To those who have entered into some 'discussion' about this, well Silverboy's doesn't count as discussion, just diatribe. All I am trying to do is present my viewpoint. I honestly believe that if you are seeking work as a teacher of English in China, you will miss a great opportunity if you don't listen to the view of someone who works here and plans to extend to another contract. Why would I stay here if I was not happy? I can easily just go. What experience/present situation do you have to enable me or anyone else to take your viewpoints seriously? You know mine, I am an Aussie currently employed at the school and loving it. Have you taught, or are you teaching in China? Are you trying to say that cultural differences don't exist internationally,be that between Australia and China, or India and England, or anywhere else? Then all these international companies that spend bucket-loads training their staff to live and work in foreign countries are wasting their time and money. When I worked as a counsellor for Relationships Australia before coming here, they were very vocal about tailoring their services to allow for the cultural diversity of their clients. Are they also misguided?
Why not give me a reasoned view based on your bona fide experiences?
As for culture-shock, I can vouch for the fact that it is very real. For months I was emotionally up-and-down, sometimes loving the country, sometimes hating it, missing too much of my own culture. After 10 months I have worked through this. In our TESOL course they emphasised this experience, and how to deal with it, were they conning us in your opinion?
And yes, obviously there are limits to what you accept as cultural difference, and what becomes downright intolerable bad management, and that limit will be very different for each individual. Bluniverse has never begun to impact on my limit.
All the expats I know talk of both cultural differences, and culture shock, whether they be in China,Vietnam, or Malaysia, and I have friends in all these, and they go through the same things.
Of course online like ths, one can remain 'anonymous' and talk any sort of crap if one wants to, but that's not where I am., My 2 daughters are comng to visit this week, and I am looking forward to inroducing them to our Chinese colleagues, both teachers and management, because they are good people.
What is your actual experience?
cheers,
Lesley (my real name, I don't need to hide)