Teaching English In China {China Shark's Thread}

[Joshua Smith]

Do it up putting caution to the wind! I agree with Stuart, you're doing so well right now not because of a lack of risks you've taken but quite the opposite. All the risks thus far have proven to have been paranoia at best. What's one more notch in the risk factor belt? Just make sure you have a plan B and you'll be golden, Michael. I'm so happy for you but also jealous at the same time lol. Does that make me selfish? :icon_cheesygrin: Months and months before I can see my lady. :-/

[China Shark]

Guys, the Shark just reached his 6 month mark now in country. So many things have happened in such a short period of time. For those guys on the fence about living and teaching here, there is so much opportunity for English teachers here. A brand new International school just opened up a new chain in and around Shenzhen. In fact my supervisor and one of the teachers I work with are jumping ship to this school called Pattison, company has all the standard perks yet is restrictive in the sense they monopolize your time so you can't freelance at other places. I don't even worry about work anymore because my skills as a teacher have improved dramatically. I can pick and choose jobs now because of experience in teaching as well as performing really well in my demostration classes for the clients. Now I teach an intermediate BEC Business English Class once a week for 5 hours, an intermediate BEC Business English Class Tues and Thurs from 7:00 - 9:30 pm. I teach a beginner adult English class for 4 days a week, ten hours total. I also teach a beginner adult class for twice a week for two hours for another small training center. For one week I make 2,300 rmbs for 22 hours work. $360. which is plenty of cash to live on here. When my regular job starts back I'll double my salary easy, $700. a week was more than I was taking back home in America $45,000. So it is viable for the resourcefull and street smart guys. Never coming back is the way I see it. My students buy my dinners all the time, get personal rides home as well as taxi rides. They view me like I'm the greatest teacher alive, and I really love doing it, best gig ever had. Even have toyed with going back to school to complete my Masters in Education possibly. Shenzhen University is a really respectable university, one of my friends attends there. I have opportunities here that I never could have imagined back home. Kind of surprised that how many guys are considering doing this now. When I started this there were one or two guys on the official forum that might have just mentioned teaching and living as an option. Damm, I think I started some kind of tread here. I know Rob and Josh are doing it after discussing things with them. I've actually been toying with the idea of eventually opening up a school one day with a fellow expatriot from America. Also, a matchmaking/translating service is also on the back burner. Not to mention exporting business of some kind or another. No, exporting out of China has never been attempted what I am talking about. There are so many Chinese brands of clothing here that I can buy for next to nothing and resale for at least twice what I would pay for it. Right now the world is my oyster, funny thing I was with my exgirlfriend the other night and she is really into palm reading and claims I will be very wealthy as well as live a really long life. Must be why shy is begging and pleading to come back even after I stated I'm not going back to America to live.
Sorry, guys I hijacked my own thread yet will digress back to the original line of thought. Mods don't screw around and omit anything because it will make it disjointed and unreadable if you do so. I'm an artist don't desecrate my work. Enough rant for one day. If nothing else I'm an amusing distraction, right?
China Shark Mike

[phil]

Thats great information...I wish he could post more on this. Is there a chance that he will be back on the site?

Seems like a tremendous resource to others here what with the whole living in China and actually earning a living thing. We're not all bringing wives back to the states are we? Maybe there is someone else on the board who's over there working....looking or already married there that could possibly continue this discussion.

Has any one of the apparently plentiful IT guys here looked into work in our industry over there with a Chinese company or an American company with offices there. I'm a 21 yr IT veteran primarily a Network Guy (Microsoft and Novell) who has done darn near everything.....last gig was a Enterprise Data Center Job that had 100 remote networks connected. Mostly I worked on about 40 SQL Servers and the associated nightly jobs/storage/backup hardware. Lots of web and ecommerce also.

How about English language computer classes or training, I wonder if that's potentially an option.

Please forgive me if Technical talk or job talk is verboten on this board. Just trying to find a way to make things work, find a traditional Chinese wife, and live over there.

I got about 15 yrs until I can retire......if there's even a Social Security to send anything out at that point.

Thanks
Phil

[brett]

I wondered about teaching IT as well. But a guy I work with who has a Chinese wife says that English language teaching is far more lucrative.

I want my Chinese lady to live in England for a while, but I am coming round to the idea of moving East at some stage.

Is this Chinese requirement for English language teachers likely to be a long term requirement? I work at a Uni so it would be easy for me to get the necessary qualifications. I also have postgraduate education, so I guess that would help as well.

I think my other option would be to wait for the global economy to recover, then find an expat IT job in Hong Kong or somewhere.

[phil]

Sorry...I can't resist.

That's an impressive resume Phil....why do you want to work for Computer Junction in Syracuse?

Well, I'm really fond of eating and sleeping indoors, and I would absolutely love the opportunity to be supervised by a 23yr old who's never used a computer for any purpose other than playing a game.



Thanks

[Willy The Londoner]

How about English language computer classes or training, I wonder if that's potentially an option.

From what I have seen in my two months here is that there are a great number of courses to learn english.  The problem is they cost money and not many have the cash spare.  Of course you do get offered certain favours to teach ladies english.  But i ask you just how many dumplings can one eat in a day!!!!  If I just munch on two these days I've had enough.
Willy

[phil]

I wondered about teaching IT as well. But a guy I work with who has a Chinese wife says that English language teaching is far more lucrative.

I want my Chinese lady to live in England for a while, but I am coming round to the idea of moving East at some stage.

Is this Chinese requirement for English language teachers likely to be a long term requirement? I work at a Uni so it would be easy for me to get the necessary qualifications. I also have postgraduate education, so I guess that would help as well.

I think my other option would be to wait for the global economy to recover, then find an expat IT job in Hong Kong or somewhere.

Yup, everything I've seen and heard so far says the English teaching is the way to go at least to establish a base. I've got a friend who is with some school somewhere over there, no details were shared by him.

But....he did say this. "If you're American, have got a pulse, and can speak
the language well....you're hired!" End of story. That's was 4 months ago he communicates very sporadically but has been there for 12- 14 months and loves it.

The smaller "off the grid" schools are supposedly task masters and notorious for working the hell out of the teachers. But...if you get a start and can say you've done it then it's all uptown from there.

I look at it this way.....there are 2 Billion people who are all trying to make a better life for themselves. There are not enough decent jobs to go around for those seeking them. These people are going to make sure their children have the upper hand if at all possible. They will move heaven and earth to ensure their family has the best opportunities, and the younger generation coming along is going to be well equipped to compete. Their parents will see to that. There are probably many good years of teaching opportunities over there from what I've read and heard.

I'm just an armchair analyst here but I see the English Language / Business Education as being "The Game" of the 21st century in China. That is until the Western culture and accessibility.......seeps into the very fiber of the traditional Chinese way of life and ruins them all. They're gonna get what they wanted alright but the rest of us already know how that story ends. I'd give you anything in the world for the America I grew up in....It's really quite a sad story and I believe the Chinese are going to discover the hard way that they've bought into a hollow shell. A magnificent house of cards that has zero redeeming qualities. a consumer and commercial nightmare of epic proportions awaits them.

Until then the games afoot...I wish them and all of us luck.      

Sorry to be so negative, that's just how I see it playing out.

[brett]

Thanks phil. Yes I am interested in the language teaching. Although I suspect it would be hard work - my lady works 50 hours a week in her office lady job :dodgy:.

I have a small software business sideline that brings in about $1000 a month, so I suppose that would be just about enough to live on, although it wouldn't buy much of a lavish lifestyle. If I gave up my day job I might be able to expand the business though.

Once I meet my lady's friends and relatives, I guess I may also be able to come up with an additional business venture.

I think I will get my lady to move to England for a few years, then maybe we can make a plan to move to Asia in later life. I like the idea of bringing up kids in Asia, although I suspect that having British passports would be a good thing for them.

[Willy The Londoner]

I think I will get my lady to move to England for a few years, then maybe we can make a plan to move to Asia in later life. I like the idea of bringing up kids in Asia, although I suspect that having British passports would be a good thing for them.

I think that your kids will be allowed British passports whether born in China, Capetown or Colchester.

Willy

[ttwjr32]

if born here arent they chinese citizens??

[David5o]

Ted,


Short answer to that is ....NO!!

David

[ttwjr32]

if they are born in china to a westerner and chinese lady they get to retain
 the westerners citizenship??

[David5o]

Ted,

As a general rule, the male blood line takes the precedence. You can apply for Citizenship of China if born there, but who would really want too??

So long as you register the babies birth at your Embassy it will be considered a citizen of your country, and will have all the rights thereto, and will have no problem acquiring a passport.....

David......

[ttwjr32]

well that would cut some red tape as far as leaving the country
for the child i wonder if it would make it easier for the wife to leave
to be with husband and child

[David5o]

Ted,

Easier, ....maybe a little, but she will still have to go through all the usual processes.
Don't make much sense, but then when has immigration departments ever made sense to anyone but themselves anyway???...lol!!

David.....