Yes, yes, definitely playing a subtle game. Because that's what I like to spend my time doing. Crafting semi-elaborate roundabout ruses for my peers around the world to puzzle over, because I don't feel free to just come forward and say what I really mean-- in an anonymous forum, where I've disguised my identity.

LOL! These boards are too much! I've come in the past to places such as this when I *was* being scammed, exploited and mistreated-- only to be torn apart by my fellow posters: Why did you accept the job? Why did you do this...? Why didn't you do that...? Victim-blaming is a fine art in these online communities.... And now I am giving (measured and frank) praise to an employer and it's torn apart as well. I lost track of what my points are/were. I'm not trying to promote anything, play anything, or get anything. I'm just trying to contribute what I can to the discussion.

Are you playing a subtle game here?

Are you telling teachers not to go to this school if they don't like being, what most people would call, being bullied and that they will be working in what seems to be a toxic atmosphere?

Or are you saying that is exactly what type of teacher can survive there and who gruff old Fled is looking for?

If so you've made a good fist of that...

And I hope that your next teaching post is far better where your skills are not only appreciated but also supportively encouraged.

In this case they did. All of the Chinese staff but especially Fred and the leadership at the school gave me a wide berth when I first arrived. There were a lot of challenges for me in adjusting, as much as I don't want to admit it. The degree of patience they showed with my struggles to adjust as well as my general personality quirks was impressive.

And even after I got settled, I know they let me get away with things that wouldn't be permitted if I were a Chinese employee. I won't go into details but I definitely think that this school gives foreign teachers tons of flexibility in terms of workplace behavior. Not in terms of teaching-- in that way they have more strict expectations. But still a fair amount of patience in that regard, too.

In the final analysis, though, the onus to change and adapt is greater for the teacher. There's just no way around it. I think most teachers who have chosen this life of traveling and immersing ourselves in distant lands and cultures know and accept this.