Job Discussion Forums

[reblair79]

At long last I have completed my five year plan to get my degree and CELTA

I have now been offered a contract with EF in Zhangjiagang starting in August. Although the salary isn't massive, the professional development with the company seem to be excellent and the flights and accomodation package look good.

Is anyone living in this city or does anyone have experience of EF China or the city in general?

I would love to hear from anyone with their thoughts.

Kind regards,

Ray

[claka77]

Hi Ray,

I haven't worked for EF but I did work for another language chain in Zhangjiagang called World English. Zhangjiagang is quite modern and clean however it's a long way from anywhere; to go to Suzhou central it's around an hour on a bus (and Shanghai is over 2 hours). I left for various reasons (I previously worked at a college and public school in Guangzhou and Shenzhen; southern China in huge cities worked out better for me I guess).

Rent was reasonable however I had to put 6 months upfront (I'm sure EF will do this for you if required, I paid around 1750RMB per month for a small apartment with a separate area for the laundry and bathroom). The students at World were quite motivated and some had a good level of English; there are many factories that do business with people from Singapore, Hong Kong, USA, etc. A friend of mine works for EF in Suzhou (previously he was in Shanghai) and he seems to enjoy it; in K*#(@ I worked at a hagwon just fine however I found World English to be too much work (and they also couldn't get me the right visa so I told them where to stick it).

As for EF, they may have more 'clout' with getting the Z visa and residency permit (if you're entering from outside of China, you should have less problems, it's more of a nuisance if you're changing cities/provinces within China as you may know already). If somone had to do a visa run, I had to do their class (and supposedly get another day off down the track). EF, like World, will probably make you do 'English corner or English time' open classes; for 3 or 4 of your weekly teaching hours, you'll have to teach a class (your own topic, it was for me which made it stressful) to attract new students (or current ones who have different levels which is a nuisance). The other 20-25 hours are at least more structured (you'll get a topic to plan around and a private space to teach it).

Anyway, I hope this information helps and that I haven't turned you off the idea (it might work out really well for you). By the time I got to Zhangjiagang was probably the time for me to leave China (or stay in Guangdong). In a couple of years there will be a train link to Shanghai I believe (Changzhou is another city that's nearby, I didn't go there). You'll probably need an e-bike or bicycle if you live there however cabs are very cheap (it's quite spread out). There's a Walmart and other supermarkets. There's also a cinema and a few foreign restaurants in a modern shopping area (two Starbucks are close by as well from memory). There's also some dining/pubs that's on a little river. However, a 'foreigner' network there won't be very big (I found it hard meeting people there compared to Guangzhou and Shenzhen, different work situations and much bigger cities I guess however Suzhou is also very big if you can get out of Zhangjiagang). If you have any other questions please ask but maybe someone else will be able to help you out more (as I wasn't there very long).

[reblair79]

Hi Claka77, Thanks for replying. How long were you out there?

[claka77]

That's no problem. I wasn't there long, only around a couple of months.

[jimpellow]

I have been there on some occasions as I worked in a couple cities close by. It is a nice little city by Chinese standards. Smaller cities in the Yangtze river delta offer on average a lot better quality of life and amenities than similar sized cities in most other parts of China.

There is nothing much north of the Yangtze worth seeing, but south of the river are a lot of good cities and attractions within a few hours.

I am more excited for you for the city than the employer. The lack of two years experience(am I mistaken?) can be a hurdle these days due to the regulations, but you do have an ACTUAL degree and a CELTA. Employers are desperate, you have a lot of options.

I know the Web in nearby Jinagyin is looking. That is nice city, and I believe they pay better. Most Webs have a better reputation than most EFs,

[reblair79]

Hi Jim, I have read a couple of online reviews about EF Zhangjiagang and they were very positive. What did you think of the pollution in the city? What about the nightlife?

[jimpellow]

I have not been in China for four years so I can not tell you with any certainty. Everybody claims the problem is even much worse now, so I would think not very good.

Jiangsu has a lot of industry. The government is more concerned about enforcing regulation than most other provinces but it still adds up. I was in nearby Jiangying and Jingjiang for four years and the pollution really took a toll on me.

I always went with business owners, who were students, so we tended to go to nice dinners and then KTVs. One took me to a golf course they built on an island in the river.

There is an area that is a model city created by the government. I think you will find enough bars and nightclubs, but I don't know about Western style or areas like a 1912 in Nanjing. Great Western owned pizzeria there. If your nightlife question is indirect about the women, Jiangsu boasts some rather tasty mei nu whose look can vary from city to city quite a bit due to lack of mobility for most of history. As I believe it is pretty much a new planned city, I would expect a mix. One other point about the ladies is that being in a city where foreigners are not common really helps one out.

My opinion was based on EF's overall reputation rather than the school. Could you share a bit about what the contract offers? Do you have two years experience? I believe Jiangsu requires it unless that has changed.

Best

[reblair79]

What did you think of the golf course? I saw that on Google maps.

The model city created by the government you spoke of I think is Zhangjiagang which is where I am going. With regards to the nightlife I was thinking more about where I can watch football, ideally Celtic. I know there is a bar called Malones, so I was hoping they might show Celtic games based on the Irish name!

The contract will be signed out there and they gave me an example of the contract I would be given which was very comprehensive. It provides accommodation and flight allowance. The money is not the best, between 8 and 9k per month I believe. I don't have two years experience. This will be my first teaching job. This is why the support and development is really important to me rather than the money for the first year at least while I build my confidence. I also want to get 'wise' to things and don't want to be taken advantage off, so my thoughts are that if I go with a well known company with a decent reputation then I will reduce the chances of this.

[jimpellow]

[reblair79]

Thanks Jim. I will contact EF and discuss the matter further before getting on any flights out there.

[Foo_Fighters_Dave]

Reblair,

Are you going on a tourist visa?

[reblair79]

They will be arranging the business visa. I raised my concern with them and they have said they are aware of this two year rule but the authentication of a TEFL certificate bypasses this regulation. Their head office also said it would be quicker to complete their own foundation TELF course online which they will fund. They will then send me the certificate to authenticate alongside my degree and criminal background check.

What are peoples thoughts on this? Thank you.

[ChrisHenry15]

[reblair79]

z-visa I mean.

[jimpellow]

It is hard to comment on the authenticated "TEFL" OR two years of experience as I can only find job ads. Some say both are needed while others say either. Welcome to the confusion that has been ongoing for close to four years now. Perhaps I should say more confusion since they decided to simplify the process to help end the confusion. Haha

I am baffled why you have a CELTA in hand, and they feel it will be more expedient to get a TEFL? In addition, I would much rather present a candidate with a CELTA, than on online TEFL, if I were attempting to substitute it for the two years of experience. Baffling!