In my experience, anyone that couldn't handle the workload had serious organizational issues and couldn't manage their time properly.

Annual regional parties? Staff complained that they were "mandatory fun time" anyway (I didn't like going to them myself) - if there's one thing I've learned, staff with negative attitude will find anything to complain about. First it was about having their managers try to convince them to hang out for free food on their off-time, now it's about the lack of an opportunity to do so. Jesus, what a bunch of babies.

From what I've heard, WSE France actually isn't happy - really low pay (supply and demand...everybody wants to live in France), but I've never been there.

Sanya is required training for all center managers. I love how people think we go there and just sit on the beach all day getting fed margaritas. Imagine 10 hours of seminars and workshops daily (with dress code compliance - so in slacks, leather shoes, and collared shirts....a ten minute walk away from a beach and 30 Celcius). The company gets an amazing discount and pinches pennies on that trip (and it hasn't always been Sanya, by the way, and there's no guarantee it will be in the future). Frankly, going to Sanya is probably the only way to convince managers to even actively participate (there's one half-day when you're actually left alone to enjoy the place).

Projectors not in the centers? Bonuses not being paid or being changed? What are you smoking?

Locally-hired (read: Chinese) SMs is about equality - it isn't fair to hire only foreigners. If they can run the center while keeping the same culture that foreigners do, then why not? And you're absolutely right they get paid lower, and for good reason. When I get the "Five Social Insurances" they do, including help buying a house in my expensive Tier-1 city and a hukou for my foreign child to attend public schools here, I'll gladly accept a lower salary (not to mention the unofficial "foreigner's tax" imposed by virtue of having of having a foreign face - I love being quoted double price!). Unfortunately, the company cannot legally give me those things (or reasonably provide/prevent the others), so they try to compensate me as equitably as possible.

"Mediocre courses" are directly the fault of mediocre teachers. Full stop. The only time an SM tells a teacher to follow a lesson plan to the letter is when s/he has serious teaching deficiencies, and any competent teacher is, as a matter or necessity for any lesson plan in any school ever opened, told to make the lesson come alive. As far as missing, torn, etc. folders, again - all on the teachers. Teachers are children sometimes (as obviously evidenced by some of the comments on this thread). It's amazing how an ESL teacher can complain about a course they are 100% responsible for delivering. LOL. 100% fact alert - You can't complain about a course you are ultimately delivering to the end user. It's your class - take some responsibility for a change. The lesson plan doesn't teach the class - YOU do.

As far as staffing, company performance, etc....I'm simply not seeing it (and I, like every center manager, am required to sit through an 8-hour meeting once a month to go over all the company's numbers in excruciating detail). Beijing has issues keeping FTs at the moment, but that's every school right now due to the pollution. WSE China overall is at normal historical staffing levels, performance level, pay level, etc.

Sorry guys....you all can complain all you want, but it's all just a massive circle-jerk that's making only you feel better about not being good enough to work here at all or last here long term. You're not saving the whales, righting any wrongs, fighting against any grave injustices, or changing the world in any way. You're just a bunch of negative ESL teachers that, from my experience in the ESL industry, are par for the course - complaining about anything they can think of to complain about, can't get a girlfriend or a decent job back home, so you came here ("here" being Asia and/or this internet forum).

I gave up a six-figure (USD) career offer (received only a few months ago) to stay on in this position. Good people, a fair company, a meaningful career field, and an interesting place.