Hello.

I took a contract with Aston English this year in Hefei. I visited this site before I left for the post to see if it could provide any useful information and sadly, it did not. Most of the posts were badly written heavily biased pieces that then degenerated into a war of insults and hypocritical claims of bias and insight.

I would like to try to give an unbiased opinion of Aston and of business in China.

Like most organizations in China, Aston suffers from the vast divide in communication that separates English speakers and Chinese speakers. Factored in is also the fact that China is still a developing country and business is not up to the standards of many Westerners. The flow of information is not always smooth or fast, and it is often interrupted and altered by the language barrier. I could at one point tell my colleague to accomplish one task, only to find that she has accomplished quite another, while telling everybody else that I told her to do so. It is important when facing this communication barrier to structure your sentences simply and to be sure to speak slowly. Double check to make sure that what you are saying is understood before proceeding.

Along the same lines, business practices also are not what many Westerners are used to. In New York, a company of similar prestige as Aston (one of the largest English school networks in China) would probably meet you at a train station or airport with a private car and take you directly to the nicest hotel in town, where they would pay for everything and give you a cell phone. China is not the United States in terms of business practices!!! Very few people have cars, and proceeded from the train station to my temporary hotel on foot and waited several minutes to find a taxi.

Priorities are not always equal to what a Westerner may expect. Like all large institutions, Aston is a bureaucracy. There is a process. I tell my manager, he tells the foreign teacher correspondent, who tells the franchisee / owner. The decision is made and it goes back down the line to me. I can at any point prod the person gently to remind them of the matter. The key is respect and consideration. I can't go into any persons office and throw a fit, then expect to get my way. "Please, I know you are busy, but getting paid / having my keys fixed / having the correct materials to teach my class - these are important aspects of my job and I know you are busy but can you address this for me. Thank you."

Many Westerners are used to throwing fits and having people deliver what they want. Yes that works, but they fail to realize that the amount of respect you lose is equally proportional to how ridiculous your fit is. Respect and "face" in other cultures is far more important than in the West. As an American, I know that many of my American friends just wouldn't be able to operate in this kind of environment because they don't know how to respectfully deal with differences. They just ignore it or throw a fit. They don't have the perspective to be able to approach the situation objectively.

Above all - you MUST be open minded. There are vast cultural differences that affect every single interaction you will have with your coworkers and clients. At the same time, they will affect every single aspect of life from itineraries and meeting times, to methods of communication, to straightforwardness, to speaking to the opposite sex. Everything you can possibly think of you must approach with an open mind and understand that they live life differently.

You cannot reasonably expect that coming from England or the U.S. or Australia or wherever you will be received with an open mind that will want to conform to your style of living and business. There is a famous saying that is often underused when traveling and approaching other cultures: When in Rome, do as the Romans do. Just because Rome is no longer a global Empire doesn't mean that this phrase is just as antiquated. It applies to all places. When in China, do as the Chinese do. Trying to alter the status quo will get you chiding remarks at best, if not disapproval, and deportation at worst.

I have had one of the best experiences of my life here. I originally was scheduled to work for 6 months, but they asked me to sign on for a year and I agreed. Yes ,at times it is difficult to deal with miscommunication in its many manifestations. But that's part of life, and you can note that it exists and criticize it all you want, but it will only make you unhappier in the long run, and it will ruin your experience.

KEEP AN OPEN MIND.

Aston is a well run institution and a pleasure to work for.