I've worked for Aston, and some of what people have said is more or less true. I don't think it has to be bad, but if the regional management isn't willing to stick their necks out to protect foreign teachers, probably the local Franchisees will conduct business as usual, which is to do anything and everything he can get away with to maximize profits while sacrificing teachers, students, and their parents who pay for the education that is also ultimately sacrificed.

From my own experience with Aston, which ranges from not-terribly-bad at the top end to complete-and-utter-shit at the bottom, you'd be lucky to end up in a tolerable teaching position. There's a good chance you'd end up in something less than satisfactory.

However, as a recent university graduate, you are EXACTLY what Aston is looking for, because you DON'T know what a teaching assignment should or shouldn't be. In other words, your greatest asset is your naivete on the topic, or, to put it bluntly, your susceptibility to being manipulated and essentially cheated. On the other hand, there is not much real demand that you actually know how to teach or perform well in the classroom, as long as you don't completely suck. More importance is placed on how you behave outside of class, and if you're naive enough and subservient to your new masters, you can get through up to a year without becoming overly cynical.

Assuming you don't put adequate preparation into your lessons, you'll have a fair amount of time to look around your new surroundings, even if it is just Yulin. There will be some vacation time, though not much of it, but more than you'd get in some Western countries.

I'll end on a positive and honest note. After my first tour of duty with Aston, well, I was glad I did it! My life was richer for having done so, though because of living in China and actually teaching, all of which happened in spite of rather than because of Aston (aside from getting me the paperwork). However, if I had the choice I wouldn't go through that period again.

Lastly, over the years the Yulin branch of Aston has been perpetually trolling for new recruits, which signals a high turnover rate. The city is probably not most people's cup of tea, but they'd probably stay longer is the management was good. Chances are it's not.