The Job
Changsha is the capital city of Hunan Province (Population 1.79 million people) and well-known for it’s universities and colleges. It is not so much an industrial area although there are many manufacturing companies. I guess you call that “light industrial”?
I have been warned about the noise and the pollution but apparently it’s not as bad as some areas. The city is built on both sides of the Xiang River and lies in a valley surrounded by mountains. Temperatures range from 0 celcius in the winter months to 35 degrees celcius in summer. (I have read there are only two temperatures in summer: hot and “freaking” hot.) In between are the fall and spring seasons, just like in Canada, the only difference being no snow. That suits me just fine!

A one-year contract teaching English in Changsha, China! Wow! I won’t believe this is all happening until I wake up in China that first morning and have to get up and go to school. Here’s a brief synopsis of what the job entails: teaching 6-12 year olds 30 hours per week in the slow months and up to 40 hours in the peak months (Jan, Feb, Jun, Jul, Aug). English First is a private school which owns franchises all over the world. There are over 50 schools in China alone. (I have determined it is not your fly-by-night school opened by a local just trying to make a buck. There are many of those all over the world - for example, the school in Thailand that offered me a contract. My research told me not to go there. The owner will treat you like gold until you start working and then nickel and dime you to death. And the “beach house” residence is a dump according to one message board.)
My school (Changsha English First) on the other hand is well-known and comes with good references from current and former teachers. (Yes, I did my homework.) My contact in Changsha, Marie checked it out for me and talked to two of the teachers. They are happy there and the apartments that are included (free) are very clean and comfortable. She teaches at the university Monday to Friday and after doing some groundwork for me decided to teach at English First on Saturday mornings. So that is definitely a good sign!
The director of the school called me (yes, all the way from China). That is the norm as they want to make sure you really can speak English and speak it well with no foreign accents thrown in. Turns out he and his wife are from Orillia, Ontario and they live in the same apartment building that I will be living in along with other teachers.
The apartment is a 10 minute walk to school passing by two supermarkets, a KFC and McDonalds! In future blog entries I will refer to McD’s as the “Canadian Embassy” in honour of my blog friend, Erik who is currently on a Global Trip around the world. Being from the USA he calls it the “American Embassy”.
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My monthly salary includes working 30 hours per week and anything above that is paid overtime. Bonus! The school has a set cirriculum and all the necessary supplies including a computer lab and media equipment. The school is contained on the entire 3rd floor of a downtown highrise building. I get 11 Chinese paid holidays including one day off for Christmas and three for Chinese New Year. Anytime after 3 months I can take a 2 week consecutive vacation in any of the off-peak months. Hmmm…….that might give me a chance to come home in April or May!
I will share a 2 bedroom apartment with another teacher from Canada. It is fully furnished including air conditioning, dishes, bedding & towels, tv, internet and a washing machine. Can’t wait to see the washing machine. I believe it’s one that washes your clothes, rinses, drains and then drys! That will be so cool! Oh yeah, also a western style bed and western toilet as opposed to Asian.
There is an open market behind the apartment where people go to buy fresh meat, fruit and vegetables and of course the staple food rice. Good thing I love rice and have said that I could eat it every day although I’ve never put it to the test……………