Job Discussion Forums

[Chris300]

Hello, I would appreciate some useful information about teaching in Sichuan or Guangxi provinces. (type of institutions, work conditions, compensation comparing to other provinces, living standard, access to international school for children)
Please do share your experience from those locations. Thx

[astrotrain]

I taught in Nanning, Guangxi last year, IG Economics and AP.

Pay was good 15K, flight paid up front and back, around 18-20 teaching hrs/week. I stayed on campus about 5 min ebike ride to the international department where I taught my classes. Met so many greats colleagues in the office, American, Brit etc but the FT size was quite small only 5 of us. lol
Taught at the #1 high school in the province, goods kids but tad spoiled.

What is life like there? Where 2 start.

A very long extended summer, starts from April to end of Nov, hot and humid which I loved. Transportation was dirt cheap, Ebikes cost around 3200 yuan new or the buses, 1-2 yuan, or cheap taxis. Living costs there is probably the lowest in much of China. They have much of everything in Nanning, BK, MCds, Starbucks, beautiful expansive malls like Hangyang and Mixc city. Go downtown you will see the older part of town where the streets and houses are tiny, old and cramped, less modern malls etc. Ebikes galore, the ebike capital of China, if u like to ride this place is it, very few motorcycles, they banned new sales only 250cc tops.

Bugs galore, huge flying roaches, mosquitos that bit me all over forming huge welts. If u hate bugs don't go there.

I lived at NO 2 high school so the newer or more modern part of town. Again loved the walks or rides outside where it was sunny for the most part but you also had torrential rain storms sometimes.

The streets all seemed to be in constant reconstruction, huge pot holes and street repavement etc.

I really loved my time there, the cost of living is very low but if you constantly eat at Western food places it can damage your wallet, the people are friendly and the whole environment seems so much more festive and exciting than here in Toronto.

I really wished I extended my contract for another year, really miss my friends, girlfriend and the climate. Now I am stuck doing a boring job back in the cold tundra of Toronto. They hired some old Brit lady as my replacement, sometimes I dream she has a heart attack or departs abruptly so I can go back. I have been offered position in Beijing doing AP and IG work but so many office hours and the cold dreary polluted place reminds me too much of T.O -minus pollution- so why go?

I have been looking for positions in Nanning and Guangzhou for the past few months, just no luck. Don't see any ads on serious teachers, guess second semester Feb starts have far fewer openings than September new Term starts?

As my last resort I promised my G.F that I may come back early -on a Tourist Visa- in the new year Feb if I can't find another Econ position online and do the job search the old fashion way, but not too sure of the risk involved. I have a place to stay there of course, G.F. in nanning or with her family in GZ but don't know how likely it is to find a solid position by being there and on a Tourist Visa. Last year I was on Z Visa all paperwork, medicals done properly but the latter spooks me. Too much of my no risk Banking side of me shows.

If you do find positions in Guangxi, good luck, it is a terrific place do some good work and relax, less of the B.S of busier polluted places like Shanghai or BJ.

[Chris300]

Thanks a lot Astrotrain.

[currentaffairs]

Good summary. The way you write I couldn't quite work out why you left.. You only did a year when it seemed like 3-4 years was going to be the minimum. Or perhaps you stayed for longer than that?

[Tazz]

Since the OP has already been/ lived here [Nanning-Guangxi] for a year I'll spare the 'what's it like' information-other than to see if bars or clubs are are your thing, the place is sadly lacking. In fact overall I would add that it's a pretty drab place all round, in my opinion. As an autonomous region-it seems the central govt cut it some slack when it comes to obtaining visas. I came here without any authentication of certificates required, and my medical, obtained in The Gulf during June-was accepted. Didn't need to take another. Had Z visa already issued-but many don't. The trip to Hong Kong to obtain it seems to be a formality. 15 thou RMB sounds a pretty good salary for this province. I would absolutely recommend staying away from one or two of the Uni's here-including the 'Sino-Canadian' outfit operating out of Guangxi University. Teaching academic writing for 5-8 thou RMB a month....? Hideous, unsanitary accomodation on campus? But since they have a 60-70% annual turnover getting in wouldn't be a problem!

[XiaoWren]

I worked in Sichuan for two years at two difference universities in two different cities.

Both universities offered the standard package - 6-8k p/m, accommodation, flights etc 16 contact hrs p/w, winter or sumer paid vacation.

The working environment can vary depending on how prestigious the university is and wealthy the city.

Chengdu is a developed tier one city with all modern conveniences (incl international schools) and substantial ex pat scene, but day to day more expensive.

The next tier two city Mianyang is the fairly developed, wealthy and pleasant, with cheaper living costs than Chengdu.

[astrotrain]

[Tazz]

I've only been here a few months so don't really know that many residents, or places to go. The climate is lovely-for sure....well at least is 'this' year! So far in January it's been 15-25C every day....The Uni's here have a somewhat 'shady' rep-particularly the Sino-whatever places, and there are two of them, as far as I know- one Canadian, at the Guangxi Uni...another British, at the University of Nationalities- I believe. Both are private enterprises operating under the watchful eye of the government/ or National University hosts. What to expect from these places? Standard 6-8 thou a month for a 'real' teaching job....or so it would appear-I'm not talking the standard 'oral English class' repeated 16-18 times a week....they'll ask for lesson planning....intensive grading of tests/ homework. Developing an academic curriculum from barely functional Chinese textbooks. Aside from the meagre salary you can expect rather unsavoury-or even worse, unsanitory housing. Alternatives to this? Public High/ Middle school....maybe? The language mills have such a scary reputation for screwing over 'laowai' teachers- I wouldn't go anywhere near them....tread carefully-would be my advise.

[astrotrain]

[Tazz]

Never heard of Econ....is this an agency providing teaching staff to a private high school or.....? Whatever, the salary sounds excellent-a few of the people I know, who teach outside of the Unis are on 10-11k a month. Government middle/ high school I believe. I know that Guangxi province is one of the poorest in the country, but Nanning certainly isn't poor-there's plenty of new wealth and serious spending power....but yeah, it's certainly a struggle to live well on the 5-8 thou being offered by the Unis....I can't get over the number of Westerners here who live a seriously frugal existence, watching every yuan, and still delude themselves that they are living the good life.

[lionheartuk]

My home is in Nanning and my Chinese wife wants me to work at the uni's there. I am currently at a school just over the border from Guangxi in Guangdong where I have been for the last 9 yrs. I told her I wouldn't work in Nanning as the salary is too low and the cost of living is higher than where I am now.The Walmart is more expensive than the Walmart here.

If I was to work there I would go for a public school as the salary is a little better and there is less hassle -according to people I know who have worked there-. But then I would have to go through all the new rules and regulations so it is better to stay where I am and finish my teaching here in Zhaoqing.

The good things about Nanning are that it is far less polluted and also quieter than many other places I have lived.The local drivers are not quick to jump on the horn every few seconds and will stop to allow you to cross the road. However, my social life is gonna suck when I eventually go live there full time.

I didn't think that Nanning was that cold last winter. I ended up wearing T-shirts during the spring festival. Maybe got colder after I left.

[Tazz]

I know that the rules and regulations, regarding Z visa and work permit, are in a state of flux right now, they seem to change them on an almost weekly basis- but it was the ease of aquiring these that brought me here in the first place, no medical in China needed, no authentication of documents, no criminal background check-surely it wouldn't be so difficult to transition from Guangdong to Guangxi with regards to the beaurocracy?

[Brunouno]

[astrotrain]

[astrotrain]