Job Discussion Forums

[chinatrio]

I have recently brushed up my Chinese skills, having studied it to an advanced degree back in the 1970s. I've reached fluency in reading and fair proficiency in speaking/listening. I even visited China a couple of years ago for a month for a backpack tour of major cities.

At this point I'm looking to escape the corporate rat-race and pursue my passion, as they say, and go to China to perhaps teach or engage in some other non-rat race job. Having lived in the frigid north of the U.S., I would prefer to locate somewhere warm for a while. I'm hoping that some folks who've been in China for years could advise what kinds of oppotunities my background might present -- if any. Should I look for particular kinds of teaching jobs? Are there other types of work that you could recommend?

Thanks
chinatrio

[MES]

Hi, I can't give you any job leads, but I know an American who designs and conducts management training courses IN Chinese, and a Canadian who's the guest services manager at a hotel and who speaks fluent Mandarin. Hope this helps.

[Ludwig]

If you seek solace from the rat race then I would not necessarily recommend Mainland China.

(Unfortunately) I go to the grim Mainland at least once every two or so weeks in order to give and/or attend workshops at various universities around this vast wasteland on the topic of honeybee communication. I am afraid to say that, over the last few years that I have been doing this, I have seen gigantic, largely negative, changes occur in the field of (what is known as) TEFL.

What was once obviously an easy ride, is now increasingly becoming another stressful rat race in itself. Most foreign teachers I meet on the Mainland work a minimum of 40 hours a week, often with most if not all of that as actual contact hours! Sometimes this is all with children! All these services are often given in exchange for as little as a few hundred quid every thirty days whilst their bosses drive around, or get driven around in, blacked-out Mercs.

Remember, even if you win the race, you will still be a rat.

[william wallace]

nothing to say.

[chinatrio]

[quote]Now, there is a fair amount of foreigners speaking good to great chinese[/quote]

I clearly hadn't read enough on this board before my first post. It's pretty clear now that knowing Chinese is just another tool many here posses, and not some instant ticket. I still wonder, though, how many teachers use Chinese when teaching English classes.

From the many posts, I've found that there appear still to be good teaching opportunities outside of the rat race. But, thanks to Roger, Norman and many, many others, now I know much more about finding a good opportunity instead of responding to the first likely looking ad on the TeachInChina websites. And I have a pretty good idea of how to negotiate a contract, and what terms to include and exclude.

I have a while to decide, so I'll just sit back and glean the wit and wisdom posted here. It's a great diversion from my current ratrace-job.

As for Thailand, it sounds interesting, but I'll have to get my feet wet in China first, perhaps, before venturing forth. This despite Ludwig's well-intentioned advice to the contrary.

chinatrio

[hesterprynne]

I do not agree with the poster who told you that there are many chinese-speaking foreigners here-not many can read chinese!
but salaries here may make you rich here but not at home

[burnsie]

Yes, not many non-Chinese speak Mandarin (about 1 mil from official reports). Most are not in China though.

[burnsie]

Also contrary to what Ludwig says not many FT's teach more than 20 hours. The official teaching weekly load by the Foreign Experts B is 18 hours though many private schools have more hours.

But I agree with is Mercs comment!

[Ger]

http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/english/doc/2004-09/29/content_378812.htm

Getting a Chinese language degree from a Chinese university is one thing, whether a Chinese employer in China would hire you is another.

However, as an entrepreneur you could be your own boss, but that raises the question of whether the economic system (and any other systems involved in the process) would enable you to set up business and operate successfully.

In China, you have to take one step forward before you can experience what's around the corner!

What say you?

[chinatrio]

Hmm... Being an entreprenuer in China sounds too much like the rat race.

I did once meet a San Fransisco emigre in Chengdu who had managed to start a tourist business of sorts. He provides cross-country bicycle tours of China's Wild Wild West. Of course, that business is aimed at Westerners but he does have to communicate in Chinese ot make the various arrangements. At the time he was studying business Chinese.

chinatrio

[Madmaxola]

You could work for CCTV-9, teaching chinese to foreigners.