Newcomers:
Generally speaking, Chinese schools and job agents will play fast and loose with the contract. In 5+ years in China, I have yet to come across a totally satisfactory school, and have completely avoided agents for the last 4 years. Don't get me wrong. I love China; it is now my permanent home. But never forget, the education industry here, especially chain English schools, exists to turn a profit.

Be careful of NDI in Wuhan. Your salary will be paid on the 15th of the following month. This is absolutely outrageous. It's as far away as they possibly dare from from your worked month. Instead of just meekly accepting these terms, put it into perspective. Imagine working from January to June, and getting paid at Christmas. They failed to pay me my full amount. I worked from mid July to end August. Received nothing in August, and got my pay in 2 hits on 18th and 25th September.

The contract is 6 pages. 5 1/2 are rules and responsibilities for you to obey - virtually no onus on them. And watch out if you work in Xudong. They won't tell you this in the contract (illegal:- adding a clause later - even if it is a case of 'we always do it like this') but you have to go over the river for your pay. Wuhan is a very big city. You're looking at a couple of hours of your free time and Y50+ in taxi fares. There is an option to get it paid into a specific bank. Xudong school is in a shopping mall and has glass walls giving a goldfish bowl effect. You can't stop shoppers ogling at your classes and you can't keep the cockroaches out from the restaurant next door.

I'm not suggesting we go hysterical and say 'never work there' (though I won't again). If you have the confidence, and a little money in your pocket, do a great demo class for them and then say 'No. Change your rules. This is not acceptable.' China still has more vacancies than teachers to fill them, so it should be an employees' market. Bullies like NDI will continue to flourish till more foreigners stand up to them.

John.