Job Discussion Forums

[cpatti667]

Hello,
I was wondering if I could submit some questions regarding my situation and options. I am hoping I to get some general repsponses and positive feedback.
The situation is the following: I am involved (read: madly in love) with a chinese girl and have been maintaining a long distance relationship with her for more than a year. We are not ready to marry, so I am relocating to Shanghai (from the US) in order to really give us a shot. I'll be going in in July on a tourist visa (which I think I can extend 3, maybe 4, times while looking for work) and I do not yet have anything lined up.
Regarding the job situation; I have taken an (admittedly cheesy) online ESL course but will have no official TESOL/CELTA certification or experience. So question #1: Can I get a job with a decent school on just that in Shanghai? How long would it take? I hear differing things. Secondly, what about teaching other subjects? I could (in theory) teach computers (bachelor in CS) or even the sciences? Does anyone have any information on these?
Lastly, what about the living situation? I have heard that foriegners living with chinese girls can bring some awkward questions from the PSB. As in, illegal withs fines/jail time. However, I have trouble believing anybody really cares or enforces that in a city of 16-17 million. Can anybody shed light on that? Some of this may be off-topic, and probably better asked in other forums, but if anybody can provide some info I'd be very appreciative.
Regards,
C

PS Please no comments about chinese girls' trustworthiness/motives. Believe me, I've heard them all...

[waxtadpole]

You will have no problem finding a job in China as you have a degree. The online TESOL course might be more useful than you think, I would recommend selling it to your prospective employer a bit better than you did in this post. Don't worry about the odd mistruth, no one will check and you'll be lied to plenty of times by the Chinese.

I'm not sure about extending a tourist visa, but you will be able to find a job in three months, or three days for that matter. You will have to get a Z visa to start work, and you may have to leave China to this, probably in somehere like Hong Kong. The school should pay for the expenses for this.

No problems with cohabiting with Chinese these days, especially in Shanghai, it's not an issue, forget about it.

Teaching other subjects is a possiblity, but just because you have a degree doesn't mean they'll take you, you probably need to be a qualified teacher in that subject.

BTW the best paying schools in Shangahi (in order I think) are: Wall Street. Webi, Informatics, Canilx. These schools pay 12 -15,000 RMB per month. Forget about trying to live in Shanghai on 5000 RMB a month.

All you need now is a set of stare-proof sunglasses, the patience of Job, and a good padlock for your bicycle. The thieving c****s stole mine the first day I parked it outside my new house. My only other comment is I hope she's worth it. This country is the biggest pile of s**t in the known universe.

[Roger]

You don't want to read comments on the trustworthiness of Chinese chicks, but at the same time, please note that trustworthiness is not people-specific; you might be deceived by any one of us here too.

First thing: can you live together with a Chinese girl without getting married? It is becoming ever more tolerated, but it isn't legal just yet. Sometimes, one neighbourhood is under close watch by the PSB, while its vicinityh is not. It all depends on the local PSB.
You can travel and stay overnight at some hotels, but not at others.
You might conclude that Shanghai is relatively ahead of the rest of the country, but I lived in the "most advanced" mainland town until a few years ago, and even there - in Shenzhen - I knew where the police were nosey and potentialy disruptive.

As for jobs, wait and see, drink a lot of tea, and tell us how YOU judge your own situation later this year. Your idea is entirely feasible, but just whether you are going to be satisfied with what you get is up to you. YOu will no doubt end up in a language mill. I don't think you can teach other subjects in Shanghai with your quals because international and bilingual schools do insist on serious professionalism.
Good luck anyway,
and come with enough dough to survive in China's most onerous city

[Tao Burp]

Foreigner-Chinese romance may be more tolerated by a few, but make no mistake, you will be gossiped about, continually gabbed about, possibly slandered, even when you're two feet away from an ignorant yahoo or yahoos.
Shanghai is a very large city with a diverse intelligience level, and draws a lot of provincials who have stepped right out of the dark ages.
Those private language schools are constantly looking for new English machines to exploit to its profitable maximum.
You've never met this girl have you?
You've maintain a long distance relationship. I'm assuming by email or online chatting or long distance phone calls. Let me be upfront with you, and I am not pissing on your parade, but do you know how she will really react when she walks with you in public and has to face the glares and gossip?
That my friend, is really and truly when you'll find if she loves you, or is tough enough to take it. Now, my question to you, are you tough enough to take it?
Love seems a great thing to follow to the other side of the world, and maybe when you arrive here, you will be in the throes of riding the pink cloud, but what will you do when you hit the ground? What about her family?
Before you renounce me as a bitter foreigner, I married a Chinese woman, I love her, she loves me, but goddamn, we have put up with a lot of ignorant shit.
Start asking her some questions--real hard questions. If she's evasive, well, you probably have your answer right there.

If this reply seems that I have stumbled over the line of Chinese girls's trustworthiness, it's not my intention, but what is your intention? You are coming here for her and it's best to realize the full picture.

[cpatti667]

Well, thank you all. It seems to me that the technical specifics (Visa's, accomodation, employement etc... ) seems manageable judging by the posted replies. In fact, most of you seem to think the relationship part of it will be the most difficult.
For the curious, this not an entirely online relationship... I have spent a total of about two months with her, and met her while traveling out around China. Since then, I have been flying back and forth to see her, and she would meet me wherever I landed drawing many looks all the while; That is what I meant by maintaining a long distance realationship. Her family is cool to it, and probably me, but we think them flexible. I've certainly had more difficulties with GF's families in the past
So thanks for all the good info;It is a relief. The closer I get to departure, I am starting to get a little freaked.

[millie]

Roger wrote:

[peterpaul]

Here's a little on the lowdown with the Shanghai Scene...

You can find a job at the top tier schools, i.e. Canlx, Webi, Wall Street, etc, but not without experience (that is, not without exp. or a lot of luck and timing).

You can find a decent apt. for under 3,000 rmb a month in a real nice area of town (i.e. XuJiaHui). But this is only likely if someone speaks Chinese, preferably Shanghainese. You should experience little, if any trouble with the neighborhood committees. At least I haven't.

The outer suburbs are not too bad if you don't mind the isolation and 1 hour or more trip to the city. On the other hand, the isolation can foster some other activities, such as studying, working out, etc.

You should be able to find a job, especially if you are flexible in your teaching times, locations, and levels. Just remember, review the contract thouroghly. The less detailed, the worse off you can be in the end. And remember, most people take it in the end the first year they teach in China.

Good luck and wear a hat when outdoors...

[blackguy-n-Asia]

I say that you'll never know until you try.

Just go there and see for yourself about the jobs and the locals

[ContemporaryDog]

I have had problems this year. In January I met a lovely Chinese girl and we are totally in love. For most of this term, my school has said we can have our girlfriends to stay.

However, about a month ago, the school called us all to a meeting and told us that somebody had reported to the police that one of the girls who stayed with the foreign teachers was a prostitute (!). Basically the school gave us an ultimatum that our girlfriends couldn't stay round any more, or the school would face police investigation.

My girlfriend and I had already talked about getting married, albeit next year, but as the school has said that next year she can only live with me if we are married we are getting married this summer instead...