Job Discussion Forums

patsy · Joined: 07 Oct 2004 Posts: 179 Location: china

This is worth reading even if only for a laugh. As I returned for my second and very final semester to this disaster area they call a college, I found that my apartment building was all roped off with security guards standing by. I had just informed the school THREE TIMES by email when i was returning, but received no response from them. Anyway, the security guards informed me that they were very sorry but the road to my apartment had collapsed and no one could live in this building or even enter it. lolol. The school has the foreign teachers living in a "hostel" across the street, we can't retrieve anything from our apts, are expected to teach as usual, and have to pay for our food, the hostel is on them.

Then the wai ban came to my "hostel" and said that she didn't receive any of my three emails. I find this very hard to believe as I will receive a notice to my email when one doesn't go through, as i'm sure most of you do. THEN, she proceeds to tell me that I have all different classes as last term which have no materials or textbooks. I told her I refused to do that when i have no access to materials in my "hostel".

I think it would be very hard to get out of this visa as they are paying for our "hostel". However, it really stinks, most likely i will have to return home.

thanks for listening to all my complaining about this place, Please , please, think twice before ever having any contact with this university.

tw · Joined: 04 Jun 2005 Posts: 3898

cj750 · Joined: 27 Apr 2004 Posts: 3081 Location: Beijing

this sound like a time when you should continue to work with the material or lack of available...true if this proves to difficult for you to complete..then go home..but it is not unreasonable for a work unit to want it's employees to complete tasks as they deem appropriate...
try and negocate n advance ..or food card to take care of eating..but if I were you ..I would report to the classroom and continue my job...

kev7161 · Joined: 06 Feb 2004 Posts: 5880 Location: Suzhou, China

Luckily, this semester is a short one (only 7 more weeks until May holiday!). So, can you NEVER retrieve your stuff? What about really personal belongings like, I don't know, undergarments, hairbrushes, dental floss? Are you just supposed to go out and buy that stuff now? Did you have free meals before? Was it part of your contract? If so and they can't provide meals to you now due to circumstances, then they and you need to have a little pow-wow and come to some sort of meal stipend agreement. I probably wouldn't leave either. I'd probably hang in there and endure and post, post, post wherever you can warning people about this place. By the way, after you've gotten your final pay and you're packed and ready to hit the road, why not send your laoban an email with a link to some of your postings? They'll figure out how you REALLY feel, maybe it will enlighten them, maybe it won't.

abusalam4 · Joined: 24 Feb 2007 Posts: 143

Contrary to some postings here, I would NOT advise to stay and endure.
Whatever happens and irrespective of the question whether the school is reponsible for the cause or not, they must be expected to honor their contract. So, what they should do in the first instance is getting all your belongings out of that place and put you somewhere else (mind, suitable housing!). If they don`t, they violate the contract, and for you it is time to go. Make it very clear to them, and if you have a written contract AND have a Z visa allowing you to work in China legally, you can also contact the Bureau of Foreign Experts in your province to sort things out for you with your school.
Some yeaea ago, I did the same (contacting this Bureau of Foreign Experts), and the school had to comply with my legitimate demands.

So, DO NOR ENDURE, as this will be only on your back and lead to nothing! Show them that they cannot everything they want and follow the procedure I have indicated! I am sure it will help you!!!

danswayne · Joined: 23 Apr 2006 Posts: 237

Post Deleted by Poster

kev7161 · Joined: 06 Feb 2004 Posts: 5880 Location: Suzhou, China

Except, regardless of offers of help, we are now into the 2nd semester and it may not be so easy just to pack up and find a job elsewhere. No, I take that back, I'm sure the OP could find a job, but will it be better, the same, or worse than the situation she's in now? I'm sure such places as English First are always hiring, but . . . ??? If a poster here can legitimately offer real help, then go for it, but do it covertly.

mondrian · Posted: Mon Mar 12, 2007 12:08 am Post subject:

Use the problem as the focus of a lesson!
Chinese students are No 1 in the world for hacking computers.
Present this as a challenge to them: How do I get access to my blocked off apartment?
I anticipate that within a day or so you will have either been locked up by the local PSB for illegal entry, or more likely have all your cuddly toys around you and your essential materials for the job. You can also tell the students that because of your problems they are having to suffer a boring lesson instead of their usual stimulating one. They will then mention this to their parents, who in turn...............

Lateral thinking - that is the name of the game in this fair land