Job Discussion Forums

[Andrew108]

O.k I'm not a troll. I have quite a few nagging questions and doubts about teaching in China. I'm hoping to get some positive feedback because really I am starting to question the idea of me teaching in China. The drawbacks I see are as follows:

1. Complicated and potentially expensive initial Z-Visa application process. I'm not resident in my home country and so would need to use an agency or travel back to the U.K. Medical check might be very expensive.
2. No guarantee that after all the paperwork has been completed that the company will not withdraw their offer of work.
3. Environmental factors. Pollution at high levels - both seen and unseen. Possible scams. Dangerous road conditions. Possibility of natural disasters.
4. Job satisfaction? Seems that for the most part we are entertainers/edutainers. This by itself is not so bad, but I wonder if after a year or so it would become frustrating?
5. Cost of living seems to be increasing in China. It's not as cheap as it was 5 years ago? Salaries for Uni work don't seem to have increased. Could I be sure to save at least 500 dollars a month? Would I be able to get enough private work? Would that private work be steady enough?
6. Can I trust my employer or agency? Seems like we need to take a gamble on this one.
7. I'm 45 years old. Am I getting too old? Will the students be bored by an older teacher and not entertained?
8. Will I be able to develop my skills in China or increase my marketability? Will I be able to move on from China with added value? If I stayed in China would my value increase to the point that I can earn a very good salary?

Honestly I'm not trying troll here. I'm actually trying to work out from the information I have whether China would be a good working location or not. Why do so many teachers teach there? What are the benefits that outweigh the hassles and hoops you have to jump through? Surely there must be really compelling reasons for deciding to go there to teach? I would love to hear the positives.

[buffalobill12323]

[johntpartee]

I have refused to entertain; I've never had a problem securing a position. The reality is that if you look right (read Caucasian or a reasonable facsimile thereof), you can get away with doing the dancing monkey routine.

I have been able to hone many teaching skills here, e.g., managing large classes.

As far as the initial expense, yes, it can be somewhat debilitating but if the contract is a good one you will be reimbursed for airfare and the employer will take care of the other incidentals. If you learn to chill and manage your expenses, China is a great place to save. More than most other places in the world.

45 is not too old.

[teenoso]

Lots of positives get mentioned frequently , but maybe they're drowned out by the negative stuff.
For me , good stuff is :
liveable salary , and decent accommodation
few working hours, and potentially you are left alone by the admin. much of the time, few meetings
freedom to plan teaching and class activities
learning about the students and their lives
being appreciated by the students (even if your lessons are not the most exciting or fun)
new experiences
speaking a different language
being a foreigner, meaning you can 'rise above' much of the cr*p that goes on at work
friendly people around
just basic ordinary life, the getting of a living, is easier here than at home.

As to whether you will pick up skills here , or contacts, or anything useful to parley back home into a better job later, I doubt. But you never know.
Chinese parents spend serious amounts of money on education , so if you can tap into that and become an international educational entrepreneur, China may have the opportunities.

[fat_chris]

[Andrew108]

Thanks for the replies so far. Good to hear some positives. I'm not in China and so it is hard not to be condition by some of the broad generalizations.

So most people can save a decent amount of money? Teachers can earn 30,000 RMB? Where I live at the moment, people are considered fortunate if they can save 500 euros from their paycheck every month. It seems from the replies so far that saving 500 euros and more every month is a common experience for an English teacher in China. I mean that if the teacher wanted to, they could most likely save that amount.

I did 5 years of teaching in Thailand. I often worked two jobs. I was focused on making money and being a good teacher. The most I earned when working outside of Bangkok was about 1000 euros per month. The idea that if I work as hard in China I could save 1000 euros a month is definitely a positive

So.....Job at at a Uni that allows you to work at other places. University in a city where there is enough extra work. University in a province that isn't so fussy about paperwork. Is this the best situation?

I imagine that part of the skill set for a English teacher in China is that they are able to deal with mountains of bureacracy? I could deal with that as long as I knew that long hours and hard work were well rewarded.

Then where I live is kind of boring but safe. It's actually a beautiful country. I imagine China to be a rush of energy where a lot of things become possible. I would hope to be able to manage that. I could manage it if the rewards were there.

[doogsville]

Honestly, there are far too many variables to be able to answer any of your questions definitively, except the one about age. 46 is fine. Whether your students will be bored or entertained has no relationship whatsoever to age, it's all about personality.

I came here because I wanted to try something different before I die. I stay here because I like the climate, I like a lot of the people I meet, Chinese and non Chinese, it gives me the opportunity to visit other countries in South East Asia and beyond and I get to learn a new language and culture. I teach because I've taught back home and it's by far the easiest way to make a living and get a resident permit. I earn full time money for part time work. I have more free time than I've ever had while employed in the UK, and I have enough money to use the time to do other things I enjoy. I don't do privates because I value my time more than anything else, but if I did I could easily save 1000 Euro a month or more.

I've never been so free from the politics of the workplace, and I love that. I get to teach people who genuinely appreciate my work. Those people probably form the minority of my students at times, but they more than make it worthwhile to persist.

The downsides? Life here can be very frustrating at times, but that often has as much to do with my unwillingness to bend than anything else. Trying to accomplish the simplest of tasks like travelling, sightseeing, eating, shopping or putting money on your phone can be difficult, especially at first. I use those things as an opportunity to learn when I can, though some days they make me either depressed or angry. Again, that's down to me as much as the situation. People here behave in a way that is very different to what I'm used to. If I don't like it I can choose to leave, or I can choose to deal with it and move on. The quality of consumer goods here can be terrible, and the prices aren't that cheap either. Many of the foods I love are not available, or are, but are so expensive they are a rare treat. Trying to make a sandwich that doesn't involve sweet, sugary bread and has a filling that I'm familiar with is a nightmare. People will sometimes try to cheat and swindle you. It doesn't happen to me often enough to make a big difference, and I take some small comfort from the fact that it isn't just foreigners who suffer, it's everyone. China is crowded. Travelling on public transport can be a nightmare, especially at rush hour, and the same is true of cycling at the same peak times. Ditto for sightseeing during National holidays.

You can see for yourself from the postings on this forum that some of us are quite happy, some of us are not. I guess you come over here and see which camp you end up in.

[fat_chris]

[Andrew108]

Thanks guys for all the really detailed replies. Definitely shifts my perspective. It seems that saving 1000 euros per month is within reach once settled in. Yeah I guess being patient is important and keeping a goal on mind. Willingness to learn Mandarin and keeping a steady head sound really important. When I was teaching in Thailand I was much younger and got easily distracted. This time I have a more clearly defined goal.

The posts here have given me some encouragement. I hope to be in China in August/September 2014 and will jump through whatever hoops to get Z-Visa. I'm thinking of sending out my CV unsolicited to Universities in Western China - Chongqing and Chengdu are my prefered cities. I guess April would be the best month to do this? Should I ask if teaching privates is allowed or wait until I'm in China? Is it common for universities to allow private teaching?

Again many thanks for the detailed and lengthy replies.

[theoriginalprankster]

[Non Sequitur]

[Banner41]

China can be a gold mine if you are patient. I keep telling myself I will leave after the next contract but every year I get better and better offers so I stay. Year one was rough but now I am on auto-pilot. I live in a big city so things are very easy to find. Taobao supplies the rest. My biggest expenses now are the two international trips I take every year to see family. Some days are frustrating and others are not. It is really up to you what you make of it. You can either be the whiny foreigner who complains about everything or the one who takes it in stride. When I go home people tell me how calm and patient I am now. It's not because I discovered nirvana....it's all of the things I have to brush off so I don't go crazy. Good luck!

[Denim-Maniac]

The visa thing isnt a big issue really I think. I dont have much experience of applying for a working permit / visa in other countries, but my experience of getting a visa wasnt difficult. Certainly not troublesome enough to consider it as a negative when working in China.

[Andrew108]

I remember a friend of mine trying to get a U.K visa and having a lot of trouble. In the end they decided the hassle wasn't worth it for a two week visit. Of course we are told that China needs English teachers. But yes it is always good to look at it from the other point of view.

Being an expat is hard. I know firsthand how difficult it is. I haven't lived in the U.K for over 15 years. British people do like to complain. Americans like to talk about their credentials. Australians like boozing. These generalizations are all true to an extent. We are all human, and given the right circumstances we'll react according to our cultural conditioning. I found that the best thing is to be open to that. To recognize it rather than try to suppress it. Asian people also react culturally. Everyone does. The trick is to be accepting of all these different expressions of conditioned behaviour and then not to hold on to strict distinctions. Generalizations collapse when you relax. It's natural to want to relax.

So I will sell myself as a teacher of Oral English. Look for a good position at a Uni. Think about working for a couple of hours in the evenings and maybe one day at the weekend. Try to learn Mandarin. Save as much money as I can. Keep myself busy. Enjoy the energy, sights, sounds and flavors of China. If the pollution gets too bad and the money isn't so good and I don't really fit then I'll just have to accept that. However, it is better to focus on the positives and the posts here have been very helpful in showing that there are definitely positives.

[mw182006]