Job Discussion Forums

kev7161 · Joined: 06 Feb 2004 Posts: 5880 Location: Suzhou, China

A couple years ago I went to a city in northern Jiangsu for a "summer camp" kind of job. I too waited at the train station for more than an hour (and it was raining - - yet hot and humid). When they got there, someone explained how busy they were at the school. Okay, whatever. I get to the school and the director was teaching some sort of class, could I hang out for a while so she could talk to me? Sure, no problem. I went and had lunch. "A while" turned out to be more than two hours. I finally told someone I was leaving, going back to Suzhou. Five minutes later I was in the director's office but it was too little too late. See, I didn't NEED the job, just thought it would be nice to earn a little extra money over the summer. They just couldn't fathom why I would leave what was obviously a chaotic, unprofessionally run organization. I got them to take me back to the train station, but it was getting late so I decided to get a hotel room and I'd travel the next day, well rested (of course, all these expenses were on me, but what are you going to do?). Luckily, the longer one stays in China, the longer one can be better prepared for the tricks of the trade!

haleynicole14 · Joined: 20 Feb 2012 Posts: 178 Location: US

I was provided a beautiful apartment in a brand new community by the river in Changsha, Hunan... Lovely furniture, great view, new and working appliances.

The deal was, the school had gotten a way discounted rent price from the real owner of the apartment, who didn't want to stay in the building while it was still being constructed.

I would have taken almost any small, basic apartment to escape the noise, that started at about 6am and didn't stop until 8 or 9pm! The constant pounding and sawing was absolutely maddening and went on for the entire time my boyfriend and I lived there. The school didn't understand the problem or care, and just told us there was nothing they could do about it or they would be done soon. If I was having the same problem again, I would tell the school to find me a new place or I was leaving right away.

johntpartee · Joined: 02 Mar 2010 Posts: 3258

Zero · Joined: 08 Sep 2004 Posts: 1402

Most likely they did not think it was appropriate to live unmarried with a boyfriend, so they were sticking it to you with a rotten apartment.

haleynicole14 · Joined: 20 Feb 2012 Posts: 178 Location: US

zootown · Joined: 27 Nov 2009 Posts: 310

wangdaning · Joined: 22 Jan 2008 Posts: 3154

Zero · Joined: 08 Sep 2004 Posts: 1402

We are not talking about Chinese. It is a mistake to think the standard is the same. Westerners are much more "open" while Chinese are "traditional," remember? The facts don't matter; the dogma does.

zootown · Joined: 27 Nov 2009 Posts: 310

Nouran · Joined: 09 Jan 2012 Posts: 15

Well to start with I gave China a try because I got a really great job in ESL working with pilots (again) to build up the resume. Yes, I can relate to a very experience.

1. No one mentioned I would be using a "toilet" which was a hole in the floor, and upon my arrival there was no toilet paper, nor towels or any kitchen at all. After I complained gal who picked me up, went to the store for some items and went on to say "westerners expect so much".

2. My co teacher was so Anti American I couldn't sit through a class with him, when I told my boss about all the cheap comments from co teacher, he would call the co teacher which would only stir up the pot more not in my favor as an American.

3. Boss wanted teachers to pay for all materials then he would reimburse but many times if one forgot to get a receipt (since no one on the campus really new how to write a receipt)...so alot of out of pocket stuff.

4. Never once in the four months their did I have even a mini fridge even though I had requested one. Nothing, white walled asylum. When I got to the hotel before leaving the next day back to the states, I didn't even know how to respond to wooden doors and photos on the wall.

5. I got very sick while there and in the hospital for two days, and I was on a plane back to the states within hours of my release from the hospital.

6. I never got a thank you for passiing 28/31 students with the IELTS prep.

7. Kept my last paycheck to pay the hospital bill, although he got a huge chunk of money for each student who passed the exam...

I would say the job wasn't the problem, the material was easy to present, my own hours, really fun students eager to go onto flight school, but for sure having an Anti American paired up with an American was a tad much. Late pay, absolute poor excuse for housing, no support.

I met a couple on the plane ride out of China who also got a big duping with a crap school/bosses in China. I remember them asking me "would you ever go back to China"...I said "no thank you"....

zanerguy · Joined: 19 Oct 2004 Posts: 21 Location: shanghai

I love Americans.

choudoufu · Joined: 25 May 2010 Posts: 3325 Location: Mao-berry, PRC

Zero · Joined: 08 Sep 2004 Posts: 1402

Nouran,

It does sound bad, but more than anything it sounds like a case of mismatched expectations. What you described is pretty typical China. China is definitely for a person who relishes working through challenges and finding long-term coping strategies. It's not well-suited to a short "drop-in" stay unless you are on a fancy expat package with hotel, car, driver etc.