Former FT in China
- 2016-10-11
While the UK may be a hardship location for you, and it is your full right not to return there, it is easy in China as you are fully retired. For a younger FT with no pension/savings in China, I think that is the age bracket SB is referring to, or an older bloke with no savings/family/friends/back home.
Either kind of relatively impoverished FT you have mentioned can still save substantially from his/her salary while teaching in the public education sector on a moderate salary in a secure job that is a sinecure if he/she is not a spendthrift. The maths is the key, and I'm fully aware of the current cost of living here, as I am still here! Said savings can be invested with a private pension provider. No problem there for a young FT.
Thing is frequenting KTV bars and staying in hotels/travelling, especially internationally, will hit his/her potential savings hard. Can't have it both ways. His/her choice, but not what Silverboy requires. Each to their own!
San Migs
- 2016-10-11
Unlike you, I can make the comparison as I've been a licenced secondary school subject teacher back home.
While the UK may be a hardship location for you, and it is your full right not to return there, it is easy in China as you are fully retired. For a younger FT with no pension/savings in China, I think that is the age bracket SB is referring to, or an older bloke with no savings/family/friends/back home.
He is not referring to you personally or guys of your age who are retired in China, and/or who were real qualified subject teachers back in the UK. As you rightly state, you can make that comparison...but there are those older blokes who cannot, and for them China can be a life of nerve wracking worry on a knife edge, the Chinese could kick them out at any time, and they would be old, unemployable and alone in Thailand or somewhere, not sure if that could be better or worse than being on the social in England, probably worse, as no benefits would be paid to foreigners in SE asian countries. Good thread this one.
Former FT in China
- 2016-10-11
In China, it's possible to live on about 1,000 RMB in rent-free accommodation smoking and drinking beer in moderation. That kind of lifestyle cannot be enjoyed in your homeland if you're on low pay there, or on social security.
Forgot to say, the 1,000 RMB figure I mentioned is the estimated cost of living for one month if an FT chooses to stick to a sensible budget. Compare it with a salary of 6,000 RMB/month. You can see there is great potential for saving.
Any FT who can't make ends meet on 6,000 RMB/month must have been throwing his/her money around, squandering it, in other words! Of course, moneywasters exist in all countries in all kinds of employment!
Former FT in China
- 2016-10-11
I think it must be awful to be living in China or other countries knowing you have no family or friends and no support back home.
Trying to survive in China on a teaching salary with nothing back home, fuck that!
In contrast, working a deadend low-paid service industry job back home is much more awful!
In China, it's possible to live on about 1,000 RMB in rent-free accommodation smoking and drinking beer in moderation. That kind of lifestyle cannot be enjoyed in your homeland if you're on low pay there, or on social security.
Not too bad, teaching with minimal interference from your Chinese bosses for 16 teaching periods of 45 mins/week with no office hours while regurgitating the same lesson 16 times a week at a public high school without having to give oral English tests/exams or homework.The proverbial walk in the park!
Much, much better than teaching as a licensed teacher back home with increased stress, a heavy workload, and disciplinary problems to solve! Unlike you, I can make the comparison as I've been a licenced secondary school subject teacher back home.
Teaching back home, fuck that!