Job Discussion Forums

OhBudPowellWhereArtThou · Joined: 02 Jun 2015 Posts: 1168 Location: Since 2003

Adventious:

You haven't lived in the PRC long enough to have developed a sense of being "the Other" and being watched or at least being noticed and scrutinized. At some point, you may work at a public school that has multiple cameras pointed at and in the FT's building, supposedly installed solely for the supposed safety of the FTs (even though there's no guard or even a gate at the entrance of the FT's building).

Granted, most of the information offered on this forum is anecdotal, but I am sure that there are many others who have a feeling that they are being watched either on campus or off campus along with the masses. It's really nothing to be paranoid about. Whoever is at the monitor is either asleep or playing checkers or cards with someone.

At one school where I worked, the FAO remarked to me that "You are seen all over the city with your camera." She thought it funny that I was so interested in photographing the beat-up buses around town. It wasn't related in a manner that caused alarm on my part. She thought it humorous that people in the city called her to tell her of my presence in their vicinity. This FAO was a senior party member and a life-long resident of the city.

One thing that I noticed in that city was that during the daytime there was always a middle-aged woman wearing a long-brimmed red China Telecom hat, holding an empty water bottle who stood and watched foot traffic. She just watched people who crossed the street. I spent a lot of time at that intersection too (taking photographs), so I was acutely aware of her presence. I even saw her in the morning as i took a bus to another school. One Saturday, a cop car pulled up in the bike lane. Two burly-looking guys wearing shades walked up to her. During their conversation, she pointed in a couple of different directions. The two guys disappeared into the crowd.

I saw this same thing in a couple of other cities where I worked and visited. In another city where I taught, I asked my students who that woman was and if they thought it strange that there were so many cameras all over the city.

The (university) students looked at each other and professed that they had not noticed anyone at any intersection nor any cameras anywhere. Apparently, over the weekend, some of them opened their eyes and later related to me that they too saw cameras that they had never seen before. This was in class. Interestingly, the class broke out into simultaneous animated discussion in Chinese. I asked a student what the ruckus was about. I was told that many were worried that the cameras had seen them at the local Lovers' Lane beside the canal near the school. I said nothing, but I noticed that there was a condom machine on the bridge that crossed that canal. It had a blue flashing light that indicated (I imagine) that the machine was full. Somebody was aware of their presence.

Assume that someone is always watching, and you'll stay out of trouble. (Maybe).

adventious · Joined: 23 Nov 2015 Posts: 237 Location: In the wide

Yet I know what I've perceived is nothing to which you can speak. So you've missed the point of my post to make conjecture about my future as well as inform the thread of how your keen senses have alerted young locals to their surveillance. You're something of a superman. Concentrations of CCTV cameras were first given trial in London. Los Angeles and New York were not far behind. But most importantly, minority experiences are not unique to China. The fact is, FOR ME, the contractual stipulations discussed have not been an issue, nor do I expect them to be. My privacy has not been an issue, nor what scrutiny does go on limit my choices in any way. Of course, my choices are likely conservative relative to others. Wink

You're assuming many things in your address to me and I'll invite that you not.

Thanks.

hz88 · Joined: 27 Sep 2015 Posts: 162

asiannationmc · Joined: 13 Aug 2014 Posts: 1342

Possibly Bud may be noticing the Granny patrol which do keep watch and receive some favor for doing so, however, they are not there for the sole purpose of foreigners.

Recently I watch an Ai Weiwei youtube vid, where he made a big deal out of a camera he stated was pointed towards his studio. I live not far from his studio and was familiar with said CCTV, which was pointed down the street and not even in the compound where his studio was. Most of this is "much ado about nothing"

I may have been monitored or not, but after 15 years it would seem that if I had, something would have come from it. I'm no choir boy and have been high profile in Beijing for going on 10 years. A friend near San le tun parked his bike and a chinese guy came along and moved the bike leaving it on its side on the street, and when its owner came back in a drunkin rage he keyed the car which is not advisable .... all caught on camera. Later at a steak place round the corner the car owner who recognized the foreigner from CCTV alerted the police who took them both down to the station and showed my friend the foreigner the CCTV footage, to which he told his side and upon backing up some of the CCTV footage, could see the manor in which his bike was pushed over. It was called a draw. Another example is a Chinese driver sideswiped a buddies jeep, and of course a chase ended up with the Chinese driver denying the incident, well back to the section of the road and traffic cam footage reveled the contact and payment was made by the Chinese driver. As afar as the police go, I have been viddied many times as I have been in the U.S. and even though I don't care for it , it is a fact of life. Schools, on the other hand might check class rooms with cameras for both foreign and Chinese teachers. Often pointed towards the front.
Living quarters, well I have only lived on one campus(15 yrs ago) and it was not a teaching position and I had no classes on the campus. it was a girls school and while the head master did not want off campus girls spending the night they seems to have no problem with late night student visitors and during ths period I got a dog (no reference to the appearance of the students, but a real dog, you know Woof
Woof or Wan Wan if you prefer). The FAO told me he would have to go, I ignored it and it cam up again. I ignored it and then was called in to be given rules for the dog to follow, which he never did. I was totally aware of a foreigner being the center point of attention. I bought my first motorcycle in Dongbei and rode for some time with no license. When I went to the test, the instructors were quite excited and were pretty helpful stating that they knew i had a bike, dog and Chinese girl.

Foreigners should be monitor not only in China but in my home country as well as Europe as it seems.

hz88 · Joined: 27 Sep 2015 Posts: 162

asiannationmc · Joined: 13 Aug 2014 Posts: 1342

wangdaning · Joined: 22 Jan 2008 Posts: 3154

There was a cctv camera at my old place which ended up pointed towards my bedroom window. I don't think on purpose, just construction on the road was crazy and it went ass-cue. I went and cut the wires and nobody ever came to fix it.

I have never felt I am being watched. Where I live now there are two cctv cameras, well besides the ones in every elevator, one at the front gate and on at the back gate. The guards at the front gate with the monitors are not watching, and if they do it is only to laugh at me. I get along with them pretty good, so have a laugh if I come home wobbling.

I lived on campus at my job for several years. There were several issues that arose, not monitoring though. They tried to steal a bunch of stuff when my buddy left, told my wife the place was not meant for two people, came in unannounced, and finally, the one that made me leave, told me my gas oven was not acceptable. Apparently, I do not have the skills a Chinese person has at attaching a gas line. Odd, as the two places I have lived since have had no issues with the oven and I actually had to reconnect the gas lines after the guy who was paid to come do it failed.

Campus is ok, but if you are settling for some time it becomes tiresome in many instances.

Markness · Joined: 30 Dec 2009 Posts: 738 Location: Chengdu

"You haven't lived in the PRC long enough to have developed a sense of being "the Other" and being watched or at least being noticed and scrutinized. At some point, you may work at a public school that has multiple cameras pointed at and in the FT's building, supposedly installed solely for the supposed safety of the FTs (even though there's no guard or even a gate at the entrance of the FT's building)."

Yup, Bud. I agree. Constantly have people wandering up and down the hallways, and have to sign attendance when I come in to class, but not the students. Also, the Chinese teachers get mysteriously docked if they are not there a few minutes before class (used to happen to us too, but I am never late, so don't need to worry about this). I wondered how that always worked out.... seriously, with all of this in mind they still tell us all of this happens because they are making sure the students are behaving.... riiiiiiiiiiiight.... Awful management style. Just awful. Maybe it is done on purpose though so people never stay too long and ask for raises.

Laughing

adventious · Joined: 23 Nov 2015 Posts: 237 Location: In the wide

kungfuman · Posted: Wed Jan 13, 2016 6:44 am Post subject:

Here's another tidbit for the Big Brother forum.

One day I lived in a little bumfcuk village in Wuxi. My Chinese gf had a question about her id card so we walked in the local police station for her to address it. There was one policegirl working in the little station and while the girl chatted with her I peeked into an open door and saw a room with maybe 25 or more monitors and each one had a dvr hooked up to it. I walked up to the monitors and started checking them out- there were cameras in places you would never have though. The street, sidewalks, and a few that looked like massage places or ktvs.

I was intently checking them out for a few minutes when the policegirl told me to please leave the room (in English). I was still looking when she used a much firmer voice and I obeyed.

Next time I walked around the village I looked much harder for some of those views and guessed that many of those camera were camouflaged.

There's cameras you can see - and many cameras you can't see.