Job Discussion Forums

velmeran · Joined: 12 Feb 2007 Posts: 63

Hello all, I am going to be making my first foray into China teaching at this university. My Chinese language teacher from college is friends with the president there and helping me get things setup and negotiating the contract. So I am not worried about ending up at some language mill or not having anyone to talk to about things that are obviously wrong or lied about in the contract like many others have experianced.

I am mostly just looking for information on the area, and maybe if anyone has any past experiance with this school.

Thanks for any info you can provide.

Bayden · Joined: 29 Mar 2006 Posts: 988

clark.w.griswald · Joined: 06 Dec 2004 Posts: 2056

velmeran · Joined: 12 Feb 2007 Posts: 63

Yea, I have been reading these forums for a while and heard alot of the horror stories of showing up to a place thats nothing like advertised or all the places that won't refund plane tickets and such.

I trust my chinese teacher enough though, and I still get to read over the contracts myself for any fishy wording (such as being payed by the hour and not the class).

For the most part, as long as I get into china and get to the right place with out too much trouble I will be ok.

One question I have, the college says they have a "foreign teacher dorm" and I was wondering how those usually worked out for people? Is it like a closet sized room ala crappy dorms in the US? I am hoping it will be wired for internet access, but have no clue as of yet.

Steppenwolf · Joined: 30 Jul 2006 Posts: 1769

You should take up your housing question with that uni; in my experience many Angloamericans erroneously use the term "dorm"; I have never had to share a bedroom with any FT in China, so I don't know whether foreigners sometimes are assigned to dorms!

cj750 · Joined: 27 Apr 2004 Posts: 3081 Location: Beijing

I would say that when a Chinese friend helps out..he is helping himself out..but than may not be the case with your Chinese teacher..hope not..good luck and let us know how it works out..as to dorm rooms..they are likely housed on Campus and maybe with students sharing your building or even floor..direct the question at the work unit..and ask if you can get other's emails..as to be able to ask them the questions you have about accomodations...
I would add ..that to enhance your Chinese experience..a life off campus may be the best move to start with....nothing like having your own space to which the admin. has no key..and you can control the cost should there be additional expenses...

NathanRahl · Joined: 31 Aug 2006 Posts: 509

Trusting your "chinese" teacher, whatever that means, is your first mistake. Likly your getting a crapy job, but since you know nothing about teaching over here, yeah, sounds great to you. Book smarts are always diffrent then street smarts.

Chinese folks always call you their friend, right before they screw you, expect surprises.

A dorm, man, the word should be apartment. I have talked to quite a few folks who had to share the same building with students, word that works best is "nightmare". Yeah, this school is going to love you. Why, because you've ben reading these forums a while, and your still foolish enough to trust a chinese "friend" (loose word here in china) to help you find a job at their own school. Good luck with that Wink

.

If you realy wish to know something, please, post the jobs details. HOw much does it pay, for how many classes a week. Seems like the only reason you actually came on hre was to tel us all how much you "dont" need our help, how dumb is that.

velmeran · Joined: 12 Feb 2007 Posts: 63

Sorry if it sounded that way Nathan, I came on here to ask about Nanjing and what the city is like and if anyone had any experiance with this school before. Not to be some arrogant *beep* that thinks he knows everything, I really don't know much and it's pretty frieghtening heading to a foreign country, especially one that isn't as friendly as you would hope and where the red tape could stretch from here to Mars.

My chinese teacher has helped out three of my classmates from university find jobs teaching over in China, of the two I kept in contact with they had a good time after getting settled in and didn't have any huge problems with their schools and my professor was available to ask questions too if any came up. So I have past experiance with him not only as a teacher, but my friends also had no problems with the jobs he helped them obtain.

Please don't judge him like you seem to judge all the people you have interacted with there in China, it's prejudiced and unfair to him. Thats all I ask.

Bayden · Joined: 29 Mar 2006 Posts: 988

Sounds like your teacher has a nice little earner on the side.

chengdude · Joined: 13 Jun 2004 Posts: 294

Not sure what the OP is after exactly, but Nanjing is about as soft a China landing as there is. Large body of foreign students, lots of foreign teachers spread out across the city, and plenty of expat families huddled in the premium ghettos. There are 2 Carrefours, 1 Metro, 1 Auchan, untold #'s of KFC/Pizza Hut/McD's, a bakery/patisserie with stuff generally as good as you'll find in Europe, a few watering holes, a couple of well-worn clubs, and sufficient non-Chinese cuisine (Thai, Japanese, loads of Korean, Italian, Indian...). There's an international club and a branch of the European Chamber of Commerce that serve as the social/networking focii for those with derivations of "manage" on their business cards and/or Wives Who Lunch. Weather can be glorious, but you can count the number of those weeks on 2 hands. Pollution and traffic are pretty bad and aren't getting any better, although sometime in 2008 the new E-W subway will terminate at your school. Historically and culturally, plenty to see in and around the city and plenty of possible weekend excursions.

Your school is a vocational college out in a bit of a No Man's Land between the edge of the city and one of Nanjing's suburban university towns even further out. Haven't been out there myself, but figure 30-40 minutes by bus into the heart of the city. From their website, it looks like you're hitting the jackpot with that stalwart trifecta of vocational English majors: Travel & Tourism, Business English, and Applied English. Brace yourself.

DistantRelative · Joined: 19 Oct 2004 Posts: 367 Location: Shaanxi/Xian

Nathan Wrote:

velmeran · Joined: 12 Feb 2007 Posts: 63

Thank you for all your helpful information, I really was just looking for a general lay of the land and what to expect. I recieved many kind words and suggestions from alot of people here and I now know that while some people are bitter/angry to people, plenty of you are good people looking to help others out, which is something I value highly in life.

If things go well I will be headed over sometime next month and I hope to be in China for a few years, maybe even figure out what I want to do with the rest of my life and my degree.

Thanks for all your help!

Anda · Joined: 16 Jan 2003 Posts: 2199 Location: Jiangsu Province

I lived for a month in Nanjing six months back. It's a big city but buses are cheap. You should be getting a flat of some kind. If it is just a dorm room then I wouldn't take the job. If it is too noisy, will they give you money to find your own accommodation.

What pay are you being offered. You can earn between 3500 RMB a month to about 8,000 RMB a month in Nanjing depending mainly on teaching hours. Accommodation is usually free apart from utilities.

How are you expected to teach. Do you have to follow a course book. Do they supply you with a computer.

What about medical insurance.

Find out these things now.