Sichuan University

Hi all, does anybody have any experience of working for this institution? If you do, or know of anything related I'd be grateful to hear it.

Thanks.

I have it on good authority from a fellow CELTA graduate who has worked at Sichuan University for the past year that it is a good place to be. I quote him directly from email: "I think Sichuan University has a great ;program.  They pay on time, do not hassle you that much and the students are of a high quality."

Was your contact a woman named Qi Lu?

ditto, best part of the city to live in, just across the road from the infamous Cafe En Seine 

Yeah I have been speaking to Qi Lu, it is good to hear something positive. I still have reservations about travel and pay but hearing good about the general situation may have tipped the balance.

Fozz although they don't give me campus accommodation I certainly will be aiming to live around there. What's so infamous about Cafe En Seine (dare I ask!)?

Hey Nato,

Chengdu has (in my opinion, and limited ecperience) the best expat culture scene outside of BJ and SH, and it all centers around Cafe en Seine. It's a hipstery/trendy/artistic/funky and certainly decadent scene, whether or not that appeals to you.

Otherwise, there's the English pub (The Leg and Whistle) just down the road which is well-stocked, friendly and a lot less pretentious, though as you can imagine, the two circles overlap a lot.

I had a BALL in Chengdu, you are making a great choice teaching for Chuan Da. And trust me, 4000 is a comfortable living wage in Chengdu, I never spent it all, and you'll have plenty of time for moonlighting.

Best of luck!

http://www.gochengdoo.com/en/

the people behind this mag are at the center of the expat scene

Hey Nato,

Chengdu has (in my opinion, and limited ecperience) the best expat culture scene outside of BJ and SH, and it all centers around Cafe en Seine. It's a hipstery/trendy/artistic/funky and certainly decadent scene, whether or not that appeals to you.

I always said the same thing about Kunming！The two cities are somewhat similar though. Average salaries in Kunming are a bit less I think, and it is a bit smaller than Chengdu, but has the same sort of hipster/arty vibe. Kunming is my favorite city in China, but it is my second home, I spent the bulk of my 20s there, so I'm not exactly impartial.

Anyhow, Chengdu is a cool place NATO. I can't say anything about the school in particular but I'll second Fozz, 4000RMB will be enough to live on there. Sichuan University is also a big school, the main school of the province. These schools tend to be a bit more prestegious than your Normal Universities or your Agricultural Universities, etc. and require higher scores on the college entrance exam to attend. Doesn't mean they'll necessarily be better places to work, but in my experience their standards are a bit higher.

Cheers guys, some great input from you and it's the sort of thing that makes my decision a bit easier, offer deadline is today so I think I'll accept.


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Glad to hear it NATO, I'm not sure on your history exactly, but if this is your first time in China (apologies if it isn't), then Chengdu is a great first stop.

It's a soft landing of sorts, with tons of culture to keep you occupied. Also there's some of the best countryside China has to offer within day-tripping distance, plus the train to Teebert, if you feel that way inclined.

I'm actually kinda envious, wish I could head back there for a bit! 

http://www.chengduliving.com/

here's a new kid on the block... no idea what they're like, but they've got a podcast! 

NATO,

Did Qi Lu tell you that you needed two years experience for this position?

Do you happen to know if they still have vacancies left?

Also, do you have any idea approximately how long your paper will take and when you should be there?

I spoke with her a month ago but I am still waiting for my degree, so unfortunately I can't get anywhere with this school until I have a nice, shiny scan to show them.

Congrats on the job!  Sounds like a good gig.  If you're planning on staying in China, your pay should go up next year.  If you're not planning on staying... well, you could do a lot worse than 4000/month at a good uni for your year abroad.

Thanks Mimi, I intend to stay for a while, definitely longer than a year.

Fozz you're right about it being my first time in China, from what you have said it sounds like I will enjoy Chengdu.

Invictus, there was no mention of 2-years experience from any of the places I have contacted, even though some of them may have advertised as such. I'm 26 and graduated 5 years ago and have accrued a fair amount of experience in a variety of workplaces and professional environments, I think this goes some way to assuaging some concerns a Uni may have. I don't know if they are still hiring because it hasn't cropped up in conversation and I am waiting to hear from the International Office about paperwork issues - when I get an idea of time frame I will let you know.

Reply is delayed because I was away for a few days.

Thanks, NATO. I was just curious. The same woman had told me some conflicting information but I suppose it was just her way of being polite with me.

Best of luck and keep us updated!