Job Discussion Forums

pedrojoseph · Joined: 06 Dec 2004 Posts: 3

Dear All

I am looking to go to China to teach English but am not sure how long I want to stay for but if all goes well longer than 12 months. This would mean that if I buy a return or onward plane ticket then thius is going to be invalid and hence a waste of my money. I am hearing many different stories about whether I need an onward ticket or not but when I arrive in the airport I dont want any problems.

How can I get around this?

Also is it best to sort out a job before going there or just to go and sort it out when you get there? This was my original plan but obviously the plane ticket problem is making me think I need to get a job first and then get the work permit/visa and then be able to buy a one way ticket that way.

Any advice would be much appreciated.

Cheers

Pedro

p.s Does any westener on this forum speak mandarin fluently now? If so how long did it take you to manage this, as this is the main goal in going to China?

Ailian · Joined: 15 Apr 2004 Posts: 192 Location: PRC!

struelle · Joined: 16 May 2003 Posts: 2372 Location: Shanghai

Ailian · Joined: 15 Apr 2004 Posts: 192 Location: PRC!

Mark Beckman · Posted: Thu Dec 09, 2004 2:44 am Post subject:

Any info to add about the airplane 'one way' ticket as I am also interesed.

Newbs · Joined: 14 Nov 2004 Posts: 75 Location: Hangzhou, China

I know some Mandarin, but I am not fluent in it by any means. (That does not stop the locals from commenting on my good Chinese after they have heard me say "Ni hao.", but that's another story.)

I'm here teaching English and I am not in any Chinese class. Why? Because I feel that I couldn't really give both my job and my class the time and effort they deserve. Some people probably do juggle work and class very well, and good on them, but I'm not one of those people, yet. Maybe next semester, when the "dust has settled" on all the adjustments, I might start up my Chinese again, but not at the moment.

So, I guess this is the point of my post. Work out why you want to come to China, for work or for study, and concentrate on that. Later, time permitting, take up the other thread as well.

All the best for your adventures in the Middle Kingdom.

Guest · Posted: Thu Dec 09, 2004 11:13 am Post subject:

Mark, the first year I taught here, I had a return ticket (to Australia).

However this time, I knew I would not be returning to Australia, so I only bought a one way ticket. I did have problems at Brisbane Airport in August this year. Royal Brunei Airlines, would not let me board the plane on a one way ticket and a 30 day Tourist Visa. They forced me to buy a ticket out of China within the 30 days, so I bought one for $300 Aust. from Shanghai to Hong Kong. I have since returned that ticket and got most of the money back.

I do know of one teacher who came from Brisbane on a 30 day tourist visa and a one way ticket, but that was over 12 months ago and a different Airline. I think it all depends on which Airline you use.

I think it is okay to buy one-way tickets, as long as you are aware that you may have to do what I did at the Brisbane Airport. One thing to remember though, my one way ticket was about $1,000 and the return ticket 12 months before was only about $1,250 .

dajiang · Joined: 13 May 2004 Posts: 663 Location: Guilin!

No problem.
You see lots of people fly into Beijing, and go overland to Vietnam or Laos or elsewhere. I got in fine each time, and it's easy to buy one-way tickets out too (even though slightly more expensive).

What you can also do is fly into Thailand, and go overland to China. It's a nice trip as well. Hong Kong is cool too.

Good plan to just go there and see what happens. Check it out first, whether you like the place at all, and which place in China for that matter.
Visa are easily available. First go on a tourist visa, single or double entry, and when you work somewhere have the school arrange it for you then.
No sweat.

Mandarin isn't that hard, but it all depends on who teaches you. A word of advice, in the first stages of learning Mandarin (or any other really foreign language for that matter) go to other foreigers to ask them what this is, and that is.

Get the basic language like: "how do you say ..." and "What is this in English/Chinese?" Learn to count and get a Chinese/English menu.

Don't mind the tones yet. They come later when after about two months of immersion your ears are tuned to them. If you focus on tones too much, it'll take ages.
Have a notebook handy. Write down words in your own spelling, and later learn Pinyin. Put them up wherever you can.

Learn numbers, and how to bargain, this way you make sure you can manage by yourself on the streets in China, and really jump into society. After a couple of months you'll notice you speak a fair bit of Chinese.

Good luck,
Da Jiang

Dan__ · Joined: 04 Aug 2004 Posts: 87 Location: Hangzhou

I have entered several times on one-way tickets, usually with 30-day tourist visas. I've never had a problem.

Another guy I knew had a problem similar to Rhonda's -- somebody at the airline wouldn't let him get on the plane to China, because she found a rule somewhere that says an onward ticket was required. My friend explained and protested, but the airlane woman still refused to let him on the plane.

So what my friend did was this: he paid through the nose for a fully-refundable return ticket. Then later he got a full refund. In the end it didn't cost him a dime.

Mark Beckman · Posted: Thu Dec 09, 2004 3:03 pm Post subject:

Thanks Guys.

Interesting about Royal Browneye as they are the ones with deals at the moment, I will check their regulations, maybe a one way with a forwarding ticket internally may suit them.

JAL direct arent much dearer by the way, yesterday was $1350 give or take for 1 year return Brissy to Chongqing and a bit cheaper to HK.

Certainly worth ringing around as prices varied by $500 Rolling Eyes

pedrojoseph · Joined: 06 Dec 2004 Posts: 3

cheers for the replies.
Very helpful.

I spoke with a school recruiting company yesterday who spotted my name on the inernet and i spoke with him and he said that I must get a work visa before i enter the country, the reason he said was because its illegal to work (which i knew) and he said that 100% of teachers working have working visas(I doubt that). He also said that no one except the top schools can afford westerner wages. I must say that I didnt exactly agree with his point of view on this one as i have worked 'illegally' in thailand and got paid ok.

Ideally I would just buy a one way ticket and fly to china, have a bit of a look around and then sort it out when I get there. Have you heard of many people doing it this way or do you really have to get it all sorted before I go? I keep reading about that when you sign up for a contract then the company has full control of you and some people have been treat badly. Have you heard of this?

Another problem of signing up for 6/12 months is that when I get there I may not like the place. What then? Much better to go and then see what I think before signing up, no? Does anyone do this?

Pedro

MyraG · Posted: Fri Dec 10, 2004 8:14 am Post subject: One way with Z visa is it ok.

I was also checked before leaving Australia that I had a return, I was travelling on a thirty day tourist visa and was staying in Singapore for 3 days before going on to Shanghai, That was with Singapore airlines. I think it is Australia who is tough not the airlines. Maybe too many people getting into trouble.
I am only going to get a one ay this time but I have a multiple entry z visa so I should be ok? Shouldnt I?