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ArtHay
Joined: 17 Apr 2011
Posts: 14
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 Posted: Thu Dec 15, 2011 12:56 pm Post subject: Typical Conditions for China? |
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I am working at a college in Nanchang China and while there are many things I like about the job, the students being the biggest plus for me, there are several things that are far from ideal. Some examples.
1. The classrooms are unheated, since it sometimes drops to only 3 degrees both I and the students have to wear our outdoor clothing during class.
2. Most of the furniture and appliances in my apartment are broken or in bad repair. There is a smashed glass sliding door in my living room that is just held together with tape. Repeated requests to have things fixed meet with no result.
3. The salary is 5000 RMB per month plus a 300 RMB utilities allowance for 18 teaching hours maximum and the teacher is expected to cover electricity, gas and internet.
4. The airfare allowance is 6000 RMB per year and there is a 2200 travel allowance.
Some of my fellow teachers here have told me that this type of job with these types of working and living conditions are typical of positions in China, is this in fact the case? |
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Opiate
Joined: 10 Aug 2011
Posts: 630
Location: Qingdao
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| Posted: Thu Dec 15, 2011 1:09 pm Post subject: Re: Typical Conditions for China? |
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| ArtHay wrote: |
Some of my fellow teachers here have told me that this type of job with these types of working and living conditions are typical of positions in China, is this in fact the case? |
I am really not sure what typical would be. Is your school the only one like it? Absolutely not. Are there worse? Likely. There are also better...far better. It is up to you if it's acceptable or not, typical or otherwise has little meaning.
I will say that a reluctance to repair/replace things is typical of China. |
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Baozi man
Joined: 06 Sep 2011
Posts: 214
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| Posted: Thu Dec 15, 2011 1:36 pm Post subject: |
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Not a good contract but still a contract. If you like the students and can stand the cold, tough it out. You agreed to the terms, did you not? Things can get better or they can get worse. 300 a month is not enough for winter utilities unless you are in a warm climate.
Having good students is a big plus. Consider taking an electric heater to class. You can be fairly sure that the people getting rich from your presence are not cold. |
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dean_a_jones
Joined: 03 Jul 2009
Posts: 1151
Location: Wuhan, China
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| Posted: Thu Dec 15, 2011 3:26 pm Post subject: Re: Typical Conditions for China? |
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| ArtHay wrote: |
| 1. The classrooms are unheated, since it sometimes drops to only 3 degrees both I and the students have to wear our outdoor clothing during class. |
Yeah, that is the curse of the Changjiang. Little indoor heating and crappy buildings, as it is so warm in the summer. Most popular reason given: it is "the south". It is typical of schools in this area. As others suggest, bring in a small electric heater if you can, or just stay wrapped up. It feels odd to teach in a coat, or fingerless gloves etc. first, but that is only because you it doesn't seem 'right'. But neither does being cold.
| Quote: |
| 2. Most of the furniture and appliances in my apartment are broken or in bad repair. There is a smashed glass sliding door in my living room that is just held together with tape. Repeated requests to have things fixed meet with no result. |
Yeah, I would push on this. Keep complaining, make it worth their while to just get it fixed rather than dealing with your phone calls, emails etc. Appliances may just be worth buying or replacing (and keeping/selling onto new teachers if you leave or move on). Something like a broken window should be fixed. If you ask and then don't follow-up and push for a resolution, they may think you are a pushover and easy to take advantage of in other areas.
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| 3. The salary is 5000 RMB per month plus a 300 RMB utilities allowance for 18 teaching hours maximum and the teacher is expected to cover electricity, gas and internet. |
That is not that unusual for a uni gig. Better can be had, as can worse. Depends a bit on time in country and experience teaching ESL elsewhere.
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| 4. The airfare allowance is 6000 RMB per year and there is a 2200 travel allowance. |
Airfare is kind of low (I think around 10,000 is more common and what you need as a minimum to get back and forth to some places), travel is pretty standard.
All in all I think it sounds pretty typical in terms of my own experience. As others have said, what really counts is whether you enjoy your classes and your students. Also depends on the individual and what you are happy with (especially in terms of comfort level at home). |
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xiguagua
Joined: 09 Oct 2011
Posts: 768
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| Posted: Thu Dec 15, 2011 5:56 pm Post subject: Re: Typical Conditions for China? |
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| dean_a_jones wrote: |
All in all I think it sounds pretty typical in terms of my own experience. As others have said, what really counts is whether you enjoy your classes and your students. Also depends on the individual and what you are happy with (especially in terms of comfort level at home). |
This. I've left places because the students and city was utter crap even though my apartment was nice and huge. Having good students can make a world of difference. If you hate going to class every day then it's a problem.
All 3 of those things sound normal. I've never had to pay for my own water/electric/internet though. |
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askiptochina
Joined: 26 Feb 2010
Posts: 488
Location: Beijing
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| Posted: Thu Dec 15, 2011 11:06 pm Post subject: |
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| Some of my fellow teachers here have told me that this type of job with these types of working and living conditions are typical of positions in China, is this in fact the case? |
As opposed to what? You seem like you were expecting something different, either from your head or other experiences.
If you don't like the cold, go north. WHAT? Go north? YES, go north. They will have heating because it is colder up north. In the south, they probably don't use as many heating systems because, well, it is HOT down there. It's not worth it to spend that money to stay warm during a shorter period of colder weather.
Find out why you are in the south, what is it about the south that you like? If you can't find anything, move. If you can, dress in layers so you don't waste your money and stay. |
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steve b
Joined: 31 May 2011
Posts: 293
Location: China
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| Posted: Fri Dec 16, 2011 5:12 am Post subject: |
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I teach marginally south of the heating dividing line - the Yangtse - and while it DOES get perishing in winter, thankfully it is short and the worst mostly occurs in the spring break.
I have aircon in my flat but it is completely inadequate for warmth in winter so I supplement it by buying electric heaters. They are cheap enough and electricity is free. An electric blanket and three mobile furry "hot water bottles" (cats!) keep me snug as a bug at night in bed.
As for the contract conditions, they seem pretty standard for a uni, although in my province the airfare allowance is 8,000y. |
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The Great Wall of Whiner
Joined: 29 Jan 2003
Posts: 4946
Location: Blabbing
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| Posted: Fri Dec 16, 2011 12:58 pm Post subject: |
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Do I think living on such a low package, living in cold conditions, having broken things in my place, having to pay my own bills... do I think this is OK?
5000 for 18 hrs. a week? Have you worked out your hourly rate? That's about 1250 for a week, yes? About 70 RMB an hour?
Personally, I think it is abysmal. But that is just my opinion. |
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Zero
Joined: 08 Sep 2004
Posts: 1402
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| Posted: Fri Dec 16, 2011 2:29 pm Post subject: |
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| steve b wrote: |
| I have aircon in my flat but it is completely inadequate for warmth in winter so I supplement it by buying electric heaters. They are cheap enough and electricity is free. |
Be careful with those, though. They pull a lot of electricity, and the wiring is not always adequate, resulting in a good many house fires. Building owners do things such as getting fed up with the breaker always tripping and therefore replacing it with a larger breaker -- BAD IDEA. |
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steve b
Joined: 31 May 2011
Posts: 293
Location: China
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| Posted: Fri Dec 16, 2011 2:47 pm Post subject: |
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| This is on-campus and the uni only moved in 2 years ago. No danger of what you are saying - if I have all my heaters on full and start cooking as well the breaker trips. If anything I think it is a bit too low an amperage but I can now judge pretty much how big a load I can put on it. Plus I can reset it myself, it is only at the end of the corridor. |
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The Great Wall of Whiner
Joined: 29 Jan 2003
Posts: 4946
Location: Blabbing
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| Posted: Sat Dec 17, 2011 4:11 am Post subject: |
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| Zero wrote: |
| steve b wrote: |
| I have aircon in my flat but it is completely inadequate for warmth in winter so I supplement it by buying electric heaters. They are cheap enough and electricity is free. |
Be careful with those, though. They pull a lot of electricity, and the wiring is not always adequate, resulting in a good many house fires. Building owners do things such as getting fed up with the breaker always tripping and therefore replacing it with a larger breaker -- BAD IDEA. |
I'll back this warning up with a an ancedote: my wife burned her legs very badly last year from falling asleep with the electric heater on. house fire + blocking the exit = permanent scarring. |
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steve b
Joined: 31 May 2011
Posts: 293
Location: China
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| Posted: Sat Dec 17, 2011 8:28 am Post subject: |
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| Good warnings, but living with animals I buy tower blow heaters with cut-out switches in case they knock them over. Having worked in an environment for many years where fire was the worst enemy I am mindful of such things. |
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billybud
Joined: 26 Nov 2011
Posts: 17
Location: china
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| Posted: Sun Dec 18, 2011 12:02 pm Post subject: |
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| you have a goodf job. Don'tcmplain |
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steve b
Joined: 31 May 2011
Posts: 293
Location: China
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| Posted: Sun Dec 18, 2011 12:06 pm Post subject: |
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| Would it be asking too much for a translation into English? |
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Kiwi303
Joined: 20 Nov 2010
Posts: 165
Location: Chong Qing Jiao Tong Da Xue, Xue Fu Da Dao, Nan An Qu, Chong Qing Shi, P. R China
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| Posted: Mon Dec 19, 2011 5:10 am Post subject: |
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| steve b wrote: |
| Would it be asking too much for a translation into English? |
| billybud wrote: |
| you have a goodf job. Don'tcmplain |
Sure, here you go...
BilyBud said:
"My job sucks, I'm drowning my sorrows in baijiu and writing Drunkese instead of English, Don't whine about your job, compared to my baijiu sodden hell you have it great!" |
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