San Migs
- 2012-07-30
Quite fluent in Mandarin, but refuse to study the characters so much. As are sboy and turnoi quite fluent.
Terry
- 2012-07-29
Oh, well, somebody said Chinese food was really tasty and healthy, and I disagreed, pointing out why. He answered in a dismissive manner saying "I can't be bothered with you" and suggesting my taste was so peasant that I wouldn't be able to tell the difference between good coffee and Starbuck's. I don't know why he was so aggressive over something which is debatable. At least so aggressive so early on in a disagreement.
I really do not understand why these blokes are so hard up for women in China. Well I do, I wish they'd make an effort with their Mandarin. BUT I won't get upset if they want to argue about it. One really should get a smattering of the language under ones belt; that way and you can do little things for yourself, like opening bank accounts and getting your mobile up and running. Glad you are back. I'm short of time at the moment. I have sold my car so had to walk 5 miles to the supermarket today where we piled up my wife's bike with provisions. However, on the way back we perchanced a heavy office desk I need, going begging, alone and neglected. So my wife steered her bike, already fully loaded, and I managed to balance the desk for the remaining 3 miles home.GO GET EM CLYDE!
Clyde
- 2012-07-29
Well, while advocating not succumbing to temptation, I succumbed to reading the last batch of pro-sex-with-students dreck. Then I countered. I kind of enjoy it. It's a waste of my time, but I take some pleasure in slicing up their rhetoric and feeding it back to them. It's a waste of my time, definitely, however I think this issue is very important in the world of ESL, and teachers who sleep with students give us all a very bad, and for those of us who are mature and wise enough to not interject ourselves into students' personal lives – physically – undeserved.
Men will always be tempted to some degree by young women's bodies, but, as university teachers, we have been entrusted to not act on it. For those that do, and then boast about it, I hope they get what they deserve. Actually, I'm kind of lenient so would just hope they'd realized their mistakes, cleaned up their acts, maybe gave themselves a swift kick in the ass, and tried to be better people. However, students come first in my mind, so, I would rather see these teachers serving time in prison than mucking about with students sexually.
Ah, I remember one guy where I worked in a training school who was messing around with the girls there, who were, well, children. He went around boasting about how much action he was seeing, and somebody put together that the action in question included students. The school played down the situation as much as possible, and he merely got a slap on the wrist for having "a non-physical romantic relation with a student," when there were actually 3 and it was physical. But there was one point where he was pitted against a female teacher who was really upset that he was messing with her 15 year old student. He pleaded with her to not pursue it, scared shitless that he'd end up in a Chinese prison.
Oh well. Nuff on that.
Enjoy your cheap coffee and let the GWs here have their Starbucks (what was that cheap shot about anyway?).
Terry
- 2012-07-28
Shame you are moving on, Clyde. You do realise that it's all wishful thinking, this bonking of students. None of them posting on this site has much time left for bonking. I dare say there's a couple who haven't bonked since Kennedy was assassinated...they remember what they were doing that day. How can you forget when all you've done since is talk about it. I forget the name of the 41 year old who started the thread- I bet that student hasn't a clue what's whizzing around in his head. Chinese students can be very touch feely but it doesn't mean a thing. I've had them holding my hands and clinging onto nearly every part of me-it didn't mean they wanted sex with me and I never took it that way. Thanks for the advice. Malt Vinegar I hear is especially good. Cheers.
Clyde
- 2012-07-28
Happy 64th! OMG, you are 64 and trying to learn Chinese? More power to you. Take care of your health and bring some quality medicines with you for the inevitable serious colds and lung infections. It will be a miracle if you DON'T get more than one serious bout. Remember my technique to gargle with vinegar as soon as your throat starts itching, to kill the bacteria, before the phlegm can start building up and work it's way into your chest. Repeat as often as necessary. You might bring some hand sanitizer. Bring Imodium as well. There will probably be a couple instances where you will wish you had that. I would also suggest bringing quality multi-vitamins. Ah well, you probably know all that stuff.
I've recently dismantled the ridiculous opinions of the local group of like-minded sexpats, but I can't possibly win the argument, because it is won by perseverance and numbers, and that Silverboy guy has been on this forum for at least 4 years. I won the debate, but I'll lose the shit fight, inevitably. I've been wasting far too much time dealing with these jerk-wads so am officially over and moving on. Not looking back. Got better stuff to do.
Lastly, wishing you the best luck in China!
Terry
- 2012-07-28
At 64, as of yesterday, Clyde, it was a right carry on getting a placement. The university asked me to produce a full Chinese type medical certificate which would have cost me £500 in England. I had to knock one up myself using a hammer and and old half a crown coin to stamp over the photo and a potato stamp with red ink at the end of the form. They will of course oblige me to have an examination in China, but they don't really care if the outcome suggests you could pass away in the classroom ,as long as you're free of sexual diseases. I challenged the fao to a race up taishan actually, which she accepted. She's unlikely to beat me because climbing and stuff is what I do. Mind you, you'd think they'd be honoured if more old goats shuffled their way to China, bringing a wealth of experience of the English language.(as long as they don't start groping the students, eh?) God, my head is throbbing this morning. I allow myself one bottle of wine a month, and i drank the whole lot last night.
Clyde
- 2012-07-27
Yes, you are right. Once you are over 40 private schools think they don't want you anymore, even if you are better teacher kids than some 25 year old just out of college. There are just some assumptions there. Universities, on the other hand, prefer someone older than their students. However, you have the large classes, and have to teach Oral English as if it's a lecture course. It's ideal for older people who are academicians but have no idea how to teach speaking, because they won't know when they are doing it wrong.
Terry
- 2012-07-27
Perhaps the newbies won't take your warnings as very credible. The warnings seem to be, seem to consist of, a banger thrown through somebodies letterbox, followed up by a brick through the window with a note rapped around it 'GW GW LEAVE OUR NEIGHBORHOOD IF YOU KNOW WHAT'S GOOD FOR YOU!"
Turnoi had replied to one of my posts with a short piece of sarcasm. I asked him "Are you a state school or university teacher?" He has chosen to ignore my question. I had given him the opportunity to tell me about his current or recent experiences at Chinese state schools/universities and to compare this with what private schools have to offer.
All I know is that I had years of happiness and fulfilment with English Training Centres. Sadly, they seem to be a lot fussier who they employ. I am now too old for them to consider, so I will start at a university Sept 1.
foxy
- 2012-07-26
"Previously in China I worked for Training Centres", said Terry
I agree with you. Having to work for American alligators is a better bet. Do you know that there are only two species of alligator in the world? The other one, the Chinese one, inhabits China's training centers, all shonky, by the way. Foreigners who go there will be cheated financially if they survive the selection procedure, during which the Chinese alligators will discard the chaff among 'em swiftly and unceremoniously. Chaff here means average nor below average, incidentally. I'm sick of reading BS from gw stooges re training centers. I hope newbies will pay attention to the warnings posted by you and I, and some other regulars. If they don't, many will end up being screwed over!