Job Discussion Forums

weigookin74 · Joined: 30 Mar 2010 Posts: 265

What's accomodation like? That's the main thing that frightens me a bit.

DosEquisX · Joined: 09 Dec 2010 Posts: 361

For me? Best accommodation I've had on a campus in China.

The school I teach at is solid. Including myself, there are 9 foreign teachers and only 2 of them are leaving (I'm one of them). The reasons for leaving are completely unrelated to the school and its administration. One teacher's sabbatical is about to end and I am leaving China entirely.

Denim-Maniac · Joined: 31 Jan 2012 Posts: 1238

I worked in a city in Hainan that had a population of around 100,000 people. More of a town really. No McDonalds, no KFC, nothing western, and nothing resembling an ex-pat bar. The only foreigners were the other teachers, and the only people that spoke English were the students.

Pretty much everything was challenging, and if I hadnt had such a good housemate, friend and colleague with me it probably would have been a terrible experience for me. I spent almost two years there, but I would never return to that type of place. With limited language skills, every small task is hard, every meal is a challenge and every 'Hellooo' in the street gets tiring.

I now work and live in a place that is similar in size and population, but is the polar opposite in lifestyle and convenience. Yangshuo is very very easy and possibly / probably unlike any other place in China. We have a McDonalds and KFC, but when most people here want to eat something from home we are more likely to hit one of the Indian restaurants, the pizza places, have something Mexican or go for a good old fashioned burger in any of the 40+ restaurants that have English menus and English speaking staff.

The bar scene is quite healthy too. Im nursing a hard-earned hangover this morning having spent several hours in a hip-hop bar (gotta love it when the Chinese rappers battle on the stage there) but if thats not your thing there are plenty of other bars here. Cheap too with local beers from 10 RMB for the big bottles. Foreigners-a-plenty if you really need a break from chatting to Chinese people too. I cant remember the last time someone called out a 'helloooo' to me here. Foreigners are normal here.

My only experience in China is in these two small towns. Polar opposites really. Places like the small Hainan town I lived in (called Wenchang btw) are certainly not for everyone. On the other side of the scale, I reckon Yangshuo is probably the easiest place to live in China. Of the 8 foreign teachers on the teaching schedule at my place this week, only two are on their first contract. One is on his second contract, the rest of us are all on our third.

Both places didnt / dont suffer from the pollution that seems to affect lots of forum members either. I guess I have had a very different China experience to most of you.

jaffa · Joined: 25 Oct 2012 Posts: 403

Yangshuo has a McDonalds and KFC? !!! Surprised

Denim-Maniac · Joined: 31 Jan 2012 Posts: 1238

My point is that in Wenchang City in 2007, McDonalds or KFC would have blown my mind. But Yangshuo is so western than McDonalds or KFC is the last point of call when most of the expats here want a taste of home.

lemak · Joined: 19 Nov 2011 Posts: 368

Denim-Maniac · Joined: 31 Jan 2012 Posts: 1238

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

DirtGuy · Joined: 28 Dec 2004 Posts: 529

For those of you who crave the low-stress country life, there is an opening at my uni. The housing is good, the bosses leave you alone as long as you don't screw up, and you will be surrounded by the local salt-of-the earth types that inhabit Henan Province. You are also on the main line to BJ and ZZ so you can get out quickly whenever you need your big city fix. 3 of us are re-upping for next year and just one person is leaving for a warmer climate.

This is a good job for a newbie concerned about all the horror stories they read on this and other sites.

DirtGuy
Anyang, Henan

Gonzofiend · Joined: 07 Jun 2011 Posts: 4

Denim-Maniac · Joined: 31 Jan 2012 Posts: 1238

[quote="Gonzofiend"]
Ahh, Mojo's, I hear they have redesigned the place since I was last there over Spring Festival. Love the place, except now I'm addicted to Beer Pong. They need a new pool table though! LOL It's nice not to "stick out" like you do in the rest of China, and there is some great food there, although I prefer Shaanxi fare to Guangxi fare. Alley Bar has great burgers. I like Mickey D's but I don't like KFC here in China. They did have a Dicos there but a Watson's replaced it. What sucks about Yangshuo is that there are many, many ways to spend money, so I wouldn't want to work there full-time. (There are cheap alternatives yes, but the Western food is too tempting.)
quote]

I dont think its an expensive place to be TBH. I can walk to Alley and get a chicken burger with fries and a 600 ml local beer for 30 RMB. You'd pay that for a taxi fare in some places.

Its no secret I love Yangers ... I really cant imagine Id want to work anywhere else in China! The experiences I often read about on this forum, just dont exist / rarely exist here for me in Yangshuo. I gave a real pat on the back to my elementary / low-intermediate class this morning. They spent 10 minutes doing pair work and I didnt hear a single student use Chinese during my monitoring. Contrast that with the oft-heard stereotype of Chinese students that wont / dont speak and you can see why I stay here!

(MoJo has opened up the roof terrace, its now maybe 1/3rd bigger. They have raised the dance floor too, so its more like a stage for rap and dance battles! Pool table still sucks tho!)

DirtGuy · Joined: 28 Dec 2004 Posts: 529

I just found another reason for opting for a location away from a big city. Spent a few Y on a decent bike and took it for a 2 hour jaunt out of town. Within 30 minutes of leaving my apartment, I was in real countryside. You still had morons honking their horns at you but at least there were not as many of them and the scenery was pretty good. Planning to extend my trip by 30 minutes every week until I can get up to at least 4 hours of constant pedaling.

Now, I had my heart monitor on, I'm staying right in the correct range, the bike is way fast compared to my last one, everything seems to be going well, and then some chunky, middle-aged, guy smoking a cigarette passes me on an uphill stretch on a mountain bike. The ego deflation was fast and painful.

DirtGuy

mw182006 · Joined: 10 Dec 2012 Posts: 310

So denim-maniac and dirtguy, either of you care to take a newbie under your wing this fall? Very Happy

Both of you give such glowing impressions. I don't have the 2 years of teaching experience, but I've got a solid resume, degree, and learn fast! I'm going on 10 years in the corporate world (I'm only 30) and need a change.