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[Playdough]

I scheduled my flight to China for tomorrow because the school I'm going to requested that I get there by the 20th.  About a week ago they told me that my visa might be arriving late, meaning I would probably have to cancel my flight for tomorrow.  I was waiting until today just to see if it might come in time, but it hasn't.  The reason I wanted to wait is because there's something like a $200 fee for rescheduling.  

The new semester starts on the 26th, but all the flights I would have to take to make it there by that time are nearly double the price of the one I had booked for tomorrow, and far more than the flight allowance offered by the school.  March 1st is the soonest I can get a reasonable fare on a flight.  

Would you just show up a little late to save a lot on airfare, or would you bite the financial bullet to get there on time? The way I look at it, its really not my fault that the visa didn't get here on time, and its already causing me a lot of headache with having to reschedule my flight now.  But I don't want to walk in there with the FAO already annoyed with me for not being there sooner.  I want to maintain a good relationship with her throughout the yr.    

Advice?  

[teacheraus]

Given that it is from what you have said not your fault that you are now in this position. I would personally give the school the choice between agreeing to pay for the difference to get you there "early" or accepting that you are going to be there a few days after originally planned because you "simply don't have enough money to pay for the expensive new airfare". It is actually quite possible that you would not be teaching as soon as you get there, or they can easily adjust the starting date for your classes to fit when you will arrive... people are delayed for all sorts of reasons all the time. I would simply set out the facts for the FAO of the difference in the cost of getting you there by the original date and give them the choice.

[xwarrior]

I agree with teacheraus. Give them the choices and let them make the decision.

Bottom line is that they pay for any of the extras incurred.

I would not sweat starting late if the delay has been caused by the employer. I have known foreign teachers who started up to a month late because of personal circumstances.
 

[cruisemonkey]

You have some good advice above.

In my situation, my contract started February 1. I received my visa on January 31. When the time difference between my time zone in Canada and the time/date in China is considered, I got the visa two hours before my contract started. 

I didn't book flights until I had the visa, and was able to get seats on reasonably priced tickets with EVA from YVR in Canada on Wednesday, February 1 at 21:00, arriving at CGO in China on Friday, February 3 at 11:20. I thought I was 'late'... but I wasn't - the second semester didn't start until Monday, February 6. Another 'newbie' foreign teacher didn't arrive until the following Wednesday and they just didn't give him any classes that first week (what with all the adminstrative crap to do, he started teaching the following Monday).

Dump the choice on your employer... and in future don't buy a ticket until you have the visa.

[Con ate dog]

What Teacheraus said.