Job Discussion Forums

myesl · Posted: Sun Sep 24, 2006 4:45 pm Post subject: FT spies

Do you have an FT at your school who works as a spy to some extent or another for the school? Just wondering how common this is. Thanks.

Slim Pickens · Joined: 25 Nov 2003 Posts: 299

Post deleted by author.

KarenB · Joined: 20 Sep 2005 Posts: 227 Location: Hainan

spy on what? other fts? Chinese colleagues?

I have heard of (but never, to my knowledge experienced, in 6 years) students who spied on FTs -- i.e. make sure they didn't say anything too political or religious.

Shan-Shan · Joined: 28 Aug 2003 Posts: 1074 Location: electric pastures

Last year I told the students in one class the following:

"The first time I went abroad was to Taipei".

Immediately, one student bursted out, "Taiwan is part of China; it is not an idependent country!!!!"

I responded calmly, "Class, did I say that Taiwan was separate from China? All I said was that the first time I went abroad was to Taipei. Since when is Taipei regarded as a country by anyone. I always thought that it was the capital of Taiwan province".

The students all laughed, and the rat crawled under his bolted seat rather humilated.

I suspect that his Chinese English teacher, while training him how to spy on the FT, neglected to do much with improving his listening abilities!

englishgibson · Joined: 09 Mar 2005 Posts: 4345

OP, I might believe that there are some around, but I can't tell you specifically. However, I can tell you for sure that there are "spies" who sha* these forums big time.

Peace to "spies"
and
cheers and beers to the real hard workign FTs in China Very Happy

Leon Purvis · Posted: Mon Sep 25, 2006 2:33 pm Post subject:

We had a yoyo in our apartment building who liked to watch who came and who left and when they left. He failed to ingratiate himself to the FAO, and the Foreign Languages Department faculty couldn't hold their tongues, so pretty soon he was found out. (The very few times that Chinese teachers EVER spoke to me was when I was told what they "knew" about me through this guy).

I found some of the tests that I had printed out and thrown away in the trash IN HIS APARTMENT.

Bayden · Joined: 29 Mar 2006 Posts: 988

MITCH · Joined: 18 Aug 2006 Posts: 58 Location: China

Yep, they exist. One was Philip, a Chinese Canadian at Lingnan Polytechnic in Guangzhou.

I never met the "man" but heard about him from his colleagues.

He weasled/negotiated a position there as the FT's manager.

He would snitch on every FT, to try and build his image to the FLD.

He even increased his salary with a fake masters degree.

People by their actions, paint a picture, and this guy was an absolute classic SPY.

As to the specifics of what he did, will be left to his former or existing colleagues.

Does anyone know the whereabouts of Philip?

william wallace · Joined: 14 May 2003 Posts: 2869 Location: in between

Leon Purvis · Posted: Wed Sep 27, 2006 10:27 am Post subject:

William,

Man, you hit it on the head.

xinpu · Joined: 07 Nov 2005 Posts: 61 Location: Nanjing

being thick here...what's a 'YOYO' ???

Leon Purvis · Posted: Wed Sep 27, 2006 1:22 pm Post subject:

It's a cylindrical toy that traverses a string from one's hand downward, upward, and/or outward. When it reaches the end of the string, the wooden cylinder returns to the hand.

It is (colloquially speaking) someone who is of little worth and easily manipulated for someone else's amusement.

simplesimon · Joined: 01 Oct 2006 Posts: 9

just a short note to confirm "Mitch's" comments.
Yes indeedy,Lingnan College,Guangzhou surely did have f.t. Spy,in the form of a hunk of blubber called Philip.
The famous philip was quite proud of his actions.
The problem seemed to be that philip appeared quite plausable at first,so people confided in him.After a short time,his mental state became more obvious.His compulsive lying was a dead give-away(A big wheel on Wall street,a Tae kwon do instructor,with United Nations in Bosnia,etc,etc),and then of course a miraculous Masters Degree appeared from nowhere.
When other f.ts realized their words and deeds were being reported,and the finger pointed at the famous Philip,he then announced that the Vice Dean of FT Dept had admitted to him that the vice deans job was to tap all f.t. phones..Quite an imagination.that Lad.

myesl · Posted: Mon Jan 08, 2007 8:30 pm Post subject:

Yeah, my last school seems to have had a spy. He had a fake master's and lied about some or all of his supposed military service. I didn't realize it till the end, till I left really, as he always acted like he was everyone's friend. He was the liason FT between us and the FAO, unpaid he claimed. He was the only teacher left from the previous year.

Leon Purvis · Posted: Thu Jan 11, 2007 1:25 pm Post subject:

I don't think that they intend to be spies as much as they try to ingratiate themselves to the FAO or the FLD.

I worked with someone who fabricated stories to create a smoke screen for his own indiscretions. This behavior is not unique to FTs in China. It's common behavior in the corporate workplace as well as in the American university system.

Recently, the snitch got caught in his own web. Whoever was watching saw what he was doing and let him know about it.

In another gig here in China, on payday the FAO had a big bucket of KFC waiting for the self-appointed moralist, and he'd talk until all of the chicken was gone.