Job Discussion Forums

jonathanj · Joined: 09 Mar 2005 Posts: 93

New Bridge Foreign Language School in Beijing

Any info? Has anyone worked there before? I was reading a post from 2004 about teacher's not getting paid due to SARS, but I assume that is ok now. Any info would be great. Thanks.

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

I worked for them from 1997-2000-ish. Under Mr. Lee, it was an enjoyable experience, but then money from paid-for-a-year students(millions in RMB) went missing, branches started closing and it became a bit dodgy. After Mr. Lee left it became really dodgy. That was my one clear example in ESL that you can never find that one special school and try and stay at it for 10,15,20 years. Of course, if you tried to find someone who shares my opinion on what happened to New Bridge chances are they're back in Australia, US etc... In 1997-2000 it was the largest ESL school in Beijing.

jonathanj · Joined: 09 Mar 2005 Posts: 93

Thanks for the info, but that was seven years ago (wow, weird that the year 2000 was so long ago). Wondering if anyone has any recent info? Thanks

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

Sorry,but it does go beyond 2000, it just became more and more pathetic.The latest was about ...hmmm? 2003,and it was humiliating;from 8 schools to one floor of a single building.There is a high school run by a Ms. Chen under the flag of New Bridge, managed by an old buddy-Peter ? Are you talking about that place ?

jonathanj · Joined: 09 Mar 2005 Posts: 93

Yes, it is a HS and JHS combined. The man who is talking about hiring me is a Canadian who went to the same Uni as me (Uni of Western Ontario). Well, he never said he was a Canadian, but I am assuming he is.

brsmith15 · Joined: 12 May 2003 Posts: 1142 Location: New Hampshire USA

Be a bit careful about fellow countrymen. Here, some Chinese folk are spoken of (not kindly, by the way) as bananas: yellow on the outside, white on the inside.

Their counterparts are hard boiled eggs, colors reversed and the yellow inside is a perfect color to describe how they act. These cowardly men and women are out-and-out prostitutes having sold themselves to corrupt and dishonest Chinese management/ownership. Like the Vichy government of France, they're the worst. Believe me, I ran afoul of this lowlife type before.

Now, before you get all excited, these eggs are in the minority, but, again, I'm reminded of Jewish cappos hired by the Nazis to punish and snitch on their fellow Jews.

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

Peter A. is a decent fellow-but he's from Montreal, but no idea where he studied.The young folks that worked for him spoke well of him.

Brian Caulfield · Joined: 14 Sep 2004 Posts: 1247 Location: China

I left the school early but was fined more than I made . Peter is the school's yes man . They had farmed teachers out to many schools in the neighborhood so you will be busing a lot . Students are not the best so teaching requires more work . As William says they are going down hill because of bad management .