Yeah, we, as foreigners do get ill. Me ? I was sitting at home with a fever, some chinese virus (since I am not in Australia - then it must be from a student. Chinese wife offered me antibiotics but they won't work with a viral infection, only slightly useful for a bacterial infection).

A contract in China ?

Please. Useless. You don't work for Ma and Pa at the corner store. It is about MONEY, not for you, but them. You are a mere sample of life in the West, and don't forget, you are just a token. Disposable.

We had 1 guy who lasted 2 days (TWO), after signing a 1 year contract.Something about touching female students, in an inappropriate manner, I hear.

That's pretty much warp speed, an institute-wide record. We foreign teachers joke about it, but it's a good lesson by default.

We're very soon going to have a foreign teacher staff meeting off-site, and we will (have to) issue the management a bloc of non-negotiable issues, which, if 'misunderstood' will result in a walk-out
of ALL foreign teachers.

We're pissed off about late salary payment, photocopiers without toner (= no handouts to students who pay 12 grand for a semester), foreign staff who start classes 20 minutes earlier than scheduled, dry whiteboard markers.... yadda yadda yadda.

Oh, yeah, no visa.

Oh, dear, everything is terrible in China huh ? I don't think so. Take it this way, draw a line in the sand with your toe.

China is a great country to live in, work in. Enormous opportunities.

Problem is, you have management who espouse western
contracts and procedures, yet fall back behind the Great Wall, regroup - when we actually have a justifiable complaint.

Like I said earlier, STEALTH and SECRECY.