Job Discussion Forums

[mateacher]

how much does it pay? You may think it is enough, but wait till your wife starts asking for money to go and buy expensive clothes and when you have children you will need to pay for International schools unless you want you kids to be talking and writing Chinese all day. International Schools alone in Korea cost me 20.000 dollars a year, then I would give my wife about 10.000 dollars a year for shopping. Whenever we traveled we would bring the children as it is important for them to learn to ski explore and see the world, that would cost 10.000 dollars in flights alone and that is before booking hotels, villas etc... Luckily I was earning 10 million from my job as a professor, rental income and my internet business. But there you see there is already 4 million deducted for school, two vacations per year. Leaving me with 6 million to spend on good quality food, entertainment, my hobbies. I managed to save around 3-4 million a year (luckily in Korea the house is part of the package). In Japan I would have struggled on 10 million due to the deductions and international school fees.

[mateacher]

Its funny how people think they can make it in Japan because they save 1000 dollars a month as they live in a 1R leopalace with all utilities, eat cup noodles and drink a coffee from macdonalds and a mcmuffin for breakfast, while eating free food for lunch at their ALT job. Drinking 5 chuhais in a row before they go into clubs, to not have to pay for drinks at the bar. That is not the real world and by the time you hit thirty I am sure it would get old quickly. As soon as I got a job at a university in Japan, I used the green car to get to work and if you use it once, you cannot go back to cattle class again.

[jm21]

Why would I ever marry that type of woman? Certainly I am more than willing to spend a good chunk of money on lingerie, but designer clothing? Hell no. Not my type. Waste of money.

I live comfortably. I eat what I want. I am too frugal to drink everything I want (there must be a huge tax on imported wine here), but I do fine. I can order a chunk of Ahi in the morning and it gets delivered the same day. Beef is Aussie stuff which is usually not grain finished (or at least, not for very long) which is a shame. Not enough marbling. You survive. I will occassionally have a bowl of ramen for lunch but would never eat at a western fast food chain. What would I tell my family?

I wouldn't really mind my children going to Chinese schools, if I had any. Home schooling would be preferable anyways.

[Maitoshi]

With such a nice car, why bother with public transport at all? I mean, isn't it really meant for the plebeians anyway?

[mateacher]

Are you Chinese? If not, please do not send your children to a Chinese school. Homeschooling will rob them of social skills and to have a wife who will home school, she would need a brain and probably having a brain would enjoy the finer things in life. It's funny you say that because I felt the same way about my children. I thought I could send them to a Japanese school, but when the time came to do that I felt sorry for them having to endure those awful English lessons, buildings, lack of AC, unable to attend PTAs. I am sure your life now earning 30.000 dollars teaching at Disney Kids Beijing sounds good in your 20s.

[mateacher]

actually, could you tell us your what kind of job you have, and if you do not mind the salary and expenses, I am sure many people here scraping by making a living would be interested.

[jm21]

[mateacher]

So you won't tell us anything about your job, whether your girlfriend is Chinese or western. All you are willing to tell us is that as a DINK you manage to save 15.000 dollars a year living in China and that is supposed to be impressive? I probably made an easy 15.000 dollars on my investments, rental income and interest on cash this month, but I dont go around bragging without giving background information. You should be more forthcoming with information.

[mateacher]

doesnt matter if you both have high IQs, you could be hardcore Christians and teach your children the earth was made in 7 days. That is the problem of home schooling, as well as your children would become unable to socialize with people their own age and learn how to behave in social, regimented settings. Please don't talk about children if you don't have any, because you have no idea.

[jm21]

My girlfriend is Chinese and her income is not something I consider. It's hers. I provide free housing and she buys me dinner quite a bit, but we don't share our finances. Works out fine for now. We are both atheists. We both experienced how stultifyingly boring normal schools can be. I mean, c'mon, teaching calculus in high school? That should be taught in middle school at the latest. Aside from the shocking similarities between prisons and schools.

You are a self-admitted old fart so I would expect that if I wasn't retired at your age I would be earning more. I will probably double my income in the next few years with no further degrees. Maybe grab a relatively cheap online teacher's cert.

[mateacher]

You have a Chinese gf? I wouldn't know about things relating to mixed couples since I am my wife are American. I guess the culture difference must be difficult. Sure, if your GF is Chinese and you want to send your children to a Chinese school I guess that is OK. I wouldn't know about these things.
But, once thing I do know is that when you are 45, you will not be earning more than I am. Maybe you do not know this, but I am earning 15 million yen i.,e. 150.000 dollars per year. I really doubt you will be retired or earning more. I doubt buying a cheap online will double your income, but in your case as you are probably earning enough RMB to buy a few dodgy scorpions on a stick or starfish on a stick which was the kind of crap I saw people eating in China when I was there, then I am sure you will double you income in the next few years.

[mateacher]

I find it funny you call me an old fart. I drive a Porsche Cayenne and it wasn't even the low-spec version. It is the one with the V8 motor. I also play tennis, ride and ski, I doubt anyone would call such physical activities things that old farts do. And I am 45, that is not old in anyone's book.
It's rather amusing how you go around saying that you will double your income, be retired at 45, and that you and your girlfriend both have high IQs, you also seem to be the authority when it comes to bringing up and schooling children. The funny part is the fact that you have accomplished nothing apart from meeting a Chinese girl, which as a white guy in China isn't very difficult. If you thing getting an on-line teaching certificate is going to improve your salary it just shows me you must be working an entry level position in China. Any other higher level positions wouldn't care about on-line anythings.
I could retire now if I want to, I have cash, investments, 2 properties, 2 cars, my children now go to a regular school. I have insurance, but I enjoy my job and the vacations amount to 5 months a year. I could even retire in the states, if I wish, but would have to compromise on my lifestyle, which I do not wish to do. I could retire to China and buy a whole village, but wouldn't want to go there. I went there once for a conference, stayed in a 5 star hotel, it was more like a 3 star, I ate some good food in the hotel's restaurant and had a look around. The whole city was a filthy, stinky, ugly place. The people were uncouth, spitting on the floor and walking around with their t-shirts half rolled up. People didn't know how to drive and the pollution was awful. Why anyone would want to live in and teach in China is beyond me. Maybe because they can't get a job anywhere else?

[jm21]

[nightsintodreams]

jm21, you must be new here. Didn't you see the "NO FEEDING THE TROLLS" sign?

[Shimokitazawa]