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Timer
Joined: 24 Oct 2010
Posts: 173
Location: China
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 Posted: Mon Oct 25, 2010 10:43 am Post subject: |
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I worked for one year in Wuhan and I started on 6000 per month (I did work more hours than the job you have mentioned though). It was plenty to live on as food and transportation is cheap and the school is covering your accommodation so all that's left is money spent on yourself.
| darkmarsh77 wrote: |
| I don't think I am the kind of person who craves Western luxuries on a regular basis, maybe a good beer every now and then. I find my biggest problem would be food, I do tend to overspend on that. |
Like I said above, food is cheap, unless you are going out to fancy restaurants each night. Street food is awesome so you don't really need to spend big to eat well. No idea about the beer thing, there are lots of bars in one area of the city (quite a few owned by foreigners it seems) but I don't know any prices. I'm sure you'd survive.
| darkmarsh77 wrote: |
| I would give only 20 lessons per week, 40 minutes each. And apparently there is plenty of opportunity for private tutoring, etc. |
That sounds like a job someone I know has in another province. She's at a public primary school and doesn't work many hours, but makes extra money tutoring the kids outside of her working hours. The school actually encourages it because it bumps their grades up.
As for the matter of if it's a high enough salary, I'd say no. If you had nothing but your degree (which you apparently need to legally work in anyway) it would be ok, but with your TEFL certificate you should get more. As I mentioned before I got 6000 per month with no experience or anything. I had no idea what the hell I was doing when I started. I've since got some certification like you and it makes a lot of difference so your pay should reflect that.
Like The Great Wall of Whiner said, if you're doing it for the experience then it's fine. If you're in it for the money, aim for other places. Though I would ask, if you are in it for the money, why are you aiming for China?
| The Great Wall of Whiner wrote: |
My school has three Chinese employees.
1. Senior TA: 6000 RMB a month, housing and bills paid for
2. Junior TA: 3000 RMB a month: housing and bills paid for
3. Cleaner: 50 RMB an hour, work 2 hours a day. No days off. 3000 RMB a month.
etc. |
I don't mean to derail the thread anymore than it already is, but is this a common thing? The school I worked at was very different. The Chinese staff (and there were lots of them) were paid a lot less than I was. These girls worked harder and longer than me, put up with a lot more crap than I did and actually had proper training. Yet they were being paid a 3rd of what I was, simply because I'm a white face. I felt bad enough making what I did, I could never ask for more. Sure, someone at the top is making money but they'd sooner screw over others than cut their profits to keep the foreigner happy. |
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The Great Wall of Whiner
Joined: 29 Jan 2003
Posts: 4946
Location: Blabbing
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| Posted: Mon Oct 25, 2010 2:37 pm Post subject: |
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| I don't mean to derail the thread anymore than it already is, but is this a common thing |
?
No, it is uncommon for Chinese to be paid a fair wage.
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| The school I worked at was very different. The Chinese staff (and there were lots of them) were paid a lot less than I was. These girls worked harder and longer than me, put up with a lot more crap than I did and actually had proper training. |
As do my co-workers. But they make up for it in pay.
| Quote: |
| Yet they were being paid a 3rd of what I was, simply because I'm a white face. I felt bad enough making what I did, I could never ask for more. Sure, someone at the top is making money but they'd sooner screw over others than cut their profits to keep the foreigner happy. |
It's all about 'Does the boss make 5 million RMB a month, or 2 million RMB a month?'
My boss seems satisfied with 2 million RMB, so I guess he is rare here. He has told me what he earns is more than enough and he does care more about how history and the community will remember him. He told me this, and he is so right:
'When you die, you do not take your money with you. It is left for everyone else to fight over. What you do leave behind is your name. What did you accomplish. How will people remember you?'
For that, I have stayed and been loyal to him and his school for 6+ years. ( a job I got here on this very website I might add!) |
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darkmarsh77
Joined: 03 Aug 2010
Posts: 16
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| Posted: Tue Oct 26, 2010 10:34 pm Post subject: |
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Damn Whiner, your boss sounds refreshingly honest and considerate! Is your school hiring? 
So I have gotten a copy of the contract for the school in Wuhan. I don't really want to post it on here for everyone to see but if someone is willing to help me look it over, you can PM me or let me know. I would be very grateful. |
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7969
Joined: 26 Mar 2003
Posts: 5782
Location: Coastal Guangdong
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| Posted: Wed Oct 27, 2010 2:36 am Post subject: |
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| darkmarsh77 wrote: |
| Damn Whiner, your boss sounds refreshingly honest and considerate! Is your school hiring? |
you are correct. i dont think any boss in china would ever mis-speak about profits, revenues and expenses 
i'll take a look at your contract if you send it to me. |
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AdrianG4
Joined: 17 Apr 2009
Posts: 160
Location: Harbin, China
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| Posted: Fri Oct 29, 2010 1:16 pm Post subject: |
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I make 6500 in harbin
I eat out for breakfast lunch and dinner
I go to bars and get smashed about 3 times a week
I take taxies everywhere
I go on shopping sprees with chinese locals (so they can help me haggle)
I go to the pharmacies and buy useful medicines
And by the end of the month, I'm left with .. about 2000 RMB
Why ?
I'm a 23 year-old kid and I'm not obsessed with western products, western foods, western drinks, the "real version" of products and the like. I eat, wear, take, and drink pretty much the local version of everything. You save a ton of money when you're not spending western prices at the ritzy western grocery store and restaurants.
Not that I don't eat at Western food places or Russian/Korean/Japanese (quite popular here in Harbin,) but of course, I try to only do it a few times a month. |
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