the point, I would say that I am a fairly frugal person, but not excessively so i.e. go out 1-2 times a week but be fairly smart about spending, im not a 22 year old out of college and will spend thousands of dollars on alcohol, been there done that, but that doesn't mean I wouldn't want to have a beer every once in a while.

SO...after my long winded around my elbow to get to my *** question, from anyone that may know, given all of the above information, would the general financial quality of life be THAT different based on two cities like Hangzhou vs. Fuyang if the salaries were around the same, give or take 1000RMB to be on the safe side.

Is this enough syntax deciphering and details for ya? :p

I will still try and get in contact with the FT in Hangzhou before I make any final decision.

Again, thanks for the helpful posts. Waiting for all kinds of replies on this one

[GeminiTiger]

you can assume that housing, taxis and prepared food will cost 50% more in HZ over a smaller city.

[The Edge]

[GeminiTiger]

i had an interview in hz, the school ended up being 1 hour by bus to the real city. the new university area seems to be a long ways from hz.

[Trebek]