New rules for English education.

Interesting article about the new teaching requirements in China.  Will be interesting to see from 2022 and forward.  https://goldstarteachers.com/how-will-the-new-education-policies-affect-english-teachers-and-schools-in-china/

If you are Canadian the chances of being arrested on trumped up charges is now less than 1%.

The CCP's propaganda machine has really made a deep impression on hangook77.

If you are Canadian the chances of being arrested on trumped up charges is now less than 1%.

They don't care about English teachers.  Pretty low hanging fruit diplomatically speaking. 

Low hanging fruit are usually the ones to be picked first.
Of course China doesn't really care about NETs. It's about putting pressure on their countries of origin.

The practice of arresting and/or imprisoning foreign teachers to score political points has seen a marked increase in China over the last few year: up to tenfold, according to some articles.

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-china-education-idUSKCN1V2233

Yeah, no matter the money I wouldn't go to China.  I want to have peace of mind.  Do not trust that government and don't want to be subject to them.  That seems to be the mood of the ESL industry as well.  I don't have a link but I recently read an in depth article that was titled "Young and experienced ESL teachers alike content to take lower pay for the comforts of a public school job in South Korea."  It was a good read.  Quite insightful.  I'll try and dig it up. 

Low hanging fruit are usually the ones to be picked first.
Of course China doesn't really care about NETs. It's about putting pressure on their countries of origin.

The practice of arresting and/or imprisoning foreign teachers to score political points has seen a marked increase in China over the last few year: up to tenfold, according to some articles.

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-china-education-idUSKCN1V2233

Don't do drugs in China or in your home country before coming over.  Also have a real diploma and not a fake diploma.  China, like Korea in the past had these issues too.  They looked the other way sometimes, then cracked down.  Korea, like China put these offending teachers in deportation jail and then deported them.  They were not used as political leverage. 

As for old tricks which Korean schools use to do as well, like docking pay, not paying on time, keeping your passport safe, you don't agree to it and refuse to go along with it.  You go there with a real degree, have no drugs in your system for months before going, don't be a drunken douchebag fighting everyone, etc.  You'll be fine.  Korea back in the day was the same with it's share of foreign teacher aholes.  Korea was actually doing lots of crackdowns and booting them.  Many of them deserved to be.  China ius going through the same growing pains now.  Korea nowadays is almost too civilized and the pay sucks. 

This article is deceiving.  Go there on a proper Z visa and be legal, you will have no problems.  Stay away from scuzzy foreign bars at night.  If the police come and question you and have nothing on you then carry on.  No problem. 


And for the record, I wouldn't work for EF since they much lower than many other schools in China nowadays and don't give housing while others do give the housing and or housing allowance.  This tells you how terrible they must be to work for.  They are an underwhelming chain.  A public school, even a lower paying one (if you need the PU letter to get into China during covid) can be had at 20,000 with housing in most cases.  Of course you can get others later paying 25,000 or more or just ask for a big fat raise second year.  EF is paying 16000 max including the housing allowance and sometimes even lower?  Big pass.  A lot of young folks who are too lazy to do 5 minutes of research take whatever low paying job offer they get.  Plenty of good offers with good pay there now.  Just a problem with covid and getting the PU letter. 

Also, I must say whenever I look at Chinese expat Facebook groups, it is a much broader and much more interesting group of people.  A much more diverse sampling of people from around the world.  It does seem much more dynamic.  Housing provided or that you can get with the allowance seems much nicer too.  I have large housing but I have to pay my own deposits here.  Though lately, even out in the provinces and regional cities, the prices are now starting to skyrocket for anything decent like Seoul and Gyeonggi. 

Low hanging fruit are usually the ones to be picked first.
Of course China doesn't really care about NETs. It's about putting pressure on their countries of origin.

The practice of arresting and/or imprisoning foreign teachers to score political points has seen a marked increase in China over the last few year: up to tenfold, according to some articles.

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-china-education-idUSKCN1V2233

I mean:

"""Many of the legal cases involving foreign teachers are linked to new and enhanced drug-testing measures, including testing methods that can track drug use over a longer time, such as surprise inspections at teacher’s homes and workplaces, lawyers said.

Three former teachers from two schools in Beijing and Shanghai who were detained for between 10 and 30 days before being deported this year say authorities drug-tested teachers multiple times within weeks of arrival and conducted extensive interrogations.

One of the three, a 25-year-old Florida man who was deported in May after a 10-day detention in a Beijing jail, said he and a colleague underwent a urine screening on their first day in China, which came back clean, but were detained after a surprise workplace test two weeks later showed traces of cannabis in his hair.

“I didn’t touch a single drug in China,” said the man, declining to share his full name because he is currently looking for a job in the United States.

Hair tests can detect cannabis for up to 90 days, meaning teachers that come from countries where the drug is legal, including parts of the United States, are especially vulnerable."""





This was Korea in the 90's and 2000's decade. 

That said, if you were legal and didn't be stupid, you could make good money and be fine.  So, it will be the same in China.  BTW  if you were commenting on Korea in any negative way or on politics in Korean back then, you would have been deported as well as have nationalistic Koreans make threats online against you.  No different than foreigners in China who comment on things today.  Korea did deport people sometimes and China will now.  Not saying I agree with the CCP on things but they will be there regardless of whether you go or not.  Great way to influence young Chinese even if some of the education is overhauled. 



There most certainty is not a glut of foreign teachers in China.  That is a lie to get folks to take bad jobs.  Recruiters tried that on me in the 2000's decade for Korea.  I knew it was BS at the time.  Korea had a huge demand for foreigners at the time and not enough were coming over. 

  Great way to influence young Chinese even if some of the education is overhauled.   

The point of the linked article is that China is using all of these new measures to actively fight against Westerners who think that teaching in China is a great way to influence young Chinese people. Having their youth learn alternative points of view, and about the outside world is counterproductive to the stability of the current regime.

Casually say something that the Party disagrees with, and suddenly you're undergoing drug tests (that can produce positives for something done legally several months previously), having your home searched, and getting hauled in for long, pointed interviews. If they really want you out, they'll certainly find *something* that they can use to have you deported.

  The issue isn't the laws themselves, but the underlying reasons why they are being implemented. In this way China certainly does resemble Korea from the 70s. Unfortunately. 
   

Don't do drugs in China or in your home country before coming over.  Also have a real diploma and not a fake diploma.  China, like Korea in the past had these issues too.  They looked the other way sometimes, then cracked down.  Korea, like China put these offending teachers in deportation jail and then deported them.  They were not used as political leverage. 

As for old tricks which Korean schools use to do as well, like docking pay, not paying on time, keeping your passport safe, you don't agree to it and refuse to go along with it.  You go there with a real degree, have no drugs in your system for months before going, don't be a drunken douchebag fighting everyone, etc.  You'll be fine.  Korea back in the day was the same with it's share of foreign teacher aholes.  Korea was actually doing lots of crackdowns and booting them.  Many of them deserved to be.  China ius going through the same growing pains now.  Korea nowadays is almost too civilized and the pay sucks. 

This article is deceiving.  Go there on a proper Z visa and be legal, you will have no problems.  Stay away from scuzzy foreign bars at night.  If the police come and question you and have nothing on you then carry on.  No problem. 


And for the record, I wouldn't work for EF since they much lower than many other schools in China nowadays and don't give housing while others do give the housing and or housing allowance.  This tells you how terrible they must be to work for.  They are an underwhelming chain.  A public school, even a lower paying one (if you need the PU letter to get into China during covid) can be had at 20,000 with housing in most cases.  Of course you can get others later paying 25,000 or more or just ask for a big fat raise second year.  EF is paying 16000 max including the housing allowance and sometimes even lower?  Big pass.  A lot of young folks who are too lazy to do 5 minutes of research take whatever low paying job offer they get.  Plenty of good offers with good pay there now.  Just a problem with covid and getting the PU letter. 

Also, I must say whenever I look at Chinese expat Facebook groups, it is a much broader and much more interesting group of people.  A much more diverse sampling of people from around the world.  It does seem much more dynamic.  Housing provided or that you can get with the allowance seems much nicer too.  I have large housing but I have to pay my own deposits here.  Though lately, even out in the provinces and regional cities, the prices are now starting to skyrocket for anything decent like Seoul and Gyeonggi.

I have a Chinese lawyer friend in China, who I met on a penpals website over the summer vacation, she said the amount of foreigners she has to help because of the government treating them poorly while their government is having issues with the Chinese government is sickening <- her words, not mine. She also mentioned she HATES her government, and during covid times their government has even been treating their own citizens really poorly.

It's not just as simple as don't give them a reason to target you; It's more like: You need to hope your government won't do something to slightly annoy the Chinese government while you are there. I've known people who didn't give the police / government any reason to target them, but still got targeted by the police while NZ was having issues with China while they were there.

I have a Chinese lawyer friend in China, who I met on a penpals website over the summer vacation, she said the amount of foreigners she has to help because of the government treating them poorly while their government is having issues with the Chinese government is sickening <- her words, not mine. She also mentioned she HATES her government, and during covid times their government has even been treating their own citizens really poorly.

It's not just as simple as don't give them a reason to target you; It's more like: You need to hope your government won't do something to slightly annoy the Chinese government while you are there. I've known people who didn't give the police / government any reason to target them, but still got targeted by the police while NZ was having issues with China while they were there.

So you expect us to believe your Chinese friend living in China over a Canadian who has never stepped foot in the country, but has spent a lot of time on Facebook groups?  I don't think so, pal. 

So you expect us to believe your Chinese friend living in China over a Canadian who has never stepped foot in the country, but has spent a lot of time on Facebook groups?  I don't think so, pal. 

I know, what was I thinking. D:
Would you believe it's post vacation depression? :o

As I have said on another thread, there is nothing wrong with the average Chinese person, it is the government that's the problem. I was there for just over 2 years and when I first arrived I felt okay (from the government side) but as time went by the CCP made my life miserable. I NEVER did anything to warrant the attention I got but it was to all foreigners not myself only.

Examples:
When there was a CCP conference in Beijing, 2 hours by air away, we were not allowed to leave the city.

Constant arrival by immigration at my college to check visas.

Monthly report on what my religious beliefs were.

If I wanted to hike in a national park, had to show my passport.

If I wanted to go to the beach, had to show my passport.

Just going on the subway, was subjected to a full on body search like you get when you get on an airplane.

Refused a ticket for an intercity bus, I had to go to the local police for clearance.

When I travelled on a bus to the next city, police pulled the bus over, everyone had to show their ID, me, got pulled off the bus, taken to a tent, had my passport inspected, phone calls made and eventually after 15 minutes I was allowed back on the bus.

Visit by the police 11pm, banged on my door, barged in without asking (5 policemen) took photos of my apartment, inspected my apartment, took my passport and said my visa was not valid, spent 20 minutes on the phone and eventually admitted it was fine. After that they asked where I had dinner. I pointed out of my window the the restaurant. The next sentence was, 'prove it'.  Luckily I had proof of payment from WeChat Pay on my phone.

They then changed the age requirement for my next contract and so I had to leave. In hindsight, I am so grateful for that.

Man, it was just unpleasant. I am South African and my country is on good terms with China, I can only imagine what can happen to a Canadian. The CCP is completely paranoid about foreigners now. Would I go back? No thank you, despite having good friends there and having enjoyed teaching there. There is no way I would go through that b/s again.

Taiwan is the opposite. Of course it has problems like any other place but it is heaven compared to China.

I have a Chinese lawyer friend in China, who I met on a penpals website over the summer vacation, she said the amount of foreigners she has to help because of the government treating them poorly while their government is having issues with the Chinese government is sickening <- her words, not mine. She also mentioned she HATES her government, and during covid times their government has even been treating their own citizens really poorly.

It's not just as simple as don't give them a reason to target you; It's more like: You need to hope your government won't do something to slightly annoy the Chinese government while you are there. I've known people who didn't give the police / government any reason to target them, but still got targeted by the police while NZ was having issues with China while they were there.

I still have friends living there (including Canadians).  They like it and still don't have issues.  They do have to exercise some self censorship of course.  Sadly.  But they are raking in the money now.  I don't doubt there aren't folks who run into problems though nor that there are xenophobic Chinese who want them out.  Just like Korea was?  Korea had better up the pay soon. 

yeah signing time sheets is definitely more of a hassle than censoring yourself and not saying what you actually believe 24/7. though i guess if you're a tankie maybe its pretty doable

yeah signing time sheets is definitely more of a hassle than censoring yourself and not saying what you actually believe 24/7. though i guess if you're a tankie maybe its pretty doable

Free time, down time, and more money in your pocket does deserve an honorable mention.  For now, China is in many ways, they way Korea use to be.  It's been in steep decline for pay and work contracts and rules for the last few years. 

I'm starting to smell desperation on the part of Hangook. His brilliant master plan to have his salary go up in Korea has not been gaining steam.  As he works to try and convince current and prospective teachers to choose China, people with actual China experience keep popping up to throw cold water on the idea.  But he has friends there and they're loving it.  Even Hangook MAY consider going IF his salary is not increased in about three years from now.  But for the rest of you go now.  Korea was great in 2010 but it's not great for you now.  China is great for you now. 

I'm starting to smell desperation on the part of Hangook. His brilliant master plan to have his salary go up in Korea has not been gaining steam.  As he works to try and convince current and prospective teachers to choose China, people with actual China experience keep popping up to throw cold water on the idea.  But he has friends there and they're loving it.  Even Hangook MAY consider going IF his salary is not increased in about three years from now.  But for the rest of you go now.  Korea was great in 2010 but it's not great for you now.  China is great for you now. 

hangook77 is all talk, no action.

His brilliant master plan to have his salary go up in Korea has not been gaining steam.

I think it’s more to stem the gradual deterioration of conditions.

But… probably things will continue to overall get slightly worse little by little as time goes by. It’s been happening and will continue to happen. Sad to see. Prices are going up which means adjusted for inflation wages are going down.

I told him to also talk about good paying job opportunities in the West as well.

Is it psychologically healthy to be away from friends and family in one’s home country for decades?

We’re missing out on something big in this regard.

Ralph Waldo Emerson:
“For everything you have missed, you have gained something else, and for everything you gain, you lose something else.”

There are definite pros and cons to being abroad.

Is it psychologically healthy to be away from friends and family in one’s home country for decades?

We’re missing out on something big in this regard.

Ralph Waldo Emerson:
“For everything you have missed, you have gained something else, and for everything you gain, you lose something else.”

There are definite pros and cons to being abroad.

The corona situation has definitely emphasized the difficulty of being so far from old friends and family because we can't travel.  But, I think most people, if they've been away for a number of year,s will also have people here that are also more than just passing acquaintances.  Part of what keeps me here is what I consider to be my Korean family.  If I left, those are now people I would have to be coming back to visit.  For my part, maybe it's easier because my immediate family is now in Canada, the States and Europe.  I would have to travel to see them even if I was back in Toronto.  But, if you haven't developed deeper relationships here after several years, that would definitely be something you're missing out on.