After a year as an Ivy English School teacher, there is much I would like to say about the city of Jiamusi, the Ivy English School itself, and its Chinese employees. However, before I begin, let me first address my experience concerning internet postings and the school. Please remember, as we live and breathe social media daily, many times people choose not to tell the truth about their experiences, but will instead use social media as a vehicle to tell lies for personal gain. These lies can be very hurtful.

I myself read negative comments about this school, but instead of believing them, I chose to come to Ivy and work for a year. I’m glad I chose to ignore these comments because at no time did I ever experience anything negative concerning this school. On the contrary, it was one of the best life decisions I ever made!

Regarding the city of Jiamusi, it’s a medium-sized city where one can experience metropolitan living without the noise! Also, living in this city is very cost-efficient. For example, a person can ride a bus for 1 RMB (15 cents), take a taxi for approximately 6 RMB (less than $1), and eat a good meal for between 5 and 10 RMB ($1.50). Of course, there are opportunities for finer dining experiences, but the price will be a little higher. It’s definitely easy to see that a person can live comfortably on 8,000 RMB a month, – much better than trying to live in Beijing or Shanghai on 15,000 – 16,000 RMB.

The city of Jiamusi offers transportation with great roadway and railway systems, as well as a convenient airport with daily flights to Beijing, Shanghai, Dalian, Guangzhou, Qing-dao, Harbin, and some cities in neighboring countries. From a geographical perspective, the city is surrounded by the Songhua River, which flows though the city. One can see the blue skies, white clouds, and fresh air – much better than living in the larger cities of Beijing and Shanghai where the air is not so clean and fresh.

Concerning the living conditions, the school provides each teacher with free accommodations. The apartments themselves are approximately 90 square meters including bedding, bathroom and kitchen supplies, and a western-style toilet and shower. Simply put, the apartment is spacious, neat, and clean. One can expect a monthly apartment inspection by a Chinese staff member, which is in case there are needed replacements or repairs that must be made. The inspections last less than 5 minutes. I personally never experienced any major problems with my apartment. I always considered my apartment a quiet, clean, and comfortable place to relax after a day of teaching.

Regarding the school itself and its treatment of foreign teachers, I can say that Ivy was sensitive, showing much care and concern for its foreign teaching staff. Whether you’re sick, have a question, need help with something, or have family visitors arriving, there is always a Chinese employee waiting to assist you. Additionally, the school has festive banquets and special celebrations for Chinese and foreign staff, which help make the “warm family environment” a reality.

As an English teacher at Ivy, I was very happy and relaxed. Much of this was because I could focus the majority of my time on teaching students while the Chinese Teaching Assistants helped tutor students, review lessons before, during, and after classes, and communicated with parents concerning their child’s learning progress. They definitely made my job much easier, and they were friendly and very easy to work with.

Lastly, I want to say that I trust Ivy English School. This school always kept its promises, abided by its contract, and always paid me on time according to the specifications of that contract. All in all, I like the city, love the Chinese, and love the Ivy English School! I would definitely come back here to work in the future if the opportunity presented itself.

Sincerely,

Tammy Conaway