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[nellychess]

I haven't done what I need to do because I have changed my plans a few times.
Firstly, thanks to all who have helped in the past with great advice. I officially turned down an illegal temporary tennis teaching job. I was offered expenses paid, including flight out to Beijing. The plan then was to look for work, and sort out visa stuff while there. I decided not to do that.

As it stands, I am going to be in Maine, USA to work at a sleepaway camp for 8 weeks. I'll have internet, and mail access, but won't be able to leave all summer. I'm done August 10. I was hoping to set up a Uni job over the summer, then leave fro China directly afterwards.

If I can't set up a job, I will have to go somewhere, and I don't really have a home base, so it will cost me some money.

Have I ruined it for myself? Can I make it happen?

So far I have my passport, passport photos, regular photos,and my original degree, a BA. No TEFL, or ESL experience.

Thanks for any advice.



I have written some Uni's, and sent the Chinese translation as well, but no responses yet.

I spoke with one recruiter, and he actually sounded like he was hammered drunk.

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[doogsville]

If you're finished on August 10 then you have plenty of time to come over and start at a uni on September 2nd. Keep applying, lots of university's will have recruited by now, but there should still be some vacancies. I'll PM you about one I know of.

[Javelin of Radiance]

At some point you'll have to stick to your plan. If you keep waffling you're not going to get anywhere.

[nellychess]

[roadwalker]

The two years experience requirement is your sticking point, but some universities or trade colleges will undoubtedly not get their fully qualified teachers and may take a chance on you.

E-mail is fine for most of the process. Assuming you get a legitimate offer from a university willing and able to sponsor you for an employment (z-) visa, you will have to have a mailing address for an express delivery of an envelope containing an original copy of 1) a Working Permit; and 2) a Visa Notification Letter (aka: invitation letter). These two documents and a visa application form are needed for you to get a z-visa stamped into your passport.

You MAY or may not need to additionally have a medical check done in the States in order for the consulate to issue the visa. If so, download the form from the Chinese Embassy website, and go to the cheapest clinic possible and get the form signed and rubber stamped as officially as possible. You can skip some of the more expensive items but do NOT skip the blood work showing you aren't an STD factory.

And you will either have to travel to the nearest Chinese consulate to apply for and pick up your visa, or use a service (many posters have reported good results this way) to do it for you for a fee. You cannot get the visa by mail or express mail (directly with the consulate, that is), it requires a human being to stand in line at the clerks window. As some have reported, it is possible that one consulate may require the medical check but another won't and the visa service will know which are easier to deal with, so it may be advantageous for that contingency. Sometimes the uni will insist on the medical check anyway, in order to get the preliminary Working Permit mentioned above.

Finally, if nothing pans out during the early summer and the unis seem to be closed for the summer, vacancies may pop up again in September. Sometimes it's no problem for the school since the first year students have military training for the first few weeks anyway, and don't start classes until near October. So the school may bring you on later than the September start.

[nellychess]