First, I really can't agree with Raoul about recruiters. He advises to stay away from them completely because they're all a bunch of crooks. Not really - I think that only about 9,999 out of 10,000 are dishonest. The other ones? Well, your chances of finding them are about as good as winning the lottery. So, really Raoul would you get your facts straight?

Seriously though, Raoul's advice is right on the money - not just about recruiters but about the criteria one should consider before making the leap to China as a teacher.

As to his list of desirable (maybe) places to teach in China, I pretty much agree; albeit, I might take Qingdao off the list simply because it's so overrated and recruiters often speak of it in glowing terms as one of their lures. Basically, it has a good reputation in China as a result of its cool winds in the hot summer, and the rich or semi-rich folks in the North like to go there to escape the torrid heat of Beijing and elswhere. But believe me, unless you like blistery cold winds and rains the rest of the year, take it off your list. Also, the cost of living there doesn't justify the low wages that most schools will pay you - and by the way, they're paying that low wage because they think you believe the hype about what a great place it is to live. Hah! And I speak from experience as one of the "China veterans" Raoul mentioned who still have to play the game carefully. Having said that though, if you're willing to put up with the weather and the generally too low wages, there are a few good schools there worth considering. But do your homework, and be willing to tell them what you want regarding wages and living conditions. If they blow you off at that point, so be it - you really don't need them anyway.

Hangzhou recruiters and schools also use the lure of reputation to hire teachers to their city. Also, in my opinion, much overrated. Yeah, West Lake is cool. That's about it. I once sampled the EFL waters there and after they tried to stick me in a dump of an apartment, part of which they were using as a storage room for the school, I beat a hasty retreat. Which reminds me, don't sign a contract until you know exactly what's going on. Generally, they will be delighted if you sign a contract before seeing your school or dwelling, as it let's them off the hook quite nicely and they can stick you anywhere they want.

Kunming is great; however, wages are low and they usually want you to pay for your own apartment. Again the reputation of a great city giving them leverage.

I would add one more to the list of undesirable places and that would be Dongguan in Guangdong Province. Yikes! Incredibly pollution that not only blocks out the sun on most days but that you can literally see as a fine black layer on cars in the morning. Yep, it's a factory town. The shoe manufacturing center of China.

As for advice on a very desirable place to go? Today I'm at a loss. If I really recommended one or two places, I might change my mind about it tomorrow. My personal preference is to be in the South West. That's where I am and it suits me fine, but then I prefer the Southern culture over the Northern. Fewer hackers and spitters for one thing - but that's just my obsessive hygienic nature. Also, I find the Southern people to be less boisterous, more laid back. Admittedly though, I'm generalizing.

Really though, I feel fortunate to have found a college on a beautiful university campus that treats me well and has provided me with a very nice apartment. It's unbearably hot and humid for a good part of the year, but that's a matter of accepting the bad with the good. Petty theft is rampant here (10,000 bikes a year stolen on this campus), but again - the bad with the good; I carry my bike up the stairs to my apartment. Oh yeah, I like the noodle dishes here too!