My passport was finally returned to me this week by my school. I was very happy and relieved to open the passport and find a residence permit affixed to one of the pages. The school was able to obtain the Chinese work visa for me. However, I talked to my manager who told me that obtaining the visa was no easy task. According to him, the school used some ‘friends’ in the government who were able to get me the visa for a ‘large’ bribe. I was surprised because my manager actually used the word bribe. He told me that at the moment it is very difficult for even Americans, such as myself, to obtain working visas in China. It is much more difficult for citizens of these 33 countries to obtain working visas; they are being sent home by their schools to reapply in their home countries.

So if your school is telling you that they are unable to obtain a working visa for you (even if you are from the US, Britian, Australia, New Zealand, and Canada) they are probably telling the truth. The Chinese government has really tightened their policies as the 2008 Olympics fast approach. 

If you have any information or stories to share with us, please leave us a comment below. We want to hear from you.  

Tips

What you should bring with you to China

1. Medicine — While Chinese pharmacies do offer many Western medicines these days, it is probably a good idea to stock up on any medicine that you are taking on a regular basis. Foreign teacher friends of mine, for example, have told me that they have had a difficult time finding medicine for their asthma inhalers. You can also do a search on Google to find out which medicines are available in China. However, remember that depending on where you are living, it could be difficult to find what you are looking for.  It is always a good idea to also check with your school about what medicines are available locally.
2. Personal Hygiene Products — I have never had trouble finding shampoo, bar soap, toothbrushes, or toothpaste even in the smallest cities. You should not have to worry too much about ’stockpiling’ these items.  If you need a particular brand however, you should bring it from your home country as you will most likely not even recognize most of the brands available here.  In some smaller cities in China, you may not be able to find deoderant (and especially your favorite brand) or dental floss.  Also, I have heard about difficulties that women have had finding feminine products in some parts of China. Pads seem to be readily available but in some areas you may have a hard time finding tampons.
3. English Books – If you are an avid reader then you may want to take some English books with you to China. While you can find English books on the shelves of bookstores in big cities, fidning them in some of the smaller cities in China is nearly impossible. Chinese Bibles are readily available in China but finding an Bible in English will probably be a chore. As an ESL teacher in China, you are allowed to carry a Bible into China for personal use.  

What you do not necessarily need to bring with you to China

1. Clothing — The demand for Western style clothes in China has greatly increased in the last 10 years as more and more Chinese people follow international fashion trends. While there is nothing wrong with bringing most of your clothes with you, do not forget that you can always buy more in China and you may be pleasantly surprised by the prices. However, if your clothing size unusually large, you may have a hard time finding clothes that fit you. In this case, you may want to consider bringing more clothes from home.
2. Bedsheets — Unless you are attached for some odd reason to your bedsheets and pillow at home, it is probably better to just leave them at home. You should easy be able to find sheets and blankets in China for reasonable prices. Your school may even provide them for you. Not having to carry these items with you will definitely lighten your load.
3. Bicycle — Some foreigners are intent on dragging their bicycles with them to China. It is not worth the trouble! You can buy a decent mountain bike in China for under 100 USD that should last you at least the year that you are there.

What you most definitely may NOT bring with you to China

1. Arms, ammunition, and explosives of all kinds　　
2. Radio transmitters-receivers and principal parts (bringing in your transistor radio is fine)
3. Renminbi (Chinese currency) in cash
4. Manuscripts, printed matter, films, photographs, gramophone records, cinematographic films, loaded recording tapes and videotapes, etc. which are detrimental to China’s politics, economy, culture, and ethics (carrying pornographic videos or magazines is definitely a bad idea)
5. Poisonous drugs, habit-forming drugs, opium, morphine, heroin, etc. (Do not fool around with this one! Being caught using or selling drugs in China is a serious matter! Your home country will NOT be able to help you)　　
6. Animals, plants and products thereof infected with or carrying germs and insect pesticides　
7. Unsanitary foodstuffs and germ-carrying food-stuffs from infected areas

Here is a SAMPLE packing list that I have used in the past when going to teach in warm climates in China.  
1. Passport and other relevant documents
2. Rain jacket and galoshes
3. English Books
4. Bathing suit and towel
5. Chinese dictionary
6. Hygienic itmes
7. Sandals
8. Camera and film
9. Sunscreen (available but expensive in China)
10. Flashlight
11. Notebook and pencils
12. Waist Pouch
13. Hiking boots
14. Tennis shoes
15. Radio (it’s fun to listen to the local Spanish radio stations)
16. Extra spending money
17. Backpack
18. Alarm clock
19. Calculator (handy for currency conversion)
20. Credit or debit card (recommended in case of emergencies.)

As far as clothing is concerned, you just have to use common sense. Most schools require their teachers to ‘dress up’ a little for classes. Jeans and T-shirts are not usually allowed. It is also important to do a little research on the climate in the place where you will be living. This will help you to know what kind of clothes to bring. However, it is always good to bring some clothes that are appropriate for different climates in case you have a chance to travel in China.

If you have anything to add to this information, please leave us a comment below

“When I arrived at the scene, there were a group of people gathered around the body,” my friend told me. “There was a lot of blood; he had been shot in the head by the police.” My Chinese friend, who was just a little girl when this story happened 25 years ago, told me that the thief had been paraded around town and even made to stand on a platform near her school building to make sure that everyone knew about the crime and understood what was going to happen to the man. Looking back, she tells me, she is glad that she did not arrive in time to witness the execution, but she will never forget the sight of the man laying there in a pool of blood.

Such impromptu executions at the local level may be now very rare in China but the concept behind the death penalty remains the same; paying for a crime with one’s life is the best way to deter other people from committing the same crimes. However, it is not just violent offenders that are punished with death in China. Crimes involving tax fraud and corruption and even drug related charges are eligible for the death penalty in China. Perhaps the most well known death penalty case in China during this decade occurred in 2005 when Zheng Xiaoyu, director of the State Food and Drug Administration was put to death for taking bribes and dereliction of duty. Criminals who continue to backslide may also find themselves facing death for less serious crimes such as theft or fraud.

While China introduced lethal injections in the late 90’s as a method for carrying out the death penalty, my friends and students tell me that most offenders are put to death by a shot to the back of the head from an assault rifle. I have also been told that the families of the offenders are often compelled by the government to purchase the bullet that is used in the gun. While various reasons for this have been put forward by my friends, it is likely that these families must pay for the bullets in order to demonstrate that they understand and accept the reasons for the execution of their loved one.

While there seems to be a ongoing debate in the West as to whether or not the death penalty should be allowed to exist, most Chinese people seem to support the use of capital punishment in their country. For them, modern capital punishment in China is simply a more civilized way of enforcing what has always been an ‘eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth’ mentality in China. People should pay for their crimes, my Chinese friends and students tell me. Most Chinese people seem dislike the idea of leaving a prisoner in jail for life. When I ask my friends about some of the less serious crimes that are also punishable by death they shrug their shoulders. For them, the idea of one less crook or fraudster on the streets of China seems to be quite pleasant.

Many people wonder if the death penalty will be abolished in China in the near future. Do not count on it. With the Chinese government’s renewed pledge to fight corruption in China in the aftermath of the Sichuan earthquake, it is very likely that the CCP will continue to use the death penalty as an important deterrent. In addition, while there has been some criticism from the international community of the Chinese government on its excessive use of capital punishment, it has not been nearly strong enough to cause any major ‘PR’ problems for the Chinese government. And, as I mentioned before, Chinese public opinion seems to be with the CCP on the issue of the death penalty. Almost everyone in China is willing to do what it takes to lower the crime rates in their developing country.

Keeping track of your own hours is especially important if you are working at an English school that is paying you by-the-hour. Many schools in China pay teachers a base salary for classes taught during the week and then extra money for every hour taught on the weekends. While you can be sure that your English school in China will keep close track of these hours, you can also be sure that mistakes will occassionally be made that are not in your favor.

I have always used a simple way to keep track of my hours. At the end of the day, I simply log into my email and write myself a message with the number of hours that I worked on that day. I always use the same subject line so that I can easily search for my ESL hours later on. Many email providers allow users to create a separate folder where incoming mail with certain subject lines can be redirected. Using this technique, I can have a folder dedicated to my ESL working hours in China. Some teachers may choose to use a notebook but for me, I want to make sure that I have my hours in a safe place.

With these tips in mind, it is equally important to count your money immediately after it is given to you by the school. If you take receipt of the money and then realize later that the amount was incorrect, it will be very difficult to prove to the school that they made a mistake. Hopefully, your school has a money counting machine which will make your life easier. These machines are usually very reliable but make sure that your salary gets run through the machine twice.

Keeping track of your ESL hours may take a little extra effort on your part but in the end it is worth it. I have often been very happy that I wrote my hours down especially when the school was insistent that they were right. Keep track of your ESL hours and you will definitely save yourself some time and money!

Chinese culture has been in existence for at least 5000 years so there are plenty inventions that orginate from China. My students have always enjoyed the ESL Conversation Topic of Inventions because I encourage them to use our imaginations.

Warmup: Bring in a picture of the steam engine and ask your students if they know who invented it. Explain to them the importance of the steam engine for future inventions and innovations. You can also talk about Thomas Edison, one of the most famous inventors in American (and world) history.

Discussion:

1. What have the Chinese invented during their long history? Which invention is the most important?
2. Name some important inventions from other countries.
3. What do you think is the most important invention in history? Why?
4. What do you think is the most destructive invention in history? (ie. nuclear bomb).
5. Why are some people better at inventing things than other people? What does it take to be an inventor?
6. What are some of the newest world inventions? Have you used any of them?
7. What would you like to invent? How much do you think it would cost? Why do you think people would use it?
8. What are some things that you wish you had never been invented? Why?

1. China Takes a Whack at Corruption — It appears that the CCP is becoming more serious about fighting corruption in China. In a post entitled China Declares War on an Old Nemesis, I discuss the firing of 12 local officials in the aftermath of the Sichuan earthquake as well as some new anti-corruption laws established last week by Beijing. Read all about it here…
2. Beers for ALL in China — My students tell me that alcohol can be consumed by all ages in China as there is no minimum age requirement on the books in China. What does this mean? “I had my first beer when I was 8,” explains a friend. “It is really up to the parents to decide when their kids first get to drink.” Apparently, a lot of Chinese parents do not care.
3. A Couple of Rainy Days in Southern China — Friends in Southern China tell me about the arrival of Typhoon Fengsheng earlier this week. Rain that fell sideways and streets that turned into rivers were common sights for a few days. The typhoon, which left hundreds of people missing in the Philippines, did not wreak nearly as much havoc in China. Reports indicate just one injury and one missing person in the aftermath of the typhoon.
4. The Importance of a Cover Letter — Finally, if you are applying for a job in China, creating a good cover letter is very important. This week, I shared a copy of the cover letter that I have often used when expressing interest in an ESL teaching job. You can see a copy of it here…

See you next week!

Unfortunately, it now seems that it is proving difficult even for China to keep politics out of the Olympics. CNN is reporting this week that the IOC has rebuked China  “over remarks by a Chinese official about Tibet and the Dalai Lama.” It was not so much the content of the remarks that caught the IOC’s attention but rather where and when the remarks were made. Last Saturday, during the closing ceremony of the Olympic Torch Relay, Zhang Qinglin, the highest ranking Communist Party member in Beijing was quoted as saying that “the sky above Tibet will never change” and that “the Red Star flag will always fly above this land.” He also mentioned Tibet’s exiled spiritual leader by name stating that “we can definitely smash the separatist plot of the Dalai Lama clique completely.” According to CNN, the IOC expressed ‘regret’ over the speech in a letter to Beijing this week. So far, Beijing has not acknowledged that they received such a letter.

China has always been very quick to demand apologies from countries that say or do things that “hurt the feelings of the Chinese people.” This year, companies like Carrefour and CNN, and people like Nancy Pelosi and Sharon Stone have experienced the wrath of the Chinese public when their actions or words were perceived to be inflammatory or damaging to China’s reputation. Is it now not time for China to issue an apology of its own for hurting the feelings of the world with the statements that were made by Comrade Zhang in Tibet? After all, the 2008 Olympic Games, contrary to what many in China may believe, do not belong to China; they belong to the world. What right then did the highest ranking Communist member in Tibet have to make statements about an ‘internal’ Chinese political issue at an Olympic event? It was already a slap in the face of the Tibetans to have the torch paraded through their province but making such political statements at an Olympic event is a slap in the face of the world.

Will China government apologize for the remarks? Of course not. After all, last Saturday’s events in Tibet held far more significance for the Chinese government than simply marking the end of the Olympic Torch Relay. The relative calm that has ensued since the protest in Tibet along with he torch’s incident-free journey through the region and the closing ceremony that followed represent a series of political triumphs for Beijing. The Tibetan ‘insurrection’ has been crushed and the world has been put on notice that Beijing will stop at nothing to assert its dominance and will in Tibet. Thus the comments by Zhang Qinglin were not made by mistake; if anything, they were well calculated. He used a privileged platform provided by the 2008 Olympic Games to blatantly promote China’s political agenda to the rest of the world even though China has always claimed that such issues are of no concern to the international community. Now, as a result of Zhang’s speech on Saturday, the Chinese have no right to insist any longer that the 2008 Olympics and politics be kept separate. Politics are and have been intertwined with the 2008 Olympics Games from the very moment that they were bestowed upon Beijing.  

While having a high quality resume is important, it is equally important to create a good cover letter. After all, it is the cover letter that will provide for an English school its first impression of you. A well written cover letter can help you to stand out from the rest of the crowd.

How did I create my cover letter? It is pretty simple. I took key pieces of information from my resume and put them into sentences, adding some extra details. I also tried to succinctly yet clearly express my passion for teaching ESL in China so that the school could sense my enthusiasm. I did not brag about myself but rather I highlighted my relevant experience and talked about my teaching skills.

To help you create your own cover letter, I am publishing in this post a cover letter that I have often used in the past. Naturally, I have modified the letter a little, to protect my identity but the general wording of the letter is similar to what I have used in the past. Feel free to use it as a guide when you are writing your own letter.
          To whom it may concern,

My name is Robert Vance and I am excited about the opportunity to teach English at your school
in the winter. As an ESL teacher in China and Russia,sharing the English language with others has given me great satisfaction and joy. In fact, language is one of my passions.I have also mastered the French language and successfully ran a small French training center in London. I have spent many weeks developing activities and methods that have proven to be very effective in my classroom. In addition, I have also completed a 400 hour TESOL certification which I believe will further strengthen my abilities.
 
My love for teaching language and my fascination with other cultures are the two main motivations that fuel my desire to teach abroad. I have traveled throughout Europe, Africa, and Asia and have met hundreds of wonderful people on my trips. Nothing that I have learned in college could have prepared me for the unique cultural experiences that I have had throughout my travels.

As an English teacher in Central China, I taught more than 2000 students every week. Not only did I teach at our main school complex, but I also traveled around the city teaching in our training centers. I sang, acted, told stories, and engaged the students in interesting conversations.

As an English Teacher in Southern Russia, I was responsible for teaching classes, checking homework,
developing tests, creating material for conversation classes, and working with parents. This invaluable
experience taught me a lot about working with people and how to win their respect.

As a tutor in London’s public schools, I have worked with students from various countries who have trouble with the English language. Whether it is working on letters and sounds,or explaining algebra concepts, I have been able to further develop methods that allow me to be an effective teacher. I have also attended a number of ESL workshops where we are familiarized with the terminology and the newest ESL techniques.

I have a four year bachelor’s degree in French and International Business. I completed my studies in
December. As I mentioned before, I have completed a 400 hour TESOL course.

Most recently, I have been running a French language program at a public school in my area. I teach children from the ages of 4 all the way up to adults.

I hope that you will give me the opportunity to teach in your school. I would love to come and do what I enjoy the most: teach language. Please review my resume (which you can access at the end of this letter) and website and contact me with any questions that you may have. Thank you for your time

Do you have any additional suggestions on how to create an effective cover letter for finding ESL jobs in China? Leave us a comment with your suggestions. We would love to hear from you!

You can also read more about how to effectively apply for teaching jobs in China by clicking here to visit our sister site.

Since China has their own version of Bigfoot, this ESL Conversation Topic should be very interesting. If you can get some drawings of the American Bigfoot, this would enhance the ESL lesson.

Warmup: Give your students a copy of an article about the Chinese “Bigfoot” from this website. Ask your students to take turns reading the article and discuss with them any new vocabularly. If you have any drawings or other information about “Bigfoot” in America, present these to your students now.

Discuss:

1. What do you think about Bigfoot in China and America? Does he really exist?
2. What do you think Bigfoot is like? Is he half man and half animal? Is that possible?
3. If Bigfoot doesn’t exist, do you think people are making up the stories? How could so many people lie about it?
4. Should we be scared of Bigfoot if he truly does exist? What do you think Bigfoot thinks about us?
5. Is looking for Bigfoot a waste of time? Is there any value in making contact with him?
6. What other unusual sightings exist in China? Have you ever seen anything strange in China?
7. What other unusual sightings do you know about from around the world? Loch Ness Monster, UFO’s, etc
8. Would you ever spend anytime looking for Bigfoot? Why or why not?

My initial reaction to these strong anti-corruption measures by the CCP is “Hats off to Beijing!” It would appear that the CCP is taking these widespread allegations, which have existed from almost Day 1, very seriously. My second reaction, however, is a little more cautious. It is incredible to me that the Chinese government was able to investigate over 1000 allegations of corruptions in less than 2 months. Such a process would have taken at least 6 months if not a entire year to be completed in the United States. Hopefully, in its new found zeal to fight corruption in China, the government has allowed justice to a run its due course. would be a travesty if an official’s entire career was ruined just based on hearsay and confusion. Afterall, there is no mention in the reports of any court trials. It appears that the punishments were meted out directly by the government.

Nevertheless, it is a pleasant surprise to see the Chinese government’s willingness to combat corruption in a country that is in dire need of such measures. As I wrote about in a post entitled Where is the China Earthquake Donation Money Going?, rampant corruption in China leads to the loss of millions of dollars every year that are earmarked from Beijing for important projects throughout the country. This corruption, especially at the local levels of government, also makes it difficult for Chinese citizens to go through the legal avenues of applying for construction licenses or doing other government related business. It is to be hoped that news of this swift justice in the wake of the earthquake, coupled with the CCP’s five-year anti-corruption plan will reasonate throughout China and force officials to ‘clean their act.’

Some will undoubtedly accuse me of being naive and overly optimistic. I am certainly not naive. I realize that this will not be the first time that the Chinese government has attempted to fightcorruption in China. But I do wear a badge of optimism proudly in that I believe that important changes are occurring in China. While there is understandably very little open criticism of the government in China, the CCP realizes that behind closed doors, Chinese citizens are becoming more and more discontent with the widespread local corruption, especially when it hampers their ability to perform daily business and improve their lives.  The process of dealing with corruption in China will not be an overnight occurrence but if the government’s swift actions in the aftermath of the earthquake are any indication, corrupt officials in China will have much to worry about in the coming months and years.

** Corrections contained in this post: Reports has originally indicated that close to 1000 Chinese officials were punished but since then it has been revealed that there were over a 1000 allegations of corruption with 43 officials who were punished to varying degrees. This post has been updated to reflect those changes.