Job Discussion Forums

[Seska]

How's the cost of living right now in Chengdu?

It seemed exactly the kind of town that'd be good for me. It was described as having a low cost of living, and has enough stuff to make sure you /live/. lol. I am thinking of taking a job there. (I will have a TEFL when I go over there, I made a deal with a TEFL teacher at a local program to give me the course in exchange for work, but he said I had to get my GED first.)

[Adeem]

No one has a right to get what they want, when they want from anyone, let alone total strangers. Expecting anything from a forum is surely folly.

Chengdu is still fairly cheap right now, depending on where you go. Make sure you get housing provided as part of your contract, as finding a good, cheap place is getting harder.

The wages are not the highest there, but they will usually stretch far enough. Remember though that if you are as brassic as you make out, then you could live in hundreds of different cities, both big and small, eking out your living on cheap local eats and free entertainments on the street.

The stuff in Chengdu that you would describe as allowing you to live usually costs money, so might not be any good for you.

Can't do aught but recommend Chengers though. The food is pretty cheap and very delicious, and the environs (rivers, trees etc) are well above average for China. I am in Shangers now, and the local cheaper dishes have so far proved a little disappointing. More money has produced some nice meals though (cooked by people from other cities!)

[djisok]

size=18]Having recently left CD... and having taught at 3 different schools, over the past 2 years.. perhaps I can provide 'more detailed' info, than the previous reply...

1: CD is getting bigger: 10 Million +, epecially after the recent 'Quake' in nearby regions, which drove hundreds of thousands to CD for refuge.. they'll stay. (Many are still 'afraid' and after-shocks will close your school for a week)

2: CD is not cheap: A decent 1-BR Apt is 1500+ . You can pay less... share your bed with large-bugs !

#: The air pollution is VERY bad... I've traveled thru China for 10+ years now.. worst I've seen.. and it never goes away: I can say I saw the 'sun' perhaps 10 days a year.. blue-sky, only fleetingly for a few hours, maybe 5 days / year...

if your prone to 'grey-depression'.. don't go to CD... you'll regret the choice.

Taxis do NOT exist... correction: they exist.. you'll NEVER find one empty! (The Govt. keeps the fleet small to get ready for the new Subway, which it needs to fill)

Busses are thusly always PACKED to the doors!

It is true the city has many nice 'green-spaces' and a few green-rivers, to... however getting to them is not fun.

There are too-many ESL schools in CD.. they are all struggling with $$ and the FTs take the brunt of it...

I was happiest doing my own Corp. Training.. for a select group of large firms @ 300 Rmb / hr... but you'll need to find 'em first.[/size][/size]

Try to teach inside the 2nd ring-road... otherwise you'll spend your life on a 'bus from hell'.. for hours / day.

I eventually gave-up, took the driving test, 'passed it (in Chinese)' and bought a car... but that's another story !

I'm not down of CD... just pragmatic.

Good luck!