Competitive is another way of saying, in line with our competitors. If the local market pays peanuts, then peanuts plus is competitive. Usually if an employer puts competitive pay in an ad, you know it won't be stellar.
The assumptions for FT contracts are usually 16-20 teaching hours (paid) plus class prep time (normally not paid) plus office hours (not paid).
In a school the teaching hours are usually held between the hours 8 am and 5 pm, M-F. In a language centre the hours are usually all weekend, plus 4 pm to 9 pm M-F.
If you are on salary, expect them to work on the hourly rate x hours per week x four (yes that is only 20 days). However, you do get overtime for working extra hours, and most employers will deduct if you work fewer hours. Schools will often pay you for the Spring Holiday, a few for summer (if you resign).
@927 is right to aim for post graduate qualifications. Not only are they much harder to achieve, but employers recognize this. Post-grad qualifications show that you are able to really learn, work on your own, are not looking for easy options, and realize that you are not entitled to an easy life but you are willing to work for your future.
I have spoken about Kunming, now a little of Shanghai. When I arrived in Shanghai in 2004, bicycles and mianbaoche (used as unlicensed taxi minibus) were still allowed in the downtown area (since banned). There were only really three places you could buy imported groceries, the supermarket under the Portman Hotel, the Pines in Jinqiao, and Carrefour in Gubei (where the Japanese expats lived). There were only a handful of expat owned bars, Big Bamboo, Blue Frog (Jinqiao), there were no foreign bars etc. in Superbrand Mall, unless you count McD/KFC.
You could buy Chinese wine for 12rmb, and cheap imported wine for 50rmb, then the Chinese wine craze hit. Many wines doubled in price in a year, and I started seeing more expensive Chinese wines at 300+ a bottle. Beer was just under 3rmb in the local supermarket. KFC lunchtime meal deal for 15rmb (1 piece, fries, small soda). Breakfast steet food (Shandong jiebin) 1.50rmb. Luchtime big bowl of fried rice or noodles was 5rmb.
Shanghai urban fringe stopped just past the Science Museum, not it goes on much further. Shanghai only had 4 metro lines, now it has 14. We once got a flight from Kunming to Shanghai for less than 300, not a popular route.
Teacher pay was similar. In 2005 I worked in language training companies, one paid 12K, the other paid 18k. In 2006 I moved to Zhengzhou, the university only paid 5500, and I envied an expat maths teacher getting 13k in a local middle school. Compare those with today’s salaries.
The visa office was crazy, join queue A, get to the front and be told you should be at counter D. Queue again for 20 mins, then be told you need to go to another counter first, repeat, be told you need another document, etc.
Same palaver in hospitals. Free for all queueing in banks. Much more efficient queuing systems everywhere today.
A reasonable choice of lumber that has improved over time. Fancy hardwoods like walnut, and mahogany are in abundance. There are some plywood and rubber-wood boards available. There are also some kiln dried imported softwoods and merbao available. Some of the lumber is very green, so look for the kiln dried if you need stable timbers.
Echo everything said by others.
Breakfast great and the serve from 8am. Most other places say 9am and they still are not ready.
Sandwiches are cheap 22-32, and really packed full of filling. We got some sandwiches for a day out, the only mistake I made was ordering two, as this was too much. These are seriously good sangars, and they are wrapped in alu foil.
In fairness to Metro, they are a wholesalers, and not really a supermarket. Hence the need for a card, which can be got around.
They have improved in the year I have been away. They now carry a more consistent range of imported foodstuffs and they also seem to have sorted out the mported milk supply.
They have a wider range of electrical appliances now, there is a coice of more than one toast. There is also a better range of seasonal non foods, like clothes, shoes, garden furniture and camping gear.
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Kunming residents contend with high gravesite prices
发布者Antinatalist
I guess that is what you call Buddhism with a Chinese face.
Getting away: Changchong Mountain
发布者Blobbles, if there are not trees, you may be able to make out farmers routes on Google Earth. You can sometimes.
If you have personal GPS you could also check progress by pre-defining lat-long from Google Earth before you leave home and write them on a print out.
Just an idea.