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nickpellatt
Joined: 08 Dec 2006
Posts: 1522
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 Posted: Thu Jul 12, 2007 8:44 pm Post subject: |
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I will have access to money for emergencies...but when I arrived this march to start I had around 1000 yuan in ready currency and was ready to slum it till I was paid.
Thankfully, I had a new teachers bonus on signing contracts...only 300 yuan but it helps...and I got paid on the 10th of the month...9 days after arriving.
I dont know if this is common...but I didnt have to work a month before getting paid...they pay us for the month we are in...in advance I guess |
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tw
Joined: 04 Jun 2005
Posts: 3898
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| Posted: Thu Jul 12, 2007 10:04 pm Post subject: |
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| nickpellatt wrote: |
| I dont know if this is common...but I didnt have to work a month before getting paid...they pay us for the month we are in...in advance I guess |
Yeah, I got advanced payment in Dalian, Hohhot, and in Changchun too. |
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HunanForeignGuy
Joined: 05 Jan 2006
Posts: 989
Location: Shanghai, PRC
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| Posted: Fri Jul 13, 2007 1:38 am Post subject: |
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| jwbhomer wrote: |
Well blowin'... I think you're making a pretty sweeping generalization. Parts of Guangdong are pretty awful -- thinking of Guangzhou -- but some places are OK. I liked Shenzhen, and although I only visited Zhuhai thought it not too bad.
I think if Bianca or anyone else comes to a place expecting to hate it, that becomes all too soon a self-fulfilling prophecy. |
Actually, parts of Guangzhou are quite nice -- I like the city but then I come from New York and am used to large, large metropolitan areas with very volatile weather patterns...Shenzhen? My God, I read an article in the New York Times that said that Shenzhen was a 100% perfect example of a city gone completely amuck.
Where BiancaT is going is as good as it gets in China. It is very, very upper middle class, very manicured lawns, parks, gardens. I myself couldn't believe when I went there for a business trip...it's like suddenly one stops being in China and is somewhere in the Hamptons...just one turn off a very banal street and then suddenly it all changes...and it's a gated community too -- and the school where she is going managed to keep nearly 90% of its teachers from last year -- now what does that say?
Next, just to reassure BiancaT, instead of panicing her, RMB 2000 will suffice for one monthly quite nicely. |
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7969
Joined: 26 Mar 2003
Posts: 5782
Location: Coastal Guangdong
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| Posted: Fri Jul 13, 2007 3:15 am Post subject: |
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| HunanForeignGuy wrote: |
| Actually, parts of Guangzhou are quite nice -- I like the city but then I come from New York and am used to large, large metropolitan areas with very volatile weather patterns...Shenzhen? My God, I read an article in the New York Times that said that Shenzhen was a 100% perfect example of a city gone completely amuck. |
not sure what it is people have against shenzhen for it to get criticized so much. its a new city, its clean, there's plenty of good restaurants, easy access to HK and macau, good travel hub with connections to anywhere in guangdong and china, even has some international flights, good sized expat community... what more do you need in a chinese city? i spend a lot of time in shenzhen (couple of weekends a month), and other than the hot and very humid weather, i have nothing but good things to say about the place. only drawback i can think of (there are two):
1. little chance for a typical university job teaching ESL in shenzhen; and
2. its more expensive to live here than most cities in china, thus a requirement for any newcomer to have more cash on hand.
| blowinlicks wrote: |
| With all due respect to the other respondents - bring as much money as you can, because chances are, you're going to need every last penny of it to get out of here after you experience the hell of Guangdong. Don't be stupid. Bring it all if possible and hide it in your ass. |
as for this, ?????? if you're going to make statements like this, then give us your thoughts to back it up. the last thing we need here are claims about how horrible some place is without any evidence. |
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HunanForeignGuy
Joined: 05 Jan 2006
Posts: 989
Location: Shanghai, PRC
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| Posted: Fri Jul 13, 2007 3:26 am Post subject: |
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Dear 7969,
Your points are well taken. My comments as follows:
For one thing, Shenzhen has the highest crime rate in all of China -- the most break-ins, the most assaults, etc., etc. I am not sure about the murder rate.
Most of the foreigners that I know personally have been either pickpockted, robbed or had their homes broken into in Shenzhen.
As for propriety, forgive me, but the parts of Shenzhen that I have seen have been anything but impecabbly salubrious...not better, not worse than Guangzhou.
But to each his or her own. Some people hate New York. I love New York. Some people love Toronto. I find it suburban and boring. Some people hate Guangzhou because of its size and weather. I love Guangzhou for its size and well, the weather is surely not worse than New York...so many point is this...to each his or her own.
In any case, for me now, it's back to the topic.
BiancaT, we haven't heard from you in a while...are you plans moving forward?
All the best,
HFG
Last edited by HunanForeignGuy on Fri Jul 13, 2007 3:28 am; edited 1 time in total |
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BiancaT
Joined: 15 Feb 2007
Posts: 74
Location: Toronto
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| Posted: Fri Jul 13, 2007 3:28 am Post subject: |
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Thank you to everyone for the suggestions and ballparks. Since I'll be working over the summer I'll try to bring as much money as I can with me. As for the area I'll be residing in, from what I understand Guangzhou and surrounding areas are higher priced than other Chinese areas but since I have to prior experience in Chinese shopping everything should still be relatively cheap.
Based on your own experiences do you believe that it takes a while to get settled in? I'm giving myself about 1 week, my contract starts on the 1st of September which is a Saturday so I would assume that I would start work on the Monday, to get over jet-lag and familiarize myself. Is this enough time to open a Chinese bank account and do some shopping (nothing too extensive...yet).
Thanks,
B |
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HunanForeignGuy
Joined: 05 Jan 2006
Posts: 989
Location: Shanghai, PRC
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| Posted: Fri Jul 13, 2007 3:34 am Post subject: |
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| BiancaT wrote: |
Thank you to everyone for the suggestions and ballparks. Since I'll be working over the summer I'll try to bring as much money as I can with me. As for the area I'll be residing in, from what I understand Guangzhou and surrounding areas are higher priced than other Chinese areas but since I have to prior experience in Chinese shopping everything should still be relatively cheap.
Based on your own experiences do you believe that it takes a while to get settled in? I'm giving myself about 1 week, my contract starts on the 1st of September which is a Saturday so I would assume that I would start work on the Monday, to get over jet-lag and familiarize myself. Is this enough time to open a Chinese bank account and do some shopping (nothing too extensive...yet).
Thanks,
B |
Dear BiancaT,
Ask the school to open your bank account for you. They will prepare the paperwork and open it in your name. Otherwise, you will have to wait until you have the resident permit in your passport...the bank won't open an account with a tourist visa...you need to be a resident.
Settled in? First, I would worry about jetlag. My daughter, the doctor, tells me that it takes about one day for every hour difference to bring your body back to its own clock. Toronto - Guangzhou - 12 or 13 hours difference, I forget. So it will take you 12 or 13 hours to have your body function on Guangzhou time.
Yes, Guangzhou is more pricey than other parts of China and your little enclave is more pricey than most of Guangzhou BUT
just take the city bus to the subway stop or go shopping in the Guangzhou district that is located near your school. Additionally, the only WalMart in all of Guangzhou is located within a stone's throw of where you will be and the prices are quite good..but actually you can do better in some of the shops in the commercial district not far from your school.
Yes, the contract starts on September 1st but generally your first teaching day will be the next Monday or Tuesday..
Keep in touch please. Any questions let me know. My colleague who will be working with you is looking forward to meeting you. Welcome to China!
HFG |
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BiancaT
Joined: 15 Feb 2007
Posts: 74
Location: Toronto
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| Posted: Fri Jul 13, 2007 3:39 am Post subject: |
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I had asked the school if they set up a bank account for the foreign teachers and they said that I would need to provide them with an assigned Chinese bank account or they can arrange for someone to help me set one up.
B |
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eslstudies
Joined: 17 Dec 2006
Posts: 1061
Location: East of Aden
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| Posted: Fri Jul 13, 2007 3:39 am Post subject: |
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I'm not sure what kind of institution you're working in. If it's a university, allow much of those two days for meeting with your department head, collecting texts and class lists, familiarising yourself with the campus and your teaching rooms etc.
If your school is up to speed, they'll have a bank account opened for you, and deposit your pay in there. You may wish to open a second one elsewhere.
They should also arrange and pay for your medical and transport you to and from. Once the results of that are through, its contract signing time. Then they'll take your passport and other bits of paper to get your resident and Foreign Expert paperwork done. A welcome banquet is also in order, or at least a decent meal hosted by your FAO.
You'll be very busy. |
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HunanForeignGuy
Joined: 05 Jan 2006
Posts: 989
Location: Shanghai, PRC
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| Posted: Fri Jul 13, 2007 3:45 am Post subject: |
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| BiancaT wrote: |
I had asked the school if they set up a bank account for the foreign teachers and they said that I would need to provide them with an assigned Chinese bank account or they can arrange for someone to help me set one up.
B |
BiancaT,
Contact me or my colleague after you arrive and we will help you with the bank account.
And you will be less busy than you think with the paperwork...an efficient FAO should be able to handle all of that with you in less than an hour.
Have a great trip.
HFG |
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BiancaT
Joined: 15 Feb 2007
Posts: 74
Location: Toronto
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| Posted: Fri Jul 13, 2007 3:51 am Post subject: |
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Wow, I've never heard of going through all of that. A dinner and being chauffeured? I understand the need for the tour and such, but then again what do I know?
They will be paying for my medical and resident's visa, I only have to pay for my tourist visa to get in. I figure I would get a double-entry visa just in case.
It would be nice to have the time to get accustomed to my classroom(s) before the actual class and get some texts. Since I don't know the quality of the resources which would be provided to me I've already started to pick up some essentials and classics (i.e. 501 classic short stories, etc). My only concern is the level of my class. Will I have to go as far back as nouns and adverbs; will I be practicing pronunciation techniques; or will I get to explore novels with the students. I highley doubt it is the third option but I'm not buying anything definitive until I get there and I figure I can google anything I need.
B |
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tw
Joined: 04 Jun 2005
Posts: 3898
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| Posted: Fri Jul 13, 2007 6:22 am Post subject: |
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| BiancaT wrote: |
| Wow, I've never heard of going through all of that. A dinner and being chauffeured? I understand the need for the tour and such, but then again what do I know? |
While you will be picked up at the train station or airport and driven to the school, not every school will have a welcoming dinner party.
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| It would be nice to have the time to get accustomed to my classroom(s) before the actual class and get some texts. |
You will most likely have to wait until a day or two before classes begin before you will know what classes to teach.
| Quote: |
| Since I don't know the quality of the resources which would be provided to me I've already started to pick up some essentials and classics (i.e. 501 classic short stories, etc). My only concern is the level of my class. Will I have to go as far back as nouns and adverbs; will I be practicing pronunciation techniques; or will I get to explore novels with the students. I highley doubt it is the third option but I'm not buying anything definitive until I get there and I figure I can google anything I need. |
Leave teaching grammar to the Chinese teachers. For all you know, you might not even get any oral English lessons. Therefore, you have to be ready and prepared for anything. Short stories? Chinese college and university students have extensive and intensive reading classes, so the last thing many of them want is more reading. Focus on helping them develop their speaking and writing skills. |
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HunanForeignGuy
Joined: 05 Jan 2006
Posts: 989
Location: Shanghai, PRC
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| Posted: Fri Jul 13, 2007 6:26 am Post subject: See Below |
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BiancaT,
Based upon various conversations that I have had with my colleague, who will shortly become your colleague, I have a fair idea as the level of your students and what you might be teaching.
Let's discuss that in a PM until you are safely on the ground here and in the job, just to make sure, keeping TW's recent misfortune in mind.
All the best,
HFG |
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Ariadne
Joined: 16 Jul 2004
Posts: 960
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| Posted: Sat Jul 14, 2007 8:53 am Post subject: |
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Bianca.. Re startup costs- some schools pay for nearly everything and some schools pay for almost nothing. Ask about visas, physicals, internet, telephone, water, electricity and gas. You will probably have to buy sheets, towels, lamps, pots/pans, flatware, dishware, cups, glasses, and a can opener. You'll also need pillows for your bed and maybe a cushion in case you don't enjoy sleeping on a slab of wood covered with a thin piece of cloth. (Chinese beds are very hard.) You might need office supplies like paper, stapler, paper clips, pens, markers, tape, index cards, and scissors. Will you need a printer or a microwave? You will want some hangers for your clothes, a clothesline for your laundry, and a few waste baskets. Your apartment will likely need a good scrubbing before you feel comfortable there so you will need some cleaning supplies right away. It can cost a lot to get settled in, so I agree that it makes sense to have some ready money and access to about a month's salary.
Make your new home comfy right from the start. Put your stamp on it.
Hang stuff on the walls.
Good luck to you. Have a great year. |
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