Job Discussion Forums

Seth · Joined: 05 Feb 2003 Posts: 575 Location: in exile

I'm at my wit's end here and would like to leave the country ASAP. I'd like to avoid doing a midnight run, and I've heard that any foreigner who wants to leave China can forfeit the contract because of SARS. Is this true? Does anyone happen to have the Education Dept. phone for Zhejiang province? Any other info would be welcomed.

Owen · Posted: Tue May 06, 2003 3:20 am Post subject:

It was announced on the Liaoning TV news that there were new government regulations that ordered any school to allow their foreign teachers to leave early if they so desired due to the SARS crisis. They were supposed to pay their air fare the same as if they had completed their contract.

The reality, however, is that some schools, at least, are attempting to get out of that and even charge the foreigner the breach of contract fee.

The American Consulate in Shenyang says that they will and have stepped in to get teachers their pay due and air fare when necessary. They manage through guanxi. You should check with the consulate for your region of China if your school gives you any problem about this. Of course if you are at a private school, it will be much more difficult as they are usually looking for an opportunity to cheat you anyway.

I do know of one Brit that was confined to the closed middle school campus and told he could not leave to return to England. I know of another Brit that is in the process of leaving but is being given a hard time about it by their school.

gerard · Joined: 16 Jan 2003 Posts: 581 Location: Internet Cafe

I was told if I leave early the airfare would be pro-rated which seems fair enough. But that was last week so who knows maybe that offer is off the table now.

frognation · Joined: 19 Mar 2003 Posts: 14 Location: China

Seth,

Where in Zhejiang are you?

The English hot-line of Foreign Affairs Offices: 13705713830
FAO of Zhejiang Provincial People's Govt: 13957109668
FAO Hangzhou: 13867868568

I talked with the Cultural Exhange office at the American Embassy in Shanghai and they are interested in helping any teacher who is having difficulties leaving, assuming you are American. They assured me that if you REALLY want to leave they can step in and make it happen. If you would like this contact name and number please send me a PM.

froggy

hubei_canuk · Joined: 20 Apr 2003 Posts: 240 Location: hubei china

Seth:
What happened? did you get out?
Three of my teachers got out. 70% of airfare by negotiation.
Are you American? Did the consulate help you?

Seth · Joined: 05 Feb 2003 Posts: 575 Location: in exile

I haven't actually called yet, probably tomorrow. I told my school about my plans to leave and they begged me to stay, and even agreed to some of my demands. So I'm still as yet undecided.

All in all, I'll probably leave, anyway.

kathleen · Joined: 24 Apr 2003 Posts: 38 Location: Nanjing

I'm leaving in 2 weeks, a month earlier than scheduled but I plan to return in September assuming things are safe.

I offered to teach double classes for the next two weeks and give my students appropriate assessments and grades. I have been paid my May salary in full, my travel allowance and my return airfare. I think that is reasonable.
They must let you leave if you want to as they cannot guarantee your safety.

Make sure to get transportation to the airport by private car. It is not safe to travel by train. All the cases in Nanjing, 5 confirmed, 9 suspected, were brought here via train from Beijing.

J.D. · Guest

"Bye! Bye!"

Quoted from my hero John McLaughlin, the boisterous host of the fast-paced half-hour weekly news analysis program THE McLAUGHLIN GROUP/SYN/1982+

This citation is in honor of the late NOYB who insisted on footnotes and attributions in this Forum, even of such great original scholars as the late great MW.

Seth · Joined: 05 Feb 2003 Posts: 575 Location: in exile

I made it, I leave on the 14th. They won't have Seth to kick around any more. The school gave me no problems but I did lay out my case in a forward manner. They'll even drive me to Shanghai in a private car. I'll report again when I'm back on US soil, as I'm sure I'm in for some reverse culture shock in Fortress America. It's been a while since I've been home.

Owen · Posted: Thu May 15, 2003 12:41 pm Post subject:

I let the FAO here know that I knew of the government directive to allow foreign experts to leave early without penalty. It worked. I was told that they will allow us to leave early. I can leave as early as June 15th.

I negotiate contract with them for next year next week. Still not certain about returning.

Seth · Joined: 05 Feb 2003 Posts: 575 Location: in exile

My ticket for the flight back was only 4000y even though on the ticket it's printed 10,000 yuan. The flight back was uneventful. I only had my temp taken once and no real warnings about SARS. I had to go through a pretty rigorous security check in the states, but that's to do more with terrorism I guess.

Now that I'm home I'm still thinking in a Chinese state of mind and find small things strange, like washing my hands in warm tap water and all the fat people and women with giant boobs. Driving down a country road and thinking 'where the hell is everyone?' I'm already plotting my return.

chinasyndrome · Posted: Fri May 16, 2003 1:38 am Post subject:

Seth! Good to hear from you again! Hope you have a good rest before wending your way back 'home'. Keep in touch and let us know how you go with the reverse culture shock stuff.

Cheers,

Les

senor boogie woogie · Posted: Fri May 16, 2003 5:55 am Post subject: We told you SCHM sucked.

Hola!

Seth, I and a former American teacher both told you that Hua Mei (SCHM) was a bad deal and a crappy school. Now you want to take off. I don't blame you one bit.

Moral of story, listen to people who have been in counrty for awhile.

SENOR

Seth · Joined: 05 Feb 2003 Posts: 575 Location: in exile

The school itself is OK, it's just the kids that are a pain in the rear. Some teachers there have been employed happily for a while now, but they don't teach grades 1 and 2. I would have stayed for my whole contract, really, without too much complaining, but under the SARS stuff we were being overworked and I jumped at the opportunity for a free pass out of the country. They offered to increase my pay from 4500 to 5000 a month, but even then I didn't think it was worth it. But SCHM school isn't THAT bad, no worse than any other private school I've worked at. All of those schools are generally weird to begin with.

kathleen · Joined: 24 Apr 2003 Posts: 38 Location: Nanjing

Seth, glad to hear you made it back safely. I will am flying to US on 5/26 and want to know:

If your temperature was normal, did they still suggest that you self- quarantine for 14 days?

I just got a letter from my son's school in the States asking parents who have been in a SARS infected area not to come to the commencement unless they have been home and symptom-free for 11 days.

Thanks in advance for any additional information?
Kathleen