Job Discussion Forums

kev7161 · Joined: 06 Feb 2004 Posts: 5880 Location: Suzhou, China

We've been told that our Spring Festival/CNY holiday begins on Jan. 15th (last day of classes on the 14th) and that we return "about" Feb. 3rd (my guess is actually Monday, Feb. 2nd). That seems like an awfully short holiday when I recollect getting more than 3 weeks off last year and even longer the year before that. Are we actually losing holiday days in this major event due to those little 3 day weekends we are seeing now or is something else afoot? What day is the Chinese New Year this year? 24th or 25th of January?

Also, we'll get "regular" New Year's Day off on the 1st (duh!) and then the following 2nd and 3rd, then back to work on Sunday, 01/04 (they'll trade out that Friday for the Sunday). Oh I just hope I don't have that yearly traditional battle of where they try to work us straight from the 4th to the 14th in some other bizarro trade-off of holiday times. I grow weary of those!

PS: Yes, yes, I know all you college "professors" will enjoy, like 3-4 months off starting tomorrow and returning just in time for the spring thaw! I'm talking normal teachers in normal school positions here!

lf_aristotle69 · Joined: 06 May 2006 Posts: 546 Location: HangZhou, China

Wow. Bogus for you Kev!

I won't be with them next semester, but looking at my university's 2008/9 schedule, they break for Winter holidays on Jan 14th 2009 (last day of admin work for Chinese teachers, the foreigners finish a couple of weeks before that... except for me in my "real" job Sad

) and come back for the next semester with classes starting on February 16th 2009.

Maybe your school wants to have a long semester for some reason?

Oh, and this uni is just doing Thursday the 1st of Jan off for New Years Day, no scheduled make up day... but that doesn't mean teachers won't have to make up classes. However, I think foreign teachers (except me) will be finished by then as students are preparing for Chinese exams in that week...

LFA

kev7161 · Joined: 06 Feb 2004 Posts: 5880 Location: Suzhou, China

Just been alerted that we have our first day of classes on Feb. 9th - - so all is well once again in the land of sunshine and happiness!

lf_aristotle69 · Joined: 06 May 2006 Posts: 546 Location: HangZhou, China

Jan 9th??? So, no Winter holiday for you at all next year then!

LFA

EDIT
Damn you and your speedy self-correction! Wink

Eyrick3 · Joined: 29 Mar 2008 Posts: 161 Location: Beijing, China

CNY is on the 25/26 of January, so the break will be sometime around then.

Sure it differs from school to school.

Laoshi1950 · Joined: 22 May 2004 Posts: 198 Location: Australia

At my Beijing university, regular classes end on Boxing Day - Friday 26 December. Then, there is a two-week period of scheduled examinations. The vacation starts for students on 10 January. Classes resume for the Spring Semester on Monday 16 February 2009.

I'm leaving for the Spring Festival holidays in Australia on 31 December. In my eight years in China, this is the earliest that I can recall the Spring Festival holidays starting for me. I arrive in Australia on New Year's Day.