Job Discussion Forums

[senor boogie woogie]

Hola to my ESL breathren.

For all of you "old timers" out there, you may know me and my story. Tomorrow is my birthday. I will be 36 years old. I have been teaching English here in Asia for two years. I am in China now. I am married to a Chinese woman.

First, I LOVE ASIA. I really do. I LOVE China. To state my reasoning for loving China would take a long post. China has been a loving and demanding mother. She has forced me to see things through other people's eyes and feelings. She has exposed me to poverty and ignorance. But China has also exposed me to unimaginable beauty, especially in the heart of the people. I want to explore this place and I do not wish to return to the US.

I will say however, that I am sick of teaching English. I find the profession itself to be boring and banal. English is so uninteresting and trivial. However, doing this malarky allows me to stay in China with my wife and enjoy the adventures of my life outside of the school. I teach at a college.
I showed my students "Ed Wood" on DVD because I find teaching from their 8th grade English book to be inadequate. Besides, the girls like seeing Johnny Depp.


My friend and I may start an English language center here south of Hangzhou. I have some money to invest in this venture. I would like to build it up to the point where we are hiring outside teachers and I can just recieve a profit check per month.

My hobbies is really travelling, having sex with my wife, drinking and playing the computer. I don't know an adverb from an advark. china is really good for a bum like me because it is cheap and I can find work if I desire it. My favorite movie at the moment is "The Big Lebowski", and the dude is my hero. I desire to do no more here than I have to.

As a post script, how does one get their picture beside their post? I would like this.

SENOR

[eric the king]

What would freud read into that ed wood reference??!
Interesting post - I could have written it myself. Almost.

[whitjohn]

Senor, I'm going to have to go and rent that movie! I will definately look you up when I get to HZ in mid April. You sound like "my kinda guy!"

[MartinK]

...

[wOZfromOZ]

Dear Senor

Maybe you weren't cut out for the teaching thing long term mate.
Writerman's correct here. The way you'll be seen will change once you start trying to call the shots and make the profits.

Do you remember writing to me in Australia a couple of years ago? The
gloss has really come off since those 'heardy' days hasn't it pal! Teaching long term is an occupation/profession that has its challenges and low points. You appear to be in one of those right now. I thought that after having taught in the Australian Public system for 25 years that I didn't want to teach anymore. That was back 4 years ago but I'm very happy with my situation now in Shanghai.

What are your teaching? Maybe you need a change of scenery or age level? What are your teaching qualifications ? Do you have any proper qualifications mate?

It's not too late to get some. You're only 36 (Happy Birthday!!).
Maybe, you could do a CELTA - They're pretty good to give you a broarder skill/ knowledge base in your teaching. You sound like you would benefit from some professional development.

Cheers and Happy birthday

wOZfromOZ

[Roger]

Ni hao, senor boogie woogie!

Happy birthday in China! And a bright future to you and your wife!
I don't think you need a lot of advice. I faintly remember you as hinting you were going to market handicrafts. We all dream of eventually liberating ourselves from bondage. Some succeed - I am thinking of Peter Bol in Shenzhen. Others are trying, trying and still trying many years later, me included!
Methinks, however, that going into the ESL field is not going to change a lot to your life except that you are going to call the shots, or so you believe! Let's hope this is going to happen.

My suggestion would be for you to strike out at something novel - teach CHINESE ENGLISH TEACHERS TO TEACH THE WESTERN WAY!

[davis]

Hola Senor. Enjoyed your post. Happy Birthday.

[gerard]

The Dude is the man isn't he? I would pay to watch that movie with students. The picture by your post they call an avatar. On the Korea board there is a detailed explanation on setting it up---do a search of AVATAR. Good luck though it is a lot of reading and fooling around and I gave up on it...

[senor boogie woogie]

Hola to all!

On the school ownership deal, the other people who are going in on the partnership includes my friend(who introduced me to my wife) and two other bosses here. I do trust them. I do not care about "calling shots". Besides, I will allow them to deal with the business issues and the guanxi, because they have the connections. This will allow me to make a decent to good monthly income. I doubt the school will have more than 50 kids when we build it up anyway.

In my wife's home city in Zhejiang Province there is a "wood carving" street filled with beautiful Chinese artwork, hand carved. I feel that if I could start a website, and a PayPal account I could make a go of it. But i lack knowledge on working an international import/export business. Any suggestions would be appreciated on this issue.

I like living in Hangzhou and want to stay here for many years. My wife (Mrs. Senor) wants a baby! I want a kid too, but I want to travel, work my little college gig and help set up this school or the import/export thing.

For those of you who might want to come but are leary about the "freedoms" this place allows, the main annoyance is censorship. According to the news, everything is wonderful. There is no violence, gangs, AIDS, drugs, homelessness, hunger or ignorance. The Chinese press is like the person whose house is burning, has lost his job, and his wife left him, but Mr. Depressed says "EVERYTHING IS WONDEROUS!"

One of the wonderful things about China are the pirated DVDs. The last couple of days I have bought "The Big Lebowski" and "Slap Shot" with Paul Newman. Two movies that should of won Oscars.

If you live in Hangzhou or are moving, give me a ring at the e-mail.

SENOR

[wOZfromOZ]

Senor

Give you a wee bit of news too mate - we've got no. 2 coming at the end of July!!!!!!

The DVD's are the go - Mrs. wOZ & myself have watched 8 new releases this past week in the mid term break and the rain!!

'Gangs of New York' is a must see - 'Catch Me If You Can' - a very good
and entertaining movie! 'The Recruit' was a good show and 'Sweet Home Alabama' wasn't too bad! .....all at A$2.00 and you're a winner.

All the best with your school
Mate,
is it worth the hassells and the stress? I've had enough stress teaching highschool in Aus to last me a lifetime so I wont be heading down that path but you appear to hve better party connections than we do!!! - that's education in China ....Happy Days!

[ChinaLady]

Senor and Woz. Wow, you have been on this forever. such fun to see familiar names and read your posts and great ideas. good luck to both of you with your own "chinaladies" and the munchkins.