Job Discussion Forums

[Shroob]

[MisterButtkins]

In Harbin the government provides central heating (heated floors or radiators, depending on the apartment) for everyone. The gas is just for your stove.

[cormac]

[DirtGuy]

I just took one of these jobs. For better or for worse, I am headed to AnYang to work in a uni. The contract says 5,000 for 18 hours of teaching and no office hours. Everything is provided for me, except food and personal items, and there is no prohibition against outside work in the contract. The best part is the airfare allowance is 13,000 which should be enough to get me to and from China.

I had another offer from EF, Nanjing, and it had all sorts of large numbers. The problem is that once I calculated my per hour rate (40 hours plus unpaid duties), I actually make more per hour with the uni job. Factor in the hassle of finding an apartment plus a lousy airfare allowance and the uni won hands down.

Of course I plan to do privates. Based on all the PMs I got from everyone (thank you very much for them), I stand to NET more money from the uni job than I would get from the EF position.

Now, if I can just get the compressed week I've asked for (they haven't said "no"), I'll be in fat city.

DirtGuy

[CJD]

i had a job at sichuan uni, 4,000 a month, and only 2 days a week. i t was pretty awesome. didn't do any extra work on the side or anything either. 4,000 was enough.

[The Edge]

Smart move taking the uni job instead of the one at an EF language mill.
You will have what is called 'A Life'.
Good luck.

[DirtGuy]

CJD,

That is a sweet deal. I gotta get me one of them.

DirtGuy

[dharma86]

3 years ago 4000rmb was adequate.

That would be difficult to survive on now.

[GeminiTiger]

[MisterButtkins]

[GeminiTiger]

[DirtGuy]

Mr. B:

How do you arrive at those numbers? Do you work for a uni where everything is paid for and you don't need a car? I'm assuming you have a pretty frugal lifestyle, no?

Thanks.

DG

[Denim-Maniac]

DG - I've enjoyed similar jobs.

My housing and utilities are paid for in full. Id be amazed if many FT's have cars, but I have never even needed / wanted a bicycle to be honest. I can walk anywhere in my town in 25 minutes.

Living a frugal life is always going to be a matter of opinion. I wouldnt eat or drink imported beers or cheeses here, or buy expensive important stuff to cook at home. Id prefer to eat out anyway. So Id eat pretty much every meal outside. Breakfasts would normally be from the street, lunch would normally be from the street or the school. Dinner would normally be from the school or any restaurant of my choosing. (The restaurant option would probably be taken 5 times a week).

I smoke as many as I want, and drink when I want too. That lifestyle ran at about 2000 a month. A few months of that 'frugal' lifestyle was another to pay for a naughty weekend in a boutique hotel with a pretty girl, although I dont save for 'real' or extended travel.

When I was regularly dating, I spent more, and didnt really save .. but I did always have money in my pocket at the end of every month. If you're single, not in China long term, dont have real debts or real need to save $$$$$, those lower salaries jobs are fine. And I have posted many times about jobs that pay 3 or 4 times my salary that I cant justify accepting because the extra hours/location/lifestyle just doesnt make it worthwhile. As Mr Buttkins posts about the 30 RMB taxi ride ... Ive never needed to take one in my town so I can see city living eating into that higher salary quickly.

[kungfuman]

This came in my email today. 4500y a month for 8 hours a day x 6 days a week. Sounds like a dream job - for someone.

[Shroob]