Job Discussion Forums

[superdave01]

I have been a lurker at this forum for quite sometime now. I was finally able to complete the sale of my business, and I am just trying to tie up some loose ends. I hope to be able to find work in China for the second semester or next fall(06).
I am a 40 year old Canadian with three children, all in either university or private schools. My education background is in business admin, majoring in accounting. I am a 5th level CGA but have never practiced. I do have some experience teaching esl to small groups of Chinese students and also college level business communications.
I would appreciate hearing from any teachers who know of upcoming employment vacancies at their schools/universities. I don't have a preference for any cities in China but my students here all agreed that Chengdu or Shuzhou were nice cities. I also wouldn't mind working in any of the smaller more rural areas, or for that matter the larger northern(colder) cities. Salary is not that important either but it would be nice to find something that at least covers most of my expenses.
Any advice would be appreciated. Thanks

[tw]

[Alex_P]

Chengdu is a very large, interesting, cosmopolitan city. The weather is very akin to that of Vancouver (I can speak to the fact, I lived in both). The weather can be very gray and overcast with mild temperatures. The winter is very short but it be a little brutal given the lack of central heating. If you want to learn standard Chinese ("putong-hwa") I would not recommend Chengdu at all. Sichuan dialect is a world unto itself. And my experience was that not everyone in Chengdu, contrary to the my-mother-told-me-otherwise stories you will hear, can speak good, standard putong-hwa. Many cannot.

Hangzhou is a wonderful city, much favored by foreigners. So is Dalian. Suzhou, if that is what you mean, is also a very good and pleasant city but their dialect is akin to Shanghai dialect ("shanghai-wa").

TW is right about the Northern cities -- they can be quite cold, but having living in Harbin, let me assure that the houses and public spaces are well-heated and that conversely to the outside temperature, the people in Harbin are some of the best persons that I have come across in China. They can be brutually direct with what they wish to say while in Chengdu the story will go-around-and-around-the-mulberry-bush until you are not being sure what you have been told.

Beijing, of coure, is great and also extremely sought after.

You may wish to ask Roger of this board his opinion's on Guangdong and Southern China.

[Roger]

So you have the urge to move to China and you also inform us you have three kids. We only learn that you want to teach either in "Chengdu or in Shuzhou (sic)", but you fail to tell us whether your kids fancy your idea!

Have you thought of their future, their social life and their education in China? It's going to be an extremely unsettling experience of all three of them. ANd for you, it's going to be difficult to juggle finances! Enrollment at international schools costs more than you make as a TEFL.

As for Chengdu and that other place - probably SUZHOU in Jiangsu province - your choices are not bad. The climate is a little hotter than in Vancouver, and in winter it gets cold enough to warrant wearing three layers of thick clothing - in both places. Pollution will probably bowl you over.
But really, your priority should be your kids' interests!

[Roger]

So you have the urge to move to China and you also inform us you have three kids. We only learn that you want to teach either in "Chengdu or in Shuzhou (sic)", but you fail to tell us whether your kids fancy your idea!

Have you thought of their future, their social life and their education in China? It's going to be an extremely unsettling experience of all three of them. ANd for you, it's going to be difficult to juggle finances! Enrollment at international schools costs more than you make as a TEFL.

May I ask: why should you want to move to China at this stage in your life?

As for Chengdu and that other place - probably SUZHOU in Jiangsu province - your choices are not bad. The climate is a little hotter than in Vancouver, and in winter it gets cold enough to warrant wearing three layers of thick clothing - in both places. Pollution will probably bowl you over.
But really, your priority should be your kids' interests!

[superdave01]