Job Discussion Forums

mykrobb · Joined: 18 Oct 2005 Posts: 13

Greetings everyone,
I have just recently focused my interest on working in China and I am in need of some information regarding good cities in which to teach english. I prefer a larger, more modern city over some place rural, and I am interested in living closer to the east coast. So, if anyone can share some advice it would be much appreciated.

Mike

Super Mario · Posted: Wed Dec 14, 2005 2:28 am Post subject:

Mike, if you look at www.chinatefl.com and click the right buttons, you should be able to find a map of China. All the Eastern seaboard provinces metropolises are [relative to most of the country] modern and wealthy. Just click on the provinces one by one to see what's on offer.

No doubt some wag will ask why you want to teach in China when it would seem you haven't done any homework!

therock · Joined: 31 Jul 2005 Posts: 1266 Location: China

Why do you want to teach in China, when you haven't done any homework?

Babala · Joined: 28 Jan 2005 Posts: 1303 Location: Henan

There are numerous threads already done on this topic. I agree with the others, do your homework and then when you narrow it down to a few cities that look interesting, ask about them.

therock · Joined: 31 Jul 2005 Posts: 1266 Location: China

I have to second that you should do some homework and then list a few cities, you will get more helpful responses if you do this. Seriously how can people tell you where to work if you haven't gave them any places to start with?

mykrobb · Joined: 18 Oct 2005 Posts: 13

All I was looking for was a push in the right direction. Starting research on China is a bit overwhelming, why not first seek the advice of the experienced in order to help narrow my search? You all had to start somewhere too, this forum isn�t only for the elite teachers with years of experience under their belts. In the time it took you all to write a reply, you could have typed out the names of 5 cities or the name of a good website. Thats all I have to say, and don�t bother further replying with petty comments.

Mike

carken · Posted: Wed Dec 14, 2005 9:18 pm Post subject:

Mike,
Too bad you only got sarcastic remarks. Try Zhejiang Province; Hangzhou and Suzhou are both nice, modern cities, and you might even include Ningbo there. Hangzhou is my pick of the three, but I've lived there and only visited the others.

In Jiangsu Province, there's always Nanjing, and then the farther north you go the colder you'll be in the winter. Is weather a consideration?

If you like warmer weather, try most any city in Guangdong Province. In China, it's not a really large city unless it's several million. You can check the populations out to see if it's big enough to suit your fancy.

Maybe this will give you a start. Good luck!

Jizzo T. Clown · Posted: Wed Dec 14, 2005 10:29 pm Post subject:

I hear that Qingdao is pretty nice. Hangzhou is beautiful. Nanjing is a bit more happening (and is sort of in the area you specified). I have a friend who's working in Shenzen and he loves it. It's down south, but it seems to be really "foreigner-friendly." Avoid Shijiazhuang and Wuhan at all costs! The pollution in these cities is among the worst in China. Shanghai's cool but expensive (duh) but if you're not worried about saving money, I'd say go for Shanghai. The nightlife there rocks and the women are world-class.

amandabarrick · Joined: 30 Dec 2004 Posts: 391

There are a hundred cities that meet your description. Can you tell us what climate you are looking for?
From North to South:

Dalian
Qingdao
Nanjing
Suzhou
Shanghai
Hangzhou
Xiamen
Zhuhai

AB

vikdk · Joined: 25 Jun 2003 Posts: 1676

good on ya mike - the puritans in this place are a real joke

thepreferrednomenclature · Joined: 13 Jul 2005 Posts: 80 Location: Beijing, Chaoyang

The capital of China is Beijing. There is a Starbucks down the street and from there it's about an hour and a half to the Great Wall.

Super Mario · Posted: Thu Dec 15, 2005 5:48 am Post subject:

I think Mike has left the building. I posted the first reply on this thread and gave him a website to start with.
Sarcastic? By whose definition?
Anyway, there are no good cities to teach in, only to live in. And even that's a personal choice.
All cities have "good" and "bad" schools, but again, people have different opinions on which is which.
Do some homework, ask specific questions, then make an informed - well, partially informed - choice.

Roger · Joined: 19 Jan 2003 Posts: 9138

Mike,
you have yourself to accuse for provoking those reactions you dislike the most.
We don't know what brings you to China; we don't know in what climate you are thriving, and what climate(s) might kill you!

Still, some sincere efforts have been made to address your nebulous query! The east coast is long, but in spite of the daunting length of its coastline you can nail down the following towns as fixtures worthy consideration:
- Xiamen, Fujian province: opposite Taiwan.
- Shantou, Guangdong: 300 kms further south; not a very inspiring place
but clean and modern, partly thanks to the billions of HK-dollars that
were ploughed into the infrastructure by HK's wealthiest man Li
Ka-shing. The university is part of that donation.
- Fuzhou, capital of Fujian province: by far less attractive than Xiamen!
- Wenzhou, Zhejiang: industiral centre specialising in shoes for export!
Nothing to write home about!
- Ningbo, Zhejiang: slightly better than Wenzhou, much closer to Shang-
hai!
- Hangzhou, Zhejiang: renowned for its ancient parklands, apparently
very popular with FTs but not exactly located on the coast!
- Shanghai: no comment!
- Nanjing, capital of Jiangsu: not on the coast but 2 hours from Shang-
hai; very attractive.
- Suzhou, Jiangsu: first big city inside Jiangsu as you come from Shang-
hai; its canals and old town are overrated but the place does still
exercise a certain appeal to visitors and foreign residents.
- Qingdao, Shandong: German old-town charm in the centre but
bustling and busy everywhere now;
- Yantai, Shandong: faces Bo Sea and the two Koreas; not really
cosmopolitan but has a certain charm with its vineyards.
- Dalian, LIaoning: formerly known as Port Arthur; there still is
a restricted military zone!

I really do not know how one can pick a place from this list without acquainting oneself with China's geography, history and the locales in question before one makes one's pick! I toured China extensively before I accepted a position - in Guangdong, far away from where I originally wanted to work, namely in Kunming!

erinyes · Joined: 02 Oct 2005 Posts: 272 Location: GuangDong, GaoZhou

http://www.travelchinaguide.com/cityguides/

this site isn't bad.

mykrobb · Joined: 18 Oct 2005 Posts: 13

Thanks for the advice everyone, I think I have more than enough to keep me busy now. I agree, I probably should have been a little more specific with my post. I am used to warmer climates, so I think I would prefer living someplace mild, but I�m always open to new settings. I have been chatting with people who have done a bit of traveling in and around Shanghai so I�m getting a lot of influence from them to live somewhere near Shanghai.