Job Discussion Forums

[CNexpatesl]

What qualifies as a third tier city?

Cities under 1-5 million people? No subway lines, no KFCs/McDonald's?

What third tier cities are considered good to live in?

[Aristede]

[weigookin74]

How desperate are they in a third tier city? Could an experienced teacher throw their weight around a bit more because they are desperate? For example, a nice modern apartment fully paid for, maybe a slightly higher salary. (6,000 rmb instead of 5,000 rmb.) No desk warming and no classes spread out or at least 3 or 4 days a week with no desk warming. I'd do it if I had a nice apartment, at least 6,000, lots of free time, and help with ordering whatever crap I need online. I'd prob only do it for a eyar maybe two before moving onto mroe money. Made money in Korea already. A place to chill with lots of vacation and free time and no need to send much money home would be good to chill and focus more on studying the language.

My experience and being white North American would probably let me work in a first tier city if I wanted. Which I'd proib eventually do if I ended up in China.

[CNexpatesl]

You can get free accommodation and a maybe slightly than higher salary, but you won't be living like a rich baller.

I tried negotiating a salary in some hole in the wall third tier shithole that as far as I know doesn't have even have a subway line, and they wouldn't budge unless I took on more hours.

[Markness]

I've lurked through some tier 3 cities numerous times visiting colleagues' families and such, the novelty wears off very fast. I am sure there are some that can handle it but I absolutely do not recommend it for someone who has never been to China. You can live in a bigger city and take a car/bus out of the city every now and then to get fresh air if needed. The folk in those smaller towns are something else. I deal with them enough as it is on a regular basis. Nice folk, but the staring and letting their offspring defecate wherever they want is just appalling. They are super noisy and did I mention the staring? Oh yes, I did. Apparently it isn't rude. The worst form of it is when you're trying to get out of your apartment complex and someone does the turn-around stare/stop and block you unintentionally so you cannot pass. They have lived through a generation of agriculture/no education. They spit/fart wherever they want. They don't know any better. I notice a drastic difference in the behavior of people from the countryside versus the city slickers. It is a breath of fresh air visiting the missus' family and not having them stare at me and deal with that nonsense. They treat me like a real person and are very well-mannered.

Long story short, tier 3 is for those who know what they're in for. And before anyone bites my head off and calls me a prude or something i'd have them know that a lot of the nasty stuff that the farmers do bothers the Chinese people too.

[Aristede]

[7969]

[Babala]

My school is the exact same as 7969's. We are in a 3rd tier city and my school isn't desperate for teachers. In fact most of the teachers at my uni have their masters degrees. I think a big reason we haven't had problems is that the uni is very good to the teaching staff and our classes are taken seriously and the students are unable to get their degree without a pass in our classes.

[Deats]

But let's be honest, a masters degree in China isn't worth the paper it's written on. I could get a masters in China without even speaking the language. Just go to the dean at the end of each semester with an envelope and a basket with fruit, baijiu and Bob's your uncle.

Saying a Chinese person is more qualified than a western person just isn't true... unless that Chinese person studied abroad.

[Babala]

To be clear, I was referring to the foreign teachers who have their masters.