Job Discussion Forums

[simplesimon]

A former colleague of mine is at his wits end.
He is a foreign teacher at a college in china.
RECENTLY,THE FLOOR RESERVED FOR FOREIGN TEACHERS HAS BEEN TURNED INTO A DORMITORY FOR STUDENTS,SO HIS ROOM IS NOW SURROUNDED BY STUDENTS - DOZENS OF THEM.CAN YOU IMAGINE THE CONSTANT COMMOTION.
##################QUESTION######################
IS THIS LEGAL? WHAT CAN BE DONE ABOUT IT?HE IS RELUCTANT TO CHECK WITH POLICE OR PSB,LEST THEY ALSO GIVE HIM A HARD TIME.
HE SAYS HIS SMART- ASS BOSS SAID "THE CONTRACT SAYS WE GIVE YOU ACCOMODATION,IT DOESN'T SAY WHERE".
ANYBODY GOT ANY IDEAS,OR HAVE KNOWLEDGE OF CHINESE LAW RELATING TO ACCOMODATION FOR FOREIGN TEACHERS?

[MITCH]

Simple Simon,

Is it the Guangzhou Lingnan Polytechnic College you are talking about?

I have heard that story recently too, from the Guangzhou Foreign Teachers Association.

Lingnan have a history of Miss-dealings since the FT's have been managed by Ted Chen over the past 2 years or so.

It's not just the dormitory issue we are talking about. There are complaints as long as my arm about this institution.

I think all we can really do Simple, is let all the people out there know to BEWARE of Lingnan Polytechnic.

I would recommend a definite BLACK LISTING, and if any one wants to contact me privately I can give you all the details.

[Kurochan]

Although he may hate the situation, I don't think there's a lot he can do. It's true that the school is indeed fulfilling their promises. If he is being given the amenities he was promised (like a bathroom in the apartment, a TV, or whatever), I don't think he has anything he can really complain about in terms of contractual obligations.

If I were him, I'd try to stay as calm and polite as possible, and sound out the school on giving him a housing subsidy to live off-campus. A lot of schools have this option, but you might not know about it unless you ask. He could play the age card, if he's older, and say at his age, it is important for him to have a lot of sleep and a quiet environment, so he'd like to stay outside.

The problem isn't that there are students living around him, it's that they're noisy, right? He should also bear in mind that if he moves outside he may have to deal with him fair share of noise as well. I even had noise problems when I lived in the foreign teachers' dorm at my school now -- it was one reason why I moved out.

[WordUp]

Actually doesn't SAFEA have certain standards of accomodation for foreign teachers? I believe that it is a government mandate to any school that has the legal permission to host foreign teachers.

Up until recently, there were only certain places in China where foreigners could live and or reside.. Some places (including Hangzhou) hotels need to be certified to have foreigners stay there.. Some hotels cannot accept foreigners..

I do believe there is a standard that is mandated by SAFEA, you should check it out..

[cj750]

[kev7161]

Here's what I'd do (really, I'm not being flippant) if I were suddenly surrounded by a host of noisy students and the administration was so cavelier about the whole situation:

I'd force myself out of bed about 3AM every night and turn on my stereo/CD player/TV . . . whatever . . . up to the loudest volume and open my door to the hallway so all could hear (don't have to have it wide open, a small crack should do). When those soundly sleeping students complain - - and they will - - tell the admin. that this is when you do your daily exercises and the loud music just gets you going. Sorry if it disturbs the sleep of neighbors, but you (the admin.) didn't seem to care when the noisy students were disturbing my rest time.

Okay, that may be a little extreme, but maybe you can have another "tit-for-tat" idea that may work out better for you.

[Steppenwolf]

[2 over lee]

Ouch, that would indeed be terrible. Your 'friend' should play hardball - find his own place and demand a accommodation supplement.

[cj750]

[simplesimon]

message to Mitch.
Hey Mitch,you must be flamin' psychic.
Out of all the schools and cities in China,you scored a direct hit.
Yes,IT IS LINGNAN COLLEGE,GUANGZHOU aka LINGNAN POLYTECHNIC COLLEGE,GUANGZHOU,aka GUANGDONG LINGNAN INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY,GUANGZHOU, etc,etc.
Let me stress,I am told that Lingnan College is OK,It is the FOREIGN LANGUAGE DEPARTMENT That is the problem.
Yes,many,many,areas of Bad Management in the Foreign Language Department.
THEIR IS A TERRIBLE TRIO THERE:THE MANAGER OF FOREIGN TEACHERS(A BOY PRETENDING TO DO A MAN'S JOB),HIS SUPERVISOR WHO HISTORICALLY HAS A "YOU FOREIGNERS GET NO SPECIAL TREATMENT" ATTITUDE, AND THE SO CALLED "PRESIDENT"OF THE FOREIGN LANGUAGE DEPT,AN OVERSEAS CHINESE,WHO NOT ONLY HAS NO SYMPATHY FOR FOREIGNERS,BUT LOOKS DOWN ON CHINESE TEACHERS ETC AS WELL.
HOW ABOUT THIS GEM : WHEN A FOREIGN TEACHER BEGGED THAT HIS COMPUTER BE FIXED,AS NO INTERNET FOR ALMOST 3 WEEKS,DESPITE PLEADING,THE SMART-ASS UPSTART BOSS REPLIED "THE CONTRACT SAYS WE GIVE YOU COMPUTER,IT DOESN'T SAY IT HAS TO WORK".
(IN FACT THE CONTRACT DOES SPECIFY AN INTERNET CONNECTION)
SO,HOW DO I KNOW ALL THIS?-BECAUSE I USED TO WORK THERE,BUT I ESCAPED.

[China.Pete]

I think that the best advice would be to work on the PSB angle. They are ultimately responsible for the security of the FTs, something they seem to take pretty seriously in some places. One PSB even forced one of my schools to install an alarm system that was wired to a telephone helpline. Go down to the local PSB with a suitable translator. Point out to them how concerned you are about your personal security and that of your belongings, which, being imported, may raise the envy of the students. Flatter them on how proactive they are at fighting crime, etc. Drop a hint about the possible repercussions if anything should happen to you on their watch. It might get some action from the administration. Then again, since this particular school seems to have come up with 101 other ways to make their teachers miserable, perhaps it would be best for your friend to just cut his losses.

[latefordinner]

simplesimon, I have no problem with your point and your warning, but please give the all-caps a rest. Makes it easier for these old eyes to read, y'know?

ChinaPete, I was thinking along the same lines. I was also wondering if you could play on the chinese paranoia about having an unprincipled foreigner at liberty among the young, pure and innocent students. Letting the lambs play in the wolf's den sort of thing. That of course could be just a bit too effective, but it could be fun if well done. Good clean fun, nothing seriously wrong fun, just pulling people's legs a bit fun.

[tw]

simplesimon, would you mind asking your former colleague to clarify something? Is his room/apartment segregated from the female students' dormitory rooms? When I was teaching in Hohhot, us foreign teachers had to share the same building with 1/3 of the female students. However, our apartments were located at the end of the corridor and were blocked off from the students by a locked glass door. Furthermore, we had our own front door, and each floor had a metal security door that only the attendant and the FT's had a key for. I had to put up with 10.5 months of doors slamming and students talking loudly in Mongolian, so I definitely feel sympathetic.

[tofuman]

Noise? Big problem. Computer that doesn't have to work? I heard the same thing.

After a few months of having my sleep constantly interrupted and being refused permission to move into another empty flat, I went to the FAO and said that if I was not allowed to move, I would go to a hotel and the school could pay the bill. He got on the phone and after some angry words between him and his sociopathic cohort, permission granted.

Computer not working? Violation of the contract. Leave anytime and be free. I gave my school a week to fix my internet after months of deceit on their part. I listened to every excuse. Finally I just said, excuses are of no consequence anymore. Fix it or I leave. No problem, said they. We'll get you an ADSL connection by next week. They did.

Chinese indifference to Western lifestyle, in this context, amounts to sadism on their part.

I had some noise problems in a place I was staying. I told the person in charge that if I couldn't sleep, neither could she. I knew they had several vacant rooms on another floor in which I could quietly rest. You would think that basic human decency would take over here. Some Chinese lack it.

Only after I made it clear that she wasn't going to sleep if I couldn't, did she make a call to obtain permission for me to have another room.

It is not hyperbole to say that some of these people, perhaps the ones in charge of your comfort and safety, are mean, sadistic, indifferent, and stupid.

If you allow your life to be controlled by people like that, why are you surprised by problems?

The stress of being sleep deprived is going to contribute to anger, health problems, and poor job performance. Do you really want to become physically ill in this place, if you can avoid it?

Tell your friend to make a decision. Decide to have some self respect or grab his ankles. No one should have to put up with that kind of situation.

[simplesimon]

News Flash.Tribute to the Power of Dave's ESL Cafe Forums.
The word is that one of the few literate souls who run Lingnans Foreign Language Dept was tipped off re discussion about them on this forum,and (belatedly)moved the chicks out of the F.T. area,but not without drama.
I have been told that two highly qualified teachers who were to start at Lingnan on Oct 9,pulled out when they saw comments on the forum.
The jumped up little Dictater Ted(laughingly referred to as the Foreign Teachers Boss)was forced at the last minute to employ another Filipino Lady.His strategy of only employing reasonably young females struck a snag when everyone else he contacted refused him - word sure gets around.
I understand he was finally forced to employ a Male (well almost),of the Geriatric Variety,who's contract he had previously refused to renew .
Thank you everyone for your advice and suggestions.
Teacher Power Prevails.