Job Discussion Forums

[bjwellgo8]

How to Deal With FAO in China

There have been many negative stories about FAO ever since people began to talk in different tongues and have to communicate through
intermediaries. For those who have never taught in China, FAO stands for foreign affairs office. It handles the paperwork, such as a letter of
invitation and visa, for foreign teachers prior to their arrival, picks them up at the airport or bus or train station upon their arrival and cleans the
teachers' dorm and help them settle down after their arrival at the school.

Among some of the most common complaints are that FAO doesn't know what an ESL teacher wants, hides truth from the teachers, lies about
the working and living conditions, and oftentimes has no clue what they are doing.

What else? Go to any ESL site like this one and you can easily find a load of complaints about FAO.

How true those allegations are I don't know, but I am sure we are not in a perfect world and FAO are too humane to err just as other people do.
Complaints alone won't make our unhappiness disapper and may make things worse if not handled properly. Anger is a boomerrang that may
hurt both ways.

I suspect that some so-called survival tips about working and living in China have more or less increased the tension between the teachers and
FAO or the school. Some of those tips sound very appealing but are no doubt based on half baked knowledge of the Chinese culture and
western etiqutte.

For example, one suggests that, if you need something from FAO, you insist on asking for it until you get it. It maybe true in some cases, but in
many other cases it may only make things worse. Reason? Simple. You need to find out whether FAO people can get it for you or not. If they are
not in the position to get it for you, you only make them lose face in front of you and other people and both you and FAO lose. Remember that
some FAO people are strange creatures who, on one hand, admire people from other cultures and want to please them and, on the other hand,
may feel insulted by the latter's blunt attitude and seeming arrogance.

Don't think that FAO people are stupid or crazy if they have done something that doesn't seem to make sense. Truth maybe they are caught between the decision makers on top and the teachers. It's not unusual that FAO, like many other functionary departments, is used as a buffer zone between the people who hold the thread of the money bags and other important sources and the teachers. You are barking the wrong tree if you blame all on FAO. Sure, a scapegoat may make us feel happy and relieved for a moment, but that won't make the problem go away.

So, here I venture to offer suggestions.

1. Try befriend FAO people, especially those who have done you much favor in the beginning. Just do it as mere courtesy if you don't like to owe
people anything. You can get more information and help from FAO than from other sources.

2. Find out who is behind FAO or at top. It's useless talking to someone who will merely repeat what you say but can do nothing.

3. Put pressure on FAO tactically when you have to. Like it or not, FAO may be your only alliance and you don't want to lose it.

4. Never lose respect for yourself and other people. Remember the word FACE. Chinese people are not used to direct confrontation. Refrain
from using insulting words such as "stupid" and "moron" or flipping your fingers when you are angry. When you lose respect for someone, you
lose respect from him, too. And normally foreigners are granted a lot of respect in China.

Bear in mind why we are here in China. It's easy to lose sight of the direction and goal once one begins the journey. We are not here to save the world. Most ESL teachers are in China to have a good time or experience a different culture. Strangely, many complainers are old-timers who have spent some time in China. It's understandable. Employment relationships are like a marriage. Once the honeymoon is over, chores begin and all sorts of trouble sets in, especially when you have to deal with most of the chores by yourself. A good solution seems to be go out and find out other buddies in your area and put the chores behind once you are out of your office or dorm. If you can't find any buddy in your area, go buy some pirated CDs and DVDs while they are still out on the street stalls. They can give you at least some imaginary peace of mind.

Jeff Lee
Consultant of Beijing Wellgo Consulting Services, a professional placement company based in China
[email protected]
www.sinoyuan.com

[Rabid]

[Don McChesney]

Jeff, are you copping some flack from FAO's.
Or is this "Be Nice To Your Friendly FAO" week?"

[tw]

5. Be diplomatic. Even better, be friendly first. A few smiles (no matter how phoney they are) can go a LONG way in China instead of a few short bursts of anger. Yes, anger will get you what you want but it does more harm than good in the long run. As someone pointed out in another thread, you lose respect when you present yourself as being arrogant. It's a game all FT's should learn to play in China. It is a tactic that has worked well for me in my previous and current tour of duty here thus far.

[kev7161]

I agree. Usually, I'm pretty light-hearted (really, I am) and like to crack jokes. Nevermind that my humor is generally lost on my Chinese colleagues. I'm pretty self-sufficient, but when I need something I try to ask for it politely and professionally. It's just when I've asked 3 or 4 times and have had no feedback or results is when I start getting peeved. Often things don't make sense in China or their schools. Usually what I ask for is a simple explanation as to WHY something is done or not done - - that's hard to come by. But, as long as there is a give and take, then things are cool.

[latefordinner]

Be self sufficient. Make as many contacts as you can outside the school. Know who you can rely on and above all, reduce your dependency upon people you know you can't. That's true enough anywhere, but this being China it's a very good bet that your FAO just can't do anything, no matter how willing.
So when they fail for the thousandth time to provide what was promised in the contract, just shrug. Provide for yourself, and then politely let them know that you don't need them. Buy the furniture that didn't come with the apartment, and when they want you to dance and sing at an English Salon, tell that you can't. You're doing a favour for someone else to pay for the fridge they didn't provide. Have an infection? Fine, go to the hospital and come into work the next day with bandages wrapped around your elbow and your arm red and swollen. "I'm taking something for it" is as much information as anyone needs. They don't supply materials or textbooks? Talk to students, to parents, go to bookstores and try to find what you need on your own.
That doesn't mean you do nothing for them; rather, do as many small favours as you can. Be as nice as you can. Just get them used to the idea that you don't need them.

[bjwellgo8]

[bjwellgo8]

[vikdk]

Jeff you lucky little puppy � your consulting firm has got a contract with the FAO � you�re a PR man. Well keep the good work up � all us stupid foreigners greatly respect and admire you�re good advice � I�ve got no friends, so I�m going out now to buy some of those yummy cheap DVD�s - bydie bye

[monju]

Well I never! Sometimes amogst the banal posts comes one that really get's ones goat!

Foreigners get respect in China? That's a Joke!

Foreigners are arrogant? You wanna meet some of my students, the teachers and admonistrators at the so-called college I'm working at.

Let's dig up some more Chinese invented stereotypes while we're at it.............Blah Blah Blah.

What a load of platitudes from bjwellgo8. Did the Chinese make you post this? Or maybe you just enjoy pai ma pi? Oh, you get paid a huge salary for it? I understand! (I don't have to pai ma pi, I make less than most of the other teachers at this college).

The theory of intercultural communication is a wonderful thing, the practice seems very one-sided - and always works against the foreign teacher. Why not tell us something useful to help us protect our own interests?

I'm so glad to know that I'm only here "to have a good time or experience a different culture". Strangely enough, the students still maintain that they want to learn English, and the admin and teachers that they want to change their "education methods", what's more, they all say they need help to do it.

Thank you so much for enlightening us bjwellgo8. I'm so happy that you have integrated so well into Chinese culture. I hope they let you off your leash sometimes.

Let me leave you with a few adjectives that would sum-up most off the FAOS I've met in China: rude, arrogant, ingratiating, two-faced, back-stabbing, conniving, cunning, self-serving, nasty, false ..............deng deng.

[Don McChesney]

It appears that most FAO's get given the job because they can speak English fractionally better than the rest of the English Dept they work(ed) for as teachers.
They get no training, and learn the job as they go along, making mistakes and getting helped by the FT's they are supposed to help. They avoid any decision making that may bounce back.
Not a pleasant task for anyone, but if they develop survival skills, who knows what they can get away with.

[latefordinner]

monju:

[Don McChesney]

FT's have to have minimum qualifications, by law.

Do FAO's (Foreign Affairs Officers) have the same requirements?

They have a responsibility to their FT's, the same as we have a responsibility to our employers.

[bjwellgo8]

[hilary]