Post: #76

Good thread and good posts. Glad you are enjoying life in china. Don't let the honeymoon phase get to you too much tho. Best of wishes for your adventure brother.

Post: #77

A quick question VP and other expats living and working in China, I have a Diploma.
Would this be recognised or do I need a Bachelors degree?
Love the thread, PM sent

Post: #78

VP, thanks to yourself and other users (Suits, for example), I've now found a liking to Chinese girls.
I've also had an interest in Chinese culture, and particularly the history, and will probably be planning a trip to China in the near future once I graduate.
Loving the thread, keep up the good work!

Post: #79

VP, really enjoying this thread. I've recently been considering returning to College in order to receive a Biology w teacher cert with the idea of teaching in China to start and then heading to other countries. Like you soccer is a 2nd religion for me and coaching in the future is a definite goal of mine. Your coaching experiences so far are very encouraging to me.

Unfortunately I have a DUI with small marijuana possession and domestic assault charge from a young age which would be 20 years in the past when it's time to apply for teaching schools abroad. No further criminal charges since then but I've read that International Schools can be strict regarding criminal charges. One thing I have going for me is I look the part being blond haired and blue eyed.

Apologies if I hijacked your thread!

Post: #80

In China, work visas require a criminal records check. If either of these convictions show up, you could easily be rejected. There might be easy fix, though. At the moment, just about any criminal record check will do including one in a state where those convictions might not show up. However, without a clean criminal record check, you might have trouble finding employment. Not sure how strict they are regarding something going twenties years back.

Post: #81

Johnny: Due to China's psychological fixation on the Opium Wars and their Century of humiliation that followed, I doubt they'd look past a drug charge (even pot). If I were you, I'd head over to Dave's ESL Forum and ask the experts there in order to get a straight answer.

For those of you who are learning a bit of Chinese, I'd recommend the app "HelloTalk" for a couple of reasons. It's a practical little app where you can talk to native speakers of the language you're interested in. It's quite functional for actually helping to learn a language (it has a good built in translator for example) and it has certainly helped me progress, especially in understanding grammar. What's great about it though is that it seems to be populated by about 4 billion college-aged Chinese girls from all over the country who are basically looking to chat with a Western boy. Just use a dashing photo of yourself as your avatar and your inbox will explode with friend requests. You can even search for girls based on what city they live in. They key is to eventually get the girls on your WeChat. It seems quite easy to begin building a small harem of girls who will be in your city (BJ for me) and will want to "show you around" upon arrival or girls from further away who want their feminine qualities approved of by an adventurous Western guy (I even got a girl from Chengdu to shave her clam for her photos for me).

Just another little tip if you're so inclined.

Post: #82

Will post an update later but just wanted to say that for some reason the new forum system is not letting me reply to PMs as it doesn't seem to load the verification code that's needed to send a reply.

Anyways,
Bazzwaldo, I've been trying to reply to your PM for 2 weeks now but it's not going through as explained above. To answer your question, you don't need a BA to teach here in the 2nd tier cities.

I don't know if your credentials would be recognized here but they would help. Do you have a city or region in mind? Without a degree, forget about Shanghai, Beijing, Shenzhen and Guangzhou. But there are many many great 2nd tier cities where you'd be able to get a work visa.

Since I can't reply to PMs, PM me your Wechat and we can communicate this way.

Cheers man!

Johnny,
I'm going to inquire about your situation and will get back to you as soon as I get an answer.

Cheers!

Post: #83

Not true about no degree and Guangzhou at least. My friends sister make $2500 a month teaching and she has no degree as she moved there right after high school.

Post: #84

(11-11-2015 09:43 AM)Kdog Wrote:  Not true about no degree and Guangzhou at least. My friends sister make $2500 a month teaching and she has no degree as she moved there right after high school.

When did she move? China recently tightened their visa regulations a couple years ago.

Also, the CPC State Council has just released a primer (in video format) previewing the 13th Five Year Plan which will be formally introduced in March at the Plenary Session of the Central Committee. Bloomberg has a write-up detailing what is to be expected. Anybody interested in doing business in the country should read up on this, as the Five Year Plans basically direct quite a large amount of state capital and stimulate industries that will be important in the future.

Post: #85

(11-11-2015 09:43 AM)Kdog Wrote:  Not true about no degree and Guangzhou at least. My friends sister make $2500 a month teaching and she has no degree as she moved there right after high school.

Lots of people work without a work visa. Then the degree is irrelevant. As long as you never get picked up in a crack down....

Post: #86

Johnny,
Got an answer from you from the VP of my agency. He said that you'd need to check with your local police department to find out infractions from how far back would show up on your record, at least for minor infractions that is. And whether minor infractions from 20 years ago would still appear on it or not.

He said that while a no criminal record is required for a China Work visa, that if it's something minor, it wouldn't affect your eligibility.

Hope this helps man! Don't let that get in your way of coming to China!

Regarding the no degree, I've met many people here who are and have been teaching without it and been able to get a valid work visa. Granted that is more likely to be possible in 2nd tier cities in the north than in the first tier cities or other desirable cities in the south of the country.

Post: #87

VP, I really appreciate you taking the time to look into my situation. Solid. Respect.

I've decided that I will look into getting whatever charges I currently have expunged from my record. I'm not going to let my past dictate my future. Maybe I won't be able to work at a first tier International School in a top-tier city but I believe I can MAKE a school hire me if I do everything possible to be the best candidate.

I haven't finished reading your first China thread yet but these are invaluable sources of information. I was thinking about the excitement and enthusiasm your displaying in these threads when I realized I haven't felt that way since I was in Brazil. I need to get out of the States and ensure staying out is a viable option if I choose so. So thank you for helping me to realize this!

Seems like things are going well for you in China, I think this is a good lesson for others that if you have a positive attitude and work hard you can create your own path. I hope you continue to post about it!

Also, regarding not being able to watch football. Are you willing to torrent games? Could be an option.

Post: #88

Johnny,
No worries my friend. I'm always happy to give a hand to a fellow brother wanting more out of life and out of that rut that NA is increasingly turning into for normal, ambitious and hard working men.

Yeah by all means, do what you have to do get here. Even in a 2nd tier like say Hangzhou, there are more than enough opportunities for an experienced guy like you. Get a part time teaching gig to cover your living expenses and giving you enough to live a decent lifestyle here and use the time to network and see how and where your real world experiences can become handy.

Where in Brazil were you? Brazil is my first love and where my heart really is. It's my favourite place on Earth and I can't wait to get back there!

Yeah watching games through torrent can be an option but the time difference along with the very flaky and crappy internet connection in here don't help at all. Last year while working in the oil sands in Western Canada, I had no TV but I had subscribed to the online monthly package at Beintv and was able to watch all my footie on demand. However, here in China, due to time difference and unreliable internet connection it is a lot more challenging. But I will resume my Beintv subscription once the spring starts and the later stages of the CL and various major leagues reach their most exciting part of the season.

Post: #89

China is not always rose and great. There are things that will make you go crazy. Here's one example that happened to me today. I'm sure others have been through something similar.

On Fridays, I have mornings off and only have 2 classes in the afternoon. I showed up this afternoon to work ready to start my first class at 1.30pm, got to the football field with all my equipment and once there, saw not one soul in sight. The entire football and tracking field as well as basketball courts completely empty.

Called one of the staff at my school who's been assisting me and he simply said "oh sorry, today students have exams, there's no class. I forgot to tell you, I'm sorry". Nothing else and he ended the call.

I was speechless.

I mean it's not like one glorious day, the school's admins or Principal wakes up and have an epiphany that today is the day where the students are all having exams. Exams and tests are planned weeks if not months in advance!

I am certain there must be a calendar with the dates of the exams, tests and other field trips and activities for students.

If there isn't, it wouldn't take more than 5 minutes to set one up. I even offered to help the school with creating one such document but they assured me there is such a document and they will give me a copy on Monday.

Needless to say, I wasn't pleased showing up to work for nothing. I wasted a whole day for nothing!

Other minor unpleasant things I've noticed so far in my first 2 months on the ground:

- People spitting and making a loud sound effect before the actual spitting. The sound is so loud you can hear it from a 100 metres.
- I even had the unfortunate luck of once at a restaurant witnessing the guy sitting at the table next to me, spit on the floor inside the restaurant while he was slurping his noodles!
- People farting freely in public as if it were nothing. The first few times I was stunned!

Other common complaints that I've read about Chinese that I have yet to personally experience here in HZ are:

- people taking a dump in the open outside. Is there anywhere in China where this is still done? I mean outside the boonies in any city of more than 1M people?
- people are not so pushy before getting into the metro/bus or inside buildings. Not sure if it's specific to HZ being a more worldly open city due to its long history of western influence from the times of Marco Polo and its proximity to Shanghai and the fact that it's a very wealthy city has anything to do with it.

So far, I've had mostly positive interactions with people. My only sources of frustrations have come from language barrier, both at work and outside of it. Especially with girls! But that's a different story for another post altogether!

Does anyone have any other positives or negatives to share about their experiences living and working in China?

I'll post more later.

Post: #90

(11-13-2015 11:43 AM)Vacancier Permanent Wrote:  China is not always rose and great. There are things that will make you go crazy. Here's one example that happened to me today. I'm sure others have been through something similar.

On Fridays, I have mornings off and only have 2 classes in the afternoon. I showed up this afternoon to work ready to start my first class at 1.30pm, got to the football field with all my equipment and once there, saw not one soul in sight. The entire football and tracking field as well as basketball courts completely empty.

Called one of the staff at my school who's been assisting me and he simply said "oh sorry, today students have exams, there's no class. I forgot to tell you, I'm sorry". Nothing else and he ended the call.

I was speechless.

I mean it's not like one glorious day, the school's admins or Principal wakes up and have an epiphany that today is the day where the students are all having exams. Exams and tests are planned weeks if not months in advance!

I am certain there must be a calendar with the dates of the exams, tests and other field trips and activities for students.

____________________________________



- People spitting and making a loud sound effect before the actual spitting. The sound is so loud you can hear it from a 100 metres.
- I even had the unfortunate luck of once at a restaurant witnessing the guy sitting at the table next to me, spit on the floor inside the restaurant while he was slurping his noodles!
- People farting freely in public as if it were nothing. The first few times I was stunned!

As far as the first problem with schedules. You have to get used to it. As a the foreigner you are at the very bottom of telling people whats going, so far down the list that things don't make it to you. Its going to happen all the time. The president of my university sometimes changes holiday schedules for the whole university a week before the holiday based on which schedule works best for him. Now people don't even consider the school schedule, plan how they want and cancel classes if things change.

Just as a general piece of advice after 10+ years in China: Get used to people doing really stupid shit that you can't wrap your head around. There are usually very convoluted and understandable reasons once you figure out all the social dynamics of Chinese culture and bureaucracy, but even then its still really stupid. So better than considering all that and still being upset, just get used to it or it can eat a person up. I've seen it happen a lot.

I'll give you an example: I was waiting at the post office in line for 20 minutes. Couldn't believe how busy it was. I just needed stamps. I got to the front of the line, had to beat off a bunch of people trying to cut in line, I'm yelling, they are yelling, finally get the clerks attention, tell him I want a bunch of stamps to send home Christmas cards. They don't have stamps. After berating the guy that stamps don't go bad, he should have a ton. He simply says, I don't have stamps. I ask when they will have stamps again as the next post office is not close. Maybe next week he says.

That shit happens all the time and when I was younger I had nuclear meltdowns on people. Now I download a ton of audiobooks from Pirates Bay and listen to them whenever Im doing errands or walking around, when stuff like this happens, I figure Im just listening to a book or a book in Chinese, who cares. I've also mellowed out as Ive gotten older.



As far part two --- China has changed so much in the last ten years, I can't even imagine what is what like in the 80s. All the nice buildings you see have been built in the last decade, before that it was all low, Communist style poorly built apartment blocks and office towers. Outside of the top 40 cities or so, it was a poor, shithole. All the older people you see, 50+ lived through some serious brainwash style Communist idiocy and were sent out to the countryside to be farmers instead of going to school. All these habits were common then, so they do what they learned.

I say, when it Rome. I piss wherever, smoke in hospitals, drink wherever. You need to fart, let one rip. I just stopped caring about stuff like that. None of these things will change for another 30-40 years until all those older people die.

Post: #91

Watch that movie "Blood Diamond".

Get used to just saying to other expats.... "T. I. C."

(This Is China)... when fucked up shit happens.

Post: #92

(10-08-2015 11:28 AM)RioNomad Wrote:  VP, consider paying a private teacher for 2 hours per day, five days a week, for a whole month.

I've done language classes in both Spain and Thailand, and I think they are a waste of time. Too many people in the classroom, and you don't really get much speaking time or time with the teacher.

If I ever decide to learn a new language I'll skip group classes all together and commit to one month of 2 hours per day with a private tutor. Chinese may take longer, but I think 40 hours of private 1 on 1 lessons in a month would be a a huge kick start with most languages.

I agree with this but I would say that the timing on WHEN you do this switch is key. Classes are great for ABC/Alphabet, tones, dates, numbers, etc. In other words the bare bones fundamental basics. Private lessons are great for polishing up stuff you kinda already learned before and you want to improve in regards to speed. I can speak some semi-hard sentences but the speed I do it in, sounds like a tiny child making an excuse for something they did wrong.

I strongly recommend classes for another reason as well. You get to talk to others that have all kinds of accents and localism flavors of Chinese. You cannot always expect to understand another persons Mandarin later on, if all you can understand is a private tutors local accents. Classes are good practice for anxiety and cold approaching too. Networking is good too.

In short, do both.

Post: #93

University classes also give you a visa, which is nice...

Post: #94

My company's VP just told me they need another football coach in Hangzhou asap (within 1-2 weeks). If anyone is interested and can make it to HZ in that time frame please PM me.

He said the coach doesn't have to be strictly from an English speaking country. Europeans and South Americans welcome. He said the person needs to have experience coaching or at least be a guy who has played the game and understands football to teach it to chinese kids.

While a degree is preferred it's not a deal breaker if the person doesn't have it.

So if you're looking to get a chill and fun gig in a cool city in China and are able to be here within 2 weeks, let me know.

Cheers!

Post: #95

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Post: #96

Love, absolutely love, this thread. Great work VP, your enthusiasm is absolutely infectious! Although I can see you are starting to catch some China blues with the poor mannerisms associated with the locals... like ball don't lie said, it's just one of those things that you just have to grow oblivious to over time, because it's not changing anytime soon... at least not for another generation.

PM'd you btw VP. I am planning to move there in a couple months and would love to chat and meet up.

Post: #97

(11-22-2015 06:41 PM)Dan Woolf Wrote:  How's the pollution in China? Some say it's downright unlivable.

1.4 billion people seem to tolerate it just fine...

Post: #98

(11-22-2015 06:41 PM)Dan Woolf Wrote:  How's the pollution in China? Some say it's downright unlivable.

I was also going to ask about this as well, if the air quality affects you during or after running or if you constantly feel like your inhaling automobile fumes.

I did a quick search and the air quality seems to be better than Mexico City.
http://aqicn.org/city/guangzhou/
http://aqicn.org/city/mexico/mexico/uam-iztapalapa/

Post: #99

Pollution has been a non issue so far in Hangzhou for me. While not mountain clean and pure air, it's relatively decent. One thing that contributes to it is in HZ at least, bikes running on gas is forbidden, within the city.

So all in all, no worries on that end. At least as far as running in a park or football field/basketball court. Now if you were to be jogging on the streets that might be different. But that's the same in every industrialized city around the world nowadays.

Post: #100

The only pollution in worried about so far is the smoking one. Chinese smoke every freaking where! Inside elevators, bathrooms, buses, restaurants, stores, even in school inside classrooms!

For a non smoker like me, it's a pain being always subjected to that horrible smell all the time and everywhere!

That has been a more worrying firm of pollution that proper pollution at least for me so far. But that's in Hangzhou.

Might be different in a bigger city like Shanghai or Beijing or even Guangzhou.