Firstly, I will use the most common, and apt term used here on ESL teachers board as a descriptive. Web is crap.

Web, though not the worst private English training center in China, is far from the best. Almost all are crap though, and this place is as well.

You wanted to know why so many people leave? Because the place is crap, it's not hard to figure this out. Many people quit time and time again, the job is crap.

Web is crap for a number of reasons. First are the hours. Do you really want to come to China just so you can work 40 hours a week? You will end up teaching 5-6 classes a day, each class being a full hours in length. This applies at all Web schools. Have you any idea what you'd be teaching at a public University or even a High school? A lot less, maybe 12-15 actual hours, maybe. Then when you are not teaching you just have to sit there.

The pay. You really believe 10,000 is high? Not for a 40 hour week it's not. teaching English as a foreigner in China can pay a lot per hour, or a little. You are being paid the least per hour of most any foreign teacher in China, living in one of the more expensive cities. 10,000 for a 40 hour work week? That's actually not very good pay, it's "ok", but the truth is you can do a lot better. You may not make as much, but you'd work less than half what web want's you to work.

Then there is the L visa. Never ever come to China on an L visa. For one it is illegal, though commonly done. For another it leaves you wide open to being abused. They can simply decide to never, ever get you the proper work papers, and you will have no real recourse, except to quit of course. In that case you could kiss your last months pay good bye.

Though it's becoming more and more common to bring people over on L visas, (because it is cheaper for the school, and allows them a short time to evaluate you also) it is highly illegal, and leaves you open to exploitation. Any contract you sign is worthless if you are on an L visa, and the school knows it. Did you know this? They can treat you however they want, pay you whenever they want, change your hours, and amount you work, whenever they want if you're on an L visa. If it were me I wouldn't dare risk it.

You said you wanted to get our input before you depart? Before you depart? Please don't tell us you have already committed to this school and this job?

Web is not a very good school, besides all of the crap above, they have outdated, boorish material that you are required to use for lessons. The long 1 hour classes, which often have only 3 or 4 people, can be very long and difficult given the restrictions presented with their crap material. Add to that the 8-0 hour days, the working weekends, and often not having 2 days in a row off, it is not a bargain by any means. Yes, perhaps I forgot to mention that. You do work weekends, and in many web locations you do not get 2 days in a row off. 2 days yes, but not back to back.

My "input" would be to forget the 10,000 they are offering, and go to work somewhere with half the hours and a third to a quarter less pay. Yes you'll make less, but you'll have a lot more free time. To make that extra money is not worth all the time it would require, believe me.

Lastly, web will indeed provide accommodation, in the sense that they will give you a housing allowance, which varies from city to city. However they will not pay your first months rent, they will not pay your security deposit, any monies required to move in will be paid by you, the teacher. You will not be reimbursed for this expense. If you know anything about China it is often quite common for Chinese landlords to require 3 months rent up front. This is not always the case in every city of course, but it has been in every city I have ever lived, and after 10 years that's quit a few. Not sure about Guangzhou, and it can depend on the landlord also, but this is a pretty common practice. Even if not, you would still have to pay first and last, however be prepared to pay at least 3 just in case. Web will not cover any of your move in costs, and they will "not" have an apartment for you when you arrive. They will provide a hotel room for you, which they will pay for for "1" night. After that, you will be paying yourself. They also may or may not help you find an apartment. You will be hoofing it yourself though when it comes to going to and finding a housing agent. Any agency that helps you find an apartment, guess who will pay the fee? Not the school.

All of the above is the modus operandi of many a private English school here in China. They are pretty cheap when it comes to hiring English teachers, and they invest as little as possible in their safety and well being. What I described above is what you will deal with when you first arrive here, and what you will have to deal with working for web. There is more of course, these are the highlights though.

My advice, hold out for better, or work somewhere else, like Japan. If you have a degree you can go to Japan and easily make 2-3 times what you'd make in China. You will also be treated much better, and you won't be going there on a tourist visa. Any Japanese school will for the most part play by the book and do things above board, they have to. This would be my advice, to check out jobs in Japan, on this board and others.

However if you have your heart set on China, avoid Web, and any other big chain schools, they are almost always more trouble then they are worth, and are generally have poor management, and too many hours for pay that isn't requisite.