MattC
- 2017-01-12
I work at a public high school. It appears that all the local schools that hire foreigners (three) have had similar visits.
Trump diplomacy
- 2017-01-12
I would not be so quick to dismiss others comments.
Not dismiss. Clarify.
Matt, may I ask: do you teach in a Henan university or high school?
Trump diplomacy
- 2017-01-12
Obviously the meeting had to be facilitated by the FAO, but police and FT's were all in
attendance.
Wow. I find that amazing. Did the police also go to the FT apartments to take the pictures?
In all my time in China I have been in a FT 'meeting' with a policeman only once.
It was during an orientation program for FTs at the beginning of a new academic year at a Provincial University. The policeman was introduced as the "head of police for that city". Of course he spoke no English. Our FAO director translated for him. He gave us a variety of cautionary tales and regulations. He then asked if there were any questions. I asked him in English: "In this city there are many motorcycles, even cars, that drive on the sidewalks. Is that legal?" The FAO asked him the question in Chinese. His answer avoided the question (I understood his answer), saying many of the crazy drivers in this city are foreigners. This time I asked him the same question in Chinese, staring directly at him. He glared back at me and said in Chinese, I quote: "This city does not have any sidewalks".
My FAO director refused to translate and could barely refrain from laughing.
MattC
- 2017-01-12
I certainly believe the story.
I am not in Xi'an. I am in Luoyang which is in a neighbouring province and this happened to us last Saturday morning. We all live in school apartments, we got a call shortly after 8am from our FAO saying the local police are in school and need to come and speak with all the foreigners and check the apartments.
I was actually just awake at the time and said words to the effect of when, we were given 10 minutes to get ready. My colleague who had been suffering from a bad cold was still in bed and didn't want to get up but they did come into our apartments and take photos of us in the apartments and then called us all (including my colleague still in her dressing gown) into my neighbours apartment for a photograph all together and then checked our passports and gave the school some forms in Chinese to fill out.
These forms asked for our intended travel for the new year.
The police have been to the school before but never to our apartments. When we quizzed the FAO about this he just shrugged his shoulders and said 'they are entitled to check'. I am going home to Canada anyway and the school already know this so don't really care about them asking. The others were and still are pissed about this invasion of privacy with no notice but what can we do about it?, nothing....
I would not be so quick to dismiss others comments.
Foxy
- 2017-01-12
I would be surprised if the police spoke directly to the FTs during the meeting or had any
direct contact with the FTs.From your post, I wasn't sure if your friend indicated that had happened.
I don't doubt that the school received pressure.
Obviously the meeting had to be facilitated by the FAO, but police and FT's were all in attendance.
Trump diplomacy
- 2017-01-12
Why are you skeptical?It DID occur! How do I know? Because my FRIEND, (note the the word FRIEND and not
'e-quaintance'), told me on the phone.
I would be surprised if the police spoke directly to the FTs during the meeting or had any direct contact with the FTs.
From your post, I wasn't sure if your friend indicated that had happened.
I don't doubt that the school received pressure.
Foxy
- 2017-01-12
Why are you skeptical?
If your friend actually saw the police at the school, I would be surprised. The police's
arrival, if it did actually occur,
It DID occur! How do I know? Because my FRIEND, (note the the word FRIEND and not 'e-quaintance'), told me on the phone.
Trump diplomacy
- 2017-01-12
Every employer is supposed to establish the location of their FTs at all times. I routinely received reminders and requests for information before holidays, but a simple email that "going to Shanghai, staying in hotels" would suffice.
If your friend actually saw the police at the school, I would be surprised. The police's arrival, if it did actually occur, is testimony to the pressure that the Xian police are under to keep meticulous records now. Both Xian and Shaanxi police were notorious for their corrupt collusion with recruiters and were soundly spanked by Beijing during 2016.
I suspect our forum's recruiter apologist in residence is a resident of that smoggy dodgy region.
A mate of mine who is working at a middle/high school in Xi'An province, encountered something a little 'strange' yesterday. Five minutes or so into class and all the FT's suddenly had their classes cancelled and were rounded-up. It seems that the local police had unexpectedly turned up at the school waving certain forms that all the FT's needed to fill out. These forms required all the information regarding where the FT's intend to go during the forthcoming winter holiday. FT's living on campus were taken to their respective apartments in order to have their photo taken INSIDE their school apartment. WTF?