Someone sent me a message asking for more info on Sunny's English. So I thought I would post here for all to read.

Actually I have never worked directly for Sunny. I had some dealings with her about four years ago. I don't know how but she got my number and called me up. She wanted to talk about teaching an adult class in the evening. So we schedule a meeting. So we meet, actually on the street, I thought we were going back to her office.

At any rate she shows up, and wants to give the text book, schedule, and tells me she will pay a 100 per hour. Keep in mind that is what inexperienced teachers were making back in 1999! I told her that I was available at the scheduled time, but she was going have to come up on her pay rate. She said she couldn't because it was another Sunny that actually lived in Canada that owned the school and she could make decisions like that. (Yeah right, you have Sunny the school owner and another Sunny who is the school manager?)

After that she tried to pressure me into taking the class. Typical Chinese boss style. "Oh no! I don't have a teacher for tonight. Can't you just help and do the class? NO! Well can you just help me find a teacher?"

Shortly there after I met a number of people that used to drink at our local bar that worked for her. They had crap contracts! They got proper work visas, but they were only paid 50RMB per class. So that meant that were not paid over holidays. Most of those teachers were having to do about 30 hours per week at multiple schools.

Most public schools offer about 4000 +/-500 in this area and your winter vacation is paid with a small bonus. Generally your vacation is about 1-2 weeks longer than the schools because your class get canceled because of final mid-term exams. Same thing usually happens at the end of year.

Most recently I had a neirghbor that got stuck for a visa during the summer of 2008. That was a messy time wtih visas because of the Olympics. Sunny managed to pull some strings and get his visa sorted out. He had his own job arranged at a Kindergarden, great money! It was about 8000 a month for 2-3 hours a day; five days a week. At any rate Sunny started taking about a third of his salary for doing nothing. Well nothing other than making problems. On top of that, she wouldn't let him break the contract or get of the deal.

My advice is to look for a job direct with a junior high or high school. Do NOT use a recruiter. Many people on the board thind they are lying scum. In reality they can not lie, because the simple fact they don't even know what the real situation is to start with.

Also Chengdu is two and a half hours away from Leshan. I bet you Sunny has never even seen the accomodation they are going to stick you in, but she can tell you all about it.

> Hi,
>
> saw your post about Sunny's. Is that from first hand experience? she's
> offered me 4500/month and housing in LeShan. I have no prior experience
> teaching, so I'm okay with that money (I think). Wondering if it's all
> as bad as you say or not and curious to know if you worked through
> Sunny's before and, if so, when.
>
> Any thoughts or advice appreciated. Semester starts in a month and I'm
> hoping to have a job.
>