christina, i really don't like your generalizations in your post where you're talking about canadians and australians in middle management in shenzhen. why wouldn't you use words like "SOME" or even "QUITE A FEW" and then follow with "FROM MY EXPERIENCE"?

just about three weeks ago, i had a confrontation with such a middle manager from a company in chongqing. this guy, called dave, is an american and serves his chinese employer sooo very well. he'd even bend over for his GM if he had to, as it looked when i reasoned with him. then, a few days ago, i confronted the big boss of a rather large american company that subscribes these corrupt chinese educational businesses/services for students going abroad. this american lied his arse off to tell me that i was one of very few that had a tragic experience with his subscriber, a center in china. by the way, the product he sells is in fact two products in one that conflicts each other. one of these two academic products were actually created by yet another coward from UK who claimed he could not disclose much 4 years back as he was under a confidenciality agreement. the f*ck wrote parts of the books for the program...most likely copying and pasting from other sources. and, this latest f*ck actually is, according to my sources, in shenzhen. so, you see there're all kinda people from many different countries that might hit you any time.

i too am a canadian and when i was in such a middle management position in china (not shenzhen), i had to do PROBABLY QUITE A FEW things similarily as the ones you are refering to or had experience with. otherwise, i would've lost my middle management position there. yes, i was proud enough and kept my integrity to the head office (not my employer) and the teachers who by the way did not appreciate it enough, and then i lost my job as a result of that. if i had the chance to do it again all again, i would do it the same way and yet again lose my position 'casue i am proud and will always keep my integrity. however, not all are the same as me and let's not ask all to be the same. sadly enough, if we were, there would not probably be a single foreign manager around, would there?

having said that above and over all, i am with you on what you are saying. what i'd like to see from people like you is the understanding, never mind these poorly constructed generalizations. i mean, when you are on that job, having to deal with such a manager, try better to understand his/her position wherever you are. ask and/or reason more as there's so much patience necessary in this country.

cheers and beers to our views on china and schools' managements that are more respectful with their foreign workers who have come to help the locals learn the language better than they've learnt it with their chinese teachers :)