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azarashi sushi
Joined: 23 Jan 2003
Posts: 562
Location: Shinjuku
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 Posted: Tue Aug 05, 2003 11:51 pm Post subject: Part time in Dalian |
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Hi Everyone,
I've been contemplating the big move to China from Japan for some time and have been checking some jobs.
I noticed Dalian Future School offer a part time contract of 3 days a week (15 hours) and about 3500. What do you China vets think of this school and this deal?
How far would 3500 go in Dalian? Could you afford to travel? Are there gyms in Dalian? What kind of life could you have? The beach is really appealing but how is it in winter? Is it easy to pick up private students?
All comments are greatly appreciated.
A.S. |
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Cobra
Joined: 28 Jul 2003
Posts: 436
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| Posted: Tue Aug 05, 2003 11:56 pm Post subject: |
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| I saw a news clip about their polar bear club. They swim in the ice water in winter. |
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azarashi sushi
Joined: 23 Jan 2003
Posts: 562
Location: Shinjuku
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| Posted: Wed Aug 06, 2003 12:07 am Post subject: |
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Thanks for that piece of information ...
Unfortunately not my cup of tea though! |
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goeastyoung(ish)man!
Joined: 09 Jun 2003
Posts: 139
Location: back in US
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| Posted: Wed Aug 06, 2003 2:07 am Post subject: read the other thread regarding dalian |
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| Read the other recent thread about Dalian for opinions on that school. You have to be good at acronyms though. Well not that good. Hint- anonymous english school. Ps I have no personal experience with the school or city. |
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MyTurnNow
Joined: 19 Mar 2003
Posts: 860
Location: Outer Shanghai
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| Posted: Wed Aug 06, 2003 7:45 am Post subject: |
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I have experience with both. I certainly can't say enough nice things about the city or enough bad things about the schools in it.
3500 won't cut it too well in Dalian unless you are a cloistered monk...you'll have to supplement it if you want to have much in the way of fun. This goes much more so if you want to travel. One of the few disadvantages of Dalian is its location tucked way down on the Liaoning peninsula....taking a train anywhere takes a while.
Winters are cold and raw, but the ocean moderates things a bit and it's not as bad there as it gets a few kilometers inland...compare to Shenyang, for example. And the beaches are indeed nice.
Dalian has gyms, and a great expat community (I still miss Dave's Bar), and good shopping, and interesting things to do. The food and the girls are amazing. The streetcar system makes getting around easier in some parts of town. I truly think it's one of the most liveable cities in China.
It's not too hard to find part-time work in Dalian (last I knew anyway) but I didn't find it a good town for private students. Lots of people want you to teach them but few of them want to pay you what you're worth.
I suggest you avoid the chain English mills and try your luck at the many universities there. You should be able to get at least a comperable salary for light hours, better treatment, and a better teaching experience. Even a public (primary/middle) school might be a better choice, and there is no shortage of opportunity here.
The public schools and unis will give you the Z (work) visa for relatively short hours...other schools are well known for using short- or part-timers on illegal L (tourist) or F (business) visas; it generally slips their minds to inform you that this practice makes you an illegal migrant worker subject to fines, deportation, and more. Oopsie! 
MT |
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NumberOneSon
Joined: 03 Jul 2003
Posts: 314
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| Posted: Wed Aug 06, 2003 2:45 pm Post subject: Re: Part time in Dalian |
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| azarashi sushi wrote: |
Hi Everyone,
I noticed Dalian Future School offer a part time contract of 3 days a week (15 hours) and about 3500. What do you China vets think of this school and this deal?
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3500 isn't much to live on in Dalian. With an apartment and some
utilities provided, you can do it, but you won't have much extra money
for cushion (maybe 1000/mo).
Not so sure about contract work, either. Better make sure your contract
doesn't restrict this (or working for other schools) if that's what you expect
to do. Just check to make sure.
As far as the school goes, you hear good and bad. I've worked for
them in Dalian and had few problems (but Dalian wouldn't be my
first choice with that school). They have quite a few schools in
Dalian, though, so the environment is likely to change a little with
each school and you might get a good one (don't ask me which
ones are "good" now because I don't know).
Basically, they have a fixed curriculum and a preferred way
to teach and you do it their way or you look for another
place to teach. You aren't going to change their system,
so if you are a hotshot teacher out to change the world
you might get a little frustrated.
Some teachers I knew had problems with the school. Some
of the problems were legit while others were mostly a lot of
crap stirred up by a few who liked to nit-pick every time
they were asked to do the least little thing they thought
wasn't "in" their contract.
All I can say is that I had few problems with them and they
always paid fairly and on time. But, then, it wasn't my first
job straight out of school and I didn't listen to all the self-styled
"China experts" who kept trying to stir stuff up, either.
With a light teaching load, you shouldn't have nearly the
problems some teachers had. You should have plenty of
time to develop outside interests. |
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cimarch
Joined: 12 Jun 2003
Posts: 358
Location: Dalian
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| Posted: Thu Aug 07, 2003 4:44 am Post subject: |
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| Quite simply, if you are a teacher of any merit you can make MUCH more than 3500. A lot of schools pay a foreign face to stand in front of the class for a few hours a week and have the 'real' teaching done by much cheaper (and usually much better) Chinese teachers. In fact, some of them get quite upset if you actually try to teach them something! There are plenty of good schools, you just need to find them. I've been here for seven months now and only signed a contract three weeks ago. I'm getting 8000 for 20 hours/week (thanks to MTN's advice, I still owe you that beer by the way!) and I'm picking up a few grand extra in overtime for the summer. And I still have schools asking me when I have free time to teach for them. There is plenty of work around. You should be getting a minimum of 80 RMB/hour, preferably 100 if you aren't doing too many hours with them. Just remember to always reject the first offer, bargain over everything and read the contract CAREFULLY just before you sign, they can try to sneak all sorts of things into the final draft! |
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MyTurnNow
Joined: 19 Mar 2003
Posts: 860
Location: Outer Shanghai
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| Posted: Fri Aug 08, 2003 10:07 am Post subject: |
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I'm just glad it worked out well and that you avoided an Awful Employment Situation. But I'll take that beer. 
MT |
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