rexall

Mon 2 Aug 04

Thanks kenkannif!

You bring up another question : Why is it so difficult to get a multiple entry? Seems like everyone says that they are really stingy in handing them out. What conditions do you need to meet to get one?

I have had lots of B's in the past, but normally my lawyer just too care of it and I didn't pay much attention. You mentioned the "right paperwork". My last "B", I used an agent in Pattaya who sent my passport and application to the UK. The the only paperwork was a letter on my U.S. company letterhead explaining that I required the visa to buy art in LOS for resale in the U.S. and Europe. Would i need to be concerned about that strategy in PP or in China today?

Thanks v. much. I am grateful for the advice.

Aloha,

Rex

Mon 2 Aug 04

Hi all,

Can you still get a non-immigrant "B" in Phenom Phen, Cambodia ???

Are they pretty relaxed about it?

Thanks for any info.

Aloha,

Rex

!!! CHINA JOB !!! CHINA JOB !!! CHINA JOB !!! CHINA JOB !!! CHINA !!!

I am returning to LOS and helping my employer replace me. This is information not "official" yet, it is from me (Rex) pending official publication by my employer in the next week or so. Please pass the info along to anyone you think might be interested. E-mail Rex ==> [email protected] for more info.

POSITION : English Language Consultant (English Teacher, et al)

PLACE : Guangdong Province, China ( 2 hr. from Guangzhou & Hong Kong)

START : 8 September 04

SALARY : 7,000 RMB (US$850 ), plus many, many benefits. See below

DURATION : 1 year minimum

THE JOB :

Teach general ESL, Business English and ESP to company employees 15-20 classroom hours per week M-F between 12:00 noon and 9:00 p.m., including office hours performing needs analysis, placement and diagnostic testing, reporting, admin, curriculum development, materials creation, and class prep?plus occasional editing, proof reading, one-to-one coaching and other language support as necessary. Reporting to HR, however, you will essentially function as the one-person English Department and have plenty of leeway to design programs and projects to address the language needs of groups and individuals: Your mandate is to encourage the use of English and generally to improve the level of English competency throughout the company. This sounds like a tall order, but most of it is ?potential?, as the workload has in fact been very undemanding during the past year. However, this is definitely a situation for someone who is professional, knows how to be self-directed and enjoys taking initiative. You report directly to the HR Director and will follow her guidelines in a general way--however, HR and the other departments will look to you as the TEFL expert, which means that you have to know your subject and your craft and be able to justify your approach pedagogically.

The company is experiencing rapid growth and so the opportunity exists for an ambitious and talented person seeking a long-term situation to expand the scope of this position or to grow into other positions and/or move to other locations with the firm in China or elsewhere. A previous expat English teacher has been with the firm for four years, no longer involved with TEFL, she enjoys an increasingly responsible management role with the company. The position and environment is particularly well-suited to someone who is gregarious and who would enjoy socializing with the students/staff outside of working hours; playing sports, having meals, shopping, watching videos, going on weekend outings, etc. No shortage of nice people eager to be your friend, spend time with you and help become comfortable in new surroundings.

THE COMPANY :

The local branch of a European, ?Fortune 500?, multi-national electrical engineering firm operating in 120 countries with many joint venture factories throughout China and Hong Kong. Actively expanding staff, the local branch presently has more than 300 employees consisting of factory line workers, admin and accounting staff, engineers and other technical professionals, and management. Staff is very young, mostly in their early to mid 20?s. Management is from Northern China and Hong Kong. One of the three largest employers in this town, very well-know and well-respected locally.

THE LOCATION :

The town is a "hamlet" by Chinese standards, population 800,000, fairly new and growing quickly. Clean, safe, quiet and uncrowned compared to other cities in China. Convenient to Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Hong Kong, and Macau. Inter-city buses are cheap and frequent. Two hours by bus to Guangzhou, Shenzhen and Macau. 2.5 hours by ferry to Hong Kong. There is a pleasant little downtown area with a McDonalds, KFC, and two or three upscale (but reasonably priced) Western style restaurants, and, needless to say, plenty of great Chinese restaurants. Four supermarkets and many local streetside markets. Plenty of video shops with cheap American videos. Dozens of cell phone shops to recharge your prepaid card. Cell phones are cheap and easy to obtain. Use your Thai or Khmer handset and buy SIM card here. Modern, comfortable taxis are cheap and plentiful; you can hail on the street or telephone for pick up. Incredibly cheap and scary ?mototaxis? & tuk-tuks as well.

However, there are still few foreigners here, not much English is spoken, and few services are geared toward foreigners. Not much night life in the way of bars and clubs. This is definitely the place see how ?real? Chinese people live and how real Chinese culture is expressed in a modern environment. Lots of opportunity to meet people, make friends and study language and culture. Comfortable, but a rather ?plain vanilla? sort of place, and is definitely NOT some picture-post card, fantasy of traditional Chinese fishing village nor is it a flashy place like Shanghai nor a place of historical interest such as Beijing. You will have to allocate weekends and holidays to some of the ?traditional? China.

COMPENSATION PACKAGE:

7,000 RMB per month (aprox. US$850 : $1=8.27 RMB ) depending upon qualifications.,

PLUS:

Round trip airfare

Fully furnished, one-bedroom apartment (not shared)

(Apt. in company dormitory includes 2 air cons, TV, microwave, etc. telephone (you buy prepaid phone card), free ADSL, gas, electric, water paid)

Contract completion bonus (1 month?s salary)

Generous annual profit sharing bonus

Annual salary review (increase)

All Chinese income tax paid

Visa feels paid

Gas, electric, water paid.

Unlimited bottled water

ADSL internet connection

Laptop computer (for business and personal use)

Three meals per day in the company canteen

Free company minibus to Guangzhou on the weekends.

All Chinese national holidays (clumped together to give 3 long vacations per year)

Plus 18 days of annual leave (vacation) per year

Plus, sick leave

Local health insurance

The salary is modest, but higher than the average China TEFL salary of 4,000 RMB . . . However, when you add up the value of the benefits, the compensation is EXCEPTIONAL. If you are thrifty, you can comfortably bank most of your salary.

QUALIFICATIONS :

Native English Speaker from UK, North American, Australia, New Zealand

Bachelors Degree from an accredited 4 year college or university.

CELTA or equivalent

Two years full time teaching experience, ideally in a business or corporate setting

Computer literate (the more, the better) .

"Self starter" who enjoys working independently.

References (will be checked)

NEXT STEP :

PM me or e-mail direct at ==> [email protected] with any questions

Next, if interested in applying, send a professional resume as an MS Word attachment.

PLEASE:

Do not apply unless you are truly interested.

Do not accept any offers unless you intend to arrive on time, as agreed.

Do not arrive unless you intend to complete your contract and stay the full year or longer.

Fri 25 June 04

Thanks for all the replies, guys. I appreciate it.

Has anyone had any personal experience getting a Non-immigrant "B" in Guangzhou? Any difficulties? Can they do it the same day or do you have to come back?

Thanks!

Aloha,

Rex

Wed 23 June 04

Hi,

I am a new guy.

Anyone have experience obtaining a Thai visa in China?

I am an American working in Guangdong, China. I will be returning to LOS in a couple of months and had planned to apply for a Non-immigrant "B" in Hong Kong. However, I just read the warning on ThaiVisa.com advising to avoid the consulate in Hong Kong as it is a real bummer and often refuses visas. Is that true?

Hong Kong and Guangzhou are equally convenient (or inconvenient) to where I am. Anyone have experience with the Thai consulate in Guangzhou?

Please, I hope you don't tell me that I am better off doing something like applying in Penang on my way to Bangkok ??

And one more question. If I apply for a visa, say, one month before I depart for LOS, is it possible to delay the activation date until I leave so I don't lose a month?

Thanks for any info. Much appreciated.

Aloha,

Rex