@ Kanadian: I did a stint in China and now in the Gulf, and this kind of crap is the same among EFLers the world over. Someone a bit better looking, the knives come out....someone speaks more standard English, the knives come out...someone highly qualified the knives come out...

Sad to say, the office of the college where I now work, I trust noone, looking and listening can help you learn a lot more than talking, thankfully some of the locals and students are friendly and kind, otherwise it would be hell.

There are always those who will squash your shoulders down, just to help themselves get ahead and over the wall. Watch out, that is all that can be said....

Starsky, snitching is a highly common technique on mainland. Too bad foreigners fall for it too. One may just be asked "by the way" questions and informally as well as friendly, when the foreigner doesn't believe it'll probably go against the others at some point later. Locals kiss arses to the top positions all the time. If they don't they'll most likely never succeed in the country. A loyalty to local employers is more valuable than qualifications, skills or experiences.
Cheers and beers to the 5,000 years old nation that hasn't grown up yet

Suzhou is not the only place where you'll encounter these kind of problems. Many Web schools around Jiangsu are worse with very high rates of staff turnover - foreign and Chinese. With the exception of 4 Chinese members of staff, we've lost ALL our Chinese staff in less than a year-and-a-half and all but two of the 'original' foreign teachers remain.

Web's reputation in Jiangsu has taken such a battering, that it's now even more difficult to recruit new foreign teachers; except those who have been treated poorly by their employers and are willing to accept a position at a joke of an organization that doesn't seem quite as bad as where they are now. Web does nothing to retain the good foreign teachers; (and we're lucky to have such a good team now.)

A few years back, Web was a good company, in Jiangsu, but it's a very different story now. The HQ in Shanghai doesn't seem to care what's happening and don't respond to emails. I think Web will be forced to examine their situation in Jiangsu if the steady loss of major corporate clients continues along with it's profit making potential. It will take time. But time is not a luxury Web in Jiangsi has now to recover it's reputation to a level it once was. It's sorry state of affairs.

Dear James - My bi-cultural friend & Mastery Phase Man: In the four stages of culture shock you were obviously in n the mastery stage at the time you wrote that post. The mastery stage is one where ex-pats are able to participate fully and comfortably in the host culture. Mastery does not mean total conversion, and people are capable of not adopting some aspects of the host culture.

It is often referred to as the bi-cultural-ism stage. The individual now feels 'at home'.

. Enjoy being in the culture (as a washed up entertainer now playing Irish Folk music in bars)
. Functions well in the culture (which country did you say you were from?)
. Prefer certain cultural traits of the new culture rather than their own (such as Tsingtao Beer).
. Adopts certain behaviours from the new culture (It sure isn't an American Band now is it?)

Was it Australia, Ireland, America? Which country did you say you were from?

Well seeing how inflation has increased more than 100 percent in certain markets such as housing - More than 50 % on food, clothing and airfare, and based on my current salary after 10 years of experience teaching in China - I live on instant noodles and can't afford to go home. Some people integrate fully and take on all parts of the host culture while losing their original identity. They normally remain in the host country forever. Approximately 10% of expatriates belong to this group of Adopters. Is that you?

How's your Feng Bian Mian tasting? Got Milk?

Yep, Web in Suzhou has a huge problem with western
teacher turnover.

I know 4 who have left within 6 months or been dismissed.

Whining by Chinese management about "Teaching quality".

I'm like f**k it, do it yourself then. Here is the
material, here are the markers and here is the student
list. Good luck !

And God help you if you get sick. You will
never hear the end of complaints.

"Can't you be sick on your days off ?"

Ridiculous hours,until 9 pm go home.

Friend, fellow teacher avoid Web in Suzhou. You will be
ground down to a stub of your former self. Trust me.

There is even a spy in the foreign teacher's staff room.

One mention of your dissatisfaction is promptly relayed
to management. I thought we foreigners supported each
other.

Apparently the concept of cohesiveness amongst western
teachers was a given. Not so.

Students may laud you, praise you, but if you
so much as fart in the classroom they go a'running
to whine. Then you get dragged in for counselling.

Now you have been warned.