Job Discussion Forums

Changjiang · Joined: 14 May 2003 Posts: 55

As part of my end-of-term wrap up I'm stuffing an envelope with information for the next foreign teacher to work here. I've included maps with good restaurants and useful stores marked, contact numbers and emails of friendly locals, how much things cost, my email address and some other odds and sods. Mostly just things I wish someone had told me when I arrived.

I'll be giving one copy to my agent, one to the school and nailing one to my bedroom door when I leave.

Admittedly, it's got a low probabliltity of success, but I feel I should make the effort. I would like to invite everyone else to compile something similar, hopefully so that I'm on the receiving end one day.

Regards...

Count_Fathom · Joined: 17 Apr 2003 Posts: 92

Thank You Very Much!
Sensible, considerate, a real life line for the fresh candidate.. I'll definately follow this advice. What school are you leaving?

Changjiang · Joined: 14 May 2003 Posts: 55

I'm in a small vocational school in the west end of Guangxi. The next teacher to end up here will be entirely on their own too, so I'd like to help them out as much as I reasonably can.

Obviously this is more useful in schools that have solo foreigners, but I'd still encourage everyone to do it.

arioch36 · Joined: 21 Jan 2003 Posts: 3589

At my first school, the previous foreign teachers left behind dishes, a water purifier, other stuff. Our school was outside Zhengzhou. there was a gatekeeper in charge of our building. During the summer she took everything, even the spoons, and sold it.

Put everything in a box, seal it and itemize. Yes, I agree with you, it is a good thing to do. You can also tell the FAO (if he/she cares) what places the new teachers will want to go to.

The FAO at the school I mentioned couldn't care less. But the new gatekeeper is decent. So I told her about Wei san lu in Zhengzhou, where you can buy some imported items. So this year all the new foreign teachers new about it right away

MyTurnNow · Joined: 19 Mar 2003 Posts: 860 Location: Outer Shanghai

Wow, Changjiang....
what an amazingly cool and decent thing to do!
Too bad most SCHOOLS don't do this!

MT

ESL Guru · Joined: 18 May 2003 Posts: 462

I once suggested that a busines school with a very high turnover in teachers prepare a welcome package for the new teachers. (Emergency phone numbers, places to shop, places to visit, buses to take etc,) I also suggested that every teacher should add an item before departure from the school.

I was informed that this would be too expensive.

I am not there anymore and when I left I was not asked to contribute to any welcome package.

China Pete · Joined: 17 May 2003 Posts: 86 Location: Henan, China

I was at a school before and I had bought several things and even some furniture. When I left, I wanted to take it with me because I was going somewhere else and could still use it. When moving out, they told me I couldnt take that stuff with me, and it now belonged to the school. Why? It wasnt 'registered' as my property, so it must mean its the schools property. So what I did, I just took my stuff up the stairwell to the rooftop and 'stole' it by taking it way down the rooftops and down a neighbors stairwell.
Putting together an 'orientation pack' is something every school should do, and hand out to foreigners upon arrival, or at least be kept in a binder in a common area. It should include all those things and be able to be added to as the years go on. IMHO