Job Discussion Forums

[DoubleDragon]

Hi,

Is a salary of HK$20000 in a Language School in Hong Kong a better option than teaching at a University in Shanghai for 10000rmb. I get the impression that Hong Kong suffers from overcrowding and affordable accommodation is hard to come by. The air quality looks truly terrible in both locations, is it really as bad as they say?

I'd appreciate some experienced advice from people who have been to both places if possible.

Thanks

[johntpartee]

The air's better in Hong Kong. I THINK 20 grand in HK is probably better than 10K in Shanghai. I'm assuming that neither provides housing.

[xi.gua]

The title of this thread is strange and misleading. I thought it would be about getting honked at continuously by the insane Chinese drivers.

[johntpartee]

Sounds like slang that US soldiers would come up with for these places.

[dharma86]

For a university position in "Shangers" that's a good salary is it not???

Do you get free housing with it?

[Laurence]

Hongers vs. Shangers prizefight!

Round 1: the indigenous people
Shangers folk are known to look down on people from other parts of China, so they are resented nationwide. However, perhaps this is just because their city totally rocks, and it's not even the capital. The girls, incidentally, are prissy floosies who expect to be showerd in tacky crap.
In terms of snootiness Hongkovians are extreme, but undoubtably more civilised - you will find yourself comparing china bashing notes with the HK locals. No need to control these people by blocking all their favourite websites. Escalator etiquette prevails ~
Hongers: 4
Shangers: 3.5

Round 2: the jobs you mentioned
University position: less than 20 classes per week, no (or rare) weekend and evening work, long summer and winter hols.
Honkers Language Mill: perhaps 10 days off per year, working according to the free time of your clients, likely when you want to be free too.
Hongers: 1
Shangers: 5

Round 3: the lifestyle
The shangers gig you mentioned will probably give you a free apartment - it will be important ascertain whether this is on-campus, and if so, if there is a curfew or other restrictions. Also, is the campus far away from the beating heart of the city? Many unknowns here. Still, Shanghai is vast and offers everything from saunas to snowboarding and there are nice places to visit nearby too.
Hongers offers luxury in abundance, but priced to accomodate the exclusive corporate set. Drinking in the open bars down in the Wanch has its own special atmosphere for sure, but you're always going to be restricted by your comparatively low income: how long before you realise that you are never going to become an international banker, like those guys opposite you, with the hot girls, not having to count their beers?
Hongers: 3
Shangers: 3.5 (but possibly 5 depending on circumstances)

Round 4: The Climate
Hongers suffers no winter so to speak, but you will spend eight months of the year avoiding sweatstains by going from ACed room to ACed taxi to ACed office and so on. Personally I love the ocean air, hazy or not ~
Shangers has an equally roasting summer, pleasant but very brief Spring and Fall, and a bitter winter. Note many apartment buildings older than 6 years will not have airtight windows, meaning no insulation in terms of noise and heating / cooling.
Hongers: 3
Shangers: 2


Dingding!


If HK offered longer holidays, or a salary high enough to compensate for the lack of them, then perhaps things would be different. But the judges have it and the points are in: Stinky Shangers beats down it's snotty sibling 14 - 11.

[DoubleDragon]

They sure slugged it out though, I would have put in another round on rental costs maybe as Hong Kong seems not to be compromising there. I can't really comment on the people but what you say sounds about right. I suppose Hong Kong has the beneift of maturing into what it is rather than the convulsive way Shanghai has risen to stardom.

Round two was nearly a knockout, no accommodation it seems but you can pick up a pretty nice 1 bed apartment for 2000rmb and don't have to be stacked in like battery chickens. I don't think the holidays a re paid though so that might be a smack in the teeth for Shanghai.

Round three- the campus is out of the city (this leads me to suggest another gruelling round on the subject of pollution..which one wins out here...Smoghai or Hong Kough?) I did think Hong Kong has retained some of its pirate haven history in that International Bankers are hiding out there in the hope that the 1980s are set for a big revival and that they can go home.

Round 4-the climate-I can imagine the humidity of Hong Kong in the summer but the pollution and the nuclear winter in Shanghai also sound ominous. I might have called that round a draw.

and a possible final round..Political System..despite showing to the world how China is the most advanced country in the world is there still a tangible sense of big brother over there, more so than the post 911 west? My girlfriend asked me is it illegal to have sex in China, haha..I suppose that depends on what room you are in.

So does Shanghai still win the title?

[Mister Al]

"My girlfriend asked me is it illegal to have sex in China"

ha ha........I wonder how much shagging it took to produce a population of 1.3billion.

[chinesearmy]

[Hindi2610]

[btt73]

[milkweedma]

The air's better in Hong Kong.

[DoubleDragon]

Mister Al that made me laugh, i think I should reprhase it to should sex in China be illegal, you are quite right they must be at it like rabbits. Top marks to btt73 for picking up Hindi on some sharp practice, tut tut.

Seems a bit of a tug of war between the two has anyone had experience of both places and can provide some great advice.

[YAMARI]

10000 in shang with a free place beats hk 20000. If no free place in shang take the hk gig unless it's big hours.