I read with interest the message from Paul Hodge and can understand his frustrations.

I have been teaching in China for two years now and have found it a bitter sweet experience.
I have been in a "Private" Middle School and my eyes have been forced wide open at what really happens here.

Before I start though I would like to relate a cartoon that appeared in the China Daily Newspaper about a year ago (its and English newspaper published like all papers by the Central Gov).
It depicted a foreign teacher as a drunken derilict, a loser who could find no job in his/her own country so had to come to China to find a job. Interestingly enough a fellow foreign teacher wrote to the paper in disgust about it, but nothing was published. So in a way that is how most foreign teachers are depicted here.

I am lucky, for the new school year, I am going to a top University and will not just be teaching Enlsig, but Business and or Computer Science, and here they do take us seriusly and hold us in respect.

But if you are thinking of comming to China to teach, think long and hard if you really think you are going to make a difference - BECAUSE YOU WILL NOT. Private schools here are a sham - you are just here as an advertising tool. The students in most cases at private schools are here because they cannot make it at the Govt. schools. They do not take Oral English seriusly at all. I have confiscated knives of senior students.
Cheating in exams is accpeted if not condoned to make the school look good in its advertising. In fact they outrightly lie in their advertising.
They had me advertised as the Director of English at the University of Australia, for one I am not Australian, I have never been to a Uni in Australia and there is no such thing as the University of Australia. The other teacher here was advertised as a famous American, well, he was American, but famous?.......
Believe me at a private school, you are less than nothing here unless they want something from you.

With all the neagtivety above, I will say that there have been some great times here, with some great students, just be aware and do not come here with your eyes closed as I have seen many do and really hate there experience here. China is certainly a great country to visit, with many amazing things to see, but you will not get a lot of oppotunity to see anything while you are working.

If you can stay away from private schools and universities, also stay away from a consultant company called "Yakup International" you will be miseld and lied to as they do to the schools, they promise you the world and really give notjhing, especially after they have their commission.

For me life here is a little different as I am married to a Chinese person, so life is not always as difficult as I have seen it for other teachers here.

If you don't come with your eyes closed you may have a wonderful time here, much better than South Korea. Be strong without being angry, and do not let them walk over you.