He makes 4000rmb a month at his two and a half day a week teaching job, but from a financial point of view he must take his lost income back home into account. Obviously his stress level is much much lower in his current job.

True. Sadly that salary is pretty low for todays China too. Even some hairdressers can earn more putting in long shifts. I also suspect a lot of non native speaker discrimination to boot, as well. I teach 5 days a week at my current job but the 18 classes are spread out, and always weekends off. No coursebook, free to teach as I like, and oftentimes classes get cancelled for this and that which gives extra free time. I only get 7,000 plus free apartment, but I prefer that to earning 8-10000 and being a training centre lackey slave. Good post there SB.