Job Discussion Forums

basiltherat · Joined: 04 Oct 2003 Posts: 952

Just curious in regard to your present job. How do you feel ?
basil

anthyp · Joined: 16 Apr 2004 Posts: 1320 Location: Chicago, IL USA

Oh, you know I hate it when somebody posts a question to the forum but doesn't bother answering it him / herself first!

Anyway, the first one is easy. Nobody who can say they only have to work 16 - 20 hours a week can claim to be overworked. We aren't required to be in the office or anywhere else outside of those hours, so English teachers in China enjoy a lot of free time.

Before everybody jumps on the next boat to Shanghai, let me just say that we don't make very much. Certainly more than you scrubs in Europe, and not bad for EFL anywhere else, either. I am not going to say underpaid, however, considering we generally earn more than 4X what the locals do for the same job (that would be "teaching" oral English).

Seriously, you can be overworked and underpaid back home, why go to a mess of a foreign country to do that?

basiltherat · Joined: 04 Oct 2003 Posts: 952

ok ok. --- overworked Rolling Eyes

basil

Girl Scout · Joined: 13 Jan 2005 Posts: 525 Location: Inbetween worlds

I would have to say overworked. I currently work 30 contact hours/week of pre-school age students. I can't say I'm under paid. I make a good salary by western standards and I get a lot of perks.

ls650 · Joined: 10 May 2003 Posts: 3484 Location: British Columbia

Overworked - no.
Underpaid - yes.

expatben · Posted: Mon Jun 06, 2005 1:15 pm Post subject:

When talking about payments, I guess it really depends to whose standards. I mean, whats underpaid in the west may be a lot to someone in Asia. When I was in China I theoretically earned 4-5000 RMB per month (I say theoretically as I never really got paid...but I digress). Whilst thats enough in China, its only about �200-50 per month. My point is that �250 per month is easier to live off in China than it is in Europe.
Expat

merlin · Posted: Mon Jun 06, 2005 2:16 pm Post subject:

less than 20 contact hous a week but have to be on premesis 8-4. Bored stiff most of the time. Sometimes no classes for a month but still gotta be here.
Good salary by the contact hour but these office hours really cut into my "extracurricular activities". Overall result - decent salary for a sinlge guy with no obligations but not enough to support three people, go on holiday or save anything - hence underpaid.

Justin Trullinger · Posted: Mon Jun 06, 2005 5:24 pm Post subject:

Not underpaid by local standards, but if you�re one of those who insists on comparing everything to "back home"...
I make between 3 and 5 times the national average here, and it's a comfortable lifestyle. (I should mention that I'm the DOS, and average teachers make a bit less.)

Overworked, definitely! Too many meetings, too many new programs, too many teachers to try to look after, and still teaching around 15 contact hours a week. Augh. But the thing is, I'm enjoying it!

Justin