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Deicide

reliable Asian country to work in in your opinion?

By this I mean where do you have to worry the most about being cheated out of your money and not getting paid on time or at all or being lied to routinely? Or just plain the contract not being fulfilled?

Which country in Asia in the worst in your experience?

william wallace · Joined: 14 May 2003 Posts: 2869 Location: in between

China has to be coming in first, if only for the size of it's industry.

Deicide · Posted: Sat Jun 28, 2008 1:40 am Post subject:

william wallace · Joined: 14 May 2003 Posts: 2869 Location: in between

Yeah, I believe so. Dave's Cafe has a format from 1995 - When Korea was soaring ahead of Taiwan, and China was barely opening up.
I've never found very good ESL stats,but I suspect there are many more proper FTs in China than Korea. If you factor in the non-native FTs here, students of Mandarin and retirees, you probably have treble the FTs as Korea.

englishmaster · Joined: 03 Sep 2004 Posts: 118

I taught at two key unis in China, and there were many screwy things about them. However, they made some effort to treat me well, although I feel they should have paid me much more. Korea takes the cake for crass exploitation of foreigners, despite being more "developed" and having a longer exposure to us. One case in point is the inhumane housing conditions. There were a few decent types in the ROK, and they really stood out, given the character of most of the population, but I'm never going to go back there. Am waiting to go to a Malaysian uni right now.

PattyFlipper · Joined: 14 Nov 2007 Posts: 572

Thailand. Vastly overrated, in my view.

friendoken · Joined: 20 Jan 2008 Posts: 41

South Korea

Glenski · Joined: 15 Jan 2003 Posts: 12844 Location: Hokkaido, JAPAN

I fail to see the point in asking for the worst. Does that mean if country X is worst, then country Y is ok to work for, even if it is only second worst? Hardly.

traveler106 · Joined: 22 May 2008 Posts: 46

I think Mongolia comes close if you don't find the right gig. The teachers I know who have been here for a long time stay because they have a good job, but most of them also find life here to be very frustrating.

Kirkpatrick · Joined: 27 Feb 2008 Posts: 205 Location: China

I have worked all over asia since 1994. South Korea wins hands down..China is working on becoming just as bad.. I plan on going to Laos when I break my contract this summer ..The Hell with China too....

davidrwest2005 · Joined: 30 Aug 2006 Posts: 12 Location: Hubei

I think China is ok. There are a lot of things to put up with but generally a teacher's excellence is respected here. The Chinese who I have worked with over the past 4 years seem to appreciate consistent efforts which can make for a drama free environment. Chinese teachers are really busy with work and home life that the last thing they need to a foreigner who cannot take care of him/herself.

The major cities, like Shanghai and Guangzhou probably have quite a few schools which now brace for the worst from foreigners. And of the flip side, some foreigner teacher may be used and abused to no end from bosses who don't care for any complaints or suggestions.

There is a lot to get used to in China and so some people make only a year or two of it. Building relationships is the single most important thing here IMO. And everyone has their own way to break the ice with colleagues. All I know how to do is try to engage the students in meaningful content. That can be hit or miss but when it hits it is a hit. You may not hear any feedback from the school and parents but they know. If you are lucky, a small handful of parents and maybe small handful of colleagues will warm to you. I'd simply prefer to be left alone with no drama to deal with but occasionally I am invited to homes and greeted warmly. This makes my experience here really touching.

But in truth, I don't know if there is a sound advice to give about being successful here. Luck may play a big part. While being excellent is respected, the Chinese simply expect hard work. Stoically eating the bitterness of life is a virtue here. That is why relationships need to be fostered.

Kirkpatrick · Joined: 27 Feb 2008 Posts: 205 Location: China

China hands down.. Employeers cheat and immigration is all for the Chinese.. China has the lowest pay in the ESL market too.. Avoid at all costs..

eddy-cool · Joined: 06 Jul 2008 Posts: 1008

This seems to be the sort of question that invites the most xenophobic, people-profiling replies.
Why go abroad if the world is full of not just dishonest people(s) but worse: If there is the most dishonest peoploe followed by all the ranks behind that?