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Posts: 2531

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Q: What was your situation when you landed in China?

Many people ask "Why did you came to China?" and you probably give them some dummy downed answer. But what I want to know is what was your situation when you landed in China...

 

Did you have a plan? Were you totally lost and got on the wrong plane?

 

China is great in the sense if gives many people the time to find out what it is they want to do with their lives (even if it means having nothing to do with China).

 

When I first came to China, I got out of an ugly break-up with an ex and just decided, screw this... I did my best to make some friends in China and landed with about $200.00 CAN and only knew that I was going to teach English (although I didn't really have a clue how...). It was a huge risk... and kind of stupid now that I think about it.

 

I was shipped off to Hong Kong (to grab a proper visa) with under 24 hours notice, and  I was told everyone speaks English in Shenzhen and Hong Kong (obviously a huge god damn lie) AND with the wrong visa documents (that said I should register in Australia... WTF)... Somehow I managed to find my way around and get back with a proper visa.

 

That was eight years ago... fast forward to today and I am doing pretty well. I think dealing with this kind of chaotic crap has made me about 10x smarter than I was before I came to China because honestly, I didn't even contemplate this kind of chaos could even exist. It wasn't something that you could find in society in Canada... it was beyond imagination... I studied China for a few years before China and... it prepared me like 2% of what I got.

 

So what's your story... when you landed in China how was your situation and how has it changed until now?

8 years 50 weeks ago in  General  - China

 
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I was drunk wink

Sinobear:

Me too!

8 years 50 weeks ago
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royceH:

Hahahahaha.... me three!  

Still am, medicinally, of course.  Helps with the drudgery of it all.

 

8 years 50 weeks ago
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Robk:

Is this a constant state of drunkenness? Is that why you haven't left yet lol?

 

Just an interesting thought but I remember being told that if our liver didn't clean our blood we would be permanently drunk until our blood was cleaned out maybe through one of those machines are the hospital.

 

Are you in a sort of permanent drunken stupor?

8 years 50 weeks ago
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8 years 50 weeks ago
 
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Posts: 2488

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Similar. I was travelling around alot. Was in a relationship with a great chick that was going nowhere. We thought why not take a year or two and figure shit out?

I had money and a great car, but it was a dead end job in the sense that i was 24 doing a job that paid amazingly well for 24.....but not for 35. Family and house while keeping the cars and travel seemed unlikely. So sold it all and moved! And hated it.
It was a smooth transition though. "Canadian" school in the loosest sense but they kept all of their promises. Me and the girl broke up within the year.

The rest youve heard a million times on here. Things are going smooth.

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8 years 50 weeks ago
 
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Shifu

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I'd already worked in South Korea and Russia, and heard China was fun, but you couldn't pay off loans. I had already gotten ot of the red after two years in Korea and wanted a break, so I got a job via D-ESL cafe at a university in Shenyang. Hated Shenyang, liked the country, moved up to Changchun and Harbin and been here five years. I've done em all.

-I never had another job in the USA and moved into ESL at 23, having done it part time since I was 19.

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8 years 50 weeks ago
 
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Shifu

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The economic crisis hit me hard. With high unemployment rates and no job offers that i could actually pay my bills with, I decided to start a new chapter in my life. I did some research about ESL teaching, got certified, found a job, and made my way here. It was all pretty smotth sailing once I made the life change. I work for a good company. I am freer now than I have ever been. I have a new perspective on the world and life. And, I am actually saving lots of money, rebuilding my emergency fund and retirement fund. I have paid off all of my debts, except for my mortgage. But, renting my house is paying for itself. So, all is hunky dorey.

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8 years 50 weeks ago
 
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I said I wanted to buy some China, and ended up in Shanghai saying "That's not what I meant!!!"

 

Ok - no.

 

I had a fairly well paying job, but wasn't likely to get promoted cos I'm more into what's needed than what's wanted - which isn't making people feel so damn special while they do a crap job and stuff things up constantly. (and ppl who don't take responsibility for their actions).

 

I also had a mate who had just done a dodgey TESOL course, and had enrolled in a Masters degree in Applied Linguistics - intending to go overseas to teach (or do adult migrant English at home). He invited me to an informatiion session, and I was hooked - something that I could do fairly well (teach) and could possibly change people's lives - help them live a dream. So, I enrolled and did the course. Finished pretty quickly (cos, as I said, it was dodgey - 1 weekend, and a few hours online). I also enrolled in the Master's degree...! And got myself a job over here.

 

He dropped out and did nothing with it.

 

First, I was intending to do 1 year here, then go to Europe.. then the shit hit the fan :( The economy crashed, and Europe looked crap for money. I finished my master's degree, did the CELTA in Shanghai, and scored a job in an international program in co-op with an Australian university... and started another master's degree a year later Tongue

 

I also found that the money I was making here made for a much better choice than being in Europe - cos I could save about 80% of my income, and still live nicely (other than the pollution and other problems). Which has meant I could spend lots on travelling/doing things that also mean a lot to me.

 

Now, I'm about to finish this 2nd master's degree (in Education (TESOL), with the intention of doing the doctorate (of Education). I'm at the research phase, and should, if things go as I expect, get me published (and possibly not liked, as I show something the locals won't be happy with... but we all know to be true!).

 

I also became an IELTS examiner...

 

So now... I'm just cruising (and stressing Tongue)

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8 years 50 weeks ago
 
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I was in Vietnam, had a job that paid well but that was frustrating me for personal reason (it was IT business, I prefer research & development). I wasn't missing Europe very much, I was still thirsty for more wandering. Since I had a good experience with a post-doc in China, I contacted my colleagues there, and there was a position to fill. At that time, I had no string attached to anybody, so I took the jump. I had no loan to reimburse (education is super cheap back home), I even had some savings.

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8 years 50 weeks ago
 
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Shifu

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I was bored working in a laboratory, I hadn't seen much of the world.  A woman I knew from school had opened a new training school in china and desperately needed a teacher ASAP. Three days after responding to her advertisement of the role on fb, I was in China.

 

Career wise it was dumb move but I don't regret the time I had.  I do regret esl teaching though. Jumping around in front of children, lesson planning at night, trying to keep teenagers interested. It's awful. Adults might be better to teach I guess. I have a useless hole in my cv which hopefully in future I can just gloss over if I get a new job. 

 

I'll continue searching for that all elusive non teaching job in china. It would make china instantly a much better place to be. 

kasuka91:

Fair point mate. The problem is, alot of the non-teaching jobs here in China don't pay as well as the teaching jobs. Unless you're going for senior-level managerial positions or specific engineering/IT based jobs then most other jobs will involve you taking a pay cut. So, what can you do in that instance?

 

Speaking from experience, non-teaching jobs can be had in China. However, it may be one on a dodgy visa with a really low salary (not to mention that for reasons of being a foreigner, I think that you are exempted from receiving all of the welfare benefits that a Chinese is entitled to). Nevertheless, maybe it would look good on the CV and help if you're looking to make contacts and start up a business of your own.

8 years 50 weeks ago
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I was lucky that I had full support when I moved here. I'd been working for years for an Isle of Man manufacturing company who opened a factory to the east of Guangzhou. They first sent me here on business trips to train Chinese engineers to do my job. My visits became longer & more frequent until at the end of 2009 I was offered an apartment. Fully paid for & support from Chinese colleagues to settle in. 5 years later I've changed engineering jobs a couple of times & am settled in Guangzhou with my wife who I met here 3 years ago. 

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8 years 50 weeks ago
 
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I was drunk wink

Sinobear:

Me too!

8 years 50 weeks ago
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royceH:

Hahahahaha.... me three!  

Still am, medicinally, of course.  Helps with the drudgery of it all.

 

8 years 50 weeks ago
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Robk:

Is this a constant state of drunkenness? Is that why you haven't left yet lol?

 

Just an interesting thought but I remember being told that if our liver didn't clean our blood we would be permanently drunk until our blood was cleaned out maybe through one of those machines are the hospital.

 

Are you in a sort of permanent drunken stupor?

8 years 50 weeks ago
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8 years 50 weeks ago
 
Posts: 33

Governor

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Couldn't afford alcohol in the west

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8 years 50 weeks ago
 
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Shifu

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I was fresh out of uni and was excited for what China had to offer. Still enjoying China now. 

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8 years 50 weeks ago
 
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Answer of the DayMORE >>
A:  "... through ..."?  Only "through" comes to mind is "S
A: "... through ..."?  Only "through" comes to mind is "Shenzhen agent can connect you with an employer, who's authorized to hire waigouren ... and can sponsor Z visa." It's not like every 10th person you meet in Shenzhen's hood can sponsor work visa ...  The only way to change from student to labourer visa is just a regular way by: 1. Finding an employer, who'll apply for an Invitation letter; 2. Exit China and apply for Z visa in your home country's Chinese embassy; 3. Enter China in 30-days after Z visa was stamped into your travelling instrument ...As I am aware, you won't be able to switch to Working permit by remaining in China....,so make ready for a return to your home .... -- icnif77