Hey, if you have any genuine questions about working in China, ask me.

The Chinese-American Monolith; nurturing nice plants and wearing headphones. lololololol

The Chinese-American Monolith; nurturing nice plants and wearing headphones. lololololol

You left out quite a few things trollingajumma.

man, this ones a doozy. brings me right back to the threads we had on george floyd

Was this before or after the extra footage was released? 

Though...still not a reason for a police officer to have his knee driven down on someone's neck, while laying on the ground, without a weapon, who had expressed being fearful and in distress (fentynol kills)...oddly staring into a camera. 

\

You left out quite a few things trollingajumma.

I wonder if the OP still follows this thread 

This may be useful for some perusing this thread. Gay couples in China can now get married--in Utah.

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2022/oct/07/legal-quirk-allows-gay-couples-in-china-to-get-married-online-in-conservative-utah

This may be useful for some perusing this thread. Gay couples in China can now get married--in Utah.

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2022/oct/07/legal-quirk-allows-gay-couples-in-china-to-get-married-online-in-conservative-utah

Gogators, I think we're getting a little off-topic. It might be time to start a new thread, because it's an interesting topic, but might not be something the OP wants to comment on. 

Went through the threads a bit and chose to bump this one. I’m in China and have been since 2021. Got into the country during zero covid through a visa that the company I ultimately came to work for applied for me back in 2020 as the pandemic started. That company sucked (insert all Chinese swindling and passive aggressive behavior here.) I worked in Korea for a number of years before China so decided to apply for a Korean school while here. They helped me get the paperwork from the previous company who wanted to withhold it, forcing me out of China altogether, purely out of spite.

Still working in the Korean school today and we’re looking for a teacher who can start in August. Am putting this out there now in case anyone overseas is interested, but don’t yet have the paperwork and would need the time to put it together. It’s in Qingdao. It’s not the school that posted last week, but we have posted here in the past, only to be dumped on because of the salary...

So If you make it to the end of this and are still interested, PM me.

I’ll admit that if you have higher quals (masters, teaching license) then sure, you can get a much better paying gig in China (subject teachers for sure), but having worked in Chinese schools myself, I’ll gladly take the pay cut to work in a Korean school in china over working in a Chinese one again. Even if I still wanted to work in a Chinese school, looking back on the time here, where I work now would’ve served as a good stepping stone. I’m still in the country solely for the much lower cost of living. As of this post, I am on the equivalent of 3.7m won before housing and taxes (3.9 if you count the months severance at the end of the year.) You pay for (and choose your own housing.) A spacious two bedroom apartment in the complex where I live is around 0.5m won.

If you are interested in China but not in where I work, here are some things to keep in mind. I’m assuming you’ve already done your research but if you don’t mind my redundancy, having already made the plunge and been here for awhile

**It was said somewhere on here that getting a job as an ESL teacher in an actual school is difficult and that Chinese are really only interested in subject teachers who teach in English. This is true. If you’re coming to China to teach ESL then be ready to take a hit on salary, location, age group, class size, or in other ways I’m probably overlooking. (fwiw that is what we teach in our school, so no worries here if ESL is all you’ve taught.)

Since all teachers in Korea are required to be native speakers from the seven countries, there’s little reason to consider a training center job (hagwon) unless they are paying very well, have great working conditions, and in a prime location. Training centers are mostly filled by non-native speakers. Screen very carefully. Personally, I would look for work in public or private schools and avoid agencies. Direct hire is best. Alternatively, work in a school where the parent company owns the school. Agencies and recruiters get a cut from your salary every month and give you little more than headaches once you’re actually in-country.

Is there anything in the contract about having to pay damages? Chinese contracts often have more than their share of issues that teachers are expected to negotiate on, but if there is one red flag in which I can quickly say ‘next,’ with the confidence that they’re not operating in anything remotely resembling good faith, it’s having to pay any kind of penalties. Good luck trying to settle disputes without paying for it. They already own your visa. That’s all the control they need. Negotiate using different offers you’ve been given. Polite but firm.

Chinese love their walls. Live in an apartment complex. No guarantee, but your odds of finding something nicer and having landlords/managers who won’t ignore your pleas regarding apartment issues go up. Join the WeChat group for the people in your residence/building (WeChat has an automatic translation feature.)

A major perk not present in Korea is that you can buy literally anything you want online at reasonable cost. Of course imported items are going to cost more, but considering the runaway inflation that’s struck Korea and the west, I find the difference negligible. This includes electronics. I was convinced that buying a legit new laptop and unlocked phone was impossible here but having purchased both in the last year all is good (though the real test for the unlocked phone will be in summer when I go back home for the first time since corona started.)

You’ve already heard this. China is not a place to settle down and plant roots. Even expats who are married to locals are planning their way out. Redeeming aspects of the culture are few and far between. Bank your racks and have an exit strategy.

Any other questions or comparisons you'd like to have answered that I forgot, shoot. I'll try to keep the thread going if nothing else.

I wonder if the OP still follows this thread 

Just caught up with it. Jesus Christ some of you spend your whole lives on this forum.

A major perk not present in Korea is that you can buy literally anything you want online at reasonable cost. Of course imported items are going to cost more, but considering the runaway inflation that’s struck Korea and the west, I find the difference negligible. This includes electronics. I was convinced that buying a legit new laptop and unlocked phone was impossible here but having purchased both in the last year all is good (though the real test for the unlocked phone will be in summer when I go back home for the first time since corona started.)

Yeah, I do get Irn Bru from Taobao every so often. Can get absolutely everything and with the right help you can avoid the fake stuff.

Good luck finding someone, Qingdao is a nice city in the summer!

Just caught up with it. Jesus Christ some of you spend your whole lives on this forum.

  I do try to have a break once a week.

can you be gay and give blow jays in the public restroom down by the river?  asking for a 'friend'

can you be gay and give blow jays in the public restroom down by the river?  asking for a 'friend'

No cash exchanged?

No cash exchanged?

nope,  freebees all around!

It’s not the school that posted last week, but we have posted here in the past, only to be dumped on because of the salary...

That job was a joke for Zero-Covid China. Now they might get a few bites.

can you be gay and give blow jays in the public restroom down by the river?  asking for a 'friend'

Yes, but if you're going to be engaging in casual sex in China, make sure you have the relevant vaccinations and wear a condom.