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Forums > Living in Kunming > Work permit: Hong kong or Chiang Mai?

I'm unsure of any advantages of going to Chiangmai over Bangkok or Hong Kong. The ladders both offer express service and are cheaper in airfare by quite a bit. I went to Bangkok twice and Hong Kong once for this process and had my work visa finished the next business day in the afternoon. By night time I was back on a reasonably priced flight (booked after I picked up my visa) to Kunming without any further trouble. The only other complaint I might have is that Americans have to pay through the nose for the visa and express serviced compared to any other country. If you are trying for a nice holiday and are not in a hurry then, by all means, book a flight to Chiangmai. Otherwise, the low cost of expenses is negligible considering you need to spend an extra 5-6 business days for processing.

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Coming from a Dianchi campus teacher that successfully completed a full year contract with i2, I can honestly say that i2's "money over education" attitude cripples the overall working experience there.

Let us start with by analyzing the foreign and Chinese staff cooperation. Far more often than not, communication was subpar at best between both sides. Each had it's own meetings and goals that were rarely collaborated on between the two. Calling the entire staff a team seems meaningless when money is at the issue of nearly every single decision instead of education; which is in the very title of the school and the job of every foreign teacher that dares to sign a contract.

A doctor's note is indeed required at any small amount of sick leave requested by the teacher. That is, even if you give a full 24 hours notice as per stated in what was my contract at the time. And this is of course after being refused to be even late for the class multiple times by the TA or the principle.
The salary and bonus schemes are nothing more than nearly a false promise. Check on Ninaxu's article posting looking for jobs. Last there was a 300-1000 bonus implying that there is a minimum. That minimum is quickly erased and can turn into a penalty if you fail to achieve a quota when doing your demonstration classes, where you must convince a parent to pay an extraordinary high rate of tuition for a teacher that might or might not be sufficient for the student. And guess where the blame of failing a demonstration class would go to? Tuition prices? Nope, it's always the teachers fault. Some of the students aren't even able to pay the extreme prices that were ffs. Further penalties would also be invoked should the teacher not be able to fill out a plan before and an assessment after each and every class, and for each student. (both are seldom part of your working hours for the week) That combined with quarterly planning for each student is also required and should be adjusted based on the students attendance. And guess who's fault it is should the student not come to every class? I need not say this obvious answer.

A miserable work atmosphere, the 30 hour contract that is minimum 40 at the office each week, lack of staff communication, poorly trained staff and too many more issues made this work experience really terrible. Stay far far away from this place. Don't bother adding Nina nor don't bother with a friend giving you someone's wechat that works here to give you a false view of what exists at i2.