Job Discussion Forums

[reagling]

So here's the thing...

I'm a newly qualified teacher, (CELTA from International House, Barcelona) I've got a bit of experience (North London Summer school with ASET) and I'm looking for a job in China to start in September.

After a tip off from someone on here (can't remember who, sorry) I've started looking at chinatefl.com as well as tefl.com, and on here, of course.

I've had my hand snatched off by xinlian English training school (Feshan City, Guandong, 5,000 for 20 hours) and Zhengzhou
Institute of Technology (Zhengzhou 2,800 for 16 hours) and got interest from Sanjian University (Nanjing) Harbin Star Foreign Language College (Harbin) Qiqihar Vocational College (Heilongjiang) and Hubei University in Wuhan (through an organisation called OWDC - a husband and wife team from New Zealand)

Although the money varies for each, I could see myself taking any one of these. They all seem to be offering reletively similar hours, pay, age of students and conditions.

I'm reading through my Lonely Planet guide, but does anyone here have any background info on these places or, more importantly, these institutions?

Many thanks

Hope to be sticking around this bit of cyber space for a while so see you soon.

[Bertrand]

Unless you are seeking an icy experience I would avoid harbin! It's the coldest place on the earth!

[travesty21]

Harbin, I hear is one of the coldest places, wouldn't recommend it. I don't have alot of experience teaching in China, but if you can teach at a University for 14-16 hours a week it would be better than teaching at a private language school. If you can teach college students that give a squat about learning english it is much better than other places where kids don't give two shits about learning english. You should ask for more pay than 2800 since you are certified, have experience, and a degree. Remember there are plenty of places to teach if they don't want to pay you more. You can also find extra work on the side once you get there if you are working only 14-16 hours a week. One suggestion is make sure you find the location of the University or school you will be teaching at. So, if you want to work in Nanjing, make sure the University is near downtown not out in some development zone or suburba where you will have to live or commute to each day. Only suggestions others may think differently than I.

[Roger]

And here my piece:
- I have no objection to going to Harbin except that the mosquitoes in
summer are worse than they are in Guangdong; add to this the harsh
winter reality. Then again, this may be its charm. Harbin is nice for
those who like to see snow and icicles dangling from rooftops. It also
has quite a few Russian buildings left over, but otherwise it is a truly
Chinese city. Expect a lot of coal fire smoke in the cold season!
- Nanjing is a nice place half way between Harbin and Hong Kong; it
is less cold in winter, and rather hot and humid in summer. Good
place to visit Suzhou and its canals, and Shanghai. Not too big.
- As for Xinlian, I reserve my right to warn you. The person hiring
there is one Jane, right? She has a very bad reputation although
to do her justice I hasten to add that she currently has a Canadian
couple that are happy with her. However, I have know her outfit
for three years, and every year, there have been several spectacular
cases of her breaking her own contract. An Aussie woman that I
eventually met wrote a warning on the Job Info board a year ago
(now deleted).
Besides, the place is actually Daliang, Shunde, not Foshan city. This
is not an attempt by her to deceive you, I guess, but it bears some
explaining: Foshan (a tiny city) and Shunde (a much larger county)
have recently been merged, so that Shunde residents now are Fo-
shanese although Foshan city is about 25 kms from Daliang. On
recent maps you surely will be able to locate Shunde beside Foshan.
But, as said above, be warned about Jane! She is unscrupulous!

[Millerlong]

Avoid Harbin for living. Don't try and get used to the idea just because you have secured a job there. I also once secured a job there. At first I heard that it was very cold so I thought that maybe it will be a good experience having come from the hot climate in Australia. However, I eventually woke up to myself. Harbin is no place to live. It is just a village (compared to the big cities) in the middle of a sh itful cold place. I heard the scenery is good in summer but scenery can only keep you interested for so long. Find a job somewhere else. Good Luck.

Millerlong

[reagling]

So I get the idea. Harbin is cold.

I'm still undecided though. Tied it down to either Wuhan or Nanjing.

Shall I just toss a coin? Will 3,000 in Wuhan for 12 hours go as far as 4,000 in Nanjing for 20?

All the best

Russell

[gerard]

The question on Harbin is not that its cold but how they deal with it. Is everything heated properly??? Where I am almost nothing is heated in winter or ACed in summer. I love the freezing cold just as long as I am warm indoors. Ask them. I have my doubts but I am only guessing.

[gerard]

reagling I forgot. Think about this for a minute. Overtime is 80-100 per hour. If you do 12 in Wuhan and 8 inOT you would be making about 6000 for 20 hours....20 hours is too much. That is really full time. Ignore the surface salary.

[Roger]

3000 for 12 hours a week is good almost anywhere, but you might have a stipulation in your contract that bans you from accepting extra work. Try to get around this. I think Wuhan is not a bad place to be - quite large (in fact, three cities combined and separated only by two rivers), with lots of students and lots of businesses that might hire you in your spare time. The climate is the opposite of Harbin - maybe you will find it TOO HOT!

4000 for 20 hours in Nanjing is a little low, no matter whether it is more than enough for you to live comfortably. You can see for yourself that this pays a lot less per hour than the Wuhan job. I guess it is with a private training centre. NOt half as much fun as in an university or college (your Wuhan job, obviously).

[gmat]

FYI:
Harbin Star has a very good reputation. A colleague of mine worked there last year. One thing to note is that they have built a brand new campus and now the school is located around 8 km from the city. Sort of in the middle of no where, but good accomodations, facilities, (even a campus bar) etc..

[reagling]

Hey,

Just thought a few of you who replied to my original email might be interested to know how I got on...

I'm now in Wuhan, Hubei having decided to go with OWDC. I can't tell you what a releif it was to get here and find out that (so far) all the things I was promised was actually here on arrival (including the air conditioning in the bedroom!)

The OWDC team are really good and boast that over half their teachers continue for over two years (or something like that) You can see why. They provide materials, support and advice that is clearly going to set me in very good stead in the future. They are also clearly love teaching and have a genuine interest in spreading good practice.

The name is compleatly missleading. OWDC stands for One World Development Corporation - which sounds like some nasty multinational. They are just a husband and wife team with a ambition to get things right.

There's a long way to go yet - but so far they have certainly surpassed my expectations.

All the best

Russell

[cliveloughlin]

Hi Russell

I am looking for an email address to contact OWDC? I have heard that they are good but can't seem to find their details online!

Can you help?

Glad that things are working out for your there...

Enjoy!
Clive

[ytange]

Clive mate

google

crisp

not even one second

http://owdc.org/homeintro.asp

where were you looking?

[shuize]

Twelve hours a week sounds nice.

I'm not so worried about the money, but would may be interested in eventually moving to China for semi-retirement. Just out of curiosity, what is the lowest number of hours per week anyone has ever heard of and still get a visa?

[Sinobear]

Uh, Clive and ytange...did you notice that the post you're responding to is from August 2003?


Cheers!