PattayaIELTSTeacher

Really dont know why half of the people in these forums bother to travel at all or what they expect to find in foreign lands miles from their own environments. Looks like they want a little England or America in Thailand.

I have taught in both China and Thailand and loved both experiences for different reasons.

In regard to teaching my experience in China was far more positive than it has been in Thailand from the students, to the teachers to the way I was looked after to the respect I was shown.

My basic salary was 9000 RMB, a fully furnished apartment, free internet, electricity, water, internet, laptop, free food if I chose to eat the school, a monthly travel allowance and mobile phone allowance (cant remember how much).

The school drove me everywhere I needed to go, paid for my visa, health check, residents permit.

The students were polite and keen to learn as were the Chinese English teachers and the school was keen to move away from the learning by rote system.

Teachers would regularly call at my apartment to take me shopping or to visit interesting spots or invite me to their homes for dinner.

However, I lived in a city where there was only eight foreigners so some things that you would take for granted like cheese or butter were hard to come by, McDonalds etc. forget it. But this is why I travel and work to experience other cultures.

I never found the people rude, only charming and helpful.

The police tried to get me to move from my apartment into the school compound as they said it was unsafe. It was not, the neighbors were great, I think the police just worried that they coudnt keep tabs on me.

You need a degree to teach in China but if you are good they will find a way around this.

I love living in Thailand but teaching is both disheartening and a waste of time for a committed teacher. The students, if you work at it will come around and try at least but you are battleing the schools and Thai teachers lack of interest and support all the time. The saving grace for me is the students who have turned around a lot since my arrival.

As another having spent time teaching in both China (Xian, think Terra Cotta Warriors), and Thailand, I echo most everything Mike has said. Chinese students are much more polite and respectful toward their teachers. For the most part, Chinese people are awesome, and Thai food can't hold a candle to a good Mandarin meal. As with any Asian country, it pays to learn the language.

In all honesty, I never felt more free then I did while living in China. I chose to live off campus, so, in addition to the other perks Mike mentions, was provided a stipend to cover a portion of my living expenses. I worked on year to year work visas, and beyond having to go in and register my address with the "local" police, I NEVER had to check-in with Immigration, and not 1 time in 6 years did anyone ever show up on my doorstep to check up on me. So long as I behaved, I was left to my own devices. I had both electric and gas powered motorbikes, and when pulled over at a check-point, after simply presenting a copy of my work visa, and foreign expert cert, was allowed to be on my way, no fuss, no muss.

I do admit to having been robbed at knife point once by an unlicensed motorbike taxi driver I got a ride with. He took my money, and my mobile. I'll try and make the long story short providing details. I reported it, and the authorities in the small city, (small by Chinese standards, maybe 100,000 peeps) I was visiting were extremely embarrassed by the whole affair, as I was there lecturing free of charge. Anyway, I returned home after a few days, and after returning, went and got a printout of the activity that had taken place on my mobile. Lo and behold, the fool who'd stolen it decided to make a few calls before discarding my sim (yep, that stupid!), so I faxed a copy of the printout back up to the powers that be, and a few days later my phone was returned to me (albeit with a cracked screen), along with an envelope containing the Rmb the thief had taken. I don't know what exactly happened to him, but I'd assume with the loss of face that accompanied having a foreign "guest" treated in such a manner, it wasn't pleasant for the robber, certainly not something he bought his way out of.

Beyond that incident, I never felt unsafe in China.

I'll close by saying, IMO, unless you're also being provided the perks Mike and I mention, it'll be rough to get by on 12,000 in Shenzhen.

Regarding the ladies? A story for another day! But I will say, if you meet a "nice" girl, and she eventually sleeps with you, she does so because she's serious about the relationship, and she's expecting you to stick around. If not, could amount to a huge loss of face for her, with much pain on her part, and anger from her family.

Any other questions regarding China, feel free to ask, and I'm sure either Mike, or myself can answer them for you.

Regards!