Hey, I just got offered my first teaching job in China. It is in Handan city of Hebei province. According to my Chinese agent, that city is vibrant as well as being home to quite a lot of foreigners. He also says the cost of living there is on the low side. However, I suspect he'll tell any foreigner anything in order to sell a foreign face. So, some feedback about Handan would be welcome.
Thing is, I have no university degree, so my options for employment as a foreign teacher are limited. The deadline for my acceptance of the job will come and go in a few days from now. I wish to make an informed decision before the deadline is up, so please reply swiftly if you are teaching in Handan at present. Oh, and the salary would be 4000 RMB a month for 16 classes of 45 minutes each per week, but no salary for the summer vacation of 2011. However, I'd get a travel allowance of 2200 Yuan just before that vacation starts, plus air fare reimbursement of 6000 RMB on completion of my 10 month contract in early January of 2012. I reckon it's a fair deal for an unqualified teacher like me, but I don't want to live in a city that has few foreigners.