Job Discussion Forums

[KarenB]

In the 6 years I've been in China, I've always known by this time what the last day of school is, and when I am permitted to leave (and usually book tickets home sometime in May as the cheapest flights fill up quickly).

When my friend (at another school) asked her FAO this question, she was told, "It's too early" "Your contract doesn't expire til the end of July" and "You need to wait til mid-June to know this information."

Do you think this is a little ridiculous? This is a government high school, btw. Don't most high schools have this sort of thing published, for purposes of things like graduation dates, etc.?

What course of action would you suggest for her. She would like to travel along with us, as we're leaving from the same city in China and traveling to the same destination in America. But I don't want to wait until June to book tickets, as I have a family of 5, and I need the cheapest fare possible.

[Malsol]

[clomper]

What level does she teach? If it's senior 3 then she'll be out by June 5 as the students will be taking the exams on June 6-10. I asked the teachers and they told me that the final exams will be on the first week of July same as last year. As I don't need to teach a week before the finals so I'm out by the last week of June. Middle schools usually have 20-21 weeks of classes during the 2nd term. So count from the start of the term. Unis are let out much earlier.

[Roger]

Not sure if I read your post well, but my kneejerk reaction is to ask: has this friend of yours read her contract? Further, what does her reisdence permit say about expiry?
To illustrate the situation a little, I will refer to my own case: my residence permit sticker (which takes care of any visa we used to need) expires in July; I know my classes will end by the end of June; last year it was the same situation, and before the end of that contract period I was asked to sign a new contract, and upon signing it my passport was submitted to the PSB for a new residence sticker which now covered the summer holidays plus the actual contracted work period.

If your friend wishes to bow out she will probably have to endure the inconvenience of informing her superior of her intention and run the considerable risk of upsetting them. Whatever that translates into,... I hope it's not going to be the worst-case scenario with which so many are familiar...
It might be useful to tactically approach the PSB with a view of getting a tourist visa for the period immediately after the contract expiry.

[KarenB]

Her contract does goes until July 30. However, I doubt her school holds classes that long, so it would be ridiculous for the school to force her to hang around until the end of July doing nothing until her contract expires.

Her residence permit doesn't expire until next Fall, as her present school was so dilinquent in getting it. So that's no problem.

The only issue is that she wants to be able to leave around the beginning of July, so she can travel with our family. She's willing to forfeit the July salary if she can leave earlier.

[7969]

i highly doubt your friend will be forced to hang around doing nothing.

my contract expires on july 30th. my visa expires on july 12th. i've asked my school when my last day of classes is so that i can make a timely exit from china. i was told july 4th or thereabouts. your friend only need do the same. the last 2-3 weeks of school are exams and prep for exams.

get your friend to speak with her boss at her school and ask them to take a peek at their school timetable and go to the end of that timetable and read off the date of the last day of classes. that's when your friend should be free to go.

[adventuramust]

I receive the same responses about it being too early. I received the remark about 'thereabouts' when I inquired about spring break.

I saw some great postings and hope someone can direct me as well. I teach Junior 3, contract ends June 20th, FEC expires July 2nd. I have no idea when finals might be or when I am permitted to leave.

Flights are cheaper when booked earlier which I would think the school knows. If they are really going to reimbursement me wouldn't they want me to get the cheaper fares as well?

Thanks to all folks in-the-know.

[clomper]

Adventuramost,

Check with the school when will the senior entrance exams will be then you'll know when the end of classes are. In our school, it's June 18-20.

[adventuramust]

Well those dates help. Interesting that my contract ending date is June 20th. Could/would they keep a person beyond a contract date if school went beyond that date.

My FAO only replies that it is too soon. That is his answer for all questions. He said he didn't know when the October holiday was until one day before it started and told me two days before the spring fest holiday.

[adventuramust]

[China.Pete]

Understanding your friend's dilemma probably requires a bit more cynicism than you usually exhibit. When the school says "It's too early," they are literally telling the truth. Such information, if not actually a state secret, is always carefully guarded until an "official" announcement is eventually made by the government (whichever unit of the government the school is subject to). Perhaps in the unlikely event that even this official proclamation might be rescinded, and they might be made to look foolish, the usual practice is to wait several more days before informing the foreign teachers (if they are told at all). Now, as a matter of practice, everyone including the veteran foreign teachers knows perfectly well within a week or so, possibly even a couple of days, when the actual end of term will be. It is this information the above posters are referring to based on known factors such as exam dates, previous year's schedule, etc.

As for the second part of her dilemma, making timely reservations to go home, this is an excellent opportunity for her to assert her foreign-ness. She can just explain that, as a foreigner, she MUST make a reservation immediately "to see her family" or for some other culturally appropriate reason. While they might consider this to be a bit forward, no one will likely contradict her because they assume that, as a foreigner, she will probably just go ahead and do it anyway and then they will lose face for having been ignored.

The above situation has probably resolved itself by now, but I couldn't resist getting my two cents worth in, because this phenomena was so incredible to me when I first experienced it in China.

Pete

P.S. To this day, I'm not sure that there is an official one-week holiday for May Day and National Day. At least in previous years, the official three-day holiday has been extended by two days - usually with some provision for make-up days on a prior weekend - by government order a short while prior to the date of the actual holiday. Therefore, there is no official one week holiday, and no one can tell how many days you will have at the beginning of the academic year. But woe onto any of us who do not black out a week's classes for each in our lesson plans!

[kev7161]

And for the other poster. If your contract says it ends on June 20th, then June 20th is your last day of work. Your school will probably (but you should ask) allow you the last 10 days of the month to pack up your belongings and leave before your residence permit expires.

By the way, this is not directed at this poster, but does nobody stick around a second (or third) year at their school? I've been cheching out other job possibilities, but I'd MUCH rather stay at my school than moving yet again somewhere else (PS: I have an appointment on Wednesday for contract renewal meeting).

[lf_aristotle69]

[kev7161]

I had a math test and a spelling test the Friday before the last "golden" week, although we worked Saturday and Sunday, but I was in no way going to put effort in actually having normal classes on those two days. Anyway, two of my girls were out that Friday - - one's parents decided they would take her out early for their extra-long golden week (another girl was out Saturday and Sunday for a 9-day golden week), the other was out "sicK'. Anyway, they both come back on May 8th, I give them their math and spelling test and they both make low grades, much lower than what they normally do because they are both pretty sharp. Oh well.

The Chinese teachers/admin are quite clever because they have their exams scheduled a week before the holiday (I give tests at the end of units, whenever that may be) so they don't have to deal with missing students a few days before the holidays. Holidays here sure are maddening, but I do love that full month off in January/February.

[lf_aristotle69]