Jeff,

Many thanks for taking the time to post a warning and document your brief and troubling experience with "Casun School" in Changchun.

I am particularly interested in the owner "Simon" that you mentioned. If you visit another recent thread entitled "Changchun: English Job Posted" originated by KJ on July 23, there is also a discussion regarding the highly-questionable job posting in Changchun by someone calling himself "Simon Whitaker." It seemly quite likely these two Changchun "Simon"s are one and the same, yes?

KJ and I found his job ad to be unbelievable in more ways than one, and "mj" also offered some additional information about this place.

Twice in the past two days, he has posted the exact same job ad again.

Here's the opening section of the ad:

Changchun Jilin - English job offered

Posted By: Da Qiao Foreign Language School <simon.whitaker@teachinternational.com>
Date: 2 August 2006

"Hey there I'm Simon I'm currently working for Daqiao foreign language school in Jilin province northeastern China. Firstly let me explain. Daqiao is the biggest privately owned foreign language school in North-eastern China the school has over 50 branch schools spread through out small villages, regional centres and the biggest city Changchun (the capital of Jilin province). We even have recently opened up a new school in Shijiazhuang capital city of Hebei province approximately 3 hours from Beijing. Let me tell you two things we are not an agency we are a school so we won't be "pimping" you out to elementary, middle or high schools in the city you will only work for Daqiao I've been a foreign teacher for the school nearly a year and a half I have never had one complaint about the school except you will work weekends as we are a private training school that's the downside to working for Daqiao for that there is a positive we will pay one of the highest salaries in the city for teaching children. You will only be working in Changchun unless you request to work in the small villages (they're pretty fun enables you to get a glimpse of real country China. We want teachers who are active and who love to teach kids they can be little terrors at times but kids are kids."

He goes on from there... Again, thanks for adding your first-hand experience with "Simon" to the previous discussion. Perhaps your testimony will save a few people from a potentially troublesome trap.

If you feel I have made a mistake, that the "Simon" you referred to and "Simon Whitaker" are not the same guy, please correct me.

Thanks again for your thoughtful warning.

Best wishes,

Frank