Job Discussion Forums

[Egas]

I'm considering accepting a position at Xian International University. I have been corresponding with an Indian fellow,who has been honest enough to tell me the school is in a shambles - backstabbing, incompetent management, corruption, people ripping each other off - you know, the typical Chinese thing! They need a co-ordinator to re-write the programs and train the teachers etc. I like the sound of the challenge, and the package is reasonable.

I've never been anywhere near Xian. Anybody been there? I have heard mostly good things about it.

[Hamish]

GREAT town!

No reservations from me. Remember that I am old, and about ready to die, so I see things differently from you young pups.

Regards,

[Cobra]

Hamish you may be old and even a little old fashioned at times, but tell us it isn't so that you are about ti bail on us.

[Egas]

May I second that last query. Am I being too nosey to ask why you are about to shuffle off this mortal coil, Uncle Hamish?

[Hamish]

I'll be around for quite a while. I just use that line to explain to my students that they must pay attention because they will be here longer than I will. And, I have been here longer than they have.

It slipped out here.

regards,

[guest of Japan]

Xian made my three city China tour. Historically and culturally it fascinating. It was a totally different reality than Beijing and Shanghai. If you weren't already living in China, I'd tell you it's dirty and crouded, but I'm sure that won't bother you by this point. I didn't like the food though. The people were quite friendly and less intrusive than the other two cities.

I have no idea what it might be like to live there.

The one big turn off for me was a huge open air market for meat. At first I thought it was fascinating, but as I walked through it the pungent air almost killed me.

Xian was the China I always expected to see, so I highly recommend at least visiting.

[Roger]

Yes, Xi'an has what few Chinese cities its size can offer - character and charm. It is one of the few towns still surrounded by an ancient city wall. There are many historic structures that add to the place' attractiveness.
Nearby Huangshan is scenic enough to warrant repeated weekend outings. An'kang to the south i another fascinating town though rather small and unknown to the hordes of backpackers. And there is Yan'an.
Working there might be a little more challenging than working in more sophisticated cities because the old boys' network is no doubt a lot stronger there than it is in places exposed the the winds of change. That will be particularly true of life at a tertiary institution of learning.
The climate and geography no doubt reward you for these shortcomings although they may conspire to be your enemy in winter. It gets somewhat cold there, and housing is poor, even buildings of recent construction are of poor quality and rather draughty. In summer, there is a lot of grit in the air due to the deserts' proximity.

[MartinK]

...

[nanxi]

Egas,

One of my favorite books about teaching in China was written by a teacher who lived in Xi'an. It's called "Coming Home Crazy" and the author is Bill Holme. He wrote it 1986-87 but the wisdom proffered is timeless. I visited Xi'an two years ago on a break from teaching in Changsha, Hunan and some of the buildings he described in detail are still there and still beautiful. Good luck with your decision making process.

Nanxi

[Steiner]

Hey! I just visited Xi'an this summer as a break from teaching near Changsha, Hunan.

Maybe after Martin's post you won't be needing this thread anymore, but I also recommend Xi'an. I'd live there if I had the chance. And unlike guest of japan I loved the food. Better than Hunan food even, at least the stuff I had. It's a great city, lots of history, plenty of trees, city wall, Muslim district. If you don't go to the school you should at least visit.

[Egas]

Well, I had basically agreed to accept the deal until my girlfriend had a cerbral embolism last night and declared that she would leave me if I went there. I wanted her to come with me, but she seems to agree that it would be a sh*thole, and MartinK seems to have confirmed that the "uni" is. But still, they were willig to offer me some really good terms, and what I really wanted was a chance to get some more curriculum design and management experience.

Actually I feel bad about changing my mind and messing them around (the Indian guy I spoke to several times seemed like a really nice chap). So if anyone wants to go out there and teach or manage a small program, PM me an I'll give you the details.

Egas