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Master Shake
Joined: 03 Nov 2006
Posts: 1202
Location: Colorado, USA
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 Posted: Sun Oct 28, 2007 8:55 am Post subject: Coming from Poland to China: Am I crazy? |
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Hey,
I've got a BA in English from Colorado State University in the US, a CELTA, and will have 1 year of teaching exp at a good school in Feb. I'm looking for a change from the cold, damp winters, smoky cellar pubs, and measley pay (about 1000 USD/month).
I'd like to sock away a little money, but I also want to live in an interesting place with some nightlife and maybe travel a bit.
I finish my contract on Feb 14th. Do I have any chance at finding a well paying job that starts shortly after Feb 14th? 1 Year contracts are not a problem for me.
Oh, and what are the best cities to live in in China? I'd like to find a place where every 5th person on the street isn't a foreigner. |
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fitzgud
Joined: 24 Jan 2006
Posts: 148
Location: Henan province
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| Posted: Sun Oct 28, 2007 8:59 am Post subject: |
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| Yes, you are crazy. |
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Shan-Shan
Joined: 28 Aug 2003
Posts: 1074
Location: electric pastures
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| Posted: Sun Oct 28, 2007 9:09 am Post subject: |
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| Quote: |
smoky cellar pubs, and measley pay (about 1000 USD/month).
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Sure you aren't mistaking your corner of Poland for one of China's newest Westward Expansion Special Economic Self Governing Territories, or WESESGTs for short? |
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loboman
Joined: 19 Apr 2007
Posts: 238
Location: Despite all my rage I'm still just a rat in a cage...
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| Posted: Sun Oct 28, 2007 9:15 am Post subject: |
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All things beling equal, Poland seems like the better choice.
China grows thin on entertainment quickly. And Poland has less pollution. |
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william wallace
Joined: 14 May 2003
Posts: 2869
Location: in between
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| Posted: Sun Oct 28, 2007 10:32 am Post subject: |
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nil
Last edited by william wallace on Sat Nov 24, 2007 11:22 am; edited 1 time in total |
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latefordinner
Joined: 19 Aug 2003
Posts: 973
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| Posted: Sun Oct 28, 2007 11:27 am Post subject: |
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| EFL salaries are, if you can imagine it. probably lower in China than in Eastern Europe. The daily cost of living is also lower, iff <very big if> you avoid BJ, Shangers and the other big "modern" cities. The likelihood of getting an abusive or dishonest boss (one who does not honour his end of the contract, withholds and refuses to pay salary etc) is probably higher, but in this business its all a crap shoot and the dice are loaded anyway. Good news is that if you organise employment ahead of time, the new semester begins near the end of February (anyone have any dates yet?). Coming here about the 20th or so should still be plenty of time before classes start. No one does any hiring after the first week of January, so now is the time to start looking. Don't forget to ask schools for references (former FTs who have worked there). Lots of luck. |
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patsy
Joined: 07 Oct 2004
Posts: 179
Location: china
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| Posted: Sun Oct 28, 2007 11:35 am Post subject: |
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| Yes. |
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Rooster_2006
Joined: 24 Sep 2007
Posts: 984
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| Posted: Sun Oct 28, 2007 1:12 pm Post subject: Re: Coming from Poland to China: Am I crazy? |
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| Master Shake wrote: |
Hey,
I've got a BA in English from Colorado State University in the US, a CELTA, and will have 1 year of teaching exp at a good school in Feb. I'm looking for a change from the cold, damp winters, smoky cellar pubs, and measley pay (about 1000 USD/month).
I'd like to sock away a little money, but I also want to live in an interesting place with some nightlife and maybe travel a bit.
I finish my contract on Feb 14th. Do I have any chance at finding a well paying job that starts shortly after Feb 14th? 1 Year contracts are not a problem for me.
Oh, and what are the best cities to live in in China? I'd like to find a place where every 5th person on the street isn't a foreigner. |
Well, you asked, so here's my opinion. It's my personal opinion that you're crazy, because:
1. You refer to your pay as measly, but in China, $1,000 a month is pretty good for an English teacher.
2. You are talking about working in China (where an English teacher's salary is usually about $600 a month) when you could be working in Taiwan or perhaps Singapore (with salaries easily four times that and the same Mandarin language being spoken and the same Chinese culture).
Therefore, I'd say "just go to Taiwan." China is where people like me teach -- people without degrees or significant experience, who are still working on getting these things. You already did your "Purgatory" when you were in Poland. Reward yourself and go somewhere first world. All I have is CELTA, so my domain is limited to China. You can do so much better. Go to Taiwan. The cost of living is going to be higher, but your salary will EASILY offset this. |
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11:59
Joined: 31 Aug 2006
Posts: 632
Location: Hong Kong: The 'Pearl of the Orient'
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| Posted: Sun Oct 28, 2007 1:27 pm Post subject: Re: Coming from Poland to China: Am I crazy? |
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| Rooster_2006 wrote: |
| You are talking about working in China (where an English teacher's salary is usually about $600 a month) when you could be working in Taiwan or perhaps Singapore (with salaries easily four times that and the same Mandarin language being spoken and the same Chinese culture). |
I'd be interested in knowing in what way(s) Singapore has the "same Chinese culture" as Mainland China. |
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fitzgud
Joined: 24 Jan 2006
Posts: 148
Location: Henan province
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| Posted: Sun Oct 28, 2007 1:30 pm Post subject: |
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| Only seven replies and you have graduated from crazy, to totally insane. You may well fit in well with the rest of us. |
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Rooster_2006
Joined: 24 Sep 2007
Posts: 984
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| Posted: Sun Oct 28, 2007 1:38 pm Post subject: Re: Coming from Poland to China: Am I crazy? |
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| 11:59 wrote: |
| Rooster_2006 wrote: |
| You are talking about working in China (where an English teacher's salary is usually about $600 a month) when you could be working in Taiwan or perhaps Singapore (with salaries easily four times that and the same Mandarin language being spoken and the same Chinese culture). |
I'd be interested in knowing in what way(s) Singapore has the "same Chinese culture" as Mainland China. |
It's not a perfect carbon copy, but Chinese is an official language, 75.2% of the population is Chinese, and I'm sure it has lots of redeeming features that mainland China doesn't have. The only way to experience mainland China is to go to mainland China, but personally I think it's wiser to do your work in first world countries (with good wages and savings) and your play/study in countries like China where those things are cheap. Ever wonder why so many people work in Korea and fly to Thailand during the break? |
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Master Shake
Joined: 03 Nov 2006
Posts: 1202
Location: Colorado, USA
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| Posted: Mon Oct 29, 2007 8:51 am Post subject: Re: Coming from Poland to China: Am I crazy? |
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| Rooster_2006 wrote: |
Therefore, I'd say "just go to Taiwan." China is where people like me teach -- people without degrees or significant experience, who are still working on getting these things. |
Yes, but aren't there better jobs available for people who have certs a little bit of experience? This is a huge and up-and-coming country!
I'll confess: I want to save money, but I dont want to save badly enough to go to Korea or Taiwan . Heard too many bad things about these places - about the pollution, lack of sensible teaching methodology, and dickh3ad bosses.
I dont know much about Singapore but I'll look into it.
Japan was my first choice until Nova tanked and flooded the place with mobs of jobless teachers waving resumes. 
But the picture I'm getting is that China is not the best idea for me. Jeez, 10 replies and not one encouraging response! |
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Kram
Joined: 20 Sep 2005
Posts: 152
Location: In a chair
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| Posted: Mon Oct 29, 2007 9:36 am Post subject: |
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I left Lithuania to teach in China in about 2002, I was only on 500 usd a month... If I could find a decent job in Eastern Europe for a 1000 bucks a month, I'd be back like a flash...
Lithuanian and Estonian students were a joy to teach too (compared to their lil� Chinese counterparts), the beer and lifestyle was outstanding...
Can't really think of a logical reason why I came back...suppose being offered a reasonable job helped - that plus 'not being right in the head'.... |
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Shan-Shan
Joined: 28 Aug 2003
Posts: 1074
Location: electric pastures
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| Posted: Mon Oct 29, 2007 10:10 am Post subject: |
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| Heard too many bad things about these places - about the pollution, lack of sensible teaching methodology, and *beep* bosses |
China:
Ample pollution (some of the finest in the world, actually), little teaching methodology to speak of in classrooms and all the "beep" bosses you can handle.
Korea:
Not as much pollution for you to enjoy and greater awareness of teaching methodology. There are "beep" bosses, too, but far greater financial compensation for the b.s.
China is indeed "up and coming". ESL, however, has nothing to do with its elevation. |
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kev7161
Joined: 06 Feb 2004
Posts: 5880
Location: Suzhou, China
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| Posted: Mon Oct 29, 2007 10:27 pm Post subject: |
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| China is where people like me teach -- people without degrees or significant experience, who are still working on getting these things. |
Excuse me? Maybe you should amend that to "China is where many people like me teach . . ." I came here both with my teaching degree and with significant experience - - not because I had to, but because I wanted to. Why I'm still here, however, is another story.
I'd easily recommend Singapore to the OP. I'd try my hand there if they actually had more seasons than summer! |
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