There are increasing opportunities to work
or study in China. Most foreign workers
are employed as English teachers, and most
universities and many private colleges now
have a few foreign teachers. Most other
foreigners residing in China are students.
Schemes to find teachers are run
from Chinese embassies abroad - write to
them for details. If you're already in
China, approach the universities
themselves. Salaries are about ฅ1500 a
month, more than a Chinese worker earns,
but not enough to allow you to put any
aside. The pay is bolstered by on-campus
accommodation - a room in a foreigners'
dormitory, usually without a phone.
Contracts are generally for one year.
The main reason to teach is to
experience the culture at a deeper level
than as a tourist. However, some teachers
in small towns and rural areas find that
the local authorities place restrictions
on interaction - for example, you may not
be allowed to entertain a local in your
room. You don't need any qualifications
beyond an ability to speak English, but if
you have teaching experience you may be
classified as a foreign expert, which
means a bigger salary and perhaps even a
room with a carpet. Teachers have a
workload of between ten and twenty hours a
week - a lot more than their Chinese
counterparts have to do. In the classroom,
you should avoid talking about religion or
politics as this can get you into trouble.
Most teachers find their students keen,
hard-working, curious and obedient, and
report that it was the contact with them
that made the experience worthwhile.
Universities welcome Western students
for the extra revenue they bring. Courses
cost about US$3500 a year, or US$1000 a
semester. Accommodation costs around US$10
a day. Most courses are in the Chinese
language, but it's possible to study just
about anything. Be aware, however, that if
you want to study acupuncture, martial
arts or Chinese medicine, courses run in
the West are often better. Write to the
embassy for a list of universities, then
contact the colleges themselves, but it's
best not to sign up for a course until
you've visited the campus and be wary of
paying up front.
China's opening presents a wealth of business
opportunities , usually in
joint-venture operations where the Chinese
have a controlling interest. However,
anyone wanting to do business in China is
advised to do some thorough research. The
difficulties are formidable - red tape and
corrupt and shady business practices
abound. Remember that the Chinese do
business on the basis of mutual trust and
personal connection and pay much less
attention to contractual terms or
legislation. If you're looking for a job,
it's best to turn up in Beijing and
Shanghai and trawl around offices - an
ability to speak Chinese is usually
expected. Even foreign firms in China use
the Chinese system of guanxi
(connections) more than they would at
home, and getting to know the right people
is even more important here. If you want
to write to companies, find out the name
of the personnel manager - a letter
without a name at the top won't get
opened.
Except in Shanghai and Hong Kong,
foreigners are technically allowed to reside
only in certain areas. Housing prices in
such places are expensive, usually at
least US$2000 a month. Increasingly, many
foreigners live with locals and in Chinese
neighbourhoods, though it's not strictly
legal. Officially, you're the guest of the
landlord, and it can be worth registering
with the PSB as such.
