Job Discussion Forums

[SimonM]

I got an offer here; it pays enough (barely) but more importantly it has a may start-date and is with a public college rather than a private school. They didn't specify accomodation on the information package but I asked about that and WILL take the job provided that at least housing is included. There is only one problem; I don't know exactly WHERE it is. The information package just makes reference to the province and Mapblast doesn't have anywhere named Luliang in Shanxi province so it appears the school is not named for the town it is in. I'd like to be able to learn more about the town/city I will most likely be spending the next year in so if anyone knows aught about the province or the college please let me know.

[Roger]

I would hope for you that they misspelt the province's name! If it is 'Shaanxi' (two 'A's indicating a low-rising tone as compared to a high pitch for 'Shan" in "Shanxi") then you stand a reasonable chance of enjoying your stint as much as the majority of us.

But if it is in Shanxi then I would say: no thanks! THis is a province with hardly any mitigating features to its scarred surface under which they are mining for coal.
It has a pleasant summer climate but is very cold in winter; most towns are grotty.
The province is to the west of Beijing, and east of Shaanxi.

[SimonM]

Not a misspelling. But I've always been a rural sort at heart and cold don't bother us Canadians. Thanks for the heads up though.

[SimonM]

So one day I get a phone call saying: "please send us photocopies of your degree, diploma and passport for your visa". The next day I get an email saying: "we have submitted the doccumentation for your visa and should hear back shortly after the may holliday" [sup]1[/sup]. I haven't even had an interview yet! I've been looking at information about Shanxi and, yeah, the cities look like the buildings haven't been cleaned since the Ming dynasty however I have also seen photographs of the land and I would gladly make do with living in a dirty town to be so close at hand to that land!

Also the floating temple and the grottoes full of Buddha sculptures are pretty amazing looking.

[chengdude]

Luliang County is in the west and it's likely that the college is in Lishi, the county seat. See here (look in the middle on the left side):

Shanxi Map

You seem to be going in with the right attitude, which is good because you'll need it; you're in the middle of nowhere. Yet, as you already have a sense of, Shanxi is -bar none- the best place in China to be if you're interested in historic sites and traditional life. The landscape is unremittingly bleak, yet beautiful. People still live in those cool cave houses. The blue Mao suit isn't just a quirky fashion icon. The temples, courtyard mansions, and Buddhist art are the best (and best preserved) in China. Forget the "floating" monastery, it's the least impressive of a wealth of places to go.

As for the "We have submitted the documentation..." e-mail, I think that's standard code for "You're in." An interview is superfluous. I'd be sure to press them for as much detail on housing, etc. just to make sure you don't end up in one of those cave houses.

[SimonM]

Thanks for the tips.