Job Discussion Forums

Vetes · Joined: 30 Oct 2008 Posts: 2

Has anyone heard of the U.S. Chinese Culture Center? Here's their site: http://www.chineseculturecenter.org/

Salary: 3,500-6,500 RMB Yuan per month
Fees: $998
Flight reimbursement.

What is the fees all about and would that be enough to live on in China?

JGC458 · Joined: 30 Jan 2006 Posts: 248 Location: Shanghai

It looks like an recruiting agency. My own personal opinion, and the general consensus on here I believe, is that it's best to deal with the schools in question directly - many agencies will mislead you.

3500rmb for smaller, out of the way, places can be considered ok, with 6000+ acceptable for the big cities, depending on your needs. Of course this is on top of free apartment, round trip airfare (often reimbursed at the end of the school year upon presentation of the ticket), etc.

In my quick search of the site I didn't see the $998 in fees mentioned. But you shouldn't need to pay anything apart from the fee for the Z Visa (at the Chinese Embassy, not reimbursed), non-international travel costs (often not reimbursed) and international travel costs to the school (reimbursed) and maybe the costs of the medical check you'll almost certainly have to do once you get to China (reimbursed). In Shanghai this year the medical was less than 800rmb, but I've heard it's cheaper in smaller cities. Some people also have to pay for a medical out of China (not usually reimbursed I think) before they can apply for the Z Visa. I've never had to do that though.

Vetes · Joined: 30 Oct 2008 Posts: 2

The fees are on the home[age listed near the bottom. I think it includes ESL training.

robs · Joined: 22 Nov 2009 Posts: 1

Vetes,
I'm curious - did you go with the US Chinese Culture Center? Were you able to learn anything more about them?
Please update.
Thanks.

Lipps · Joined: 19 Jun 2009 Posts: 45

It is a one woman show.

There are nearly thirty teachers who were scammed out of their money last year from Lea Walker who runs the Chinese Culture Center. There is even a facebook page that illustrates the complaints.

Basically, they charge you a fee to place you and according to the terms of their agreement with you, if they dont place you you get some kind of lifetime placement credit.

Leah Walker told these teachers that the summer programs were cancelled because of swine flu, but then when the teachers found other organizations willing to accept them into their programs, Mrs. Walker apparently refused to return passports and money.

I think it is a no brainer. A V O I D.

Mark D'Amico · Joined: 08 Mar 2010 Posts: 1

Does anyone have an update on this U.S. Chinese Culture Center thread? Anyone worked with them? Thanks

thessy · Joined: 09 Nov 2008 Posts: 111 Location: Xi'an