You are assuring us on the basis of one example from your own experience, and then generalising that all key schools and universities are full of Chinese snobs. I work at a key university and I would not describe any of my Chinese teaching colleagues as snobs. Only one example, true.
But there's more - I've worked at normal colleges for about 6 years. I have had male Deans and male Vice-Deans backbiting each other in private to me according to whether they graduated from teachers' university, shida, or provincial university, dashuan, and according to what each thought of the other's English level, pronunciation, grammar, etc. I got angry, and refused to comment!
I've met the dean of a provincial university who was downright rude to me because he was an 'accent snob'.He even tried to correct my pronunciation, wrongly, as it turned out, and clearly looked down on me as a mere college teacher. My first wife also was spoken down to on account of her college employment.
But the assertion by the British teacher that only jobs in Chinese restaurants are available is not borne out by a couple of Chinese teachers I know who are teaching in the UK. But they are not teaching English. Again just a few examples that may not give the full picture.
Actually, The Chinese teacher of English was wondering whether she could get a job abroad involving teaching or being a translator,or an interpreter, as she was an experienced teacher of English. The main point I was trying to make was the attitude of the Chinese teacher re befriending a cook, ie her educated friends would look down on her, thus illustrating her snobbery.
My advice, for what it's worth, is not to avoid applying to work at key institutions. If you are qualified and experienced and offered a job - take it.
I gather you are teaching at one of the best universities in China. Though I haven't done so yet, I have taught at a key middle school, where the head of the English department was a lady who turned out to be an out-and-out accent snob. As for applying to key universities,I wouldn't waste my time. My paper qualifications are mediocre, though they allow me to qualify for a foreign experts' certificate, but barely! I don't even have a TEFL qualification - no matter, not needed here! I'm happy enough teaching at mediocre schools and colleges, where the level of snobbery among my Chinese colleagues is not too pronounced!
As for the exploitation of Filipinos, this is true in many countries, most visibly in the employment of domestic workers in Saudi Arabia, as has been evidenced in some news reports.
My main point was that the wealthy Chinese treat uneducated Chinese house flunkies badly - that's the culture here! For example, from what I've seen at a Chinese friend's home, the Chinese nanny was given the leftovers to eat after the family had dined, plus maybe noodles! She was not allowed to eat with the family at the table! But, as a farmer's daughter, she was willing to bear that kind of treatment. I'd expect that many maids from overseas are treated here in the same way too! But they're better educated, and for that reason, wouldn't be so willing to bear that kind of thing, I'd reckon. Because exploitation of Filipinas happens elsewhere, doesn't excuse it happening here.
It's a good thing for us that we can teach in the public education sector in China, and not be exploited, whether at top-tier educational establishments or at
mediocre ones, though, I'd prefer to encounter less snobbery, but perhaps I shouldn't complain because of the situation here as a whole.
- Re: Filipino women, victims of illegal recruitment -- Riverina -- 2010-04-03
- Re: Filipino women, victims of illegal recruitment -- LNC -- 2010-04-04