Thanks! -- more thoughts... - Teachers Discussion

Thanks, Wendy/KS for your support of my sentiments. Normally, I would feel bad about making such feelings public, but after four years, my perspective / attitude / and experiential knowledge has changed!

I came to China in 2003 with such good will to help students improve their English and perhaps slightly change their future prospects.

In the time I have been here, I have dedicated myself to my students, and with each year my teaching skills become stronger. Too bad none of this dedication and integrity is respected here.

I have not worked for ONE school who kept their word with me, or treated me (or my work) with genuine respect.

I just took a new job (at a much lower salary) with an "established" university of good reputation in hopes that things would be better. So far, I have learned that my students are not actually the TRUE students of the university. None of them entered this university on MERIT, but are here because their parents paid lots of extra money to buy them a place in a campus classroom.

The "teaching plan" (Ha!) is for me to prepare them for future study in England, but my 22 classes will have 40 students each and only meet with me once a week! Now, really... what are the chances of these young people actually improving their English under those ridiculous conditions??? (and keep in mind that the "Dean" described my new students as the "spolied children of very rich parents.") Needless to say, I'm less than thrilled about meeting these students next week!

My Z visa ends in 19 days and as far as I can tell, they haven't bothered to apply for a new one for me -- as repeatedly promised.

I truly think I will leave China very soon, once a for all...

Most contracts here talk about "mutual cooperation," but I have found that as soon as you ask THEM for cooperation, they are always "too busy," or give some other lame excuse for not doing their job.

No matter well we do our job, it goes unnoticed, unappreciated, and we are only used to make money. Our role here has precious little to do with real education or learning.

As I said before (and my students laugh because they know it's true): "We are 'zoo animals' in China!!!"

Very sad, but very true!

And from time to time, they like to visit our cages to see what we eat and do in our private time.

Again, I apologize for the profound cynicism but this is four years' of poor experiences in play here...

I urge anyone considering teaching in China to strongly reconsider.

There's certainly no money in it, and as we have collectively learned, no dignity either!

The great majority of my students (in all previous situations) have been wonderful to me and given me much personal reward, but the rest of it (school management, almost complete lack of professional ethics, etc.) has made the rest of it a nightmare experience.

And after four years, not only do I NOT see things improving, I truly believe they are getting worse!

Apartment Invasion - Teachers Discussion

I have been here in China like Eagle for a few year and I too like Eagle am surprised by very little that happens in regards to everything esp what happens in my apartment. When I worked in Xian, the Chinese runner that took care of the problems that always happened in our apartments was known to eat our food and this complained to the Chinese and foreign manager on more than one occasion, he would watch your DVDs and take a nap on your sofa (he was caught doing this too) but nothing was ever done to him (he must have been well connected). I once had my foreign manager (an American) go through my things as he gave me a report of what I had and I was taken aback by his gall in doing this and of his telling me what he had done;. I guess he thought it was normal thing to do. But now I am here in Jinan where we have .cleaning lady who is excellent (well I think so) and she never touches anything or looks through a thing I guess she has seen it all in her years of cleaning westerners apartments.. She is really rarity and a jewel of a person.

So while here in China you have no privacy no matter where you are. For some reason the Chinese will go through your life with that fine tooth comb. They have double standards when it comes to dealing with a westerner..

Apartment Safety - Teachers Discussion

I saw this article on Dave's and I felt that it too is well worth to have here too. It was written by Dianna. I am wondering what has the experience of others been here when it comes to safety in your apartment? The Chinese view foreigner's property totally differnet in my experience here and have no shame in "having a look" into your apartment or bags and taking things. So read and think about how safe you are not here!
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Whenever we travel, we follow the same procedure - all lights off, appliances unplugged, all room doors shut, front door triple locked. Upon return from Spring Festival travel, we came home to a single locked door, living room light on, computer on, bedroom doors open and master bedroom armiore doors open. We were livid.

After a thorough investigation, we discovered that nothing was missing. It is pretty sick knowing someone has invaded your privacy. YUCK!!!!! Just knowing that a stranger may have looked at your family photos and other personal items that are nobodys business makes my stomach turn!

I try to look at the goodness people possess, but I also hate having to look over my shoulder! We have a teenage daughter here and now she is feeling insecure. Shouldn't kids want to sleep with a teddy bear and not brass knuckles? (25 RMB)

Sorry folks, but I had to vent this issue. I am having a hard time going to sleep at night wondering if someone is going to come in uninvited...... but, it would be to their disadvantage because both my husband and I are ex-military and ex-police officers......