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drumbeat
Joined: 13 Jul 2004
Posts: 46
Location: Nanjing
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 Posted: Fri Mar 18, 2005 10:08 pm Post subject: Dalian, Kaifaque, Jinshitan, what is the area like to work? |
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I have been offered a position to teach in Jinshitan which is near Dalian and very close to Kaifaque (New Dalian). I have not had much time to search online to check out these locations so I am wanting any advice on the areas.
I hear it is very cold there even now but at least the classes have heating. My main concern is that it may be quite lonely and isolated in this small resort. Has anyone lived there and how does it compare to a more southern city?
It is a Canadian School called Maple Leaf school which is quite huge with alot of staff but another concern is that it will be mainly about work. I think the teachers work very hard there since it is serious business to prepare the students for getting into university.
I think it is a good school but the options are living in a dormitory at the campus or living in Kaifaque and getting up very early to get on the bus and putting in the 9 hours office time with no home to return to on the prep breaks. Any suggestions on dorm living? |
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cj750
Joined: 27 Apr 2004
Posts: 3081
Location: Beijing
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| Posted: Sat Mar 19, 2005 1:26 am Post subject: |
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| The areas that ypu are talking about are connected by light rail train but it will stop at night ..early enough so as to not allow much free evening travel..there are quit a few teachers there and at one of one of their three school...they have one in Downtown...has nice foreigner housing across for the school...they also have a two tired pay system for ESL and other "more difficult subjects" taught by licenced teachers....I beleave that they are BC certified...now even though this is a Canadan partnership school ..the Chinese admin folk are just that..Chinese and you can expect them to act just like other companies...that said some teachers really like it there..play golf? The fees are expensive but if you are on the upper tier of pay..should not be a problem ..if an ESL teacher..I would make sure of the pay... |
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tofuman
Joined: 02 Jul 2004
Posts: 937
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| Posted: Sat Mar 19, 2005 3:14 am Post subject: |
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Deleted
Last edited by tofuman on Sun Mar 20, 2005 6:30 am; edited 1 time in total |
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latefordinner
Joined: 19 Aug 2003
Posts: 973
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| Posted: Sat Mar 19, 2005 2:18 pm Post subject: |
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The dongbei gets pretty cold in winter, and the heating (both in the schools and in the homes) is not up to Canadian standards. DL has a moderate maritime cliamte, so it's not as bitter as Shenyang or Jilin, but it is cold enough. I don't know anyone at Mapleleaf, but cj750's comment holds:
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| ..the Chinese admin folk are just that..Chinese and you can expect them to act just like other companies... |
Be warned.
I confess that I harbour a deep distrust of companies that expect "office hours". What precisely are you to accomplish during those hours, how will the output of those hours be assessed, and what will you be paid for them? If it is "Just part of the job", I personally would say "No" on principle. If you're a professional, your time and what you do have importance and value.
I am also a bit suspicious of jobs in the KaiFaQu, for the reason cj750 gives. The rail connection (all transit in this town for that matter) shuts down at night, so if you choose to go into town for an evening (or better yet, live in town) you're stuck. Perhaps if I lived and worked there I would feel differently, but from where I sit the KFQ and DL are really 2 separate towns, until you own a car. Will the school lease one for you while you're there? I didn't think so.
As far as burnout goes, I've been there before and am going back again. It seems to be my own home away from home. Personally I find the stresses that arise from challenging myself to be more manageable than the stresses of inactivity, especially marking time waiting for the inscrutable indecisions of unaccountable managers. Your mileage will vary. |
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