Nova
- 2015-06-27
Oh, the Peace Corps still has volunteers working in unis for 1200 RMB/month. In such far-flung, destitute areas as Chongqing and Lanzhou.
I am assuming that the chief beneficiaries of this charity are mid-level bureaucrats who get to pocket the cash they would have spent on a non-volunteer teacher (which they use to buy a nice apartment where they can boink their mistresses). This is why I would never do time with the Peace Corps--if I weren't already convinced that the organization does not care about the basic safety of its volunteers, I would avoid it because I could never be guaranteed that my unpaid time would be spent working with people who genuinely were in need.
Sam
- 2015-06-19
Good post, sir! Further to what you have said, I think the following is worth reading too:
In the old days, charities such as VSO and the Peace Corps flew foreigners to China to teach English at public unis and colleges. The contracts were oftentimes 2 year contracts, and the charities paid for the return flights on behalf of their teachers. The salary was 1,200 RMB per month and the travel allowance was 1,100 per semester taught. So the travel allowance was almost equivalent to a month's salary.
These days foreign teachers in public higher education jobs can earn around 6,000 RMB per month, but the travel allowance has been caught in a time warp! It is still around 1,100! Safea should perform the necessary adjustment to the standard contract.
In the old days, 1,100 allowed limited local travel and the cheapest hotel accommodation in the cheapest hotels for around 30 days, including cheap restaurant food.
However, nowadays, it's far too low to justify being termed "travel allowance"!
Never sign 10 month contracts. Insist on a 12 month contract with no summer pay. At least you can stay in country then and stay in your apartment. Otherwise what will you do with all your possessions for 2 months? Your new school/uni probably won't let you use their apartment for free for 2 months. And your current uni won't let an ex-worker use their apartment for free for 2 months.
If you have unpaid summer vacation and find a new job, I'm sure your uni will happily sign your release papers as it gets you out of their housing.