Job Discussion Forums

[Dr. Dow]

Huashang College is a definite pass if you are a vibrant person interested in a social life that doesn't entail 90 minute bus rides to Guangzhou. 15 rmb for the bus, plus taxi fare to the hotel etc.. adds up.

This school has lied to me from the get go. This is the 1st year they have employed foreigners. Basically, they don't know what they are doing. I had to tell them how to process my RP. I had to tell them how to do a lot of other things too.

For example - the HR girl asked me to send her a scan of my visa. I sent her a copy of my RP. She responded - No, that is not what I need. I need a copy of x. Please see the attached image. It was of an L-visa.

The school is relatively nice, but remote. Except for a few shops on campus that sell drinks and chips, the farmer's market near the gate and the BBQ behind the teachers apartment building there is nothing here. You can not walk anywhere. The campus is located around 30 minutes via bus to downtown Zengcheng. 90 minutes, 80 on a good day, to Tianhe. We do have a lovely view of a toll booth.

If you are older or just a young hermit who enjoys 90 minute bus rides into town, it isn't bad. But, if you want to enjoy life on a daily basis, just get a job in GZ. Not here. Quite frankly, this place is the worst school I've worked at in China. I wonder what I was thinking when I accepted their offer. The list goes on.

As previously mentioned, they have lied to me since I came here in August. While the apartment is nice, the ad that I responded to said it had a TV. It does. But, the building isn't wired for cable. The washing machine is backwards and the balcony light switch is on the other side of the room. The apartment is pretty nice though.

The ad also said FREE RP. I wound up paying 800 rmb for it. The ad said I could smell fruit trees in the air. The only thing I smell is their bullshit.

Over the 8 months that I've been here, the electric and/or internet has gone out more times than in the previous 6+ years of my existence in China. It was out for 3 hours earlier today.


I have complained more times here in 8 months than I ever did combined the previous 6+ years in China.

If you are interested in "teaching" 60+ students who weren't accepted to a mediocre public university or one of Guangdong's better private schools, like being secluded on campus and/or traveling 90 minutes to have fun, by all means - sign up.

To be honest, the pay isn't bad, but not great either. The campus isn't bad, but could be better. They have a very nice dirt track. It is very good dirt. 100% brown.

If you "teach" English majors and are 50+ years old, it isn't bad. If you want to do things after class though, it isn't the best.

God orbid that you are assigned non-English majors. Stunards is kind. Even though I haven't taken Chinese classes since I was 6 or so, my Chinese is better than their English. Sad but true. I challenged a class last week by writing numbers on the board. 1 student could pronounce 27.

The staff is nice. I think that has something to do with the novelty of having laowai on staff though. I hate it here. 103 days or so to go.

For more details, PM me.

In conclusion, since I am a fair man - Huashang College is ok if you like being a hermit. I'm all for seclusion, but, I won't work here in September. Your choice.

[code808]

Could you be a little more specific - did they not honor contract, not pay on time, etc. I know you mentioned 60 students in a class - is this the norm there?

I have an interview with them and if it's that bad - I will rethink my plan.

TIA

[bythebookie]

It sounds to me like you let them "take advantage of you" !!

You allowed them to force you to pay the costs of the resident permit?

You didn't ask for photos of the campus or apartment before accepting the job?

You didn't go on-site prior to accepting the job to ensure you got what you signed up for?

Where are their violations?

[code808]

I truly appreciate all comments and PM's concerning Huashang. You are giving me a lot to think about and all feedback is taken into consideration.

Thanks

[mat chen]

My social life is more than ninety minute bus rides. The bus and train rides are the best social life in China. You get to talk with people who are not just interested in what you can do for them. Sorry Bud, read a book or send some text messages in Chinese to friends. Better yet get a bike and spend three hours lestening to the birds sing and seeing China.
Guanzhou is the best city in China for sights, sounds and smells.

[Riviello]

Code,

Since neither of us have enough posts to send PM's, send me an email and I'll send you an honest, fair review.

[email protected]

[Salvatore]

Here is the story of my last month or so at Huashang -

Sometime in mid-May I sent the HR people (the school doesn't have an FAO dedicated to the foreign staff) an email about receiving a Release Letter as well as asking about the exit procedure. They never responded.

In mid-June I sent an email to the Dean and he said it wasn't his department. I sent another to the HR folk and they didn't respond, again.

On June 27th I spoke to a lawyer in GZ and she called them. The person she spoke to didn't know the answers. The next day my lawyer called again and was asked - Why did Sal call a lawyer? The lawyer said it had something to do with the lack of response from all staff at the school.

Either way, on June 29th I finally received a reply to the original email I sent 6 weeks before and was told I had to vacate the schools apartment tomorrow! I also received an email that said the final salary would be paid as usual on the 15th.

I won't compare this with other schools, but, it was a 1st! Basically, other schools have given me the Release Letter after I turned in the grades and deposited the money on the last day of the contract.

I told them that I would leave on Tuesday July 5th and needed to be paid cash because I was leaving their "wonderful country". Eventually they agreed.

Because of schedule conflicts, I changed the plan to leave on Thursday the 7th and asked them to have the money and letter ready then. The plan changed again because of them. Either way, I booked a flight for Friday afternoon assuming the process would be simple.

Nothing is simple in China, usually, but, definitely at Huashang. They had a week to fill out a form and count the money. I wound up spending 2 hours Friday morning walking around the school getting signatures on a "wasted" piece of paper. One of the signees even asked/said - Why is he here? He doesn't need to be here.

I was eventually paid around 3pm and had to change my flight and stay in a hotel. They had a week. All I had to do was walk to the Finance office, sign a form and receive the money. Then, leave. 10 minutes, not 3 hours.

The best part of my last month which is the real reason anyone seriously considering "teaching" here should have their head examined was the Final Exam.

I began the Final a few weeks before the term ended, as usual. This gives/gave me time to chat with pairs of students for a few minutes so that I can somehow give them a grade, even though only a handful deserved to pass.

The 1st pair was comprised of 2 girls. I asked the 1st girl - What is your name? Her friend translated. Read more about it on a different thread.

What should be emphasized is that I then changed the plan and just watched a movie. I told the kids, everyone would pass, but, if they wanted a better score they could talk to me outside.

Out of 1000+ stunards, perhaps 100 "talked/stared" to/at me. The rest were happy that they passed.

That is why this dispensary should be avoided.

Good Luck.

[GuestBob]

[Salvatore]

Exactly.

Believe me, I didn't want to, but since the Chinese teachers do it, I did it.

Huashang is not a stellar institution of higher learning. It is a glorified child care center. I wasn't a "teacher", I was a babysitter.

An even better part - my Release Letter says I'm a "terrible" babysitter!

I think the Dick was pissed off that I caused him to lose face a few times regarding the Breach of the foreign babysitter's contract, as well as my "complaints" about lack of electric and internet on a regular basis.

Believe me, he did everything within his power to have me banned from China. His comments on the Release Letter should scare off most "schools".

I don't care because I wouldn't work in China again even if Zhang Ziyi sat on my FACE. Well, then again, we all have our weak points.

Again - "Teaching" in China is a joke. That goes for foreigners and the locals who just read from the book.

[GuestBob]

[igorG]

[Salvatore]

I'm sorry Uncle Bob, I did not accept a position at a university/college to "teach" numbers, fruit, ABC's etc... If I wanted to do that I would have applied to a kindergarten.

I do agree that I should have visited the school 1st and then I probably wouldn't have accepted the offer, but, not everyone is in a position to visit schools in different provinces.

As for being "taken advantage of", I complained, but, there is not much you can do after having moved into the school apartment 2 weeks before the semester began.

I admit - I'm guilty of believing what the dispensary's internet ad said, as well as what I was told by the HR lady regarding the time needed to get to Tianhe on the bus. 90 minutes definitely isn't "around 45 minutes".

In retrospect, I think they meant 45 minutes to get to the GZ city line!!

For what it's worth - there were 4 foreign teachers at Huashang last September. 1 paid his way out of the contract at the beginning of April. The school then hired an older lady in May to replace him for 7 weeks! She left after a month.

The funny thing is that the then hired an older man to work the last 2 weeks. I guess they needed to justify to the parents the extra tuition paid for a babysitting session.

Either way, of the 4 original FT's, only 1 will return in September. He got lucky and was assigned the English majors.

Accept a job at Huashang, if they are even advertising, and find out what I know.

Dick Tang said I was a terrible teacher. I wonder why what I tried to do in class with college babies at HC worked fine at other schools, particularly BNU-Zhuhai?

More than one of the Huashang "students" told me they wanted to go to BeiShiDa but weren't accepted.



The students are terrible, not me. For what its worth - I wrote the Dick an email and told him that I would teach the kids fruit, numbers, ABC's, sing songs and play games if the dispensary paid me what a kindergarten would, 10k or so. They said NO, watch movies instead!



In conclusion, I'm happy at home in the USA now. It is a shame, though, that 7 years in China ended on such a "high" note. I guess I saved the "best" for last!

On the other hand, I'd say this final experience truly summed up what China is all about. Toe the line and be a good little laowai and they will love you. Offer some "Constructive Criticism" and they will scorn you because you caused them to lose FACE.

I hereby bestow upon Igor my original monikor - Oral English Mercenary. I admit - I'm not the man for the job.

See you at the golf course. Good Day.

[Badmojo]

Salvatore is right.

Huashang is a joke.

Teacher turnover there - and I'm not talking foreigners - but Chinese staff is incredible. I've never seen anything like it. People coming and going all the time.

I did not meet any teacher there who liked their job.

Probably has to do with a lot of things: salary, location, and most of all, inept management.

Stay away and don't waste your time.

[dfra]

To Anyone who would like to answer:

I enjoyed your post on the college. I just now came off a SKYPE with a Mr. Roman Tang, hear of him?

Also, have you heard anything else, good or bad, new about the school?

You can email me at [email protected] if you wish.

Thank you for your time.

[kungfuman]

Tell me more about the tollbooth please