I am not surprised about your experience. Based on my experience working in Yangon and Mandalay, Mandalay schools are far worse for expat teachers. ALL of the Mandalay schools are the same. Many require you live at the school because Mandalay police still enforces dictatorial laws and conditions for locals when relating to westerners. mainly, it’s nearly impossible to find decent rentals and if one does, most local do not want the hassle of dealing with authorities questioning them about the foreign renter. So, yes, I firmly believe your post. Mandalay school owners almost without exception are brutish thugs - especially the most popular ones with a larger number of western teachers. Anyone thinking of going to work at a school in Mandala should take the posters words very seriously. I actually know of far worse experiences and working conditions for western people. The poster is a very lucky person to have been given an exit ticket instead of being extorted, arrested or brutally harassed out of Mandalay. Consider yourself educated about what to expect in Mandalay.