Job Discussion Forums

[cancunense]

Hi, group. I need to bother you one more time. I have 2 offers from 2 different hagwons in Korea, and all seems to be as it should be. But I still have this yearning for China.... I just received information from yet another school in China called Sino-Australia Modern Foreign Language School in Shouguang City, Shandang. It would be teaching 12-18 year olds, which is where my certification is and where the majority of my experience has come from, the salary is decent for China, and the facility appears to be awesome. I have asked the person who contacted me for e-mail addresses of former employees, and for more info about the city. On this board, it seems that most have had their best experiences at unis, but since I have to try to save up some money, I don't know if a uni would work for me, and this school is offering more. Any advice from someone who has perhaps taught in this school or in a similar environment? Thanks for any help!!!! PM me if you prefer!

Sincerely,
cancunense

[MyTurnNow]

Cancun,

My first impulse was to PM you and ask you to send a resume.

But I gather that you are not in China...am I right?
If not, I am unable to provide you with a Residence Permit...the boys down at the PSB will not issue new Permits to incoming foreigners right now due to the SARS scare.
Wherever you end up be very sure you can get the papers you need to make you legal. Double-check if you can...school managers/owners here will lie like a rug to suck you in and keep you under control. I know this from really hard experience.

As for the uni/private dilemma....the pay at unis is almost universally lower but you have a better chance of fair treatment, and it's common to get outside work to bolster your income...the class load tends to be lower. Private schools often pay more but you run a much higher chance of getting ripped off and/or abused. They're also more likely to work you to death, making outside work difficult.

Taking ANY job here is a roll of the dice. Which is more important to you?

MT

[chinasyndrome]

[quote="MyTurnNow"]

[Seth]

[Roger]

The cue here is 'Australian".
They most definitely will have NO link to AUstralia.

And, 'private" outfit: A school or a training centre?
I believe it is the latter. If so, be prepared for a lot of changing circumstances! Classes lasting for two months, with parents checking on YOU and giving your employer unnecessary suggestions!

[China Pete]

[quote="Seth"]

[MyTurnNow]

CS/Les,

I think this must be a Jiangsu Province thing? I can't get them and I've heard the same from other cities in the Province.

I think it's true elsewhere, too. Seems like I've heard similar stories in other provinces; can't recall the particulars and have had too much beer to research it now.

If you're outside looking in, check this carefully first!

MT

[chinasyndrome]

MT, thanks for that. I was really curious about it so I asked the FAO who, like most FAOs, is very good at drinking tea and reading the newspaper. Then there's the nose/toe picking thing... (sounds of gagging and retching).

I'm back now, a little pale but back nonetheless. (Collective sigh). Think about that one.

Okay, the official unofficial official line is that you are absolutely right. However, relationships play a part, of course. As they do in this whole issue of compulsory isolation if you cross provincial lines. I've got 2 guys rotting away in cells here, only to be told last night that it's okay if they come out as long as they don't have SARS. Okay, I said, we're isolationg them because they may have it. Isn't that why we quarantine them? You know, to see what develops? Well, Mr Li, she replies, we trust you. Okay, we've just discovered a cure for SARS. Me. Now we can all go out and play and if you get it, just give me a call and I'll boogie on over, put you in a cell on sweet bread and unboiled water for a few days, then you'll be cured.

MT, see if you can check the official unoffical official policy. There may be the scope you need to keep your place growing.

Cheers.

[ESL Guru]

[quote="China Pete"][quote="Seth"][quote="cancunense"] 'Dont judge a book by its cover'.

Many books came down off the shelf and went to see the head librarian. They claimed they were going on strike until the library was reopened to all.

So welcome back "pale" face!

[chinasyndrome]

Thanks elsie and others. My email box went into meltdown several times but is now recovering. I guess now would not be a good time to say it was all a late April Fool's Day joke.

The library is open.
Sunaru is just off for a minute getting the digital beer and hamburgers.
Hamish has already thrown the book at me and others.

Cheers and good reading!

Pale Face.

"First we put all the books back on the shelf...

[MyTurnNow]

CS,

my Chinese isn't good enough to independently get the policies from the bureaus, etc., Im afraid. I have to go through my FAO.

You have mentioned the real secrets to doing anything in a school here- a good FAO and the guanxi of the owner.

My owner has limited guanxi and little real idea of what he's doing. He mostly counts his money and I mostly run the school part. Fortunately we are part of a great company and they help a lot.

The FAO is a total awesome babe (even by local standards) and as far as I am concerned she can pick anything she wants to. Although she doesn't... She works hard and has learned a lot, but she is very young and limited in experience.

All this makes some things really, really difficult.

MT

[arioch36]

How young???