Mancunian
- 2012-12-14
This is a good piece of advice. At the moment I teach one business woman on-to-one in her factory. She even gets me more students. Chinese adults prefer native speakers because we teach them the English they need to know to use the language. At first I recommended to her a Chinese teacher, she fired him and insisted that I teach her. I guess in China, some people need English to actually use it and not for testing. I have her reading, speaking, and writing good English now.
I just turned her down recently for a free trip to Bali with her and her family. Call me stupid, but I can't allow myself to live off other people. I was tempted though.....
Really good news, one-to-one can be most rewarding and not only financially.
You have to do or not do what you feel comfortable with; but you can upset them by rejecting such kind offers. The way I read it, is that she was showing you that she respects you, respects you enough to give you a bonus. I would have accepted the trip to Bali, unless I believed her to have been unstable, but I take it that this was not the case.
juanisaac
- 2012-12-14
This is a good piece of advice. At the moment I teach one business woman on-to-one in her factory. She even gets me more students. Chinese adults prefer native speakers because we teach them the English they need to know to use the language. At first I recommended to her a Chinese teacher, she fired him and insisted that I teach her. I guess in China, some people need English to actually use it and not for testing. I have her reading, speaking, and writing good English now.
I just turned her down recently for a free trip to Bali with her and her family. Call me stupid, but I can't allow myself to live off other people. I was tempted though.....
Mancunian
- 2012-12-14
Hi Foxy,
One of my good friends has been teaching with L visas in Hubei. She has no university degree, so she can't obtain a Z visa. But after returning to Thunder Bay for a vacation, she was refused a new L visa for China. It would appear that the Chinese visa office wouldn't renew her visa because her string of Ls had cast doubt on the truth of her stated reasons for visiting China once again.
However, I guess you've got your foot in the door by being on Chinese territory as well as having a Chinese wife there to bat for you should the local PSB dare to refrain from renewing your L visas.
Blimey, your friend must have been gutted; I suppose she should lose her passport now and start afresh, before reapplying for another visa.
It seems your friend was unlucky while working in China too; normally your Chinese L Visa-employer will offer you one of their courtesy degrees, so they can get you on an F visa, which if they have an ounce of sway with the authorities they can renew for you without the need for you to leave the country. I don't think strictly speaking they need to produce a degree for you for 'f'(might have changed, yesterday) but you could also get a 'Z' which you would need a courtesy degree to get. Tell your friend to head for Shanxi Province next time, where they[employers] churn out courtesy degrees like sausages(sadly you can't usually choose the university.) cheers°rees.
San Migs
- 2012-12-13
2/ When with your wife, you can stay in cheaper hotels that are licenced to accept Chinese only.
3/ Some Chinese EFL employers prefer hiring foreigners with Chinese wives rather than single foreign men.
4/ Less chance of your employer trying to cheat because he (or she) is aware your wife is with you.
Thanks for the reply, quite detailed.
I'd just like to dissect the three points from your post above, if I may.
2.That seems a little unfair to single/unmarried FT's. I've come across that crap before where because I am a foreigner I "apparently" can't stay at the odd hotel, yet when a Chinese friend has used their ID card the room magically becomes "available" where previously there was none available/or only some at a higher rate. I often wonder if this is the same kind of thing as the supposedly defunct but still very much in existence dual pricing system?!
3.I agree on this part, they may be less inclined to be a "gear head" or "piss head" if they are happily married, and so less trouble for the school.
4.True, although I think that even if you marry a Chinese woman, you will still always be a foreigner in the eyes of other chinese, no matter how long you have been married etc etc. I'd agree that if your wife is in earshot they can't pull any crap that they might otherwise be able to get away with.
Merry Christmas
SMGS
foxy
- 2012-12-13
Lots of little businessmen in China who need to learn some English but do not have the time to attend English Centres. It can't be done without effort of course.
Yep, that's certainly a good option for foeigners who can teach with Chinese spouses. As for me, I have reached retirement age and do not need nor wish to continue teaching. Teaching 16x 40/45 minute classes at a senior high school in a county aided by a Chinese teaching assistant for 5,000/5,500 RMB/month plus air fare allowance and travel allowance preparing just one oral lesson/week is perhaps the least effortless way to make money teaching English in China. It's a good way for older westerners with offshore investments and superannuated pensions due from western employers to last out financially until the pension years arrive.
That said, I've been let down rather badly by one of my pension providers from the UK, and that pension is now 4 months in arrears. I'll be checking at my Chinese bank shortly, and if no funds have arrived to date, I'll lodge an official complaint, with a view to getting the problem sorted once and for all.
http://www.eslteachersboard.com/cgi-bin/forum/index.pl?read=80105
Karen
- 2012-12-13
Hi Foxy,
One of my good friends has been teaching with L visas in Hubei. She has no university degree, so she can't obtain a Z visa. But after returning to Thunder Bay for a vacation, she was refused a new L visa for China. It would appear that the Chinese visa office wouldn't renew her visa because her string of Ls had cast doubt on the truth of her stated reasons for visiting China once again.
However, I guess you've got your foot in the door by being on Chinese territory as well as having a Chinese wife there to bat for you should the local PSB dare to refrain from renewing your L visas.
foxy
- 2012-12-13
I agree, but I am just curious as to what extra visa privileges you get for being married?
1/ Long L visas issued within China.
2/ When with your wife, you can stay in cheaper hotels that are licenced to accept Chinese only.
3/ Some Chinese EFL employers prefer hiring foreigners with Chinese wives rather than single foreign men.
4/ Less chance of your employer trying to cheat because he (or she) is aware your wife is with you.
In fact, there are precious few extra privileges. But the long L is the best one for me. A 5-year RP would be equally advantageous, if not a little more useful.
Mancunian
- 2012-12-13
It occurs to me ,Foxy, because you can get L visas in-situ whenever you need to renew, why would you need an employer anyway? Why don't you go freelance and build up your own one2one adult students? You have a Chinese wife to put advertisements on free Internet sites(many of them) and there's also recommendations. Even safer to boot, because you don't have to worry about the police doing random checks on schools. Lots of little businessmen in China who need to learn some English but do not have the time to attend English Centres. It can't be done without effort of course. If you get too busy you could even employ San Mig, or me, or...... You could also branch into Internet lessons over QQ. Have you given this any thought?
San Migs
- 2012-12-13
I think have more freedom than FTs shackled to a system that needs compulsory medicals and residence permits. Of course there are negatives to the L visa way. But having a Chinese wife in a country that gives me almost no extra visa privileges for that
First of all merry christmas to you and yours.
Then the system needs changing surely from all the medicals and residence permits? Shanghai is the only part of the way leading up change by offering 2 year work visas. In Singapore, and certain south american countries, you can become a resident with a passport after a number of years, provided you are gainfully employed in a job that is needed or you bring in X amount of cash to the country. Even if you bring a lot of cash into China, marry, have a job, still no Chinese passport! I agree, but I am just curious as to what extra visa privileges you get for being married? An aussie guy I knew preferred the Z visa way, because he hated the hassle of the Ls, even though he had a chinese wife?!
foxy
- 2012-12-12
OK, San Migs - my reponse:
You admit it is not suitable for others, and that is good. I'm glad to see you are not pushing everyone MUST work on L visas. I am just curious why you relish doing so?
Everything has two sides. With an L visa, I can change jobs from province to province more easily and without compulsory medicals. I can wait and wait before taking up a new job late into a new semester. When I take a new job at those times, I can get one very easily as there are few foreigners in China available to fill such vacancies, and I have an extra advantage over foreigners outside of China seeking to fill late vacancies. Unlike them, I can arrive at the school within 5 days of being asked to arrive there. Chinese employers who need FTs fast and late will take me on gladly to get themselves out of a jam. And they tend to appreciate me more because of this. So, they will let me do my job with less interference as they don't want to end up with me doing a runner, mine wouldn't have negative repercussions. I couldn't be taken to task for breaking my contract, as mine is illegal in the first place. Also, I needn't worry about unfsvourable teaching reports that would hinder future job searches as I needn't supply one to a new employer.
I think have more freedom than FTs shackled to a system that needs compulsory medicals and residence permits. Of course there are negatives to the L visa way. But having a Chinese wife in a country that gives me almost no extra visa privileges for that, I take full advantage of the visa system that gives me 180 dayers whose expiry dates I have manipulated so that I'm back in my wife's hometown during semester breaks, a very suitable time to renew L's - I'd be back there anyway at those times. So, it's very convenient, just like killing 2 birds with 1 stone. As for visa costs, 160 RMB/ L visa, no entry type, for renewals for Uk citizens within China, but I believe American visa fees are double mine cost-wise.
Why can't a long term id card be offered, thus negating the need for stamps?
I believe I can get a 5-year RP more or less automatically now, as I've been in China on L's for so many years to date. I'll apply for one in January 2013. - I've had a two-year one before, which I unfortunately had to surrender when I left China for a vacation in the UK. I believe they don't issue two-year RPs these days. I could still teach with one or with an L, though either way is of course illegal. Right now I'm legal here as I'm not working. I doubt I'll be back teaching, but if a suitable offer arose, I would give it serious consideration.
Have a good festive season when it comes!
Mancunian
- 2012-12-12
I suppose some people would say if you work illegally on an L you can just leave if you are stuck with a crappy school or university, but what about getting caught woking illegally?
Good point! I have no qualms about chancing it, in fact I relish doing so. I'm in a position to deal with the consequences and have no regrets afterwards. That I know for sure.But I realize that it's not a good idea for many others to do as I do.
We know what could happen(which won't be death by hanging) and we know what is likely to happen, you get slung out of the country; but unless you are very careless, it's not likely that you will ever get caught. I couldn't agree more with Foxy, he is obviously a confident person with a strong character. Too many of us these days are too namby-pamby to take a considered chance. You take a chance crossing the road, so they may as well scrape you up with an L visa in your pocket as an expert's certificate. This man Foxy knows how to live, and more power to his elbow.
San Migs
- 2012-12-12
in fact I relish doing so. I'm in a position to deal with the consequences and have no regrets afterwards. That I know for sure.
Hello foxy,
You admit it is not suitable for others, and that is good. I'm glad to see you are not pushing everyone MUST work on L visas.
I am just curious why you relish doing so? I mean lets face it, getting an L visa which takes up a page of your passport, and only for 90 days or so isn't what I would call fun or playing the system, but that is just me. If anything I think it's all in favour of the chinese psb office who collect the money in visa fees, and the british consulate/embassy who rake it in when you buy a new passport, your previous one having become full of visa pages.
But your point is a good one, why can't a long term id card be offered, thus negating the need for stamps??
foxy
- 2012-12-12
I suppose some people would say if you work illegally on an L you can just leave if you are stuck with a crappy school or university, but what about getting caught woking illegally?
Good point! I have no qualms about chancing it, in fact I relish doing so. I'm in a position to deal with the consequences and have no regrets afterwards. That I know for sure.
But I realize that it's not a good idea for many others to do as I do.