Job Discussion Forums

[zhu tou]

Hi,
I am in a situation without online comparison.
Let me sum things up and start from the beginning:

I had spent seven of that past eleven years teaching in and throughout China. And in that time never once did I have any concern or issue enough to justify making a post here. Until now.
I last left China in 2012, and was here as a visitor visiting my long term girlfriend (and now fiance) on two tourists visas last year. During that last visit I decided to stay and work a while in Shenzhen, so returning to a former (10 years past) job I was suddenly swept into the whole new scheme of things.

I was given a list of documents to prepare.. check, done.
And made aware of the need to return to my home country for the Z visa... (God) Anyways, sure.. arranged the return ticket to do so.

Come 2 weeks before that flight they ask for my TEFL Certificate... What???
Yes, things have changed.
With haste I scan the internet for the fastest and cheapest available online class. I also bump my return ticket back by 6 weeks.

Luckily I was here on a six month visa (obtained in Canada) affording me the time to prepare.

Anyways, I finish the class and send them the certificate that was forwarded to me. All is good.
But another office delay pushes the paperwork back even further, and so my ticket is changed yet again.

Finally I return to Canada, get my Z visa, do a ton of shopping and return anticipating an end to the insecurity.

All is well, until three days ago, after taking my passport and photos, and my 700 RMB medcal report, and my 100 RMB (for translation from Engish into Chinese [from a Chinese University] referral letter, not to mention the 25,000 RMB spent on expenses related to air tickets and changes, housing, visas, and certificates in the time since I got here... All is well... until after the school picks these things up, bringing them to the FEC office at which time I get a call... "I need your Original Degree and TEFL certificate!"

Again... What???
I have my degree, and although I am not comfortable just placing it into the hands of foreign entities, I do what I gotta do.
But the TEFL certificate was done online, from China, through a U.S. source. The certificate was e-mailed "as valid".
So I look them up, and nothing, no mention of how to get a hard copy. I e-mail them.. and wait...

Now, It was February 3rd...
And the Chinese New Year holidays for every man and woman in this country begins on the 15th. My Z visa only has a 30 day validity which brings it to the 26th.

I'm running out of time!

I hear from the TEFL school and they explain that a hard copy costs upwards or $95US plus $50 for shipping (express)... anywhere in the U.S. it would take 3 days. Here in China I have only 3 days before the schools appointment to receive the Foreign Experts Certificate (FEC).
It's not gonna happen.

So, how in the hell did I get so far, and spend so much to finally come to this?
What good would my entry Z visa be if I took it elsewhere... to say... anywhere that is not Shenzhen?

I have marriage preperations and expenditures for the summer, and something of a life set up here, will having an unfullfilled Z visa jeapordize my ability to get another travel visa in HK or someplace so that I can return and sort things out?

I have no idea what to do at this point. It's all very horrible timing.

For all I know, things may one way or another may work themselves out. But I just want to prepare and get ahead of any such problems and find a certain back-up plan in the event they don't.

Has anyone had or heard of any such experience...

Ideas, please...

Thank you!

[Alien abductee]

[litterascriptor]

I'd just take my emailed diploma to a good print shop and ask them to make the best looking God damned diploma their larcenous little photoshopping fingers can churn out.

[asiannationmc]

[zhu tou]

In all honesty, that's what the school decided to try.
Flipping through their electronic Rolodex they had a name and craftsman already in line for this kind of thing.
Oddly the supposed "man" said it would be awfully difficult for all the "English". I don't see the difficulty in printing out a page of already prepared English.
There was also talk of adding "shiny gold" finish to the fonts and bull like that.

My conclusion has come to the reality that life in China for someone who follows the genuine rules (as asked, as opposed to the multitudes in Shenzhen who still follow some dodgy practices despite the changes), will incur considerably more expense, stress, and grief as compared to those who don't.

[zhu tou]

[Lost.And.Found]

Just curious - what school did that to you. It seems really low and cold-blooded. Rude for sure.

[jimpellow]