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Q: Are you coming to the end of your first year/semester teaching in China?
How have you found it?
has it lived up to your expectations?
Some posters, like myself, have been here a few years and I have become accepting/tolerant of some behaviours.
There are other things that I really like/enjoy: the food is various and always surprising
Has your first experience of China lived up to the expectations you had, or exceeded them?
9 years 49 weeks ago in Teaching & Learning - China
coming to the end of my first year in Asia for the 13th time... 
Maybe it was so-so.
It's semester end and lots of tutoring to do. Plenty of extra hours. Can't say that I'm unhappy since this is my first teaching job. I used to give corporate training to adults, so having teenagers is a little different. Overall, I'd say uni life isn't so bad if you can keep up with the pace.
On the food end, I'd say I've found my food paradise in Chongqing. There's so much variety here. I don't know if everyone agrees but that's my take.
On the whole, it's a totally new experience for me and I'm still lapping it up. So far so good. Let's hope it keeps that way. Btw, I've made it past probation so I guess I'm doing ok.
sorrel:
hope you manage to retain your optimism 
I agree about the variety of food being an attraction here
I came to China for something different...
And that's EXACTLY what I got...
So I can't get a refund 
After my fourth year teaching I've realized I'm better off not teaching High school kids. Their focus is on Goa Koa. I might try a private school next year. I've lived here long enough to have heard some names and the stories that go with them
I signed new Contract on May 5th with Private Gov. School in Jiangsu. I live in 3 floors building with 2 bathrooms, 3 WC, some nine rooms, and 3 balconies. ALONE!
School rep. told me, house won't be shared, but there's room in it for 3 FT. Some 200 squares. Condo by US standards
I feel like I'm in the 'losing weight program', 'cause kitchen and 'fridge room', sit down sofas are on the bottom floor, my bedroom and bathroom with washing machine are on the 1st floor, and other bathroom and main balcony are on the 2nd.
My pay with all perks is a bit higher than I had in Fuk., so I'm doing best, since I arrived in 2009.
sorrel:
you officially live in the Party house now (pun intended)
It must be great being able to decide each morning which bathroom to use
icnif77:
Only functional bathroom is on the 2nd, buTT.... bathroom on the 1st has big washing machine and working WC, so I'm brushing my teeth only in the bathroom on 2nd. There is small washing machine on 2nd, too! Do I sound lost?
royceH:
Bye bye baby, baby goodbye....
Xinjiang is all the poorer for the loss of your personality.
Is there a pub in your new town?
Just signed a new contract, my fifth. This proves I'm a directionless waster. But I knew that.
I'll be surprised if I stay on after this one as the void is getting bigger and Chinese outlook is getting narrower.
icnif77:
Taizhou! Not looking for pub really. I got some very good hong cha brick, and NZ (much better than Ozz
) milk in Carrefour. Will wait till Summer trip to HK for some good scotch. In one of the small stores close to my house I bought bottle of Cabernet Wolf Legend 2009 (Ozz) and Caerstel Bordeoux 2006 for less than 300 Rmb, bargain price in the West for that aged wine. Despite low price, I tried to haggle owner, but he said 'meiyou'. Opened Ozz bottle, and it's OK. French still waits for 'good day' to sip it. I'm searching for more aged wine bottles in small shops here.
royceH:
Taizhou. Funny story about that place. My old room mate from Qingdao got a job there. The funny part is that he's an ESL teacher from Canada but he's never set foot in Canada in his life. He's completely French. From Brittany actually...maybe that's not completely French....anyhow, his English is awful. But the school in QD promoted him as being Canadian so as to get him a visa and to have big face.
Now he's an English teacher in Taizhou but he can hardly speak a word. His French is very good. And he's a good bloke.
Good job about the wine. Wolf...that'l be Wolf Blas. He's very famous and somewhat eccentric. I think he died.
