Job Discussion Forums

[Loki7186]

Hey, I'm a 2nd yr teacher really hoping to teach in Chengdu this year. Ideally I'd like to teach at a private college or land a university job, but haven't seen much out there. I've read that there is usually are openings usually in August/ September due to some teachers failing to show. I'm okay for money and can wait if necessary, but the idea does leave me somewhat nervous. Are these positions worth waiting for or should I shift my focus to some other cities?
I have seen many language school jobs, and haven't ruled them out, but I really would like to avoid the risk associated with them if possible.
Any advice would be appreciated

[CJD]

you might be able to get a job teaching for sichuan university, but it's probably too late now. they might want to hire you for the spring symester. other than having to go to the new campus 4-5 days a week, it's a really good uni job. sichuan uni is basically willing to hire anyone as long as they meet the requirements to get a z-visa (age, etc.)

chengdu is a pretty good city. there's a lot to do there. one downside is that there's rarely any clear, sunny days. it's always cloudy and foggy with a good amount of pollution mixed in. even on the ''sunny'' days, there's still a lot of fog and pollution in the air.

[Gilka]

I wanted to go to Chengdu, until I came across too many foreigners online who were totally fixated on getting a job in Chengdu. Weird.

[struelle]

[Adeem]

The weather may leave something to be desired at times, but Chengdu has an indefinable homely atmosphere to it that seems to suck you in.

The foreigners in town have a chummy kind of bond going on, with all the concomitant joint owned bars, sports clubs and the like.

It provides a base to get to the very impressive areas that lie to the north, south and west, and people are fond of getting out of town to glorious scenery.

The city is a manageable size and easy to traverse from one side to the other on bicycle. It is also flat and bedecked with wide and comfy roads.

The local people are generally pretty cool, and get on fairly well with the foreign population, minus the fascination that still exists in some other places.

Prices are not the cheapest for everything, but houses are much cheaper than the east coast, and there are still jobs that pay decent money.

The air may look a bit rough, but on the ground it has a pleasant mix of refurbished greenery, pretty clean and well ordered streets, and not real feeling of decay that you get in some other places.

The food might not be as good as Chongqing, but it is pretty damn fine, and new options are opening all the time. At least cantonese/purveyors of sickly, anaemic dishes are in the minority.

Finally, people do not rush to get around here, and life just moves at a sedate, old school, tea house pace. Not like Shanghai, for example.

These are just words though. They don't add up to a fascination, but they are all good points.

[dharma86]

Chengdu is very nice city, I can see why it is a popular choice.

Wuhan is not even comparable, they are just too different.

[Loki7186]

I would disagree that I'm fixated on Chengdu, but I've heard that there might be a decent chance for jobs opening up late in August while schools are trying to fill spots from people who failed to show.
It doesn't have to be Chengdu, but if I'm going to spend a year of my life somewhere I'd like to to be there or someplace like it. Mostly it's for the reasons Adeem outlined that I've heard from others. Last year I taught in a nice city in Shandong, but it was small and I got bored sometimes. I'm curious about Sichuan and would like to experience a different part of China. I guess the issue is settling, I have enough money saved that I don't really feel the need to settle and can hold out if I want to, but I want to be realistic as well.

[randyj]

The Chengdu Chamber of Commerce has gotten a lot of mileage from the "teahouse culture" of the city. This romantic notion appeals to westerners. I spent a few days there on the way to Jiuzhaigou a few years ago and did the touristy things. It's a nice city. There are a lot of nice cities. Keep in mind that Chengdu lies in the western part of China, where the economy is less robust. That coupled with the disproportionate number of foreign teachers who seem to want to go there means fewer and less rewarding job opportunities.

[Yes, Ma'am]

An excerpt from Wikipedia:

The fertile Chengdu Plain, on which Chengdu is located, is called Tianfuzhi guo in Chinese, which literally means "the country of heaven", or more often seen translated as "the Land of Abundance". It was recently named China's 4th-most livable city by China Daily.

Despite the fog and smog, it is China's 4th-most livable city.

[YAMARI]

Isn't the fact that the chicks are so hot there the big attractor for many teachers.

[D'yankee]

My wife is from Chengdu and I've been there 5 times and aside from the pollution I love it. Great food, reasonable cost of living. Many large and beautiful parks or gardens that are free or very inexpensive ( the only park in Dallas the compares is the Botanical Gardens and that cost $8 each). Someone on another board said "Chengdu is the Italy of China" People seem to really enjoy life there.

[drjtrekker]

Pretty girls, great food, cool people, decent cost of living........all make chengdu good, except the lack of good jobs for the average ESL teacher.

The out of town extension campus and influx of missionaries makes the majority of uni jobs crappy or minimal...smoggy,hazy, weather isn't a plus either.

Reggae bars are fun...although the special herb is weak....
(so i'm told)

[The Great Wall of Whiner]

You can wat, or wait.

Result will be the same.