I have just finished a winter camp organized by Beijing New Oriental in Dalian.

It has been a complete shambles and farce from the moment we arrived. Firstly we were promised that we would stay in a hotel, instead we found ourselves living with the students in the school dormitories. We had one dormitory to share with three of us which consisted of barrack style bunk beds and electricity only at certain times and a tiny bathroom with a shower which worked only at certain times of day.

We had to pay for food in the crappy canteen at stupid prices, on the second day we attempted to leave the camp in our free time and were denied exit by the school guards. Eventually upon the threat of refusing to teach we were allowed out on the promise we were back by 10pm. An absolute joke.

We protested at this but it fell on deaf ears. I am totally exhausted and mentally drained by this whole episode. The agency that recruited us, foreignerhr, said they will look into it but I doubt anything will happen.

Be very careful when working for these people. Luckily I am at the end of my esl stint in China and am heading home to Canada, this was supposed to be a way to get some extra cash under my belt before I left, I wish I had never bothered.