Job Discussion Forums

[robot]

[Jayray]

I'd draw the line at a squirting necktie and a bright orange fright wig.

Thanks for the laugh.

[Hansen]

OP, All this external zaniness, flamboyance, being me, and so forth are merely symptoms of an underlying personality condition. Notice that I said condition rather than disorder.

How this plays out in China is going to have a lot to do with where and who. Who as in your FAO, school principal, and so forth. Where as in a conservative, less progressive area or a more liberal place.

If you managed to get hired at the school I have been at for a few years, I think you would not last long. These people are extremely conservative and expect the same from those around the school.

Your concerns about the physical. Any certain reason for that? Things like hepatitis, HIV, etc., well, you can understand why the authorities might look askance at hiring someone to teach their youth with what are, essentially, lifestyle related, potentially fatal, conditions.

Frankly, you sound awfully gay to me. It won't play well in this place, at least not from what I can tell.

[Sarariman]

I was told I needed to do a medical before travelling. I'm hopeful that if I do one that answers the questions robot specified, that will be OK. If I got a job offer, I could send the URL to the employer to check, although I worry that they'll refer me to the wasters at their embassy who never answer the bloody 'phone.

I don't believe there's anything bad about me that a medical would turn up. As I said, there are many kinds of medical, and I just wanted to be sure I was doing the right one.

Regarding the old eccentricity, it sounds like there are places where I could fit in. I always mention eccentricity up-front when applying, and I will now ask specifically if the employer is very conservative. If it's any help, I see myself working in a Big City, not a rural area.

I'm not gay and hope I don't appear so, although it's "interesting" that two posters have suggested it. Well, OK, so in four years of teaching once - ONCE! - a fellow teacher thought I was ginger beer.

The only condition I might have is narcissism, which didn't seem to do any harm to Oprah Winfrey, Muhammed Ali, Bills Gates and Clinton or Barack Obama.

[Buck Lin]

Sarariman your problem maybe that your classes are too teacher centered. Your mission is to teach English. Do you let the students talk or entertain each other in English? Maybe they are really saying is that you don't let them practice English.

[Jayray]

[Hansen]

Jayray, Are you suggesting that the OP wear a "beard"?

[suanlatudousi]

The one important thing missing from this forum is the ability of the original poster to lock/close their thread when the information has been had.

[eddy-cool]

[Sarariman]

Even if I could close the thread, I wouldn't. Every comment is helpful. If more people commented to the effect that I was batting a thousand, then it would look like I should change my game plan. As it is, I think China is worth trying, but I must strive to avoid a conservative institution.

I was being mischievous when I compared myself to two presidents, the most famous boxing champion and a whopping celebrity, but since you ask, I think these people are greater role models than a mere teacher, whatever their stated missions. I would have thought talking about narcissism was a little off-topic, but mayhaps someone will disagree.

Isn't SE Asia more teacher-centred than Europe? I've been mostly doing fine in Europe.

I've been told that I should encourage more English interaction between students, so Buck Lin's comment was fair. Reducing my teacher-talk-time is easier than being less eccentric, so this poster didn't bring such bad news. I agree students will complain if they don't speak enough English.

I think I'm a good academic role model, but if more detail were given I worry it might highlight shortcomings of mine.

[Mr. Kalgukshi]

Sarariman and his drug postings are gone.