Job Discussion Forums

boxcarwilly · Joined: 23 Jan 2003 Posts: 85

Have offer of 5,500 RMB per month for teaching max. of 25 hours of business english at Shandong Electric Power School in Taian City, a medium sized city in Shandong Province China.
The many bad posts on China makes me think this jump could be more risky than the possible rewards. Any thoughts or experience with this school, location or salary? Thank you.

MartinK · Joined: 01 Mar 2003 Posts: 344

Roger · Joined: 19 Jan 2003 Posts: 9138

The offer is reasonable though you must make sure everything is above board - work visa, housing, airfare, medical.
However, Tai'an is a small town, a couuple of hours by train south of Ji'nan in Shandong. Not exactly where investors and foreign tourists flock to. I spent some tourist yuan there and found it interesting enough for a few days but not my cup of tea for a prolonged sojourn.
Tai'an attracts hordes of tourists because it is at the foot of Taishan, which people insist on climbing all the way on its 1800 steps. Apart from this, there is little else.
And a tidbit from my memory lane: My employer kept me in Shandong without registering me with the PSB. The police soon enough knew about me, waylaid me and escorted me to my temporary home. I was in seriously hot water then.
The lesson I learnt was that in some places the police apply rules to the letter - in my case even to the point of fining, yes, not me but my boss!
Nevertheless, I had to beat a hasty retreat!
So ask for a work visa, will you?