Job Discussion Forums

[mnguy29]

Hey, I like Qingdao beer! It's got German roots you know. Nothing wrong with it! Unless you like light beer like in the USA where I am from. Mostly water.

[sui jin]

wow, no idea that Xiamen was so expensive. Comparable prices here in Nanning:
foot massage 30-35 RMB (includes head, shoulder and back massage)
body massage 30 RMB ( for 50 mins) oil massage 80 RMB

Here none of the masseuses speak any English , so you get free Chinese lesson/conversation as well. I learn a lot about the lives of ordinary people - how hard they work and for such little money. Their average salary is 1000 RMB per month, maybe get two days off per month, and work 12 or more hours a day.

A typical Nanning salary for FTs at a regular uni is about 4500 -5000, more (5500 -7000) for the private colleges in Guangxi Uni. But the turnover in these colleges is high - 50% plus every year , so draw your own conclusions about how they treat their FTs

[The Great Wall of Whiner]

[evolving81]

It is rather discouraging. I tried negotiating with a school that offered me 4000 RMB per month. I even pointed out that their advertisement said 5000-7000 but they would not budge from the 4000 RMB. It just doesn't make sense to me to leave a job in the U.S. to make $600 a month in China. When the contract is up I will either have to take another low-paying job or come back to the U.S. and be broke and unemployed.

[bradley]

There are jobs that offer higher salaries but they are not easy to find.

[shenyanggerry]

At my former university I calculated my wages at $20 - $30 CAD per hour. That's when you calculate the value of your accomodation, airfare and the tiny number of hours you actually work. That's pretty good pay!

While I didn't work outside the university, my colleagues did. One still makes over $2000 a month at his part time 18 hour a week job.

When I first came here I was making 3500 Kwai a month. That covered all expenses including local travel. I frequently went to restaurants, bars and took taxis. Most lucrative job I ever had. I banked my whole pension.

[Hari Seldon]

[The Ever-changing Cleric]

[evolving81]

I have no experience in China. But from what I've seen and information I've received from schools is that they give you an airfare reimbursement after you complete the contract...and that the reimbursement is capped at a certain amount which seems to be much less than it actually takes to fly there. That may not be the norm though...I just don't want to shell out several thousand dollars to fly to China and then get paid $600 a month. That doesn't make a lot of financial sense to me...

[The Ever-changing Cleric]

[Zero]

My advice is to go ahead and take a lower salary. Have a little pity on the poor Chinese schools. They are trying to equip their students with a good base of English, but must do so with few resources, since China is still developing. As a westerner, you surely have plenty of money tucked away in bank accounts and stocks back home and can therefore afford to work for a lower salary. You'll get the benefit of enjoying China's culture. Did you know it's 5,000 years long?

[evolving81]

You make a compelling argument. Have you been peeking at my bank account? I do have some money saved but I'd like to add to it while working, not spend it all. I did choose this career path because I actually want to teach, not because I want to get rich.

Basically I'm looking for a job that pays at least 7000 RMB as I feel like I would be able to save some with that income...I don't get the same feeling about 4000 RMB positions. I'm sure the experience of living abroad is worth the low pay though...which is another reason I want to teach.

There may be deeper psychological issues which I will need to discuss with my therapist. I'm just so damned afraid of being poor!

[Miles Smiles]

[evolving81]

OK, I think I've figured this out. The representative from one university I've been in contact with said that the pay is 4000 RMB for 16 teaching hours. That seemed rather low so I asked about the pay and she said it is fixed at 4000 RMB for 16 hours BUT that they will be able to provide me with additional classes and I could make up to 7000 RMB (which is the number I am looking for).

Then why not just change the contract? Or are the extra classes private lessons? I'm assuming I shouldn't ask the school directly about private lessons at this point.

[The Ever-changing Cleric]