Job Discussion Forums

tforan1 · Joined: 07 Jan 2005 Posts: 8

Hi there,
I am inquiring as to whether anybody has worked for Children's Education Centre in the past. I have seen something on this board once that it wasn't a well-run school. Is this true or false? I've been teaching more than two years so I'm quite laid back now, in the sense that typical school politics doesn't bother me as much as it would a newbie.
Also, is HK$18,000 (before taxes I assume) enough to get by and save? I like to travel around when I work somewhere but I'll be working six days a week so it's doubtful I could do much travelling. I have to get and pay for my own apartment too, which, since it's a short contract might be a bit of an expensive hassle? Finally, I do like to eat out and have a couple drinks on the weekends, but I prefer to go to local, cheap places rather than pizza takeouts or ubiquitous 'Irish' pubs.
The contract is only six months but airfare is reimbursed. Is this always the case, or have there been instances at the ends of contracts where schools don't pony up the dough?
Thanks for any help you can give me. I hope I've given enough details that I won't get flamed for asking stupid questions.

Tim

kowlooner · Joined: 24 Jun 2004 Posts: 230 Location: HK, BCC (former)

The $18K / month is fine (not great, but quite doable) and you could normally find a small apt for $3-4k. BUT, as you yourself already noted, if you're only staying for 6 months, that will make your apt hunt more challenging. There are short-term places around that are really tiny and around $2k but you certainly won't have space for much more than a backpack! I stayed in one for about 6 months a number of years back. These are typically small apartments that have been subdivided into even smaller apartments which offer one room, a tiny kitchen and showerstall or something along those lines. For one person it's liveable.

Can't comment on the school, though.

once again · Joined: 27 Jan 2003 Posts: 815

You may be better doing a share flat option, where, as the words suggest, you would be sharing with someone else. This would also be a good way to meet people and get to know a little more about HK. There seems to be a lot of them advertised in some of the free events magazines that we have here. Although if you really don't want to share previous bed sit options are available, and if only for a short time are not so bad. But you may find it less easy to meet up with people that way.