Job Discussion Forums

[theoriginalprankster]

If you've got a university job, teaching 12-16 hours a week, over three, maybe fours days, with the rest of your time free - enjoy it!

If you live in a smallish (less than 5 million) town - enjoy that too!

If you have both, and you're town's reasonably affluent - love it!

I made the move to a joint venture company in Shanghai that clearly believes in getting every 'fen' out of you.

I teach six 40 minute periods a week, which sounds sweet on paper, but the remainder of the time (9-6, Monday to Friday) I'm in the office creating 'content'. More like matching cruddy material with low level students.

I reckon I used to have the dream setup - two days a week teaching Journalism, 2-3 weekends of IELTS examining, and 2-3 contracts a year prepping pilots and cabin crew for the IELTS exam.

I made more than I make here (yearly) with double or triple the free time. That free time equated to plenty of exercise and hobbies, and frequent travel. Lots of beach time as I was by the coast - sailing, paddleboarding, kayaking, swimming.

In Shanghai you're up at 7.30 to be at the office by 9, and feel guilty leaving at 6pm because all the drone-like interns (being paid 500/month) are still slaving away.

The air is foul, and SH is definitely not first world/first tier - it seems no different from Wuhan, Changsha, Nanchang, Ningbo, or any of the other 2nd or 3rd tier cities I've been to.

So, if you enjoy your life, don't like being stuck in an office under neon lights, value your lungs and freedom stick with that uni job. You've got all the time to take on some other part time work or tutor privately, enjoy your exercise/hobbies/studies/travels.

Don't make my mistake - unless you like a 50 hour work week in the Chinese corporate environment in a massive, noisy over-hyped city like Shanghai.

I'll be returning to small town life soon.

[Volver]

I used to have the same gig and hated it. Week-end IELTS is gone, side work in small cities is very limited, and social isolation is a huge problem. I am in a bigger city now and want to be in Beijing next year if I choose to stay. I guess we all see the same things in a different way.

V

[JRJohn]

Well, actually there IS a positive side to living in the biggest cities-for example, there should be a lot of social and cultural activities laid on for western people, there will be pubs where you meet people who speak English; places of worship, English bookshops and so on. I haven't lived in Shanghai-I just got my wallet stolen there, so maybe I am prejudiced against the city.
I have, however, lived in Beijing, and I understand how you feel. The big cities do have a positive side, in theory at least. You should have access-in principle-to an extensive social and cultural life with western and Chinese people; to English bookshops, to places of worship and so on. There is also some variability depending on the job. I found Beijing more stressful as time went on, especially when I got my second job. It's an extremely noisy city-especially with the mania for construction. You mentioned the pollution. That's an issue in many places in China.
The first time I went to beijing I had a long commute-all the teachers went in the school bus.
In my second job, that involved teaching in state schools, I had to be at school by 7:30 a.m.! I was encouraged to arrive at 7! And the schools were not so close-I had to go in the metro for 45 minutes and then walk. It was more stressful than the first job. I was teaching 25 periods per week, but almost always had to start really early. Your situation is therefore a little better!
I mentioned the positive side to Beijing. But increasingly, I feel stress, and wonder what the positive side is. I go to western bars, and find that there is nobody there, or that nobody wants to talk, and I may be attracted to some unusual or exciting event but can't be bothered to make the huge effort needed to reach it.
I also taught at a provincial university. Yes, it was easier. It was actually quite fulfilling work. I would possibly go back. But rural is not always good. It's possible to go to the countryside and feel lonely and abandoned. Culture shock in a place that was too quiet is worse than in Beijing. A provincial capital, like Jinan would be okay though.