View previous topic :: View next topic |
Author |
Message |
Boxcar Johnny
Joined: 09 Jul 2008 Posts: 26
|
Posted: Sun Nov 01, 2009 2:48 pm Post subject: Experienced EFL teacher wants 2 try Souther China |
|
|
I've been reading and lurking for some time here.
Lots of great informative posts, and I appreciated all of the info I've recieved - indirectly - (by reading other questions and responses).
I'm in North Vietnam. Have about 8 years EFL teaching experience. Turn 40 next year. White/Caucasian, BA + TEFL cert.
Ignorant question, and I may sound like a newbie. Well for China, I AM a newbie.
What is the first step I take in securing a job? I'd prefer to travel on-site first, but I think is too limited.
Best to get hired online (abroad) and arrive for a position I'm hired for, in a town I'm "think" will be nice to live in. I'm not picky in the town/city. Cannot live in a rustic, rural enviroment.
I prefer to start in Southern China, which is right up the road.
Open to Uni or language center.
Thanks in advance. |
|
Back to top |
|
 |
alter ego

Joined: 24 Mar 2009 Posts: 209
|
Posted: Sun Nov 01, 2009 11:26 pm Post subject: |
|
|
I've lived and taught in Hanoi so I know firsthand some differences and similarities between the two bordering countries.
I came to Shenzhen as a direct "overseas" hire with WSI, did a year, and now teach at the Polytechnic here and do some moonlighting on the side. In Hanoi, work was more piecemeal and jobs were less stable, and my average per class hourly was around $15USD.
In bigger cities like Guangzhou and Shenzhen you should be able to land a uni job for between 6,000 to 8,000RMB, and have a schedule that allows you to do some outside "consulting" for between 150 to 250RMB, which is a decent wage for the kind of work that we do.
With your credentials and experience you should be able to find a uni or language center gig pretty quickly. If I were you I'd take a 30-day trip (tourist visa) and check out a few cities and schools and then go from there. |
|
Back to top |
|
 |
bradley
Joined: 28 Mar 2005 Posts: 235 Location: China
|
Posted: Mon Nov 02, 2009 1:02 am Post subject: |
|
|
I live in Shenzhen and prefer it to Guangzhou. Many people like Zhuhai as well |
|
Back to top |
|
 |
tommchone
Joined: 27 Oct 2009 Posts: 108
|
Posted: Mon Nov 02, 2009 1:42 am Post subject: |
|
|
Always good to actually SEE the working and living facilities before you sign on the dotted line. |
|
Back to top |
|
 |
Boxcar Johnny
Joined: 09 Jul 2008 Posts: 26
|
Posted: Mon Nov 02, 2009 5:46 am Post subject: |
|
|
alter ego wrote: |
I've lived and taught in Hanoi so I know firsthand some differences and similarities between the two bordering countries.
I came to Shenzhen as a direct "overseas" hire with WSI, did a year, and now teach at the Polytechnic here and do some moonlighting on the side. In Hanoi, work was more piecemeal and jobs were less stable, and my average per class hourly was around $15USD.
In bigger cities like Guangzhou and Shenzhen you should be able to land a uni job for between 6,000 to 8,000RMB, and have a schedule that allows you to do some outside "consulting" for between 150 to 250RMB, which is a decent wage for the kind of work that we do.
With your credentials and experience you should be able to find a uni or language center gig pretty quickly. If I were you I'd take a 30-day trip (tourist visa) and check out a few cities and schools and then go from there. |
Alter Ego,
thank you.
Yes, Hanoi is mainly piecemeal work. There are benefits to this. Wages are higher now, but so are the visa fees (only a 3 month visa for 3X the previous cost) and rents are honestly, ridiculous.
I'll try to fly in and visit option on a 30 day tourist to scout out a few places.
also, on the exchange of the RMB.
It's about 6.8 RMB to $1 USD, correct.
Thanks for your help. It sounds like Southern China is working out for you, as you're still there. |
|
Back to top |
|
 |
Boxcar Johnny
Joined: 09 Jul 2008 Posts: 26
|
Posted: Mon Nov 02, 2009 5:50 am Post subject: |
|
|
Bradly and Tommchone, thank you.
Yes, seeing first is pretty important in this industry, and I'll also check out Zhuhai. |
|
Back to top |
|
 |
sui jin
Joined: 08 Feb 2008 Posts: 184 Location: near the yangtze
|
Posted: Tue Nov 03, 2009 12:17 am Post subject: |
|
|
From Hanoi it is an easy bus ride to Nanning in Guangxi Province. Nanning is a pretty good place to live , traffic is bad but the city is not too big, and the air quality is very good by chinese standards. There are some western restaurants and foodstores. You could expect to earn between 4000-6000 at the city's universities (Guangxi University and its affiliated colleges employ about 60 FTs, mainly 40 somethings and older). |
|
Back to top |
|
 |
Boxcar Johnny
Joined: 09 Jul 2008 Posts: 26
|
Posted: Tue Nov 03, 2009 12:31 am Post subject: |
|
|
sui jin wrote: |
From Hanoi it is an easy bus ride to Nanning in Guangxi Province. Nanning is a pretty good place to live , traffic is bad but the city is not too big, and the air quality is very good by chinese standards. There are some western restaurants and foodstores. You could expect to earn between 4000-6000 at the city's universities (Guangxi University and its affiliated colleges employ about 60 FTs, mainly 40 somethings and older). |
Thank you.
I have been reading up on Nanning, mostly because yes, it's close to Hanoi. I know someone who worked in Nanning as a Uni teacher.
4,000-6,000 RMB per month at a Uni.
How much could I save, if I don't go out on the town a lot and live frugally?
I assume I could do privates and/or side-work, as Nanning has enough of of a population. ? |
|
Back to top |
|
 |
sui jin
Joined: 08 Feb 2008 Posts: 184 Location: near the yangtze
|
Posted: Tue Nov 03, 2009 7:31 am Post subject: |
|
|
I am new to Nanning and have a few settling-in costs, but reckon I spend about 3000 a month here, living comfortably and eating western food quite often. But I do not go out on the town in the evenings.
Where I work we are warned not to take private work. Teachers have been fired (or not had their contracts renewed) for taking (illegal) private work. So you would need to be very discreet and build private work through contacts, which could take time.
In the two month summer vacation when you may be 'out of contract' you could pick up private work at a training school or summer camp. (Uni contracts here are often 10 month contracts; even if you renew there is no pay over the summer, but you can stay in the school apartment for free) |
|
Back to top |
|
 |
The Ever-changing Cleric

Joined: 19 Feb 2009 Posts: 1523
|
Posted: Tue Nov 03, 2009 8:57 am Post subject: |
|
|
private lessons are usually easy to find (more often they'll find you) and "get away with." i was routinely offered extra work, not only by outside companies who came across my name/face on campus, but also by the FAO at our school. many chinese teachers also do private lessons, so there isn't much to fear, unlike places such as korea, where they routinely bust esl teachers for doing privates.
i suggest everyone re-read their contract as well, the standard SAFEA contract used to state outside work wasn't allowed, now lots of places seem to be changing that clause to "outside work is allowed but anything associated with it is the teacher's responsibility." at least my latest contract says this now, and i find it hard to believe that we'd be the only school that made such a change. |
|
Back to top |
|
 |
Boxcar Johnny
Joined: 09 Jul 2008 Posts: 26
|
Posted: Tue Nov 17, 2009 7:18 pm Post subject: |
|
|
^ and ^^ thank you, for the advice and info. |
|
Back to top |
|
 |
|