Job Discussion Forums

[Canela]

Hi everyone!
I'm due to start my first full time job in September, but in the meantme I'm looking at summer jobs to keep me busy from graduation to starting work, and I've seen an ad for summer work with IEC in Guanxi. Has anyone had any experience with these people, or lived in this region? What are these guys like to deal with? I'd really appreciate it if you would share your experiences or advice.
Thanx everyone!
C McC.

[davis]

First off I'm not sure if you're talking about a business that is noted for greasing palms or a school in Guangxi Province. guanxi is a term that connotes conecctions. Greasing palms,doing favors etc, Guangxi is a province in southern China. If you mean Guangxi Province then where? I am in Guangxi Province but have not heard of IEC. I'd be happy to tell you about Guangxi if you're interested.

[Canela]

Hi!
Yes, I am talking about a school in the Guanxi province! Sorry about any ambiguity. (Although I wouldn't bother asking about any business other than an educational establishment on this kind of board! ) Like I said before if you could tell me anything about it, I'd be so greatful.
Cheers.
C.
Oh sorry! The whereabouts in Guangxi - Guilin.

[miss-l]

Hi! I am supposed to be with JEC in Guilin, Guangxi after the summer. Do you think it could be the same place? I have been trying to find out more about them but with no success.

[Roger]

Get the spelling correct, fellows, and we all will share some of our happiest memories of China - if you mean GuanGxi, not Guanxi!

I am not a hundred percent sure, but I do think I have heard IEC is in BEIHAI, which is a small port town in Guangxi, opposite of Hainan island.
I don't want to dash anybody's hopes, but I would be a bit alarmed about working there!

[bsimpson]

Canela,

Greetings from Guangxi Province. I am an American teaching conversational English in the city of Qinzhou, about 2 hours from Nanning (to the north) and Vietnam and the sea (to the south).

I came here, as did my Aussie colleauge, after answering an ad posted on the ESL Cafe by IEC, which is run by an American named Dave Coombs and his Chinese partner, whose Chinese name is Lei Jie and whose English name is Adam. They are based in Nanning, the capital of Guangxi. I recommend them.

Dave was very helpful as to any questions I had about teaching and life here. He is highly respected by the school, indeed, I overheard a conversation in which the school officials were asking if he would like to act as honorary principal of the school and give occasional seminars for the teachers. He obtained better terms for us than the school was originally offering teachers: I know this because I was able to compare the offer from IEC with prior ad placed by the school offering less money and fewer amenities.

In addition, I had a major crisis coming out here: my bank had a policy, of which I knew nothing, to immediately cancel any ATM/credit card as soon as it was used in China or HK, apparently in response to stolen cards being used here. So I found myself in HK with no money and no access to money since I brought little cash, assuming that I could easily draw funds from my US bank with my cards. Dave took a lot of time and trouble to help me out, booking me a room, telling to how to open a bank account, wiring money into the account for me, relaying messages through my family in America (whom I could call collect) etc., etc., beyond the call of duty, even to the point of offering to fly from Nanning to get me, if neccesary.

The teaching position is working out well; our relationship with the school has been smooth. The contract terms are fair. The kids are great, the city is small and out of the way and relatively un-westernized, which I like. The weather is warm, and will get warmer, as usual in the subtropics. But have AC in our apt, and there are fans in the school, and the beach isn't far away.

If you have any questions, let me know, and I will try to answer them. You can also contact my colleague, Jed ([email protected]) about his feelings about Dave and Adam and IEC. Good luck to you wherever you land.

Bruce