Your post is excellent in its content.I can personally equate with what you say from my own experience as an FT here since 1994.Year by year I have become lazier and lazier.Perhaps I am now so lazy that I would be unfit for employment in the teaching profession anywhere in the West.That said,I've noticed that,just like me,many FTs here tend to become wily,just like many of their Chinese colleagues,but very quickly.FT's have discovered that to be seen to be doing,rather than to strive to do well is the key to an easy life - they regurgitate the same lesson 16 -20 times each week,then prepare a new one,and do likewise week ater week.As their students and their fellow Chinese teachers of English usually have very low levels of English,it's easy for FT's to coast along doing as little as possible in the classroom teaching spoken English in any way they like while being respected.It's just like being your own boss,and better than teaching written English because you've no marking to do.Definitely a well-paid sinecure allowing one to teach here and there throughout China for 9 months at a time.And just like their Chinese colleagues,many FT's never work for nought.If some students who like studying English very much wish to visit the FT's apartment in his (or her) free time,the louwai just says sorry,claiming to be very busy,which in fact is a lie.Can you really blame louwai for taking advantage of the fact that teaching English in China can be done in an effortless and stress-free way,especially in the underdeveloped places,of which there are many?Even if an FT wished to do a hard day's work,thus deserving his(or her) salary,it wouldn't be productive - there are usually 70+ students being taught oral English/class,far too many at one time for 40 minutes/week to make much difference!Northern China has served me well,in fact so well that I'd never risk teaching in the south,or in another foreign country,for fear of being disappointed!