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whimsical1
Joined: 10 Mar 2014
Posts: 30
Location: United States
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 Posted: Thu Mar 13, 2014 5:30 pm Post subject: Starting in August |
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Nǐ hǎo! Hi everyone,
I know I've mentioned this on the forums (or think I have, anyway), but I am starting a job in China in August.
I'm honestly incredibly excited. I know there will be good and bad - I am an older female (not OLD mind you  ) and have lived in a lot of places, and worked in a lot of different jobs. But I have never yet worked in a foreign country.
My nickname here suits me, I am definitely whimsical, but I am also very level-headed. I like to be prepared. I've been lurking and reading and even asked questions here and there, and you have all been incredibly helpful. I have faithfully bookmarked threads I think I will really need later on. You are all terrific!
That said, I have more questions! I may even repeat some questions just to pull all the data gathered here to this thread (I currently teach science, data is king).
So, the questions -- First, I was hired by Disney English. I have looked and looked at other postings, and it seems what they offer is fair. It sounds like more than enough to live on and save. Am I kidding myself?
I will be in Chengdu, and understand the pollution problem. Are there a lot of water or food quality issues? I generally plan to cook for myself.
It also seems that the pay is decent for the amount of hours they want. Has anyone here worked for them? Did you feel overworked for the money? I'm a poorly paid teacher in the US, so for my crap salary I put in about 60 hours a week.
I'm not asking about the working hours. I am aware of the working schedule, and it's fine with me. Weekend/weekday doesn't matter to me at all. More the amount of hours vs. amount paid.
I am getting the TEFL-C through them. I gathered from what I have read that this might be useless if I want to teach elsewhere. I don't have the money to put into anything else right now.
Is this true, it would be a pretty useless piece of paper anywhere else?
What program might be inexpensive and do-able while I am in China working?
I won't have a car, obviously, so I gather the trains will get me to places to sightsee?
I've been trying to learn Mandarin. I can recognize the numbers 1-9 (Chinese sudoku!) but that is about all I can read (although I'm up to about 12 phrases I can say and comprehend). Will the lack of reading be a huge issue?
I have no idea where in Chengdu they are located, and have not been able to find out, despite getting several good link suggestions. I will want to live close to work if possible, does anyone know where they are located, so I can sort of scout the areas before I arrive?
My housing allowance will be taxed. I am not sure how much that will leave to actually spend on housing. Is there a way to get a good general idea? I will have a 3000 rmb housing allowance. Will that get me a decent furnished apartment after taxes? About what percentage should I expect to lose in taxes?
I have noted all the tips in the thread on landlords and renting. Again, you are awesome, I would never have known a lot of that stuff.
What are your "couldn't survive without..." or "glad I brought.." items?
Thanks! Xièxiè! |
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DCHun
Joined: 06 May 2013
Posts: 51
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| Posted: Thu Mar 13, 2014 8:17 pm Post subject: Re: Starting in August |
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| whimsical1 wrote: |
Nǐ hǎo! Hi everyone,
But I have never yet worked in a foreign country.
So, the questions -- First, I was hired by Disney English. I have looked and looked at other postings, and it seems what they offer is fair. It sounds like more than enough to live on and save. Am I kidding myself?
I will be in Chengdu, and understand the pollution problem. Are there a lot of water or food quality issues? I generally plan to cook for myself.
I've been trying to learn Mandarin. I can recognize the numbers 1-9 (Chinese sudoku!) but that is about all I can read (although I'm up to about 12 phrases I can say and comprehend). Will the lack of reading be a huge issue?
I have no idea where in Chengdu they are located, and have not been able to find out, despite getting several good link suggestions. I will want to live close to work if possible, does anyone know where they are located, so I can sort of scout the areas before I arrive?
Thanks! Xièxiè! |
I've never worked for Disney English or been to Chengdu but I can try to give the other questions a shot.
- You mentioned that you've never worked in a foreign country, have you traveled or lived in Asia before? I think you'll be in for a hell of a culture shock. I speak fluent Chinese and lived in Asia for a couple years before I moved to China and I still had some culture shock. How quickly you get over it will depend on how open-minded/adaptable you are.
- Its hard to comment on how livable the pay is if you don't tell us what it is.
- Never been to Chengdu, but China in general, don't drink tap water (boil first or bottled water). Street food can be really good, but I'd avoid it in the beginning. A general rule for restaurants, only eat there if they're busy. Cooking your own food is a good idea.
- Almost all transportation hubs and tourist places will have English. Not to be a dick but I really doubt that you'll be able to say or comprehend those 12 phrases in real time. If you need to communicate, you'll probably have to mime it or ask a college-aged person.
- How is it that you're hired but they don't tell you the location of the place? Can't you just ask them to email it to you?
It'd be a good idea to start getting your vaccines. Some of them require multiple shots spaced out over a couple months. Definitely get HepA and B.
Good luck! |
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whimsical1
Joined: 10 Mar 2014
Posts: 30
Location: United States
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| Posted: Thu Mar 13, 2014 8:34 pm Post subject: |
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Hi again!
There are two of them in Chengdu, I am told, and they don't know which I will work at yet. That is why they didn't give me the address. And i have to say, they have not been great at responding to my questions.
I'm pretty open minded, and expect it to be like nothing I have experience before.
I have been to places where English is not generally spoken, and I have students who speak no English. I have gotten pretty good at getting my point across or getting help.
It will be tough, but so am I. The pay is 12000rmb/month with an extra 3000 for housing. Is there a standard for the taxes? That is a define unknown for me right now. |
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spiral78
Joined: 05 Apr 2004
Posts: 11534
Location: On a Short Leash
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| Posted: Thu Mar 13, 2014 9:10 pm Post subject: |
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| No, your cert from Disney English won't be valued everywhere....but if it gives you a start somewhere, so long as you keep in mind that it's not a ticket to 'everywhere,' why not? |
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muffintop
Joined: 07 Jan 2013
Posts: 803
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| Posted: Thu Mar 13, 2014 10:41 pm Post subject: |
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| whimsical1 wrote: |
| I'm pretty open minded, and expect it to be like nothing I have experience before. |
You will not be disappointed.
IIRC offers from Disney required a fair bit of teaching hours and office hours. I wish you luck. |
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doogsville
Joined: 17 Nov 2011
Posts: 924
Location: China
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| Posted: Thu Mar 13, 2014 10:46 pm Post subject: |
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| whimsical1 wrote: |
There are two of them in Chengdu, I am told, and they don't know which I will work at yet. That is why they didn't give me the address. And i have to say, they have not been great at responding to my questions.
I'm pretty open minded, and expect it to be like nothing I have experience before. |
The no information/last minute information is pretty standard here, you sound like the type of person who will roll with it and get used to it. My advice is to be firm from the first day about what you will and won't do with regards to that. I usually don't do anything without at least three days notice, unless it sounds fun or it's very profitable. For instance I've been phoned twice in the last fortnight and asked to go judge at an English competition that a local TV station is filming, but once it was that afternoon and the other time it was the next day. I've worked with TV people before, so I know it won't be fun, just annoying, so I said no. I often lie to soften the blow, and say I already have other plans, but sometimes I just tell them I need more notice. It depends on my mood. Private schools like Disney will often phone you last minute for classes. Again, just tell them you have other important plans if you don't want to do it. I've never gotten into trouble for refusing. If you give in at the start because you want to make a good impression etc, you'll be on the hook for ever.
An open mind is the most valuable tool you can bring to China in my opinion. It can be very frustrating and challenging, but it's also a lot of fun and very rewarding. My experience has been that the good days far outnumber the bad days.
I know nothing of Chengdu, other than that my mother in law comes from there. The question as to finances comes up a lot, and the truth is it's entirely up to you. Everyone spends differently. Some save, some don't, some supplement their main income, some don't. I don't think any job, and certainly not Disney, would pay you less than a living wage, but it really comes down to how you're living. When you arrive, find the nearest supermarket. You'll see the prices clearly marked, which will give you an idea of what things can cost, but once you're settled in and have made a few Chinese friends, hit the local wet markets and smaller shops, where things will usually be cheaper. By then you'll know if they are trying to charge you the 'foreigner price', which can be more than double, or the local price. Find a meat stall, veg stall, fruit stall where they don't try to rip you off and seem friendly, and stick with them, it'll help you feel a little less like a tourist, or at least it does for me.
And try not to lose that sense of excitement. Check up on it every few months, and remind yourself what it feels like. It's easy to lose over here, especially on those bad China days. After three and a half years, I still find myself cycling along with a huge grin on my face from time to time.
(edited to correct a grammatical error  ) |
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fat_chris
Joined: 10 Sep 2003
Posts: 3198
Location: Beijing
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| Posted: Fri Mar 14, 2014 12:00 am Post subject: Re: Starting in August |
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| whimsical1 wrote: |
Nǐ hǎo! Hi everyone,
I will be in Chengdu, and understand the pollution problem. Are there a lot of water or food quality issues? I generally plan to cook for myself.
My housing allowance will be taxed. I am not sure how much that will leave to actually spend on housing. Is there a way to get a good general idea? I will have a 3000 rmb housing allowance. Will that get me a decent furnished apartment after taxes? About what percentage should I expect to lose in taxes?
What are your "couldn't survive without..." or "glad I brought.." items |
Chengdu here.
I am a fan of Chengdu so I am biased but here are my insights:
Regarding the city itself a car is not needed. It's a very navigable city. The buses and two subways lines are great and really get the job done. Taxis are cheap. I rarely pay more than 15RMB for shorter taxi rides.
You could also get a bicycle and that will get you around as well--Chengdu is a bike-friendly city. Be careful though--bike theft is rampant. I have wanted to buy a nicer Giant mountain bike but have refrained from doing so. I bought a second-hand bike for 120RMB and even that got stolen!
For daytrips to sights/sites around Chengdu, the buses can work nicely and without event.
Like the rest of China, there are food and water issues here. Like the rest of China, restaurant cleanliness is hit or miss. I often cook for myself and find that I don't have stomach issues when I do so. When I eat out, I may get the "spicy intestines" (la duzi--拉肚子）from time to time.
The food can be oily and of poor quality, but Sichuanese food really is quite delicious IMHO.
As has been alluded to above, I only drink bottled water and in a pinch I will boil tap water for tea.
For Chengdu 3,000RMB is actually a generous housing allowance. You should be able to get something nice, clean, safe, and comfortable for around 3,000RMB. That shouldn't be a problem.
One website that I recommend checking out is www.chengduliving.com. It's usually quite informative and the bulletin boards can be good.
Even though the Sichuanhua (Sichuan dialect) can be hard to wrap one's ear around at first, I recommend ramping up your Mandarin studies once you get to the Capital of the Great Sichuan Kingdom. There are several Chinese language schools for foreigners that have popped up in the past few years. One such school is Mandarin Club--I have taken classes with them and have been satisfied.
Once you get into Chengdu, pick up one of the English-language monthlies for expats such as Go Chengdoo to get a quick lay of the land.
Finally, what are my "can't live without items"? I don't really have any, I make do with what is around me, but Western foodstuffs can be readily available here from several Carrefours (French supermarket), one Metro (German supermarket), and a smaller shop called Sabrina's on Kehua Beilu (Kehua North Street--科华北路）near the west gate of Sichuan University. Ikea is also here.
Chengdu is a great place and I think it can be a nice place to take that first step into China. Welcome and best of luck!
Warm regards,
fat_chris |
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fat_chris
Joined: 10 Sep 2003
Posts: 3198
Location: Beijing
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| Posted: Fri Mar 14, 2014 12:05 am Post subject: |
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| doogsville wrote: |
| And try not to lose that sense of excitement. Check up on it every few months, and remind yourself what it feels like. It's easy to lose over here, especially on those bad China days. After three and a half years, I still find myself cycling along with a huge grin on my face from time to time. |
+1
This. Most definitely this. This is gold-standard advice and cannot be emphasized enough. Definitely shouldn't be forgotten.
Warm regards,
fat_chris |
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whimsical1
Joined: 10 Mar 2014
Posts: 30
Location: United States
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| Posted: Fri Mar 14, 2014 1:56 am Post subject: |
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Thanks guys!
I will definitely be sure to feed my sense of excitement. You cannot know how much I appreciate all the advice and ideas.
According to the job listing from Disney, and the recruiter I spoke with, my work week is 40 hours, with paid overtime beyond that. Honestly, that sounds amazing to me. Only 40 hours! I am not sure I quite believe it, but we will see.
I'm still sort of confused on the whole tax thing. I was reading about it, but my head started to swim. I'm going to assume 20%, which means my housing is really more like 2400 rmb. Still, not too bad? |
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muffintop
Joined: 07 Jan 2013
Posts: 803
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| Posted: Fri Mar 14, 2014 2:24 am Post subject: |
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| whimsical1 wrote: |
According to the job listing from Disney, and the recruiter I spoke with, my work week is 40 hours, with paid overtime beyond that. Honestly, that sounds amazing to me. Only 40 hours! I am not sure I quite believe it, but we will see. |
If you're genuine...then you're attitude will serve you well here. Wish I was as upbeat and positive as you.
After you spend some time in China and meet people, you should have little problem keeping your salary where it is but cut your workload in half. |
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whimsical1
Joined: 10 Mar 2014
Posts: 30
Location: United States
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| Posted: Fri Mar 14, 2014 2:36 am Post subject: |
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Thanks, Muffintop! I hope you are able to find something to make you feel upbeat and positive. I think if you feed the positive feelings, they will be stronger than the negative!
How long have you been in China? Are you originally from the US, or somewhere else? |
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davelister
Joined: 15 Jul 2013
Posts: 214
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fat_chris
Joined: 10 Sep 2003
Posts: 3198
Location: Beijing
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| Posted: Fri Mar 14, 2014 4:28 am Post subject: |
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| Quote: |
| which means my housing is really more like 2400 rmb. Still, not too bad? |
2,400RMB/mo. will still be sufficient in getting a decent housing situation in Chengdu. Good luck with it!
Warm regards,
fat_chris |
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buffalobill12323
Joined: 18 Sep 2013
Posts: 115
Location: China
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| Posted: Fri Mar 14, 2014 12:21 pm Post subject: Re: Starting in August |
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| whimsical1 wrote: |
Nǐ hǎo! Hi everyone,
I know I've mentioned this on the forums (or think I have, anyway), but I am starting a job in China in August.
I'm honestly incredibly excited. I know there will be good and bad - I am an older female (not OLD mind you ) and have lived in a lot of places, and worked in a lot of different jobs. But I have never yet worked in a foreign country.
My nickname here suits me, I am definitely whimsical, but I am also very level-headed. I like to be prepared. I've been lurking and reading and even asked questions here and there, and you have all been incredibly helpful. I have faithfully bookmarked threads I think I will really need later on. You are all terrific!
That said, I have more questions! I may even repeat some questions just to pull all the data gathered here to this thread (I currently teach science, data is king).
So, the questions -- First, I was hired by Disney English. I have looked and looked at other postings, and it seems what they offer is fair. It sounds like more than enough to live on and save. Am I kidding myself?
I will be in Chengdu, and understand the pollution problem. Are there a lot of water or food quality issues? I generally plan to cook for myself.
It also seems that the pay is decent for the amount of hours they want. Has anyone here worked for them? Did you feel overworked for the money? I'm a poorly paid teacher in the US, so for my crap salary I put in about 60 hours a week.
I'm not asking about the working hours. I am aware of the working schedule, and it's fine with me. Weekend/weekday doesn't matter to me at all. More the amount of hours vs. amount paid.
I am getting the TEFL-C through them. I gathered from what I have read that this might be useless if I want to teach elsewhere. I don't have the money to put into anything else right now.
Is this true, it would be a pretty useless piece of paper anywhere else?
What program might be inexpensive and do-able while I am in China working?
I won't have a car, obviously, so I gather the trains will get me to places to sightsee?
I've been trying to learn Mandarin. I can recognize the numbers 1-9 (Chinese sudoku!) but that is about all I can read (although I'm up to about 12 phrases I can say and comprehend). Will the lack of reading be a huge issue?
I have no idea where in Chengdu they are located, and have not been able to find out, despite getting several good link suggestions. I will want to live close to work if possible, does anyone know where they are located, so I can sort of scout the areas before I arrive?
My housing allowance will be taxed. I am not sure how much that will leave to actually spend on housing. Is there a way to get a good general idea? I will have a 3000 rmb housing allowance. Will that get me a decent furnished apartment after taxes? About what percentage should I expect to lose in taxes?
I have noted all the tips in the thread on landlords and renting. Again, you are awesome, I would never have known a lot of that stuff.
What are your "couldn't survive without..." or "glad I brought.." items?
Thanks! Xièxiè! |
I visited Chengdu recently, and I have a friend from there, it is a very grey city, the sun rarely shines, due to its geography, there is pretty much constant cloud cover. It does seem pretty cheap so your 3,000 should take you far. That is a good salary in a provincial city so there are positives to your situation. Personally I wouldn't touch Disney with a 10 mile pole - their hour to salary ratio is very sucky and their approach is not one I favor (glass walls, inquisitive parents, pointless office hours, uniforms) - however, the hours don't seem to bother you, so, otherwise you should be good.
The Shamrock is a nice little pub, if you fancy that sort of thing |
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fat_chris
Joined: 10 Sep 2003
Posts: 3198
Location: Beijing
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| Posted: Sat Mar 15, 2014 3:40 am Post subject: Re: Starting in August |
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| buffalobill12323 wrote: |
| The Shamrock is a nice little pub, if you fancy that sort of thing |
Oh!
I respectfully disagree.
Warm regards,
fat_chris |
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