Post: #76

(02-19-2013 10:32 PM)FretDancer Wrote:  

(02-19-2013 10:17 PM)Osiris Wrote:  It's pretty easy to get a job here teaching English. Basic qualifications typically include being foreign and breathing. Food might be a little more expensive in Beijing but you can still find meals for US$2 or so. If you're really on a budget you can get packs of instant noodles for 2rmb.

Leisure can get pricey, it depends on what you want to do. Most things are cheaper than the US but still expensive by Chinese standards.

The subway is 2rmb, buses are 1rmb. You can buy a scooter for 1600rmb. A pedal bike will run up from 500rmb.

What about jobs teaching English without contract involved? Let's say I plan on staying 1 or 2 months, obviously no hiring with contract involved would take place. Would it be possible to still get the gig for the time being ?

Quote:discalimer again:not in beijing
buuuut 20$ per night sounds super fucking expensive.

Wow... what would you say is a reasonable price then? Would you say Airbnb is a good idea to find places in Beijing to stay for 1 or 2 months ?

yes, you can find off the books places everywhere. i've only found these places through word of mouth, so i don't know how you'd locate them without a social circle, but im sure asking local expats could help you out. the second option would be to free lance, tell chinese girls you meet that you're a private teacher and sometimes they have a friend that wants to learn.

i don't really know what airbnb is because i've never used it. i don't know what rent goes for in beijing or what kind of place you want. To get a sense of what rent should be, you can do one of the following:
1) go to couchsurfing beijing and search for roommate ads. this is just to get a sense of what other people are paying.
2) if your chinese is good enough you can poke around on haozu.com
this will just give you a general sense of what other people are paying so you can make your own decision

Post: #77

Osiris,
Damn, 1600 RMB for a scooter? In Guangzhou, I paid 1700 for a decent local phone. Think I got ripped off? lol
20 bucks a night for hotel is fucking expensive? Where in China are you talking about? In Guangzhou, that would get you a studio probably in a chinese hood. Where in China are you talking about for that price to be damn cheap? not doubting you man, just trying to better understand.

Smashing post as usual Badwolf! I can totally understand your frustration with some of the scums you have the misfortune of dealing with in China. While I was at your school for the interview that day, I believe I met 2 such foreigner men who were teaching. Since I was waiting in the waiting room, I heard the 2 guys talk in English proudly boasting about their exploits, I felt ashamed.

Here's a tip my friend and I told you that in person when I was in GZ: try to frequent and make friends with the business crowd, the foreigners in China for business. These are a totally different calibre of guys than some of the scums teaching English there.

Fret Dancer,
I don't believe there is anything like what you are looking for (1-2 month gigs with no contracts) but this being China, you might find some. My understanding is that schools are looking for commitment of at least 6-12 months. If you want only short term gigs, try placing ads on school campuses for private lessons. Good luck amigo!

Post: #78

yes, but im suggesting he avoid hotels all together and rent is he's planning on being there for more than a few weeks. it would be far more economic to move in with some expats who are in between roommates. it'd probably be cheaper and would give you an automatic social circle. this is still just an assumption because, again, im not in beijing

where i live, second tier city near shanghai, i pay about 6 dollars a day.

Post: #79

(02-19-2013 10:09 PM)BadWolf Wrote:  Only 20% of China lives in the city.

That's an entire fifth of the population...not to mention most of what the average foreigner is exposed to.

While I'm not disputing your experiences, this black and white polarization of Chinese women and foreigners in China is a bit inaccurate. I think anyone who's been there can tell you suicidal pricks and social parasites with multiple baby-mamas only make up a fraction of guys living in China.

I also can't agree with this simplistic division of China women into either pristine virgins or gold-digging whores (though I will admit the majority seem to lean closer to the former).

Post: #80

(02-20-2013 06:27 AM)Sargon of Akkad Wrote:  

(02-19-2013 10:09 PM)BadWolf Wrote:  Only 20% of China lives in the city.

While I'm not disputing your experiences, this black and white polarization of Chinese women and foreigners in China is a bit inaccurate. I think anyone who's been there can tell you suicidal pricks and social parasites with multiple baby-mamas only make up a fraction of guys living in China.

There are also students and guys who just graduated.

Phone prices vary. A decent smart phone can cost anywhere between 500-4000rmb. The phone I bought here cost 200rmb and has been obsolete since 1999.

Most schools will need you for an entire semester. If you check on Daves ESL Cafe you might be able to find an immediate posting job. The problem schools have is that if you leave half way through the semester, they don't have anyone to take over your class, resulting in some pissed off parents, some deprived students, and a bad rep for foreigners.

Post: #81

Guys, is there a demand for spanish teachers? I see your talking about english teachers, but with the recent influx of chinese investment in South and Central America, i would think the country will have a certain demand for spanish teachers.

Post: #82

i worked for 2 months in a "tutoring center" that didn't care about my visa. the only downsides to these places are that the pay is generally much lower (i only made 100 kuai an hour) and there's no guarantee of work, you can work for a week then have nothing for two.

As for the black and white polarization, of course it's not exactly like described, but generally that is what you have. I would describe it as long term china dwellers and short term tourists. it annoys me when people come here for the rockstar treatment and just make asses of themselves at clubs.

Post: #83

(02-20-2013 03:46 AM)clever alias Wrote:  yes, but im suggesting he avoid hotels all together and rent is he's planning on being there for more than a few weeks. it would be far more economic to move in with some expats who are in between roommates. it'd probably be cheaper and would give you an automatic social circle. this is still just an assumption because, again, im not in beijing

where i live, second tier city near shanghai, i pay about 6 dollars a day.

Any idea on how to find and contact these expats before arriving? My first guess would be Couchsurfing, I suppose I could give CS a try.

@VP: Thanks man. Going there with not much to be able to spend is scary as hell, but I still want to go. Watched a great video by the guys at elevator life regarding being broke there, really inspired me to go against all odds. Still I have to admit, its scary as hell.

Post: #84

(02-20-2013 12:51 PM)clever alias Wrote:  As for the black and white polarization, of course it's not exactly like described, but generally that is what you have.

I was referring mainly to the women. I'll admit a lot of Chinese women will fall into either of the two camps described above, but it should still be stressed that even in my relatively short time there I encountered more than enough women to fill the WIDE gap between husband-seeking virgins and gold diggers. My point is, if you're in an at least moderately large Chinese city looking for casual dating/sex from fly Chinese girls who aren't gold diggers, you won't have to look terribly hard to find them.

Quote: I would describe it as long term china dwellers and short term tourists. it annoys me when people come here for the rockstar treatment and just make asses of themselves at clubs.

I see your point in the guys (usually Americans and Brits) who act like clowns when they're in China, taking advantage of the hospitality. They annoyed the hell out of me, too. Even given that, people still come to China for all sorts of reasons, not just to teach English. I, for one, never went there as a teacher, and, if possible, could invision returning there as an intern for a German company someday.

Post: #85

okay, after asking a few northerners, 20 a nigjt is reasonable for a short stay in beijing

Post: #86

There might be an interest in Spanish at the universities, but you'd need to be a native speaker from a Spanish speaking country. English is big here because it's the international trade language.

Post: #87

(02-20-2013 08:54 PM)Osiris Wrote:  There might be an interest in Spanish at the universities, but you'd need to be a native speaker from a Spanish speaking country. English is big here because it's the international trade language.

I am from Argentina. What kind of chinese lenguege do you recomend to be able to function on your everyday life there (mandarin, etc)?

Post: #88

(02-21-2013 11:10 AM)Mekorig Wrote:  [...] What kind of chinese lenguege do you recomend to be able to function on your everyday life there (mandarin, etc)?

Mandarin is the official standard variant of Chinese in the PRC and Taiwan. Pretty much every Han Chinese speaks it (though how well is another matter). Any other languages and dialects will only be spoken at a local level. Pretty much every Chinese language course you encounter will also be Mandarin, unless specified otherwise i.e if its Cantonese it will be offered as a Cantonese course, etc.

Post: #89

(02-19-2013 10:42 PM)BadWolf Wrote:  Yep she speaks a bit of English... enough to get by. I don't speak any Chinese so....

Post: #90

(02-21-2013 12:33 PM)WestIndianArchie Wrote:  

(02-19-2013 10:42 PM)BadWolf Wrote:  Yep she speaks a bit of English... enough to get by. I don't speak any Chinese so....

Not being able to communicate with your wife may be the best marriage ever.

Post: #91

LOL, funny.

7 Days Inn is the best, low cost, hotel around. If you get the VIP card then they knock off about 30 rmb. Its around 150 to 180 to stay per night and its clean w/air con, internet and cable. Queen size bed and western toliet with seperate shower. The only place I stay in China if I can help it.

Post: #92

(02-21-2013 05:35 PM)BadWolf Wrote:  LOL, funny.

7 Days Inn is the best, low cost, hotel around. If you get the VIP card then they knock off about 30 rmb...

BadWolf,
Can you get the VIP card online?

Post: #93

elong has good deals, I used them to stay in sweet places for not much money.

Post: #94

I'd just like to throw out that I got hired to do voice recordings for US$50/hour. I sit and read things like, "Is this John's bike?" "No, this is Susan's bike."

I'm not saying this the type of work is for everyone. Others would prefer to freeze/burn/work their asses off in North Dakota.

Post: #95

(03-05-2013 08:33 AM)Osiris Wrote:  I'd just like to throw out that I got hired to do voice recordings for US$50/hour. I sit and read things like, "Is this John's bike?" "No, this is Susan's bike."

I'm not saying this the type of work is for everyone. Others would prefer to freeze/burn/work their asses off in North Dakota.

i have been trying so hard to get one of those jobs

Post: #96

Sounds my kind of job. Can you tell us how you got that kind of sweet job? How long have you been in China?

Thanks!

(03-05-2013 08:33 AM)Osiris Wrote:  I'd just like to throw out that I got hired to do voice recordings for US$50/hour. I sit and read things like, "Is this John's bike?" "No, this is Susan's bike."

I'm not saying this the type of work is for everyone. Others would prefer to freeze/burn/work their asses off in North Dakota.

Post: #97

I made a friend who did radio broadcasting in Canada before coming here. She got hired to do this, but they needed a man too, so she suggested me. When I'm on my laptop I can find a bookmark I have of weird job listings in china, things like gogo dancing (both men and women), modeling, etc... I'll be sure to post it.

Post: #98

(03-05-2013 07:01 PM)Osiris Wrote:  I made a friend who did radio broadcasting in Canada before coming here. She got hired to do this, but they needed a man too, so she suggested me. When I'm on my laptop I can find a bookmark I have of weird job listings in china, things like gogo dancing (both men and women), modeling, etc... I'll be sure to post it.

Please do, would appreciate alot!

Post: #99

http://www.chinajob.com/individual/my_jo...p?offset=1 This isn't what I have on my laptop, but I can give you this in the meantime.

Post: #100

Looking forward to your weird-china-job list Osiris!