Job Discussion Forums

chongcheng · Posted: Fri May 16, 2003 1:48 am Post subject:

Don't worry Sunaru, she doesn't have claws Smile

She beelright mate

[quote] C/S :Hats off to Sunaru, though. He's bizarre, pithy, incredibly quick, creative and imaginative. And no, we're not in love. Well, not yet...

"it's a girl!!!!!", only a girl could be incredibly quick, creative, imaginative, bizarre and pithy(?) Question

chongcheng · Posted: Fri May 16, 2003 2:05 am Post subject:

GONZALVESB,

I appreciate your words and your viewpoint. I share most of them. I was just trying to get a rise out of you guys (no bites). I reckon SA will always be my home no matter what state it's in. It's difficult to watch your home being transformed into a completely different place, not many ppl can understand that. In a way you can never go home right?

I understand how someone would leave for the sake of their children's future, I would do the same.

I spent 2 years out of the country, when I got back things had changed quite a bit, for the good in my opinion. So I have faith that it will eventually turn into something really good. Smile

chinasyndrome · Posted: Fri May 16, 2003 2:14 am Post subject:

CheechChong (this is good - in the same spirit and intention as that first dodgey call sign you wanted 'Rasta').

Only a girl could blah, blah, blah? Mate, I think you're seeing it through the eyes of your own confirmed limitations. That is: 'CC is incredibly slow, lacks creativity, is unimaginative, I'll go with you on the bizarre thing, and pithy, my illustrious colleague, is not what you are when you've had too much to drink.' Rolling Eyes

And as for your girlfriend (light me a smoke, please Honey), she just told me that she's fine with it. Wink

Gonzoetcetcetcetcetcetc makes some really interesting points. Although this isn't the SA forum, if nobody minds I would like to get a bit more insight into this. Cheech, you got anything to add? Gonzo, can you fill us in a bit more when you have time? I don't want to start a war in SA here, but your take on things is genuinely interesting (at least to me).

GONZALVESB · Joined: 20 Mar 2003 Posts: 52

Yes, you are quite right. In my case I am hoping to go to NZ from here. I am still sad about leaving my country, of course ppl don't understand why you feel you have to leave. Like you said, children is one reason. I have a two year old daughter and I will be damned if I am going to sit around and not give her a better opportunity in life. I also am not going to wait for something terrible to happen to either my daughter or myself because there is nothing anybody can do. You are not even safe in your own home. If I had a choice, yes I would return but only if I know my daughter would have a better future. With the news that FE's could return home without completing their contracts, the thought crossed my mind but then I thought what am I going back to.....???????? So, with all the negative experiences in China, there are other positives especially as far as my daughter is concerned. She is conversing very well in Chinese with the other children.

chongcheng · Posted: Fri May 16, 2003 4:32 am Post subject:

Ahhh, NZ. Man, the kiwis drove me crazy for two years. I made some really good friends there and they are generally a good bunch, but what you said about politicians is true, even in NZ. There are some things you can never escape from...

I would like to know what your take is on the parallels (if any) between SA and PRC. I have seen a few, most of them are just sensed, but some are there to see. For instance, if a boer (farmer, specifically bigotish)was planted here suddenly from Bloem(traditionally bigotish town), do you think he would see most of these guys as K-factors(um, figure it out)? Lets face it some of the things they do are mighty similar.

The apartheid era seemed to create a certain anarchy in society, where people would do unspeakable things and get away with it. I know of a few guys who would go roaming around town after dark, beating up black guys, just because they were black. There was (and probably still is)mass exploitation of cheap labour. The guys are poor so why do they need a bed to sleep in, why should we pay them any more than x amount?

Is the same sort of thing happening in China? This dicatatorial, heavy handed "justice system", is it so different from what we were exposed to? Does it change and is it changing Chinese society the same way ours changed? Does it leave massive loopholes? Does it create a certain anarchy?

yaco · Joined: 03 Mar 2003 Posts: 473

Dear Gonzalves

Think of yourself as lucky !!!!!!!!

Why would you marry a Chinese person anyway !!!!!!!!

GONZALVESB · Joined: 20 Mar 2003 Posts: 52

chinasyndrome

I don't know what you would really like to know. I guess one should also be careful what you say on the forum since discussing politics is not really a good idea. I don't want to get on the wrong side of people. I was just expressing my opinion about the SA situation. We might start a war right here on the forum.

GONZALVESB · Joined: 20 Mar 2003 Posts: 52

chongcheng

I cannot really comment since I do not know Chinese history and the current situation well enough, yet. But about placing a Boer here, he would definitely refer to them as the K-factor. You do know of course in SA Japanese were treated as white and Chinese as coloured. Is it about class in China???

GONZALVESB · Joined: 20 Mar 2003 Posts: 52

Yaco

I would most definitely not consider that. I do actually count myself lucky. I stay as far from Chinese men as possible. If they are anything like the students one is better off not having any contact. My students are really draining me. I cannot go outside and walk on the playground or play with my daughter without being harrassed by students saying 'how can I improve my oral English?' I am happy when my daughter does not want to go outside so that I can get a break from the students.

klasies · Joined: 04 Mar 2003 Posts: 178 Location: China

GONZALVESB

"Unlike Klasies, I do not blame the current situation completely on the new government."

Hey sister I did not say I blame the current position on the new government Evil or Very Mad

That would be naive. As a social Anthropologist, I would never make that king of statement and if that conclusion can be deduced from my post then let me apologise for it as it was not my intention.
When a society such as South African starts to decline, there are a myriad reasons for it, of course the previous government must shoulder some of the blame as must the present government. There are no easy remedies to halt the decline and hopefully the situation will improve but I think it will take time! Lots of it.
My primary reasons for leaving the country was the concern for the future of my 3 children and because of the safety factor or rather the lack of it!!!!
Yes China also has problems but my daughter can play outside with her friends at night, something she could not do back in SA and the education that she is receiving in the Chinses schools coupled with my home-schooling if far better than she was getting back in SA. My two sons who were also home-schooled both have good positions teaching English in Dalian, so all 3 of them are assured of a future, again something that was not possible back in SA.
Do I miss SA? Never
Will I ever go back? Never
What did SA ever do for me? Nothing, except take me away from my family at age 17, for two years and forced me to dispise communism and hate black people!
Am I proud of being South African? Nie n fok nie!

Regards

Andre

GONZALVESB · Joined: 20 Mar 2003 Posts: 52

So, we do share the same sentiments about our beloved country! I was considering going back with the outbreak of SARS but then asked myself go back to what????? Like you I am concerned about my daughters future. It sounds as if you have been out of the country for many years. Have you been in China all the time? I am hoping to get my daugther into a good English school, is that possible in China? Would be good to hear about all the possibilities in this country.

Roger · Joined: 19 Jan 2003 Posts: 9138

GONZALESB,
there are an increasing number of schools that cater to the needs of English-speaking kids. In Peking it is easy enough what with international schools, but they are beyond the means of us ordinary teachers even if we make 8000 a month. Besides, a job there is no safer than a job elsewhere, perhaps even more diffikcult to keep in the face of competition.
Shanghai: DItto.
In Guangdong the pciture looks a little brighter. There are more jobs, and there are some schools that have bilingual curricula. I live in an estate that surrounds a private school with an English section that uses English as a medium of instruction for its CHinese students. Tuition is 3o'000 a year, including boarding, though I am not sure it applies to the English section too. The teachers there are from international backgrounds, personally I know a geography teacher from the USA. However, if you teach at that school, your salary is 5000 at the most. You can, of course, top it up by working outside the school. Your child will also be required to live in the dorm, so you cannot get a discount.
There are quite a few South Africans in Guangdong.

GONZALVESB · Joined: 20 Mar 2003 Posts: 52

Thanx for the info Roger. Another silly question. Has anybody ever been told what to wear!!!! I was wearing a pair of flat sandals (we call it 'slip ins'), not too flat and it is made of leather, not exactly something for the beach but also probably not something I would wear to the office. You could probably say something very casual and I was told not to wear it to school. Is there a dress code or are these people just full of s..t and want to control me like they control their people?

yaco · Joined: 03 Mar 2003 Posts: 473

Dear Gonzalves B

You sound like you are overworked ??????

Is there other foreign teachers in your school or in your town to offer support !!!!!!!!!!!

GONZALVESB · Joined: 20 Mar 2003 Posts: 52

To be quite honest my feet do get tired of teaching such long hours. Luckily SARS has one advantage, less teaching hours!!!!! I am the only foreigner in the town. I checked with the foreigner who has left the school and he said it is bull. There is nothing in the contract about a dress code so if it makes me comfortable I should ignore them. They also told me that a Canadian woman who taught at the school used to wear something similar but because she was a volunteer, they allowed it.