Job Discussion Forums

[theoriginalprankster]

So I'm back from a pleasant holiday in the lovely country that is the Philippines - great holiday, unfortunately the floodgates from the mainland have opened somewhat (if you know what I mean).

I'll be back to work in a few days time.

I did the summer camp in July, and started picking up on problems I'll be facing:
1. Incompetent management - headless chicken syndrome. Nobody takes responsibility for their job duties (the guy who was meant to give me my room key yesterday wouldn't answer his phone. This same *beep* has to help find an apartment for me).
2. Little people with grand ambitions who want to rule over me - I said I'd never work under a younger Chinese man. I did during the summer camp, near disaster as he was as competent as a blunt butter knife.
3. Boondocks living - only positives are cleaner air and potential to save money, although I think I'll hit Shenzhen on the weekends.
4. The foreign headmaster is apparently a drunken psychopath - previous teachers told me he threatened they would be "suicided".
5. No course ware or syllabus at present. All I know is I'm teaching "reading in the e-library".
6. Town fills up with hicks on the weekends as it's a "beach tourism town". All the more reason to head to SZ, or find a gf to spend time with.
7. Sever lack of choice of Western food and restaurants. No problem - I'll be cooking for myself when I move into my apartment.
8. No water for the last two days in the on-campus rooms.
9. Less-than-friendly Chinese co-workers.
10. Low level students.

I should last a year, but wouldn't be surprised if I left after six months. Gotta give it at least six months.

[sigmoid]

Seems like you were looking into teaching somewhere in SE Asia.

Just curious, what's keeping you in China?

Of course, teaching in SE Asia is no bed of roses either. Is it just a case of 'the devil you know'?

[JoeThePlumber]

theoriginalprankster, can you tell us where you are, so that we may avoid this place in the future?

[Foo_Fighters_Dave]

I remember reading a lot of your posts the past several months and it seems like every job you get you complain about it. My question is this: You are obviously an experienced ESL'er so why do you keep getting yourself stuck in jobs like this? Was it possible for you to have checked out the school and location before settling down?

I am not trying to diss or disrespect you but you seem to have similar problems or are unlucky with picking jobs. I recall you working in Shanghai as some kind of materials developer that ended up being terrible. I also remember you listing your previous jobs and each of them had issues.

It might be time for you to consider a different place such as South Korea, Vietnam, etc. or be more diligent with the jobs you end up signing up for.

I hope things workout for you.

[cdchristy]

OP, I took what you posted as humor. I shared it with my wife as we are FTs. She said it sounds similar to our experience. Anyways, I do hope you have found a way to manage these all-too-familiar things.

[rocket man]

glad I didn't take the job I was offered at that school, sounds horrible if you ask me

[Alien abductee]

[OhBudPowellWhereArtThou]

I agree with the abductee. This is normal.

And to be expected.

I've NEVER been given a syllabus. I've been asked for one for EACH CLASS before classes begin. At the schools where I have taught, the syllabus is actually a term's worth of lesson plans.

No western food? Lucky you. I can do without Pizza Hut, McDonald's and KFC.

No water for a few days. This is something that bugs me. Outside of a broken main line, the school and the city knows about these things ahead of time. I learned this through Chinese faculty whom I befriended. They have always been surprised that I wasn't informed.

The charge of incompetence among administrators is tiresome, and maybe even inaccurate. Because the phenomenon is so widespread, one must ascribe it to some sort of cultural trait.

The young bad "managers" are just as bad as the older bad ones. In the public universities where I have taught, there has been another layer of bureaucracy called "work leaders", people whose names and locations have never been revealed. I don't understand their function except that they seem to be behind every class that is suddenly canceled or moved without my foreknowledge or approval.

OP, what you are experiencing is absolutely normal. There is nothing wrong with your television set...

[Curtinca]

Just curious as to why the OP started his first post -- not referring to any discussion that went before -- with "So".

[OhBudPowellWhereArtThou]

[btsmrtfan]

[theoriginalprankster]

let it be clear to all - I am not complaining, merely stating the state of the situation.

After coming off two excellent gigs at Xiamen Airlines and Xiamen University, it was disappointing to sink back into the "chabuduo" world of Chinese workplaces/education institutions.

There are great gigs out there - they're rare as a hen's tooth.

I will persevere, and exploit every opportunity I have here - get fit, enjoy the beach, live the frugal life (bar the weekend jaunts to Shenzhen, excuse the pun), do some online teaching etc etc.)

[sigmoid]

Yeah, it's not a perfect world (especially in the field of EFL) and it's always best to look at the bright side of life, but there must be some benefit, some advantage that keeps people in China and "sink[ing] back into the "chabuduo" world".

What is it?

Thanks for any insights into this conundrum that you can offer.

[Mr. Kalgukshi]

MOD EDIT: Insulting, dismissive and less than civil postings (now deleted) have just gotten this thread locked.

If you were the makers of same, you may assume you are now on Mod Team radar and your tenure here is as if you were skating on ice so thin that your blades are under water.

Entende?