Btdt, regarding your positive experiences with the village people and the trustworthiness of foreigners in China in general, this is something I can agree with.

But it is only one part of the picture: The village people you are talking about are the "lower classes" that cannot and would never do any harm to anybody, they are the humble and good people that you can find everywhere. They themselves are often victimised by the corrupt system that exists around them.

I suggest to look at the power structures in China, and then you will get it! I suggest that you do not narrow down your views to just a one or two positive experiences you have had!

Are there negatives that need to be realized before teaching EFL in China? Definitely. It's an extremely corrupt system. I personally developed an easy creed to go by when dealing with schools: "One lie, goodbye." So you see, I'm not ignorant regarding the pitfalls of teaching here. It's all about the money. But then, where isn't it?