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[Riz]

you're right. And I guzzled a bottle of Tsingtao( beer) for medicinal purposes, to rid of this bloody pain in the ass! It WORKED!

100% pain in the ass removal formula!

[Spaghetti]

Riz. OUCH! That's a medical condition I'd only wish on the worst of enemies. Welcome back.

I take it that you won't be signing on with the university once the contract expires.

[Riz]

I think I will sign up with the same college again next year. It's true that they pay me a little late, it's true that my students' favorite hobby is to sleep in the class , no matter it's 8 in the morning, no matter my liaison and management are minimally exceptional or mentally impaired, yet I teach only 10 hours a week. They could not arrange 16 hours which I am contracted for. AND I am paid my full salary.

[Spaghetti]

That's cool. I don't mean to sound pushy, but if I as in that position I'd still watch my back*. Those 16 hours could crop up next semester or later on. Still, they do pay you. I've been in the position of having to wait for some money owed, but neither for a considerable amount of time nor a large amount. My previous employer gave me the maximum hours while giving some ass kissing, proselytizing co workers the minimum. No problems with pay, but there were other issues. Anyway, if the kids give you a good evaluation and the school hasn't had any arguments with you I think you should be in like Flynn. Just remember that if you let them walk all over you once they will keep trying to do it again. There is a sense of comfort working for the beast you know over rolling the dice again and trying a new school. Shit can go haywire here so easily and jumping form one frying pan can lead to the fire as much as it can to a cooler place. I am of the belief that every teaching job in China has its messed up side. Some are simply worse than others.

I hope you never have to contend with a similar ailment under their watch ever again. That would have driven me out. You are a stronger soul than I.




*The pun was not intended

[Dex]

Hi folks

I now work at this College (not Uni... anymore?) which I'm sure was the same as Riz's. He no longer works here, pretty sure of it... there are just three foreign teachers. The latest name they've slapped on every red and shiny background is:

Hunan College of International Business and Economics. Sometimes they throw in "Trade" to spice things up a tad.

Anyway, reason for the post is to let anyone know about this place, and changes, if they end up here, considering what has been written before.

Despite arriving to a scumbag of an apartment (dirt everywhere, broken doors, squat toilet which was against the contract, no cooking utensils whatsoever... not even a cooker!) we fixed things up a bit and it looks OK now. Took some work though. I did however, have to email my direct employer in Beijing (a firm called IAEG who find and parachute in foreign teachers) to get things moving.

But generally, if you end up here, despite some usual misgivings about working in China, things seem better than before - new boss who is proactive and an improving College organisation. The campus, on the fringe of the South of Changsha city, is shabby but they've assured us that a new campus, miles and miles away, is being built. We are very far from the centre of Changsha, takes about an hour by bus, but the local restaurants are nice and cheap.

So if you end up coming to this College (they employ via IAEG and independently) it is OK, pay is good compared to most 'Colleges' and the work environment is not too bad now.

Cheers

Dex