CZMEC is a small college located in Changzhou, Jiangsu province. The FAO, Pingping, hires 2 ESL teachers a semester to teach Oral English and Survey of US/UK or Western Literature to English majors.
Accomodation: I would rate my apartment as a 7. I was never misled about the size or quality, both of which were not quite "luxurious" but still comfortable. Excellent hot water heater, AC unit in the bedroom, kitchen appliances, washer, bed, TV, desk, table, etc. The one important thing to mention is that on the old campus (where English majors are to be taught indefinitely, at this point) there is no internet connection in the apartments. I was told this beforehand, and didn't find it a problem as I had no computer. FTs are given a computer with free internet in their office (next door to the apartment building) that is open from 7AM-10:30PM.
Any repairs or assistance needed are taken care of quickly - the caretaker lives a few minutes from the school and is lightning fast.
Administration: An 8. The FAO is incredible, an absolutely lovely person, but absent. She is stationed at the new campus, which is an hour away. However, she was always quick to respond to any calls or texts. The Chinese English teaching staff - whom I had to interact with on a daily basis - were quite cold and unhelpful. They would lie in order to get out of helping me with a simple problem (i.e. "you need to print something? Ummm, the printing room is closed today" "No it isn't, I was just there, I just need you to answer a question for me") But, the upside is that they basically leave you alone to do what you think is best. So, even though it can be a bit unpleasant, the unpleasantness has no real bearing on the job or how one is able to perform it, so I stand by my 8.
General Area Info: A 3, at best. Ugh. Polluted, polluted, polluted. There is a large chemical factory about five minutes away. It was hard to sit inside on a gorgeous, cool day simply because the air was not fit to breathe. Th neighborhood itself was small, poor, and isolated. I actually quite enjoyed that part, it was a very unique and friendly community. But, I know that sort of living environment is not acceptable for some FTs. Getting into the downtown area takes 2 ancient, overcrowded buses that stop running at 7:30PM. Yeah, 7:30. So, if you want to go out for the night, you have to plan early and take enough money to cab it home.
But... I rated it a 3 based only on the kinds of expectations many FTs have. It certainly isn't a desolate area, and there are lots of yummy little restaurants and shops to buy basic items. Like I said, I enjoyed it, but I think I was kind of alone in that, lol.
School Info: A 5, very standard. Classrooms have standard blackboards, no temperature control (it gets freaking cold in the winter), and immoveable desks. Absolutely no media equipment besides the stupid tape players. I was given a syllabus to teach that included a "viewing" day every third class. To do so, I had to reserve one of two media rooms - rooms that are being reserved by every other teacher on campus. It was eternally frustrating. The school couldn't seem to realize why it needed more than one key for each room, so if you couldn't find the previous teacher to retrieve the key... well, back-up lesson plans were very important.
Still, there were no major issues with faulty equipment, dirty classrooms, or inadequate seating.
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Overall:I would give the school an 8 overall. There were some issues, but it was such a positive and rewarding experience. i waited until after my contract was finished and I had some distance from the position, but my feelings haven't changed. I was never taken advantage of, my contract was never compromised, the medical exam, FEC, and RP were obtained quickly (and at no personal cost) and the school never made itself out to be anything more than it is. The pay is low, but the bonuses are very high. The apartment is small and older, but nicely maintained. The location was pretty terrible, but not the worst I've seen.
Soooo, why did I leave? I'm only going to spend 2-3 years in China and Changzhou is a very boring city. I wanted to experience different areas.
I'm not sure how much a seasoned ESL teacher would enjoy the school, simply because I'm not one! I do know that it is a fantastic first job. Even though I chose not to stay, they helped me move my stuff to another city and took care of all my needs even after my contract ended, and sent a glowing review to my new employer. Just a good school, plain and simple.