Job Discussion Forums

goroh · Joined: 09 Feb 2009 Posts: 23

Hi there,
Can anyone provide me with some feedback about the school?
I know is a small town etc. but I don't mind.
Since I'm not a native-speaker I cannot be too picky Smile

Plus, the semester is just about to start, or already started so it's a bit more difficult.
Thanks!

eddy-cool · Joined: 06 Jul 2008 Posts: 1008

Well, your post wasn't swarming with questions, so what's up, matey?

I know Zhouyue. It's been around for years. I once put in a stint in summer (ca. 3 years back).

goroh · Joined: 09 Feb 2009 Posts: 23

hi mate,
About the question, I meant the usual stuff like school's credibility,
how do they treat employees, working/accommodation conditions etc.
I was sent the contract and it says I would get paid 1000Y/month with 25hrs/week so it looks more like volunteering rather than working...
They told me it's OK for me to work with F visa(?).
Cannot be picky, but I'm not that desperate...
Cheers

roadwalker · Joined: 24 Aug 2005 Posts: 1750 Location: Ch

1000 Y a month (sure it's not a week?) is desperate. Especially if you want to enjoy the touristy parts, Yangshuo's an expensive city in which to live. 4000 in a typical Chinese small city is ok, at least you can get by. This offer is a bank account draining proposition. Work somewhere else and holiday in Yangshuo. If that is a real offer, they should be blacklisted.

7969 · Joined: 26 Mar 2003 Posts: 5782 Location: Coastal Guangdong

if you're going to volunteer in china, at least go where the people are really poor and cant afford to have any teachers at all (remote parts of gansu come to mind). yangshuo doesnt qualify. this "offer" is laughable and someone is probably going to be making some coin at your expense (school taking money from students and not having to pay you any, or very little).

goroh · Joined: 09 Feb 2009 Posts: 23

sorry, my bad !! it is 1000Y per week indeed !
I took it for granted it is monthly salary since most of the employers do it this way:/
If they provide meals during the work days is 4000Y/month still poor?
How about working on F visa, sounds a bit odd to me
Thanks

nickpellatt · Joined: 08 Dec 2006 Posts: 1522

Im interested to hear how this job works out...I will go to Yangshuo at the end of the year.

I havent been there yet, but I have a friend who has just left there, and two others still working there. All worked on F visas, and all earned similar wages to that you have mentioned. Based on that I would say it doesnt appear to be anything out of the ordinary.

eddy-cool · Joined: 06 Jul 2008 Posts: 1008

4000 for that amount of contact time is a tad on the low side; I would say demand 25 percent more to be in line with what's the minimum in Y.

Accommodation? I reckon you will be housed on campus; that would not be my dream though the location is relatively nice. It's just that housing can be pretty substandard in charming Y. The houses are a little old but not historic.

I suppose they pay so low because you will probably not work the full complement of teaching hours as it is low season.

In summer the demand increases exponentially. Perhaps you can elope at that time.

evaforsure · Joined: 26 Jun 2004 Posts: 1217

That is 40RMB per hour....and even if the school provides lunches..and a room...they seem to be cutting corners with the f so r they paying for the visa runs ... 60 RMB ..if and only if they are providing a z visa and nice funishings...insur. and return trip money as well as vacation funds to travel by and food styphen .. other wise try and inch it up towards the 100rmb per hour range....

Angel46 · Joined: 06 Jan 2005 Posts: 51 Location: Hangzhou

Hi Guys - I spent 10 days in Yangshuo during the Chinese New Year holiday. This was my 3rd visit to Yangshuo (I have been teaching in China for almost 5 years now). While there, I went to this school and hosted some English Corners for them. It's a pretty good school - several years ago they offered me a decent priced room at a peak time when all the hotels were trying to gouge the foreigners! I really appreciated it!

This January I talked to several of their foreign teachers. Many have taught at that school for several years now (that's a good sign because most teachers only stay 6-12 months!). The school offers accommodation and meals. I have tried their food on several occasions and found it much better than the food offered at the Chinese university where I teach.

Your students are mostly young business professionals who are there to learn English every day for a certain period - they are motivated to learn because they want to return to their cities and get a better job. I made some great friends there even though I did just two English Corners!

Yangshuo is a special place in China. It is one of the few places where foreigners really can teach without an official 'work' visa. It is considered a 'backpacker' haven. There's something there for everyone: western food, tons of outdoor sports, ie cycling, rock climbing, bamboo rafting, martial arts. There's even the chance to learn many Chinese crafts like calligraphy, Mahjong, Chinese Painting, Tai chi and so on.

The pay is okay - you really can live on 4,000 RMB per month because that is your spending money. Yangshuo is one of my favourite spots in China - If you are still undecided, ask the school to put you in touch with one of their teachers. If they won't, then be suspicious, but if they do let you contact their teachers, go for it!

Do a search on 'google' for blog +yangshuo - see what people have to say about Yangshuo. Do a 'google' search on the school too.

I came to China expecting to stay 2-3 years. I've been here almost 5 years now. Just go with the flow, be flexible, be prepared to compromise and you'll enjoy the adventure.

Long ai gu · Joined: 22 Oct 2004 Posts: 135

Being an autonomous region Guangxi is limited to what they can do. The only law in China is another kind of guangxi or what most foreigners would think of as corruption. Technically you can't work in China without a work permit, but Guangxi province is limited to what Beijing allows them to do---like get proper work permits for foreigners in many places like Yangshuo, the schools get them in another province, the one I worked for went to Hainan I think which doesn't have autonomous status. You will only know where your visa comes from if you can read Chinese, it has the issuer city on the visa. I got a business visa in Chengdu that was issued in Qingdao. Anything is possible in China because law doesn't really exist. Don't worry about working without a proper work permit, China allows you to do this under certain circumstances. 40 rmb per class is all they pay in Yangshuo, it's rock bottom wages but it's a nice place to live if you can stand all the tourists.